Higher Education Experience Research Articles

“Maybe we did not learn that much academically, but we learn more from experience” – Erasmus mobility and its potential for transformative learning

Mobility experiences in higher education are usually met with great enthusiasm and are often described as sources of (transformative) learning. At the same time, less optimistic perspectives are brought forward by scholars who question the intrinsic value of international mobility in terms of encouraging personal growth and the acquisition of an intercultural and international mindset. In this article, retrospective accounts of Erasmus alumni, gathered several years after their sojourn, are analysed to understand the extent to which engaging in an international exchange during one’s university years can have long-lasting and transformative learning effects. The findings indicate that participating in an Erasmus exchange can indeed enhance personal growth and lead to transformative learning. Such an experience can give rise to significant changes in young people’s future decisions that may involve, for instance, more internationally oriented aspirations, a better understanding of cultural diversity, or an interest in engaging with new international experiences, as a result of the initial Erasmus exchange.

Unapologetically Black Creative Educational Experiences in Higher Education: A Critical Review

Black creative educational experiences (BCEEs) are participatory, performative cultural experiences created by or for students, centering Black artistic expression, aesthetics, and engagement. Using African-centered frameworks, we provide a methodological guide for examining BCEEs in education research, which includes centering Black “ways of knowing,” validating creative expressions cultivated by and for Black people, acknowledging the influence of Black creative expression on research and practice, considering researcher positionalities as observers and cultivators of Black creative expression, and viewing Black creative expression as knowledge production. We found BCEEs are democratizing educational experiences rooted in intellectual and expressive freedom (freedom of movement/voice/tongue), and community building. BCEEs should be centered in education research, particularly postsecondary education, and prioritized in institutional programming, curricula, and high-impact practices.

Editorial Volume 13 Issue 1 2022

In 2022 we are still dealing with the impact of COVID-19 across the tertiary education sector and the themes and topics of submissions the Journal has been receiving recently, is indicative of the challenges being faced by staff and students. We recognise the disruption and increased workload demands on academic and professional staff in these times of unprecedented change and we acknowledge and thank all our reviewers for their ongoing dedication to supporting the Journal. Student Success currently has a pool of more than 100 reviewers, some of which have been reviewing for the Journal for more than a decade. All reviewers are experts in their disciplinary fields and importantly, have a profound understanding of the student experience in higher education. Student Success would not be the Journal it is without them. Thank you!

Emotional outcomes of e-learning adoption during compulsory online education

Information on the emotional outcomes of e-learning system use and emotional aspects of user experience in higher education is quite limited. Accordingly, the aim of the study is to identify the factors that influence university students’ intention to continue using e-learning systems and to examine the emotional outcomes of the continuance intention. The core constructs of the Technology Acceptance Model formed the basis of the proposed model, and the model was extended with a framework of emotions (challenge, achievement, deterrence, loss) and external variables. Data were collected online from 19,530 university students of a state university. For the analysis, Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling was employed. The proposed model explained 73.5% of continuance intention, 50.3% of achievement, and 52.2% of challenge emotions. In addition, 23 of the 25 tested hypotheses were supported. The findings indicate that perceived usefulness is a decisive factor in creating user experiences that generate emotions such as enjoyment, playfulness and satisfaction. In addition, the results showed that personal innovativeness strongly influenced the core constructs of technology acceptance model and the positive aspects of emotions (achievement and challenge). Accordingly, it can be stated that these findings lead us to the fact that students’ value perceptions regarding e-learning systems have a critical role in terms of emotional outcomes. In addition, the findings suggest that both intrinsic-extrinsic motivators, innovativeness characteristics and emotional outcomes should be taken into account in design and development process in order to improve the quality of the user experience. In this direction, implications for research and practice are discussed.

Developing Transversal Competencies in the Sociodramatic Space: Narrative of a Curricular Experience in Higher Education

Higher Education plays a decisive role in the training of competent professionals and active, responsible and critical-thinking citizens. In addition to acquiring rigorous technical–scientific knowledge specific to their degree, students are also expected to develop a range of transversal skills essential for a successful academic and professional career. This article aims to narrate an experience of obtaining a Social Education degree. Since its origins, it has been assumed that students in this field should: (a) acquire specific technical–scientific knowledge; (b) get to know themselves as individuals; and (c) develop a set of transversal skills essential to relationships, some of the most salient being active listening, empathic capacity, acceptance and respect for others, trust, curiosity, creativity, confidentiality and a reflective attitude. It thus aggregates a set of Curricular Units whose main purpose is the personal, social and professional development of students, formed within active methodologies. Sociodrama is one such methodology of teaching and learning in the context of two Curricular Units of this degree, and this article focuses on my experience lived within the scope of these units.

Evaluation of Citizen–Student Cooperative Urban Planning and Design Experience in Higher Education

The purpose of this study is to explore the implementation and evaluation of cooperative education, which is emphasized as a means of developed citizen participation in the areas of urban planning and design, and to present implications by analyzing and discussing the results thereof. To this end, this study observed three cooperative education classes in which general citizens and students participated to learn how to cooperate planning processes for fostering experts in relevant fields in higher education courses. Additionally, the study established a research model through multiple educational performances and monitoring to review participants’ opinions. The results were quantitatively and qualitatively analyzed based on a questionnaire, and the methodology was compliant with prior research. The analysis demonstrated statistical differences in communication between students and citizens going through the same curriculum, as well as differences in the satisfaction of the two groups. Citizens and students found difficulties in coordinating opinions and reaching a consensus with counterparties. Nevertheless, all the participants expressed satisfaction over their collaboration to produce the results and ensured that related attempts were continuously made thereafter. Based on these results, this study proposed methods to enhance cooperative education for citizens in the future.

Making the invisible visible: Value and reward for personal tutors

Academic advising is a core part of the teaching and learning experience in higher education, but it receives little recognition in workload allocations or institutional prestige. We argue that it is high time that personal tutoring and academic advising be valued and esteemed as much as other core parts of the modern academy.

First-generation inequality and college integration

Institutional integration has long been an important focus in literatures on inequality, education and mobility. Building on this work and drawing from multi-wave survey and records data from a large public university, the analyses we offer in this article provide unique and systematic comparative tests of first- versus continuing-generation inequalities in integration, disaggregated by academic versus social types, and with attention to other potentially influential status attributes. Our findings reveal: (1) clear overall inequalities in campus integration for first-generation students that cut across gender and race/ethnic lines; (2) a higher likelihood of employment among first-generation students—employment that tends to detract from integration opportunities; and (3) especially pronounced inequalities when it comes to forms of academic and social integration that entail bureaucratic- and resource-related barriers. We discuss the implications for understanding inequality and the first-generation experience in higher education and for more general sociological conceptions of institutional integration and mobility.

5 - Skills or Credentials? Comparing the Perspectives of Degree- and Non-degree-holding Ghanaian Graduates on the Value of Higher Education

The massification of higher education, fuelled in part by demand from young people and their families, has coincided with more competition in the graduate labour market. This article seeks insight into the interpretative framework through which graduates view the relationship between higher education and the labour market. Specifically, given evidence of diminishing employment opportunities for graduates, the study examines the relative strengths of human capital theory and credentialism in explaining the value that young people continue to place on higher education. Using survey data from a sample of 2,036 Ghanaian higher education graduates, the article investigates the relative value students accord to skills and credentials through analysis of two self-report measures: satisfaction with their higher education experience, and, second, labour market expectations in respect of employment and income. Overall, non-degree holders self-assessed as having more skills training. Nonetheless, degree-holders generally were more satisfied with their educational achievements and had higher labour market expectations than those without degrees. These findings imply that young people value higher education less in terms of the skills they acquire and more in regards to the face-value of the qualifications they obtain, indicating a credentialist perspective that is in marked contrast to the human capital approach which undergirds policymaking on higher education in Ghana and much of the African continent.

Expectations and Experiences With Online Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic in University Students.

Due to COVID-19, university students continued their academic training remotely. To assess the effects of emergency remote teaching (ERT), we evaluated the expectations and, subsequently, the experiences of university students about online education. This study employed a simple prospective design as its method. We assessed the expectations of 1,904 students from different discipline areas (1,106 women and 798 men; age M = 21.56; SD = 3.07) during the beginning of the first semester, March 2020 (T1), and their experiences at the end of the same academic period, September 2020 (T2). We used convenience non-probability sampling. Participants responded to the questionnaire on Expectations toward virtual education in higher education for students and the questionnaire on virtual education experiences in higher education. The results showed that students’ responses reflected low expectations regarding peer relationships and comparison with face-to-face education (T1). This perception was maintained during the evaluation of experiences (T2). Students reported positive experiences regarding online teaching and learning, online assessment, and their self-efficacy beliefs at T2. Statistically significant differences between measurements were found, with the expertise presenting higher averages than expectations. Furthermore, differences by gender were identified, reporting a positive change in the scores of women. In addition, results reflected differences according to the disciplinary area, showing Social Sciences and Medical and Health Sciences students a more significant size effect. Findings regarding the empirical evidence and the implications for future teaching scenarios in Higher Education are discussed.

‘I just got ignored’. Exploring experiences of ostracism in learning and engagement in HE

Being ostracised (i.e. ignored or excluded by others) can be stressful, however, little is known as to the impact of such experiences in higher education. This study explored how five female undergraduate students experienced ostracism and how it links to their academic engagement and learning. Taking a qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted. Thematic analyses revealed two major themes: ‘initial ostracism as a barrier to engaging in learning sessions’, and ‘consequences of being ostracised’. Implications for the way that educators promote social inclusion within the higher education experience are discussed.

Understanding and uses of collaborative tools for online courses in higher education

This article describes an action research study investigating the understanding and uses of collaborative tools, which are novel to pedagogical practices -- using the steps of planning, intervening, evaluating the effectiveness, and sharing potential collaborative tools and/or applications. The research focuses on determining the most effective applications for collaborative tools. Based on the study, this article highlights additional key strengths of collaborative teaching scenarios: their strength in facilitating student tasks and assessments. The time savings are quantified after determining how the collaborative task reduces the time required by course facilitators for manual evaluation. This advancement makes it possible to design multiple collaborative tasks that use various collaborative tools, enhancing learning experiences in higher education. The section then discusses potential collaborative tools and/or applications. Effective utilization of collaborative tools necessitates facilitators with the skills to create a new, innovative, collaborative virtual platform.

Impact of English Language Lecturers’ leadership styles on Educational Student Satisfaction, a case study on a private university in UAE

Teacher leadership style, quality of teaching and students’ satisfaction are considered the keys to produce high-quality graduates and to enhance teaching-learning experiences in higher education. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between English language lecturers` leadership styles and student satisfaction. The quantitative method was used in data collection. The study population was students of undergraduate university programs and a sample of 196 was drawn. A total of two sets of instruments were used for collection of data and analyzed by using the correlation and regression statistics.  This study used an adapted form of Bass and Avolio’s (1995) Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire 5x-Short (MLQ) to measure the Transformational and Transactional leadership styles and a questionnaire proposed by the researcher to identify and measure educational student satisfaction. This study has provided some of the key determinants of educational student satisfaction. The results of the study indicated that there was a positive and significant relationship between lecturers` transformational leadership and student satisfaction. However, there was a negative significant relationship between transactional leadership style and student satisfaction. Based on the findings, it is recommended that the lecturers display transformational practices to enhance the satisfaction of the students.

Teleworking Experience of Education Professionals vs. Management Staff: Challenges Following Job Innovation

The article deals with the problem of teleworking. Due to the constraints of the pandemic, the education sector has undergone a dramatic change, with teachers and students en masse moved to work from home. In the past, digital solutions have gradually penetrated the education sector, but the pandemic has turned the process into social innovation in the broad sense and performance innovation in the narrow sense. The latter aspect is addressed in this article. The paper aims to reveal the effect of the transition to teleworking on employees in the education sector. Based on the survey results, the study reports experiences of higher education and college professors, secondary schools and vocational schools' teachers and managerial staff in terms of personal well-being, management quality, and performance. The paper is novel in terms of the scope of the study: it analyses the teleworking issue in different educational institutions. In addition, the study compares the experiences of education staff and managers. There is a lack of such research in the scientific literature in the education sector. The research confirms that telecommuting managers experienced less shock and fatigue than professors and teachers. In addition, university professors proved to be the best prepared to work in innovative ways, but they also rated the performance of their managers' management work the worst among all educational institutions. Meanwhile, while teachers in secondary schools rated telework the most negatively, they rated the ability of their leaders to lead the team in extraordinary conditions the best. The research results can be useful for education leaders and policymakers as well as for researchers dealing with the topics of teleworking, teachers' job performance, employee fatigue, and leadership competencies.

Using Collaborative Group Learning Principles to Foster Community in Online Classrooms

ABSTRACT This article focuses on group work principles to emphasize the importance of collaboration and community as an effective pedagogical approach to teaching in online higher education. Online communities can serve as support groups by bringing together people going through the shared experience of higher education and providing the opportunity for students to share their experiences, feelings, and coping strategies to increase their capacity to learn. In addition to faculty and course material, online communities play an essential role in knowledge attainment. The importance of online communities for knowledge attainment and support groups will be discussed, group work theories will be reviewed, as well as the implications for practice. A case example from experience teaching a graduate level group work course online will be shared.

Too Anxious to Talk: Social Anxiety, Academic Communication, and Students’ Experiences in Higher Education

Social anxiety is related to a host of negative student outcomes in the educational context, including physical symptoms of anxiety, reduced cognitive functioning, and poor academic performance. Despite the prevalence of social anxiety, little is known about mechanisms that may underlie associations between social anxiety and outcomes in the context of higher education. Therefore, the goal of this study was to evaluate a conceptual model linking social anxiety, communication with peers and instructors, students’ experiences (i.e., engagement, connectedness, and satisfaction), and indices of socio-emotional functioning at university. Participants were 1,073 undergraduate students ( Mage = 20.3 years, SD = 3.49) who completed a series of self-report measures. Among the results, social anxiety was negatively related to communication with instructors, socio-emotional functioning, and student experiences, and academic communication accounted for significant variance in the links between social anxiety and student experiences. In addition, there was at least some evidence that student experiences partially mediated the association between social anxiety and socio-emotional functioning. Gender effects suggest that social anxiety is related to less communication with instructors, lower engagement and satisfaction, and poorer socio-emotional functioning among females compared with males. Results are situated within current literature examining social anxiety in education. The discussion provides concrete suggestions for educational practitioners to increase support for students who experience social anxiety.

Network resources and educational outcomes among Mexican-origin youth

Despite schooling gains over the last two decades, Mexican-origin adults complete fewer years of schooling than adults from other ethnic backgrounds. Explanations emphasizing network resources suggest Mexican-origin adolescents have social ties that are more likely to be “closed” from adults with experience in higher education—and this, in turn, inhibits the transition to college. In this study, we draw on unusual network data measuring characteristics of students' peers and friends, as well as the socioeconomic background of peers' and friends' parents. We demonstrate that Mexican-origin adolescents are much less likely to have friends whose parents have college educations. 83% of non-Hispanic Asian students and 72% of non-Hispanic white students have nominated friends with college-educated mothers; about half of Mexican-origin students do. These patterns are the result of socioeconomic segregation in social networks both across and within schools. Within schools, we observe that the educational background of friends is predictive of schooling outcomes for non-Mexican students. We find evidence that this network resource shapes non-Mexican students’ educational expectations in high school and longer-run completed schooling as adults more so than it shapes the outcomes among Mexican-origin students.

Profile of Problems Faced by Students Attending Counseling Services at Yogyakarta State University

Students often face problems during their higher education experience. This study aimed to identify problems experienced by students seen at the Technical Implementation Unit of the Guidance and Counseling Services at Yogyakarta State University (UPT LBK UNY). This study’s sample was 313 students who attended counseling during the past year at UPT LBK UNY. Purposive sampling was used. This was quantitative research, and the data were collected through documentation review and interviews. Quantitative descriptive techniques were used to analyze the data. The results showed that 45.05% of students had problems in their personal lives. Only 0.96% had career problems. Two students had problems in the personal-sociallearning-career fields simultaneously. Recommendations are provided for the university on developing the right strategies to overcome the problems experienced by students.
 Keywords: student problems; guidance and counseling; counseling services

“You haven’t gone out and done anything”: Exploring Disabled Veterans Experiences in Higher Education

Through the analysis of 24 in-depth, semi-structured interviews, this study explored the process through which disability affects veterans’ experiences in the university classroom and their social relations with traditional students. Using inductive-exploratory qualitative methods, this study builds upon the sociological understanding of veterans’ experiences in higher education. Findings from this study tentatively suggest that while disability related fear/hypervigilance, stigma, and anxiety significantly impact veterans’ comfort levels when engaging with traditional students, veterans also externalize the impact of their disability as a social artifact of their military service. More research is needed to determine if the interaction of disability and artifacts of service decreases veterans’ ability to integrate well with traditional students in classroom settings.

Data music album Please Hold: A sonic account of studying and teaching at the university during Covid-19

This article presents the data-based spoken word music album Please Hold. The album is the outcome of a research project which investigates experiences of higher education during the Covid-19 pandemic. The lyrics stem directly from the research data that I collected through interviews with students and academics at the University of Cambridge. With this album I introduce ‘data music’ as a new format for research communication that is uniquely capable of affectively conveying emotional understanding and embodied knowledge. The interpretation of research data is never finished or final when working with data music, since the process of meaning-making continues with each listener. In this article, I discuss my creative process and expand on the content and form of each of the four tracks. As such, I frame and situate the album as a sonic account of the pandemic university and of learning and teaching online during Covid-19.