Engagement In Higher Education Research Articles

A Renaissance of Civic Education and Civic Engagement in Higher Education in the Spirit of the American Founders and Constitutionalism

A growing number of states have responded to negative trends in civic knowledge, trust, and engagement by creating new institutes or schools at state universities, with the express aim of reinvigorating civic education and thoughtful, engaged citizenship. In seeking to increase civic knowledge, champion viewpoint diversity, model civil discussion of ideas, combat polarization, and embrace the civic responsibilities of higher education, these institutes can be seen as carrying forward the American founders’ vision of civic education, the moral foundations of law and constitutionalism, and the constitutional principles of free speech and federalism.

Assessing beyond grades: unravelling the implications on student learning and engagement in higher education

This study explored the impact of gradeless assessment on student holistic development in higher education. By examining its influence on learning, motivation and engagement, the research addressed a gap in the literature and aligned with holistic education principles encompassing intellectual, emotional, social and physical well-being. Data from six students and four lecturers in focus groups informed the study, revealing that gradeless assessment could enhance student motivation, engagement, and learning by prioritizing feedback and growth. This highlighted how such an approach fosters deeper learning, risk-taking, innovation, ownership, reflection, collaboration, and creativity. The study proposed strategies for integrating gradeless assessment into current educational systems and practices, offering insights to improve educational practice and policy in higher education and support student learning outcomes and holistic development.

The Discourse on Student Engagement and Motivation Among Foreign Students in Finland

Student engagement in higher education is a complex construct that encompasses the active participation, involvement, and investment of students in their learning experiences. However, foreign students, who bring unique cultural, linguistic, and social backgrounds, face distinct challenges and experiences in adapting to higher education environments. This research aimed to fill a practical research gap by exploring how foreign undergraduate students in Finland perceive student engagement and motivation in higher education. Moreover, it sought to advance the ongoing discussion about student engagement in academia. This inductive research adopted a qualitative research framework and gathered interview data with foreign degree students in Finland. The semi-structured interviews with foreign undergraduate students were analyzed thematically and yielded four primary themes. First, the theme of peer interaction and cultural stereotypes, followed by the second theme, which revolves around integration challenges. The third theme highlights challenges viewed as opportunities, and finally, the theme of institutional support. Moreover, the study contributes to the body of knowledge by providing valuable insights about a group of students that is often marginalized. The article concludes by providing implications for research and practice.

The explanatory power of Carnegie Classification in predicting engagement indicators: a multilevel analysis

The study aims to explore the effect of the type of higher education institution on students’ engagement. The meta-analyses of multilevel regression coefficients revealed significant relationships between the type of higher education institution and student engagement indicators across the years from 2013 to 2019. Comparing different types of higher education institutions with the base category, our findings revealed significant differences in effective teaching practices, discussion with diverse others, and student-faculty interaction consistent throughout the years. These findings are expected to provide insights for institutional administrators, policymakers, and researchers given that student engagement in higher education has become an indicator of quality all around the world.

Stakeholder Engagement in Higher Education: State of the Art and Research Agenda

Stakeholder engagement in higher education institutions has received, as a topic, increasing levels of attention, especially in today's landscape. While universities move towards a more sustainable future and reshape their relationship with their stakeholders, both internal and external, the body of academic research on the matter has increased exponentially in recent years. This article attempts to perform a systematic review of extant literature on stakeholder engagement among universities. In total, 53 distinct and relevant articles were found through various electronic databases, such as IEEE Xplore Digital Library, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Web of Science. Through a methodical screening protocol, featuring several inclusion, and exclusion criteria, this article presents four major themes of analysis, namely: the role of students as stakeholders and their peculiarities, modern methods of stakeholder engagement amid the digital era, sustainability reporting and sustainable development for universities, and organizational implications of stakeholder engagement. While some attempts to synthesize this specific literature stream have been made in the past, to the best of our knowledge this is the first attempt to review recent relevant literature on stakeholder engagement in higher education.

Leadership Practices and Work Engagement in Higher Education: The Mediating Role of Job Demands-Resources

There has been extensive research on leadership and work engagement, but little is known concerning leadership practices and work engagement levels in higher education in Namibia. This study examines leadership practices and work engagement in higher education, as well as the mediating role of job demands and job resources in the link. A quantitative approach was adopted following an explanatory research design to explain the mediating roles of job demands and resources in the interplay between leadership practices and work engagement. A combination of sampling strategies (stratified, convenience, and purposive sampling) was adopted to draw a sample of 450 respondents from different groups of employees within the target population of the study. The primary data was collected through an online survey, which was formatted using the Likert-type rating scale. Quantitative data was analyzed using structural equation modelling via SmartPLS Version 3.3.9. Leadership practices have significant relationships with both job demands and resources. On the other hand, job demands have a significant positive relationship with work engagement, but job resources exert no significant effect on work engagement levels. Therefore, the relationship between leadership practices and work engagement was fully mediated by job demands in higher education.

Preliminary Mobile Beacon Application Framework for Higher Education Co-Curricular Engagement

Mobile beacon application leverages the beacon technology as location-based or proximity sensors to notify or interact with user via mobile apps. There are many instances of these applications especially as an engagement platform across many domains like marketing, retails, exhibitions, or public services. Mobile beacon application holds potential as an engagement tool for empowering co-curricular engagement in higher education. Integrated with personalized mobile notification, users can be notified and interact with co-curricular events within their proximity in the campus. However, literature indicates limited insights on the design applicability and empirical studies of mobile beacon application for higher education context. This new application context poses its own unique challenges, but imperative in helping researchers to discover the extents of mobile beacon potentials. This concept paper introduces a preliminary mobile beacon application framework for supporting co-curricular engagement in higher education. The framework aims to enable design applicability of a mobile beacon application integrated with personalized notification for education engagement purposes. Characterization of mobile beacon application components along with the deliberation of mobile notification features are highlighted in the framework. The presented conceptual framework offers the foundation for application designers in building a mobile beacon application for higher education engagement.

Using an Enterprise Social Network to build faculty engagement in Higher Education: An Experiment at Jammu, India

Using an Enterprise Social Network to build faculty engagement in Higher Education: An Experiment at Jammu, India

EMPOWERING STUDENTS AS COMMUNITY CATALYSTS: A DIVE INTO SYNERGIZED ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES AT THE DEPARTMENT OF ARABIC LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE

This paper explores the transformative potential of synergized academic activities in nurturing students to become solution-providers for community challenges. With an ever-increasing emphasis on social responsibility and community engagement in higher education, this paper introduces a novel pedagogical framework that integrates and aligns academic activities—such as coursework, research projects, and service-learning—with community-based problem-solving initiatives. The paper begins with a thorough examination of the existing literature on community engagement, service-learning, and experiential education, arguing for the need for a more unified and purpose-driven approach. In response to this need, we propose the Synergized Academic-Community Engagement Model (SACE Model). This model is designed to scaffold students’ progression from theoretical understanding to the practical application of knowledge and skills in real-world community contexts. It does so by intertwining traditional academic activities with targeted, sustainable community service projects that are co-designed with community partners. The central part of the paper presents a series of case studies that demonstrate the successful application of the SACE Model across various disciplines and institutional contexts. These cases illustrate how synergized academic activities can enable students to apply their skills and knowledge directly towards addressing pressing community issues. The case studies highlight not only the benefits accrued to the community but also the profound learning outcomes and personal growth experienced by the students. The findings reveal significant enhancements in students’ critical thinking, problem-solving abilities, civic engagement, and sense of social responsibility. Additionally, our analysis shows that community partners perceive the students’ contributions as valuable and that the projects lead to meaningful, sustainable change. In conclusion, this paper argues that synergized academic activities, designed with a focus on community engagement and problem-solving, offer a powerful strategy for preparing students to become active, solution-oriented members of society. We contend that this approach represents not just an educational strategy but a profound shift in the purpose and practice of higher education towards a model of mutual benefit between institutions of learning and the communities they serve. The paper ends with practical recommendations for educators, administrators, and community partners interested in adopting the SACE Model and contributing to its ongoing refinement and dissemination. This paper contributes significantly to the growing body of literature advocating for the deeper integration of community engagement within the fabric of higher education, and it provides a replicable and scalable model for achieving this integration effectively and sustainably.

Optimizing User Experience: Designing an Engaging Educational Mobile Application for English Vocabulary Knowledge and, Student Engagement in Higher Education

Optimizing User Experience: Designing an Engaging Educational Mobile Application for English Vocabulary Knowledge and, Student Engagement in Higher Education

Academic Leadership in Higher Education

Purpose: The effectiveness of our higher education system depends on effective and vibrant teachers with knowledge of Academics, Assessment and evaluation, Pedagogy, Research Culture, and Innovation in teaching & learning. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 specifies that the “most important factor in the success of higher education institutions is the quality and engagement of its faculty. The study focuses on the understanding of NEP and OBE amongst faculty members and academic leaders, the factors affecting teaching and learning in higher education, and the role of academic leadership in implementing outcome-based education in higher education. Approach: The study is based on the data collected from 53 academic leaders from 53 different B- schools. To have better results the study has collected data from different regions in India, covering East, West, North, and South. Data is collected through a data triangulation approach. For this purpose, structured questionnaires were used, telephonic interviews of the sample and Focus Group Discussions with members of the senior cadre were conducted. The study employed different methods of data collection, preliminary interviews, and focus group discussions to yield the parameters on which a structured questionnaire was prepared. After deciding on the constructs of the scale, indicator items were prepared. Statistical analysis is done to assess the awareness and application of NEP 2020 in Management Education. Results: The focus group discussion and primary interview with the academic leader helped to design the application of Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs to Employee Engagement in Higher Education. The faculty need to know the level of their performance and areas in which they need improvement. Performance improvement helps the organization to meet its goals and objectives. Performance counselling is a very important activity that helps employees to know themselves better. It has been observed that employee engagement increases with performance counselling. Hence the desired result of NEP implementation will be better with faculty training and counselling. The attributes of Academic Leadership for academic, administrative, and research & extension activities are identified, analyzed, and evaluated. A conceptual model with the required attributes and qualities for a Role model/Super academic leader is also described. Type of Paper: Exploratory and descriptive

INSTITUTIONALIZING SERVICE LEARNING IN THE HIGHER EDUCATION

The institutionalization of service learning in universities is a pressing concern in higher education. This qualitativeresearch aims to explore strategies associated with institutionalizing service learning in the institutions of highereducation. The paper examines the eight case studies from universities globally, including Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), Stanford University, the University of Cape Town, and the University ofCalifornia, Berkeley, highlighting their successful adoption of service learning. The research seeks to address thelimited integration of service learning in the universities by offering a theoretical framework of service-learninginstitutionalization. The theoretical framework consists of three components; governance, capacity and incentives(GCI) and further includes nine sub components. This paper aims to contribute to the development of evidencebasedpolicies and practices, fostering holistic student development and civic engagement in higher education.

Student Emotions and Engagement: Enacting Humanizing Pedagogy in Higher Education

Student engagement in higher education has been a topic of discussion for decades, as student engagement directly indexes student retention, achievement, and career development. While previous research emphasizes the importance of effective teaching practices to increase student engagement in higher education, faculty and staff report institutional and professional challenges to increase interactions with students. This study highlights cases of successful teacher-student relationships that engendered positive student emotions and advanced student engagement in higher education settings. Using the thank-you note messages provided by students in a Thank-a-Teacher initiative, data were analyzed qualitatively through the theoretical principles of humanizing pedagogy (del Carmen Salazar, 2013). The findings indicate that the enactment of humanizing pedagogy through conveying emotions and forming positive teacher-student relationships made a meaningful impact on student motivation, engagement, and growth. Implications for the transformation and liberation of higher education through affect-driven pedagogy are discussed.

Areas and dimensions of universities response to COVID-19: Diversity, trends, and evidence from the University Social Responsibility Network

The University Social Responsibility Network (USRN) promotes civic engagement in higher education and awareness of the nature of University Social Responsibility (USR), how it functions, and what it means depending on its context. In 2019 the USRN started a collaborative Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) called Introduction to University Social Responsibility. The outbreak of COVID-19 affected the production of the course, however this also led to the addition of a Special Session on Universities’ Response to the MOOC showing how members addressed the challenges of the pandemic. Based on the experiences from 13 universities and the USRN, this article portrays flagship responses of how universities in the network tackled some of the challenges presented by the pandemic in range of academic and non-academic initiatives categorized as University Social Responsibility (USR) Areas of Engagement, namely research, education, advisory role, outreach, information management, provision of support, institutional reforms, and extended services. The article discusses broader questions referring to how COVID-19 impacted the understanding of what USR is; therefore, looking into both policy and theoretical implications of how the concept of USR and universities responses can be understood and applied in different contexts and universities.
 Received: 31 January 2022Accepted: 30 August 2023

Examining students’ behavioural engagement in lecture videos with and without embedded quizzes in an online course.

This study reports part of a larger study that explores three technologies – Padlet, Panopto videos and Google Docs – and their effectiveness in enhancing university students’ engagement in online learning. The current paper explores the role of interactive quizzes embedded in recorded lectures in enhancing student engagement in higher education focused on behaviour engagement. Panopto video analytics and a survey were used as a source of data. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data, including percentage and frequency. The analyses focused on 59 university students’ behavioural engagement in the recorded videos with and without embedded quizzes in relation to their video dropout, average viewing time, completion rate and frequency of viewing. The paper highlights the benefits of incorporating interactive quizzes within lecture videos, including increased motivation, engagement, and academic performance. However, this study also shows some interesting results on students’ behavioural engagement when it comes to learning online. Overall, findings suggest that the incorporation of quizzes in lecture videos can be an effective tool for increasing student engagement and improving learning outcomes in online courses. Implications for online course design and future research are discussed.

An Analysis of Community Engagement in Higher Education: A Conceptual Exploration

This conceptual paper provides an overview of community engagement in higher education, highlighting its definition, goals, and various models of engagement. The paper explores the benefits and challenges of community engagement for both higher education institutions and communities, and presents strategies for designing and implementing effective community engagement initiatives. The authors also discuss methods for assessing community engagement outcomes and impact, as well as the challenges and limitations of evaluating community engagement initiatives. The paper concludes with a discussion of future directions and opportunities for community engagement in higher education, and the implications for research and practice. Overall, this paper provides a comprehensive and informative review of community engagement in higher education, serving as a useful resource for academics, practitioners, and researchers interested in this important topic.

Students' emotional engagement in online classes: a conceptual framework

PurposeIn this paper the authors have sought to create solid connection between theory and practices pertaining to the immense value of students' emotional engagement in online instruction. This conceptual paper is motivated by the inadequacy of literature translating the emotional engagement concept to the micro level of online instructions within the upsurge intention to the new trend of online teaching-learning. This paper aims to contribute by addressing the fundamental issues of emotional engagement starting from revisiting the roles of teachers in students' emotional engagement, reviewing and underscoring the importance of students' emotional engagement in higher education and finally conceptualizing and framing how to infuse emotional engagement into the instructions.Design/methodology/approachThe explanation of how to advocate for students' emotional engagement in online learning praxis is inadequately discussed although the library of literature has informed the fundamental role of students' emotional engagement in establishing successful online learning. This paper aims to address this practical need by interactively connecting the theory, empirical findings and pedagogical practices in the area to provide praxeological contribution to the development of quality online teaching-learning practices.FindingsThis study presents a framework that advances the existing body of research at the juncture of emotional engagement and online learning. This conceptual paper foregrounds an examination of the roles of teachers in students' emotional engagement and underscores the significance of students' emotional engagement in higher education. Moreover, it proposes a conceptual framework delineating effective strategies for the integration of emotional engagement within instructional methodologies. This framework comprises four key aspects: (1) fostering students' learning autonomy and ownership, (2) establishing socioemotional construction through verbal and non-verbal expressions, (3) integrating a multimodal approach to online learning and (4) honing the art of constructive feedback.Research limitations/implicationsThis conceptual paper is rooted in a nested theory and draws upon empirical studies. While the presented framework holds promise, its efficacy in the classroom setting requires validation through further empirical investigation.Practical implicationsThose proposed pedagogical strategies detailed with the practical examples explained in the previous part would afford students with a better socioemotional amenities of learning environment benefitting them with positive affective engagement.Originality/valueGiven the imperative to enhance students' emotional engagement in online learning and the limited discourse surrounding its practical implementation, the proposed framework stands poised to enrich and inform online pedagogical practices.

Exploring the Impact of Academic Psychological Capital Resources on Student Engagement at Undergraduate Level: The Mediating Role of Faculty Support

Students’ engagement in academic activities is the major dominating factor for their academic success along with their educational institution because disengaged students are more likely to have behavioral issues, suffer academically, and drop out. To create a conducive learning environment, it is indispensable to understand the nature of student participation in tertiary education. The current study was initiated to explore the level of students’ engagement in higher education and the influence of students’ socio-demographic factors and individual academic psychological capital resources including academic self-efficacy and resilience on students’ engagement. It also intended to examine the direct and mediating role of faculty support in prior relationships. A structured questionnaire was developed to collect data. 242 undergrad students sampled from a renowned private University in Dhaka city of Bangladesh. In conjunction with other statistical techniques, to investigate the direct correlation of academic self-efficacy, academic resilience, and teachers' support with students' engagement as well as the mediation impact, structural equation modelling was primarily used with SmartPLS software. According to the study, faculty support and educational psychological capital resources were favourably associated with students’ engagement. Furthermore, the study also revealed that the relationship between academic self-efficacy and resilience with the students' engagement was partially mediated by faculty support. The study offered a number of recommendations for emphasizing the psychological aspects of students' academic well-being as well as the assistance provided by teachers, both of which unquestionably stimulate students and improve their academic success.

Relationality and student engagement in higher education: Towards enhanced students’ learning experiences

Relationality and student engagement in higher education: Towards enhanced students’ learning experiences

Beyond growth mindset: Exploring John Henryism and academic task engagement in higher education

Beyond growth mindset: Exploring John Henryism and academic task engagement in higher education