Efficiency Of Higher Education Research Articles

Exploring higher education students’ satisfaction for quality improvement: A case study of the African Centre of Excellence in Data Science

The objective of this study is to examine variables that affect students’ satisfaction in postgraduate programmes using a case study of students at the African Centre of Excellence in Data Science (ACE-DS) at the University of Rwanda. It is important to study student satisfaction to understand how students feel about the quality of education, academic experiences, access to facilities, campus life, and extracurricular activities. A questionnaire was designed for the study, and data was collected from 81 students enrolled in master’s and PhD programs at the African Centre of Excellence in Data Science. In this study, a chi-square test was conducted to select factors associated with students’ satisfaction to be included in the model, and a multivariable logistic regression model was used for the analysis. The findings indicated that gender, level of study, programme of study, and the country of origin were not associated with student satisfaction. In contrast, curriculum relevance, accessing course materials, learning facilities, and the support from the ACE were statistically associated with students’ satisfaction. Therefore, the logistic regression model solely took into account variables which are associated with students’ satisfaction. This study uncovered the difficulties and opportunities affecting students’ satisfaction, and the findings showed that accessing course materials and satisfaction with centre support were statistically significant, while curriculum relevance and satisfaction with learning facilities were not. The findings from this study inform higher learning institutions and decision makers about how to improve the caliber and efficiency of higher education.

Ranking-based second stage in data envelopment analysis: An application to research efficiency in higher education

An alternative approach for the panel second stage of data envelopment analysis (DEA) is presented in this paper. Instead of efficiency scores, we propose to model rankings in the second stage using a dynamic ranking model in the score-driven framework. We argue that this approach is suitable to complement traditional panel regression as a robustness check. To demonstrate the proposed approach, we determine research efficiency of higher education systems at country level by examining scientific publications and analyze its relation to good governance. The proposed approach confirms positive relation to the Voice and Accountability indicator, as found by the standard panel linear regression, while suggesting caution regarding the Government Effectiveness indicator.

Taxonomy of purposes, principles, forms, technologies in on-line education: comparative analysis of virtual universities: pedagogical aspects

Importance. The paper presents the findings of comparative pedagogical research done against the backdrop of new tendencies and developments on the global learning landscape. With the pandemic pushing universities online and ensuing digitalization of educational environment with a flurry of multi aspect virtual learning activities, there has emerged a growing need for reliable criteria to assess effectiveness and efficiency in higher education. The research is aimed to build the taxonomy of virtual universities purposes with the focus on the paramount principles, educational forms and technologies they employ.Research Methods. The research methods involved comparative, descriptive, inductive-deductive ones, typical of comparative pedagogy. We studied the purposes, principles, forms and technologies used by the following virtual universities: The UK’s Open University), Canadian Virtual University (CVU), The University of Phoenix (UoP), The Virtual University for Small States of The Commonwealth (VUSSC), The Virtual University of Pakistan.Results and Discussion. The research enabled us to aggregate, analyze and compartmentalize the data on purposes, principles, forms and technologies of different virtual universities, which offers a new viewpoint on i-learning in a new setting. The purposes of virtual universities are presented in the hierarchical order in compliance with the goal-setting levels: expediency, focus (purposes on this level are differentiated according to the type of activity: educational, pedagogical, maintaining and organizational) and goal commitment. We identified a set of basic principles regulating academic activity of virtual universities in the digitalization context of education, described the most popular forms and technologies employed and specified priority activities of virtual universities.Conclusion. The taxonomy of purposes and paramount principles of virtual universities educational activities make these activities unique. The number of factors and variables defining the educational activities of virtual universities is growing, still the ability to choose the learning route which fits a certain individual has always been and will remain important. Tailored learning style (built on individual preferences in the ways of information searching and processing) suggests an opportunity to adjust the situation and learning material to your needs and thus become more efficient in obtaining new information and skills.

Robotic Process Automation to Increase Teaching Efficiency in Higher Education

Digitalization is advancing and changing our world, and with it the whole economy. Universities must meet this changing demand with new training offers. The AUFLADEN (Charging) project, funded by the Stiftung Innovation in der Hochschullehre, is developing new training formats for students involved in construction planning, predominantly students of architecture and civil engineering. One of the questions of the research project and the subject of this article is whether and how Robotic Process Automation (RPA) can be integrated into teaching as a learning tool to support students specifically and individually in learning software applications through automation. For this purpose, so-called self-learning knowledge Nuggets were developed. RPA makes it possible to have operating steps carried out computer-aided, a technology that is becoming popular to simplify recurring work processes. By slowing down this automation process, the user can study and imitate necessary steps. In a case study it is determined whether better learning results can be achieved by this training method. The results are that the learning speed increases and the teaching effort decreases. This encourages the use of automation technology to free teaching from method teaching and to use the precious teaching time for higher learning targets.

INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF MOOCS IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Abstract. This article is devoted to the topic of informatization in education. In the context of globalization, the modern education system is undergoing significant changes. The concepts of continuous learning and openness, accessibility are becoming a reality thanks to massive open online courses (MOOCs). The article provides a brief description of the principles of operation of popular educational platforms such as Coursera, edX and others. The MOOC variant proposed by the authors of the work on programming in the state language, which is currently used in the process of studying at the university, is considered. The advantages and disadvantages of e-learning are analyzed.
 Keywords: higher education efficiency, massive open online courses (MOOCs), blended learning technology, E-Learning, online learning.

Possibilities and prospects for the professional development of university teachers in the conditions of digitalization

Relevance. The relevance of the study is due to insufficient study of the issue of implementation of measures to develop the professional competences of university teachers, taking into account available digital technologies and gadgets in the Republic of Kazakhstan.Purpose. This article is aimed at identifying the most promising teacher training programs, taking into account the mass digitization of the educational environment, which can practically lead to an increase in the efficiency of higher education in Kazakhstan and, as a result, contribute to the economic development of the state.Methodology. The leading approach to the study of this problem is the method of a natural experiment, with the help of which it was possible to assess the effectiveness of classical and innovative methods of professional development of university teachers. In addition to the natural experiment method, the article used system analysis, logical analysis, synthesis, deduction, classification, comparative analysis, observation and interviewing of respondents.Results. The article presents the results of a cross-sectional study: the digital literacy skills necessary for a university teacher are described, which allow for the safe and productive use of digital technologies and gadgets, the five spheres of a university teacher's activity are presented, which are constituent elements of a teacher's professional activity, formal and informal ones are disclosed educational events aimed at the development of professional competences, two educational programs were developed and implemented; a comparative analysis of the results of the survey of respondents and their assessment of the effectiveness of the completed programs was carried out, the parameters for evaluating the prospects of the teacher's professional development in the conditions of digitalization were proposed.Conclusions. The materials of the article represent practical value, as in practice they demonstrate the effectiveness of digital technologies used for the professional development of university teachers.

Evaluating the efficiency, productivity change, and technology gaps of China's provincial higher education systems: A comprehensive analytical framework.

China's higher education system is one of the largest and most complex in the world, with a vast number of higher education institutions scattered across different provinces. Evaluating the efficiency, productivity change, and technology gaps of these institutions is significant for understanding their performance and identifying areas for improvement. In this context, this study employs three different approaches, DEA super-SBM, Malmquist Productivity Index, and Meta-Frontier Analysis, to evaluate the efficiency, productivity change, and technology gaps of China's provincial higher education systems. The study results revealed that the average higher education efficiency in China is 1.0015 for the study period of 2010-2021. A rapid and continuous increase was witnessed in higher education efficiency in China from 2014 to 2020. Meta-frontier and Group-frontier, higher education efficiency scores of low-level literate provinces are greater than middle and high-level literate provinces. However, the TGR of higher and middle-level literate provinces is greater than low-level literate provinces, indicating a superior technological level. The average MI score is 1.0034, indicating growth in productivity change. Efficiency change is the main determinant in higher education productivity growth instead of technological growth. The Middle and Low-level literate provinces witnessed growth in higher education productivity, while high-level literate provinces observed a decline in productivity change. The Kruskal-Wallis test provides evidence that a significant statistical difference exists among the three groups of education levels for the average scores of MI, EC, TC, and TGR.

New priority of the state scientific policy of Azerbaijan: Development of scientific activity in universities

Aim. To study new challenges and priority tasks facing universities within the framework of the new priority of the state scientific policy of Azerbaijan, as well as to identify problems related to scientific activity in universities of the republic in the context of world experience, and to make proposals on issues related to their solution.Tasks. To determine approaches and priorities for ensuring the effectiveness of scientific and pedagogical activity in modern universities, opportunities to develop new strategies of activity.Methods. In developing the conceptual provisions of the study within the framework of dialectical and systemic approaches used such methods of general scientific knowledge as historical and logical, abstraction, analysis, synthesis, the unity of objective and subjective in the development of economic processes. Economic and statistical, factor, functional and comparative methods of analysis were widely used. The methodological basis of the study also served as a systematic approach to the disclosure of institutional development of the state science policy of Azerbaijan. The author applied methods of scientific analysis, in particular, statistical; methods of comparative, fundamental and functional analysis. The article reflects the ideas stated in the scientific works of scientists-economists devoted to the problems of institutional development of the state science policy of Azerbaijan.Results. The triad “education — science — innovation” in universities forms the basis of their activity. Therefore, there is a need to rid scientific activity from its formal character and abstract content, as well as to change the traditional approach to the management of scientific activity in universities. Recommendations and proposals for improving educational-research-innovation efficiency in higher education in accordance with the requirements of the modern period, adequate to the peculiarities of the national economy development, have been developed.Conclusions. It is expected that by 2030 Azerbaijan will become an economically more developed and competitive country. Achievement of this goal depends on the presence of national scientific-innovative universities that ensure the use, assimilation and dissemination of new knowledge and technologies in Azerbaijan.

Developing critical thinking across the curriculum through embedded personal epistemology: An immersion approach

In the present-day information age, it has become more crucial than ever to be equipped with an intellectual compass that can help an individual to navigate the overwhelming deluge of information, messages, and discourses. The efficiency of higher education in teaching students to think critically is debatable as most institutions treat these skills in isolation from the rest of educational goals. This paper explored a holistic approach to enhancing critical thinking across the curriculum. It involves the promotion of learners’ epistemological beliefs. The study explored a potential causal relationship between critical thinking skills and epistemological beliefs among undergraduates at the Department of English at Khenchela University, Algeria. In a quasi-experimental design, sophomores received a two-semester treatment instruction designed to promote their critical thinking skills. These latter were tested in pre-and post-tests to evaluate the effect of the course. T-test results revealed a significant change in the experimental group’s post-test means as compared to their critical thinking pre-tests.
 Keywords: Critical thinking; epistemic climate; higher education; immersion; personal epistemology.

Теоретические аспекты проблемы развития учебной мотивации у студентов высшей школы в зарубежных исследованиях

The relevance of the research topic is due to the importance of the problem of educational motivation development among students of higher education to improve the quality and efficiency of higher education. Analysis and generalization of foreign experience makes it possible to identify and include in the domestic educational practice of developing the educational motivation of students of higher education the most successful pedagogical solutions and developments that have empirically proven their effectiveness. Purpose: based on the analysis of foreign sources on the problem of educational motivation development of students of higher education, to determine and characterize the current theories applied to the study of educational motivation of students, the factors that influence its development, methods and teaching strategies. We prove that the main condition for the positive development of students’ motivation for learning and research activities is the creation by university teachers of a motivating educational environment, including: encouraging students to focus on the goals of mastery, developing competence, granting autonomy, creating zones of proximal development, etc. It is concluded that it is expedient to include foreign experience in teaching students positive motivational strategies focused on the development of motivational competence in the domestic educational practice of higher education.

Students’ Achievement in a Flipped Database Management Course: The Impact of Flow Theory Gamification Elements

Aim/Purpose: The study aimed to investigate the effect of using the gamified flipped classroom instructional method on the students’ overall achievement compared to the traditional non-gamified, non-gamified flipped classroom, and traditional gamified instructional methods. Background: Flipped classroom is helpful to address limited class time, implement different pedagogies, and help students better attain their learning outcomes and improve their academic achievement. Motivating and encouraging students to perform or complete flipped learning activities is a challenging issue affecting the success of the flipped classroom. This research posits that gamification presents a promising solution, and adding gamification to the flipped classroom is important for its success. However, little is known about the effects of integrating gamification into flipped learning without sufficient results to generalize. Pedagogical designs with appropriate theoretical foundations should be added to the literature on flipped learning and gamification. This research proposes a learning model that combines gamification within flipped classroom via quizzes online platform with the main flow theory requirements. The purpose of this combination is to motivate and engage learners in flipped classroom activities. Methodology: The data were collected from 101 undergraduate students in a database management course at Al al-Bayt University in Jordan. The students were assigned to four different instructional methods according to their preferences (traditional non-gamified, non-gamified flipped, traditional gamified, and gamified flipped classroom). A study with a quasi-experimental factorial design was carried out using midterm and final exam instruments to assess the students’ overall achievement. Two-way factorial ANOVA was employed to examine the main effect of the instructional method, student gender, and the interaction effect on students’ overall achievement. Bonferroni’s multiple comparisons test was carried out to compare and determine which instructional method had the main effect and achieved the best grades among test groups. Contribution: The current study proposed a gamified flipped learning model guided by the theoretical foundations of flow theory. This study offers a novel contribution to the literature by illustrating the importance of employing gamification in the flipped classroom and how the gamified flipped instructional method affects student achievement, especially when appropriate gamification design and careful game element selection. The effects reported by this study provide empirical evidence and valuable insights for researchers, practitioners, and educators about the issues of gamified flipped classroom and guide instructional designers to apply appropriate game elements. Findings: The findings showed that the gamified flipped group outperformed the other three groups and significantly improved students’ overall achievement with a large effect size. Employing gamification within the flipped classroom instructional method improved 23.9% of the total variance in the students’ achievement through increasing their motivation to complete flipped classroom activities. It has also been found that the non-gamified flipped group outperformed both the traditional non-gamified and the traditional gamified groups. Students’ gender was also not a significant factor regarding male and female achievement in using gamified flipped classroom. Recommendations for Practitioners: This study recommends that instructors who utilize flipped classroom should combine other new technologies within in-class activities, such as gamification, instead of traditional discussion in classroom meetings. Thus, the in-class activities become more attractive, increasing their students’ motivation. Recommendation for Researchers: Researchers need to understand the factors enhancing the flipped learning activities and the ways of designing and implementing gamification elements to develop new learning models. Impact on Society: Gamified flipped learning can help students improve their achievement and help instructors perform in-class instructional activities, leading to more effective and efficient higher education. Appropriate design and use of gamification elements within flipped learning can promote and encourage the use of such a model. Future Research: Additional research should be conducted to explore and measure students’ motivation, engagement, and in-class collaboration due to the gamified flipped classroom instructional model. Further experimental studies on other courses in different environmental variables are also recommended.

Over Three Decades of Data Envelopment Analysis Applied to the Measurement of Efficiency in Higher Education: A Bibliometric Analysis

The higher education efficiency evaluation model using the data envelopment analysis method has interested many researchers. This paper uses bibliometric analysis on publications extracted from the Scopus database to provide a comprehensive overview of research publications on the measurement of higher education efficiency based on data envelopment analysis: its growth rate, major collaboration networks, the most important and popular research topic. A total of 169 related publications were collected and analyzed from 1988 to 2021. The analysis results show that: Publications published every year have increased sharply in the last six years; The quality of publications is relatively high as publications tend to be published in journals with high-ranking indexes; Countries with the most influence in studies on this topic are: Italy, China, Spain, the USA, and the United Kingdom; Authors with the most influence in this research direction are Agasisti T., Abbott M., Doucouliagos C., Avkiran N.K., and Johnes J.; The research cooperation among countries and among affiliations is not strong. Finally, the paper has provided recommendations for future studies based on the findings.

An Analysis of Research on The Efficiency of Higher Education in Türkiye

The aim of this study is to present the general trend and direction of the research, both in terms of content and methodology, from a critical point of view by examining the studies on the efficiency of higher education in Türkiye and thus, to shed light on new research to be done and to make suggestions to researchers. Bibliographic analysis and descriptive content analysis methods were chosen in the research. Data was obtained from Web of Science, Scopus, EBSCO, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global, Google Scholar, Sobiad, National Thesis Center of the Council of Higher Education, TR Index databases. 70 studies meeting the determined criteria are included in this study. As a result of the research, it has been concluded that there is an increase in the number of research on the efficiency of higher education institutions, and the research focused on universities, data envelopment analysis is used more as an analysis method, the number of methods used is low, the most output-oriented BCC model is preferred among the efficiency measurement models, current data are not used in research, the number of units examined is low, and state universities are examined more. In addition to that, it has been concluded that the number of personnel, financial inputs, number of students, physical resources, the unit numbers represent almost the entire input set, and the outputs used in research are basically represented by four different outputs, which are students, research, project and publication, financial variables, and academic success, and the purpose of this study is directed to different problems, but the scope of the research can be improved.

Enhancing Administrative Efficiency in Higher Education with AI: A Chatbot Solution


 
 
 Objective: To alleviate high demand on the Stricto Sensu secretariat through a chatbot designed for various inquiries.
 Method: Utilized a qualitative approach, leveraging interviews for empirical analysis and Ishikawa diagrams for process mapping.
 Results: Demonstrated the chatbot's capacity to streamline secretarial tasks, especially highlighted during pandemic-induced challenges.
 Practical Implications: The initiative offers a scalable model for enhancing administrative efficiency across higher education institutions, promoting interdisciplinary collaboration and technological integration.
 Conclusions: By improving response efficiency and reducing wait times for student requests, the chatbot exemplifies the transformative potential of AI in educational administration, suggesting a strategic direction for future technological adoptions in higher education.
 
 

Self-regulation system of continual improvement of quality and efficiency in higher education: A case of Ukraine

Nowadays, the procedures for stimulating the improvement of the quality of higher education in Ukraine are mainly based on periodic expert evaluations. Besides, existing metrics of university efficiency are usually imperfect due to the frequent negative effects of Campbell’s Law and Goodhart’s Law. In addition, the war significantly limited resources for external quality assurance of educational programs. Given this, the aim of this paper was to develop a methodology for an additional self-regulation system of continual improvement of the quality and efficiency of educational activities of Ukrainian universities. The study is based on the advantages of the quantitative approach, measurement methods, and algorithmization in the management system of higher education. As a result, key indicators for the formation of national rankings have been developed by different segments. Moreover, the study elaborated algorithms and mechanisms to constantly encourage higher education institutions to improve quality and efficiency. The paper proposes preventive procedures to reduce the negative effects of unfair achievement of key performance indicators. The result of applying the methodology is additionally acquired or partially lost by the university the volume of license rights for the training of specialists in the current year. This will help curb the process of mass education with a low level of quality. In addition, the proposed system will balance the weaknesses of the accreditation expertise procedure, as well as actively stimulate the independent striving of each educational program for sustainable development and continual progress. Acknowledgment To the Armed Forces of Ukraine (https://www.mil.gov.ua/) and the democratic world (https://bit.ly/3BLtuem) for the protection of the future of the Ukrainian State and its people. To the National Agency for Higher Education Quality Assurance for the possibility to take part in accreditation expertise and consulting evaluation of educational programs in universities of Ukraine (https://en.naqa.gov.ua/). Also, the appearance of this alternative idea was facilitated by the declared goal of the World Bank project “Ukraine Improving Higher Education for Results” (ID P171050), namely: to improve the efficiency, conditions for quality, and transparency in Ukraine’s higher education system (https://bit.ly/3vpx2iM).  

Big Data Optimization and Applications in Running Efficiency of Higher Education

The world is undergoing great changes that have not been seen at present; colleges and universities can only adapt to social development with a more active and open attitude. Meanwhile, colleges and universities strive to obtain more social resources during the process of gradually embedding social funds into the operation system of universities. In such a backdrop, we establish an optimization model for university running efficiency under limited funds, where the objective function is quadratic and restraint condition is linear. With the help of optimization theory, we have obtained the optimal solution of this optimization model and put forward corresponding suggestions to improve the running efficiency of higher education.

Operational efficiency in higher education in Nigeria: a scale development

Operational efficiency in higher education in Nigeria: a scale development

Operational efficiency in higher education in Nigeria: a scale development

Operational efficiency in higher education in Nigeria: a scale development

ІНТЕЛЕКТУАЛЬНА ВЛАСНІСТЬ: СТАТИСТИЧНИЙ АНАЛІЗ, ПРОГНОЗ ТА ПЕРСПЕКТИВИ РОЗВИТКУ В УКРАЇНІ

The paper outlines the main problems of the modern intellectual property market in Ukraine. It is determined that the current market of this type of property, depending on the amount of demand for a particular product, can be divided into legal and illegal and operates at the expense of objects and entities. The main categories are considered, and their features are determined. The statistical analysis of the financing of scientific and technical developments, expenses for innovations of industrial enterprises on directions of innovative activity, components of innovations of Ukraine in the world rating and components of Innovation and Bloomberg index for the forecast for the next 3 years is carried out. According to the forecast results for the next three years, there is the most significant increase in the efficiency of higher education and patent activity, the smallest increase in the concentration of researchers and the penetration of high technology. The industry's main reasons for the decline in activity and problematic issues include lack of opportunities to destroy certain types of counterfeiting, rather long customs inspection; low level of use of the results of innovative inventions; inefficiency in intellectual property management; the presence of piracy, etc. The most important of them is a low scientific activity, which provides funding for socio-economic workers working in high technology. Based on the analysis of the achievements of scientists and practitioners in this field, the contradictions that differ in the intellectual property market in Ukraine are identified and characterized. This highlights the main factors that affect its development and operation. Because this market object is quite specific, it needs updated approaches to its regulation. Particular attention is paid to intellectual property development in international economic relations between Ukraine and the European Union. After all, the prospect of the rapid growth of the domestic intellectual property market will significantly depend on Ukraine's fulfilment of international obligations and the creation of a clear regulatory framework to ensure intellectual property protection.

Higher Education Efficiency and Quality

The efficiency and the quality of higher education institution was assessed with the use of process approach. The efficiency of the higher education institution was determined on the basis of a combination of typical financial measures, taking into account costs incurred in the process of didactics and research, and expenditures (measured by current liquidity, stock turnover, receivables and liabilities ratios) necessary for schools to maintain financial liquidity. As measures of quality, related to statutory tasks of the university, the factors determining graduates’ situation on the labour market as well as patents obtained as a result of research conducted by university were adopted. Applying measures of quality enabled the researcher to obtain a more comprehensive dimension of the universities’ efficiency, while proving the fact that financial measures alone may distort the actual picture of efficiency or even lead to erroneous conclusions. It can be hypothesized that in the case of a higher education institution that pursues its statutory goals of providing knowledge to the public by conducting didactics and research, the concept of efficiency should combine financial and qualitative dimensions. The results obtained in the study using the DEA method allow the researcher to determine the situation of the university for the period covered by the study.