Academic Experiences of “Zoom-Fatigue” as a Virtual Streaming Phenomenon During the COVID-19 Pandemic

This phenomenological exploratory multiple-case study design was conducted at an open distance e-learning university and a traditional contact residential university and it was found that the participants viewed video conferencing under the COVID-19 lockdown period as an exhausting experience. A second major finding revealed that the participants were empowered with digital literacy skills to use video conferencing effectively. The current findings add to a growing body of literature on video conferencing with a focus on Zoom fatigue. Further research might explore the lived zoom experiences of administrators, students and a larger group of faculties over a longer period. The study findings must be considered when planning and implementing video conferencing for academics and students in open distance e-learning contexts. This study showed that video conferencing is one tool in the emergence of a digital zoom revolution that has radically changed the workspace. The evidence from this study suggests that zoom fatigue is a reality check for work-related health management.

Self-Efficacy Beliefs of University Students: Examining Factor Validity and Measurement Invariance of the New Academic Self-Efficacy Scale

Academic self-efficacy beliefs influence students’ academic and career choices, as well as motivational factors and learning strategies promoting effective academic success. Nevertheless, few studies have focused on the academic self-efficacy of university students in comparison to students at other levels. Furthermore, extant measures present several limitations. The first aim of this study was to develop a reliable and valid scale assessing university students’ self-efficacy beliefs in managing academic tasks. The second aim was to investigate differences in academic self-efficacy due to gender, years of enrollment, and student status. The study involved 831 students (age M = 21.09 years; SD = 1.34 years; 66.3% women) enrolled in undergraduate programs. Indicators of academic experiences and performance (i.e., number of exams passed and average exam rating) were collected. A new scale measuring students’ academic self-efficacy beliefs was administered. Results from a preliminary Exploratory Factor Analysis were consistently supported by findings from a Confirmatory Factor Analysis. Multigroup CFA supported the presence of measurement invariance. Analyses revealed that the new scale has eight factors: “Planning Academic Activities,” “Learning Strategies,” “Information Retrieval,” “Working in Groups,” “Management of Relationships with Teachers,” “Managing Lessons,” “Stress Management,” and “Thesis Work.” Self-efficacy dimensions showed significant relations with academic experiences and students’ performance indicators, as well as differences due to gender, years of enrollment, and student status. Findings are discussed in terms of practical implications for the implementation of intervention programs aimed at fostering self-efficacy beliefs and academic success.

Study Abroad and Student Exchange Experiences of International Students: The Sociocultural and Psychological Racism Perspective

Malaysian students like to study abroad and experience the international exchanging programmes during their university voyage. Due to the technology and entertainment developments, South Korea is one of the popular education destinations for many international students, particularly Malaysian students. Based on the Sociocultural and Psychological-Racism perspective, this study's purpose focused on describing their challenges, academic experiences, and living experiences in South Korea. The results indicated that Chinese-Malaysian students experienced significant negative experiences, including discrimination based on their place of origin, cultural characteristics and social behaviours, and special background and status as non-traditional students. Although Malaysia and South Korea share similar East Asian practice, all participants regretted their study abroad experiences in South Korea. The findings of this study will contribute to the knowledge about the study abroad experiences of Malaysian students, overseas learning experiences, managerial developments of international students’ services, and the governmental policies for global views for the South Korean communities. Received: 6 August 2021 / Accepted: 7 October 2021 / Published: 3 January 2022

Exploring the Impact of the Academic Interactions and Social Relations of Graduate Black African Students on their Learning Experiences in Beijing

Current data on international student has not particularly examined the experiences of the international African students in China. Furthermore, faced with a situation where the researcher encountered challenges as a student in China; I self-located in exploring the experiences of the African student in adapting to a new social and academic environment. A phenomenological research framework using semi-structured interviews was used to explore the social and academic experiences of 12 African Graduate students from three Universities in Beijing, China. Participants identified Chinese language as a major challenge, reported limited interaction with Chinese lecturers and discriminatory treatments during classroom dynamics. Added to these, there is much preference given to students from western countries. The study concludes by discussing the implication for practice and emphasizes the importance of universities acknowledging the cultural background of each other and incorporating perspectives of all students in a particular class to enhance student life experiences.

Student Governance and the Academic Minefield During COVID-19 Lockdown in South Africa

Since 1997, the ordinary students at South African universities have depended on the SRC to be at the forefront of student advocacy in relation to resources to support their academic experiences. The onset of the lockdown on the eve of 26th March 2020 had an unprecedented effect on student life, with a change of student governance from cohesion to isolation. Adopting a snowball sampling methodology, 15 students registered at various South African universities were interviewed via WhatsApp about the support they received from their SRC during the COVID-19 lockdown. The impact of the lockdown on student governance is examined through the lens of ordinary students. Findings suggest that the surge to technology-based modes of interaction and self-regulated learning had a resultant effect of a highly compromised academic experience, even though some were able to adapt to online learning. Adjusted approaches to student governance are inevitable as the coronavirus continues to manifest.

Authentic Experiences of CHamoru Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The year 2020 has been an especially difficult year for people and organizations all over the world because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Higher learning institutions and their respective stakeholders are no exception and have been severely impacted by the pandemic resulting in the reshaping of higher education regionally, nationally, and internationally. This chapter examined the University of Guam's (UOG) response to the COVID-19 pandemic and understanding the authentic academic experiences of indigenous CHamoru students during the global epidemic. The current study employed a qualitative approach using a collective case study of 10 CHamoru male and female students who attended UOG for at least one semester during the COVID-19 pandemic. The chapter concludes with the recommendation that institutions of higher learning analyze and possibly revise or design academic programs that will sustain academic resiliency in its indigenous student communities.

Burdened in Business: Pacific Early Career Academic Experiences with Promoting Pacific Research Methodologies in the Business Academy

Ongoing calls to indigenise the academy renew debate regarding the value and significance of Pacific and Indigenous philosophies and methodologies. This paper contributes to this conversation by reflecting on our experience as Tongan women and early career academics promoting the utility of Pacific methodologies such as talanoa within business research in Aotearoa. We examine the constraints on and drivers to adopting talanoa in our respective fields to argue that institutional demands and limited Pacific capacity within the business space restrict our ability to work towards legitimising talanoa and drive future-focused directions in research. These factors hinder our ability to actively contribute to the agenda of indigenising the business academy.

Adjustment and socioeconomic status: how do these factors influence the intention to dropout of university?

This study investigated the effects of adjustment and socioeconomic status on the intention by undergraduate students to dropout of university. The sample comprises 955 students from a university in South Africa and a quantitative research approach was used to test the hypotheses. Regression analyses results showed that social adjustment and institutional attachment significantly predicted the intention to dropout, whereas academic adjustment and personal-emotional adjustment could not predict the intention to dropout. In addition, the results showed that socioeconomic status significantly moderated the relationship between academic adjustment and the intention to dropout of university; however, socioeconomic status could not moderate the relationship between institutional attachment and the intention to dropout of university. The results highlight the need for students to be supported in dealing with adjustment challenges during the transition to university. Furthermore, the results encourage universities to consider various academic needs of students from different socioeconomic backgrounds to improve their academic experiences.

Examining the Experiences of Adult Learners in Higher Education

In the last decade, there has been a shift of more non-traditional adult learners returning to pursue undergraduate education. Though traditional age students are in the majority, a rising population of adult learners has been steadily increasing. They are typically students who are 25 years and older, attend part-time, work full-time, and tend to juggle family or dependent demands with schoolwork. Studies show that these adult learners are at high-risk for academic underachievement and dropping out. However, educational institutions still operate with the same traditional learning paradigm that they previously used (without acknowledging the wealth of life experiences that adult learners bring), leading us to the question of how adult learners perceive their academic learning experiences. In this study, 171 adult learners (students aged 25 and older at the time of matriculation) at a regional college in Atlanta, participated in an online survey that examined their academic experiences, specifically meaningfulness of coursework, course delivery approaches, and the advantages as well as disadvantages of being an adult learner. Majority were females (83%), and the ethnic breakdown was as follows: White (41%), African American (26%), Hispanic (12%), and 22% reported other. Results of this study indicate that academic institutions need to pay attention to the learning experiences of this burgeoning student population. Understanding their perspectives on their academic experiences hold major implications for long-term meaningful change in academia.