scholarly journals Continuous professional development and student support in an open and distance e-learning institution: a case study

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mphoentle Puleng Modise
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Distance Education ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Student Support ◽  
Continuous Professional Development ◽  
Case Study Methodology ◽  
E Learning ◽  
Study Methodology

Faced with emerging technologies and a diversity of students entering higher education in South Africa, lecturers must continuously equip themselves with the necessary skills to teach and support today’s learners effectively. This article reports on the lessons learnt and experiences of academics at an open distance learning (ODL) institution who participated for the first time in the fully online teaching and learning programme at an international institution, through a partnership aimed at developing academic capacity in ODL. The author suggests that academics cannot impart and transfer to learners skills they themselves do not possess, and makes recommendations for striving towards an effective student support system through continuous professional development in distance education and e-learning. The study revealed that the participants appreciated the support they received and valued the skills acquired in the programme. They also indicated that they were planning to use the new skills to enhance their own teaching.  The study followed a case study methodology and made use of a range of data collection methods and tools that are in line with qualitative studies.Keywords: continuous professional development (CPD), distance education, e-learning, student support, open and distance e-learning (ODeL), transactional distance, community of inquiry (CoI)

Putting the "Development" in Professional Development: Understanding and Overturning Educational Leaders' Immunities to Change

2008 ◽  
Vol 78 (3) ◽  
pp. 437-465 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deborah Helsing ◽  
Annie Howell ◽  
Robert Kegan ◽  
Lisa Lahey
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Personal Development ◽  
Educational Leaders ◽  
Professional Relationships ◽  
Development Programs ◽  
School Environments ◽  
Case Study Methodology ◽  
Study Methodology ◽  
Robert Kegan

In this article, authors Deborah Helsing, Annie Howell, Robert Kegan, and Lisa Lahey argue that today's educational leaders face a host of complex demands as they strive to implement lasting, meaningful change in their school environments. As these demands often require a level of personal development many adults may not yet have, there is a need for professional development programs that are genuinely developmental. This article describes one such program that provides the opportunity for participants to make qualitative shifts in the ways that they understand themselves and their work. Using case study methodology, the authors explore the psychological development of one participant as she increases her capacity to determine, and be guided by, her own theories, values, and expectations of her personal and professional relationships and responsibilities.

Embracing educational disruption: a case study in making the shift to a remote learning environment

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ida Fatimawati Adi Badiozaman ◽  
Hugh John Leong ◽  
Wallace Wong
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Online Teaching And Learning ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Technological Support ◽  
Self Reports ◽  
E Learning ◽  
Professional Development Needs ◽  
The Impact

PurposeAs an institution that has invested in e-learning infrastructure and technology for e-learning delivery, Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak conducted The Digital Educator Series as a means of embracing this educational disruption. In particular, this paper reports on the first three courses held under the Digital Educator Series that aims to equip teachers with practical and effective online teaching to school teachers in Sarawak. While the training is still in effect, preliminary results are shared, and implications for practice and recommendations for further research are considered.Design/methodology/approachApproximately 136 questionnaires containing close-and open-ended items were distributed to the teacher participants of the Digital Educator Series. Close-ended items were designed to gather general information about their perceptions of online teaching and learning. Items were constructed to gather insights on familiarity with online teaching and learning, perceived usefulness of platforms such as Microsoft Teams and Google Classrooms. The open-ended items were designed to gather information on areas of improvement for the courses and professional development needs of teachers for online teaching.FindingsThe findings revealed very mixed responses in terms of teachers' familiarity with online teaching and learning. Nonetheless, it was encouraging that the majority of teachers felt positively about the impact and usefulness of the courses in the Digital Educator Series and have expressed that would like to learn more about online teaching pedagogy. Teachers reported the greatest familiarity with Google Classroom and were very positive about the applicability the Google Classroom Course (91.2%) in their own teaching practice. Conversely, all of the participants reported they were unfamiliar with Microsoft Teams. Accordingly, the teachers did not perceive its applicability to be as high as the Google Classroom. The qualitative findings further corroborated this and expressed the need for specific professional development programmes that include pedagogical and technological support. Overall, the teachers are strongly focussed in their professional development in order to improve their online teaching,Research limitations/implicationsLike other research, this too has its limitations. The sample size in this study was restricted to those who attended the Digital Educator Series training. Hence the results of this study, whilst have been enriching, and to a certain extent are supported by the current literature, the accuracy of the description may be unique to this particular group of individuals, within this particular setting. Additionally, the study only relied on self-reports from both the questionnaire and the semi-structured interviews. This study accepts that self-reports have shortcomings. Not all experiences of the courses would have been readily accessible through the teachers' conscious reflections. This makes it difficult to construct a complete picture of the experience, challenges and identify all salient factors within a particular workshop or training.Practical implicationsAlthough the adoption of teaching and learning to online platforms is undoubtedly the way to maintain continuity of learning for students, it has also unveiled glaring inequities in Sarawak. Therefore, continuous and personalised professional development needs to be provided, focussing on pedagogical and technological support. There is a need to embrace these changes as a long-term response that will develop and improve over the next few years. That response should include better infrastructure, policies for quality improvement, accessibility standards and strategic plans for continuous access in the future. This includes advocating for platforms that can fit into the core technology environment and for teachers to adopt an innovative mindset.Originality/valueIn light of the complex and multifaceted challenge of transitioning to online learning in Sarawak Malaysia, it was evident that the need for innovative solutions to optimize educational endeavours has become accelerated. To ensure that students are well-supported and widening participation and access to education, it is imperative that the education disruption be embraced. This starts with addressing teachers' digital literacy through a professional development programme of online reaching.

The Types of Case Studies in Research and Career-Based Endeavors

2022 ◽  
pp. 548-567
Author(s):  
Laurie Wellner ◽  
Kathleen Pierce-Friedman
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Research Design ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Case Study Research ◽  
Teaching Tool ◽  
Additional Structure ◽  
Case Study Methodology ◽  
Study Methodology

This chapter focuses on the overarching components of the case study methodology in the context of research and career-based teaching and organizational learning settings. More specifically, this chapter, presented in several distinct sections, provides a description of the various types of case studies that can be selected for research purposes as well as for use as a teaching tool for career professionals, higher education faculty, and others interested in employing this type methodology. This chapter is intended to serve as a foundation to the subsequent text in this book pertaining to the detailed descriptions and elements of the case study serving as either a research design or a function of the teaching and learning process in academic and career-based settings. Providing a rich initial presentation of the types and qualities of the case study research design, this chapter will launch additional structure for the later chapters to offer a deeper understanding for the reader.

Investigating Inquiry-Based, Technology-Rich Global Education Through Action Research

2021 ◽  
pp. 245-263
Author(s):  
Nada Zaki Wafa ◽  
Meghan McGlinn Manfra
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
Global Education ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
School Teacher ◽  
Case Study Methodology ◽  
Rich Description ◽  
Study Methodology ◽  
New Challenges ◽  
Leverage Action

As teachers increasingly face new challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic and instructional adjustments related to digital and online learning, action research may provide a more effective approach for bringing about change. In this chapter, the authors provide an example of an innovative project in which a university-based researcher worked alongside an elementary school teacher to implement and assess a technology rich, global education program. The case followed the global education teacher from the initial stages of the curriculum implementation through teaching a complete unit. Using a collaborative inquiry model, the authors merged action research with qualitative case study methodology to develop a rich description of instruction. The aim was to understand teacher and student outcomes, while also exploring the benefit of engaging practitioners as co-researchers. The authors offer this project as a representative example of the myriad ways educators can leverage action research to develop innovative approaches to teaching and learning global education.

Post-pandemic Higher Education: Perspectives from University Leaders and Educational Experts in the United Arab Emirates

2021 ◽  
pp. 234763112110072
Author(s):  
Sanaa Ashour ◽  
Ghaleb A. El-Refae ◽  
Eman A. Zaitoun
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Distance Education ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Mode Of Delivery ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
The Future ◽  
E Learning ◽  
University Leaders

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented an opportunity to rethink higher education. This study focused on analysing experiences from three higher education institutions (HEIs) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) since the onset of the crisis and explored how university leaders and professors in these institutions imagine post-COVID-19 higher education. The study aimed to find out whether the pandemic has been a factor that has helped to legitimize online teaching and learning as a universal mode of delivery across different fields of studies, or if the Zoom fatigue has shown its limitations. In addition, the research investigated what transformations university experts predict and their vision for the future of higher education. The study found that many lessons learnt during the period of forced adoption of distance education will be used by universities to enhance and expand online learning provisions. This shift will be driven by the investments the universities have made in distance education and the increased familiarity of the students, staff and institutions with e-learning. The study participants foresee that more sophisticated forms of hybrid campuses will be a more appropriate model for the future, if face-to-face (F2F) classrooms do not return.

scholarly journals Learning Circles: A Collaborative Technology-Mediated Peer-Teaching Workshop

10.28945/2176 ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 063-083
Author(s):  
Kevin Sullivan ◽  
Kevin Marshall ◽  
Brendan Tangney
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Learning Experiences ◽  
Peer Teaching ◽  
Curriculum Content ◽  
Case Study Methodology ◽  
Expert Teacher ◽  
Innovative Learning ◽  
Study Methodology

This research study explores peer teaching and learning without a domain expert teacher, within the context of an activity where teams of second level students (~16 years old) are required to create a learning experience for their peers. The study looks at how participants would like to be taught and how they would teach their peers if given the opportunity and examines the support they require, their motivation levels, and if they actually learn curriculum content using this approach. An exploratory case study methodology was used, and the findings suggest that students want varied learning experiences that include many of the elements which would fall under the heading of 21st century learning, that with some support and encouragement they can create innovative learning experiences for their peers, and that they can learn curriculum content from the process.

scholarly journals Case Study Methodology: Flexibility, Rigour, and Ethical Considerations for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marion L Pearson ◽  
Simon P Albon ◽  
Harry Hubball
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Ethical Considerations ◽  
Scholarship Of Teaching ◽  
Case Study Methodology ◽  
Curricular Practices ◽  
Collecte De Données ◽  
Study Methodology ◽  
The Many ◽  
Cas A

Individuals and teams engaging in the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) in multidisciplinary higher education settings must make decisions regarding choice of research methodology and methods. These decisions are guided by the research context and the goals of the inquiry. With reference to our own recent experiences investigating pedagogical and curricular practices in a pharmacy program, we outline case study methodology as one of the many options available for SoTL inquiry. Case study methodology has the benefits of flexibility in terms of the types of research questions that can be addressed and the data collection methods that can be employed. Conducted with proper attention to the context of the case(s) selected, ethical treatment of participants, and data management, case studies also have the necessary rigour to be credible and generalizable. In the matter of generalization, however, we recommend that the readers of a case study draw their own conclusions about the applicability of the findings to other settings. Les particuliers et les groupes qui sont actifs dans le haut savoir en matière d’enseignement et d’apprentissage (ACEA) dans les milieux pluridisciplinaires de l’enseignement supérieur doivent prendre des décisions en ce qui concerne le choix des méthodologies et des méthodes de recherche. Ces décisions sont guidées par le contexte de la recherche et par les objectifs de l’interrogation. En nous basant sur nos propres expériences récentes quand nous avons examiné des pratiques pédagogiques et curriculaires dans un programme de pharmacie, nous décrivons la méthodologie des études de cas comme l’une des nombreuses options disponibles pour les interrogations en ACEA. La méthodologie des études de cas a l’avantage d’être souple en ce qui a trait aux types de questions de recherche qui peuvent être étudiées et aux méthodes de collecte de données qui peuvent être employées. Quand elles sont menées avec l’attention requise pour le contexte des cas choisis, le traitement éthique des participants et la gestion des données, les études de cas présentent également la rigueur nécessaire pour être crédibles et généralisables. Toutefois, en ce qui concerne la généralisation, nous recommandons que les lecteurs d’une étude de cas tirent leurs propres conclusions concernant le caractère applicable des résultats à d’autres situations.

The Types of Case Studies in Research and Career-Based Endeavors

2019 ◽  
pp. 83-108
Author(s):  
Laurie Wellner ◽  
Kathleen Pierce-Friedman
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Research Design ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Case Study Research ◽  
Teaching Tool ◽  
Additional Structure ◽  
Case Study Methodology ◽  
Study Methodology

This chapter focuses on the overarching components of the case study methodology in the context of research and career-based teaching and organizational learning settings. More specifically, this chapter, presented in several distinct sections, provides a description of the various types of case studies that can be selected for research purposes as well as for use as a teaching tool for career professionals, higher education faculty, and others interested in employing this type methodology. This chapter is intended to serve as a foundation to the subsequent text in this book pertaining to the detailed descriptions and elements of the case study serving as either a research design or a function of the teaching and learning process in academic and career-based settings. Providing a rich initial presentation of the types and qualities of the case study research design, this chapter will launch additional structure for the later chapters to offer a deeper understanding for the reader.

scholarly journals Impact of COVID-19 on Higher Education. A case study of Uzbekistan

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 51-66
Author(s):  
Izabela Cytlak
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Distance Education ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Educational Institutions ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
Aged People ◽  
Teachers And Students

Purpose – To identify the main challenges experienced at local Higher Educational Institutions by students while studying online during the pandemic. The research will find out the difficulties faced, and detect the areas to improve in further implementation of distance education in the country. Motivation - Only about 11% of applicants have been accepted to High Educational Institutions in Uzbekistan for the last two years. The integration and development of distance learning will create opportunities for more young and middle-aged people who do not have enough resources to study in a traditional way. Due to the pandemic, all the educational institutions had to transfer into the online teaching system. This unexpected situation made both teachers and students of Uzbekistan face the challenges. At the same time, it created an opportunity to experience remote teaching and learning, which can become a groundwork on approval and application of distance education in Uzbekistan. Design/Methodology/Approach – Quantitative type of research was implemented. The questionnaire was designed and the students who experienced remote learning during the pandemic at least for one semester were invited to participate. Implications – The results of the research can be implied to develop educational policy in the Higher Education system of Uzbekistan. The outcomes of surveys were analyzed to understand how the findings can be implemented in the Higher Education of Uzbekistan. Moreover, the conclusions of the research may constitute recommendations for decision-makers in the field of higher education (rectors and dean's authorities of universities).

Internationalization as process of value distribution through innovation: polyhedral diagnosis of a “born global” firm

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 561-574 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nuria Calvo ◽  
Oskar Villarreal
Keyword(s):  
Value Chain ◽  
Value Distribution ◽  
Born Global ◽  
Case Study Methodology ◽  
Content Type ◽  
New Findings ◽  
E Learning ◽  
Study Methodology ◽  
Born Global Firms

Purpose Technology applied to learning is blurring the traditional outlines of the relations between publishing and technology industries, moving the internationalization strategy away from a gradual perspective toward accelerated internationalization. This paper aims to provide a conceptual model of polyhedral diagnosis of market entry strategy (PODMES model) for “born global” firms involved in e-learning industries. Design/methodology/approach The use of the case study methodology allowed apply PODMES model to a “born global” firm of the e-learning industry. Findings Results confirm that “born global” firms in the e-learning industry can adopt behaviors contrary to those expected in the literature. These behaviors imply new entry patterns by creating new strategic partner–supplier–client–competitor relations that extend the traditional analysis of the internal value chain to a process of value distribution through product and technology alliances. Originality/value This research provides two main contributions. First, an advance upon previous research into “born global” firms, through deep analysis of a case study that offers new findings regarding the phenomenon studied. It permits to align this research with previous analysis, following a strict case study methodology approach. Second, this study offers the application of a new methodology (PODMES model) that integrates the most relevant theories of internationalization (factorial dodecagon) within the five contingencies of entry market and the design of a strategic profile of internationalization.

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