Higher Education Programs Research Articles

Practice-Integrated Study Programs in Agriculture Sciences for A Better School to Work Transition in Albania and Kosovo: A Stakeholders Overview

The quality of study programs in higher education plays a crucial role in helping graduates transition from university to the labor market. There is a risk of losing qualified human resources in a knowledge-based society and economy if the education provided does not meet the needs of the labor market. This has led governments and higher education institutions in Albania and Kosovo to reconsider their academic offerings and study program curriculums to better integrate graduates into the labor market. This study examines how stakeholders, both private and public institutions, perceive the practical orientation of higher education study programs in agricultural sciences. A structured questionnaire with closed-ended questions using a Likert rating scale was used to analyze the views and expectations of employees in the public and private sectors about the practical skills that graduates in agricultural sciences should possess. The total number of analyzed questionnaires was 294. Employers in the labor market consider work-based placements, continuous training, and international training of students as "very important" to meet the demand for skills in the labor market. More than 91% of public institution executives stressed the importance of "practice" in reducing the practical skills gap for students, compared to 78% of private sector employees. The findings revealed that public employees are more aware than private sector employers that close cooperation between HEIs and work-life partners is crucial for producing a “university product” that meets future society's needs.

The development and implementation of a Peer Mentoring Scheme for Sociology Early Career Academics (ECAs) in Ireland: lessons from research, insights from practice

ABSTRACT The paper discusses a structured peer mentoring scheme for Early Career Academics (ECAs) in Sociology during COVID-19 and post-Brexit, the pedagogical framework adopted and programme challenges, benefits and learning. Internationally, structured peer mentoring schemes for ECAs are sparse and discussions of ‘what works’ in the context of dedicated peer mentoring programmes for ECAs are limited. This programme, designed and executed by the Sociological Association of Ireland (SAI) and a professional mentoring trainer in 2022, involved 8 peer mentors, all of whom were senior and mid-career academics and 10 mentees comprising PhD students and postdoctoral researchers. It encompassed formative sessions for peer mentors and mentees and a final joint session, which took place online. Subsequently, peer mentors facilitated online peer mentoring sessions, with mentees supporting them to explore, plan and achieve their professional goals. The authors discuss the pedagogical content and active methodologies adopted in relation to reflective practice and knowledge-exchange, whilst illuminating that more investment in and research on structured peer mentoring programmes in Higher Education can lead to better outcomes for ECAs. We underline the potential of similar inter-professional mentoring schemes for ECAs and key learning, which could benefit future programmes.

”Jag ville testa på att plugga på universitetet… och så ville jag få jobba med barn”

During the past two decades, teacher education has come to comprise the largest student enrollment in higher education programs in the Swedish context. This study examines 11 students enrolled in a teacher program specializing in school-age educare (grundlärare i fritidshem). School-age educare students exhibit a notable gender balance and many come from low-level educational and/or migrant backgrounds, leading to an exploration into the (re)production of class and gender dynamics. Through a thematic analysis of interviews, this article delves into how these students articulate their educational choices in relation to migrant background, gender, and class, and envision their future profession. The study highlights the dual motivation driving their specific educational decision: a desire for higher education and the need to enhance employability. Within this context, school-age educare emerges as a distinct and special kind of teacher endeavor. Gender, as perceived by the students, could both be framed as an asset and as a possible obstacle in discussions about their future profession. Male teachers could be both viewed as important role models yet also as ambivalent figures. This study offers insights into the interplay of class, gender, migrant background and educational aspirations, contributing to a more nuanced understanding of contemporary teacher education in Sweden.

Employment Skills Revisited: A Qualitative Exploration of Multi-Stakeholder Perspective in China’s “3+1” Higher Education Context

The issue of employment for university students is receiving significant attention in China, leading to educational reforms aimed at enhancing students’ employment skills and prospects. One such initiative is the “3+1” higher education programs, characterized by work-based learning. However, the effectiveness of this initiative falls short of expectations due to insufficient understanding of the up-to-date employment skills required by the industry. As such, this qualitative study explored stakeholders’ perceptions regarding the employment skills needed by students enrolled in “3+1” programs. Key challenges and strategies associated with developing students ‘ employment skills were identified through interviews with students, teachers, curriculum planners, industry leaders, and human resource professionals. Findings revealed a consensus among stakeholders on the importance of developing a holistic skill set, acquiring practical experience, increasing adaptability and resilience, embracing lifelong learning, and improving communication skills. Challenges included mismatches between academic learning and industry demands, limited industry exposure, soft skill deficiency, inadequate assessment, insufficient university-industry cooperation, and students’ low motivation, for which corresponding strategies were proposed. This study provides valuable insights into enhancing the employability of “3+1” graduates, emphasizing the importance of comprehensive education aligned with industry needs.

Flipbook and e-learning for teaching English to elementary school teacher education students

The purpose of this study is to investigate the lecturers’ and students’ perception of flipbooks and e-learning in enhancing English learning for teacher education students, the influence of technology integration on student-centered pedagogy for teacher education students, and the use of flipbooks and e-learning to improve English skills for teacher education students. Thirty students and nine lecturers from elementary school teacher education programs at three Indonesian universities participated in this study, which used the qualitative descriptive technique. They attend Universitas Halu Oleo Kendari in Southeast Sulawesi, Universitas Borneo Tarakan in North Kalimantan, and Universitas Negeri Jakarta in Jakarta. Data collection was conducted through documents, observations, interviews, and questionnaires. This study found that both lecturers and students positively perceive flipbooks and e-learning as tools for enhancing English learning in elementary school teacher education. Flipbooks effectively present complex concepts, while e-learning provides accessible, diverse resources that develop digital skills. Technology integration significantly benefits student-centered pedagogy but also poses challenges such as technical issues and increased workloads. The study highlighted the need for interventions to improve students’ listening and speaking skills, suggesting that combining effective teaching methods and digital media can enhance English language proficiency and the overall learning experience. It is suggested that more efforts should be directed toward promoting technology pedagogy content knowledge that fosters students’ higher-order thinking skills in English teaching materials for elementary school teacher education programs in higher education in Indonesia.

Echoes of social experience: tracing the link between a sense of belonging in school physics classes and physics students’ persistence in higher education

The present study investigates on an exploratory level the extent to which the sense of belonging that university physics students experienced in their physics classes in secondary school impacts their intention to drop out or alter their course of study in higher education. Analysing data collected between April and June 2022 among first-year physics students at 20 German universities (N = 263), we find a significant and negative effect on the part of participants’ (remembered) sense of belonging in school physics classes on their intention to drop out or change their studies. Parallel mediation analysis further reveals that this effect is fully mediated by students’ current sense of belonging to physics and their university. Notably, the indirect effect via participants’ current sense of belonging to physics is approximately four times as high as the indirect effect via university belonging. These results emphasise the importance of social embeddedness in early physics experiences on students’ academic development in higher education. Limitations of these results as well as implications regarding a potential improvement of persistence and satisfaction within physics-related higher-education programs are outlined at the end of this paper.

Awareness and implementation confidence of free higher education program under UNIFAST among HEIs in Sulu, Philippines

Accessible higher education is a critical determinant of a nation's competitiveness in the global knowledge economy. By investing in human capital through free tertiary education, countries can cultivate a skilled workforce capable of driving innovation, attracting foreign investment, and remain to be competitive on the international stage. This quantitative study analyzed the perceptions of students (n=200) about the implementation of Unified Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UNIFAST) in Sulu, Philippines. The students were purposively sampled from four (4) universities in the province. A standardized Likert-scale was used to elicit the perceptions of students based on three (3) implementation metric (i) institutions’ awareness of UNIFAST, (ii) application and disbursement process, and (iii) evaluation of UNIFAST outcomes. Findings indicated that the higher education institutions (HEIs) in Sulu often implemented the provisions of the law. Additionally, inferential analysis revealed that student’s demographic profile (i.e., gender, parental education attainment, family income) could influence their general evaluation of UNIFAST implementation. Notably, this could be attributed to their perception of the program as a substantial source of assistance in pursuing higher education. Likewise, the assessment of UNIFAST implementation by students may be influenced by emotional elements, such as feelings of relief and contentment. The program may receive higher ratings from students because of the emotional relief it offers, especially for individuals who are experiencing financial limitations. Future studies might consider developing a more rigorous analysis relating human emotions scaling up their overall evaluation of the UNIFAST program.

Building capacity and status through transnational joint doctoral programs: a case study in China

PurposeThrough a case study of a recently established but rapidly growing research-intensive university in China, this study explores how transnational joint doctoral programs are strategically instrumentalized to overcome policy restrictions on postgraduate degree accreditation. It utilizes the cumulative (dis)advantage theory as the analytical lens. This study investigates the innovative, bottom-up initiation of transnational higher education tailored to the development goals of the university and this region, thus providing an alternative perspective for the dominant top-down discourse on transnational higher education research in China.Design/methodology/approachThis study employs a qualitative case study design that incorporates semi-structured interviews and document analysis to investigate the examined university’s joint doctoral programs.FindingsThe study examines how, through its transnational joint doctoral programs, the case university actively accumulated the advantages of recruiting excellent research students, cultivating the public’s confidence and deepening international collaboration. These advantages created a virtuous circle, which further reinforced each other and accelerated the university’s development. The disadvantages include power disparities between the case university and its partners, students’ study discontinuity because of temporal and spatial division and the challenges of co-supervision. Accordingly, the university implemented counterstrategies such as adopting a differentiated stance with varying partners, offering flexible administrative and management supports and aligning differently with various supervisors’ collaboration styles.Originality/valueThis study presents innovative institutional strategies in the Greater Bay Area of China to pursue rapid development and internationalization through transnational higher education programs. It also strives to illuminate the significant role of transnational higher education in facilitating experimental governance with Chinese characteristics.

Teaching criminological theory in higher education

Abstract Theory is a core component in the teaching of many social sciences, including criminology-related programmes in higher education, but both students and lecturers can find it challenging. Given the growing popularity of criminology programmes, scholarship on the teaching and learning of criminological theory is increasingly important. This article uses a critical narrative literature review to explore extant empirically based scholarship on the teaching and learning of criminological theory. It examines the goals, methods, strengths and weaknesses of the pedadogical approaches suggested by this literature, making comparisons with the scholarship of teaching and learning theory in other social sciences. While lessons can be learned from related disciplines, there are numerous reasons why further empirical research is needed on a broader range of pedagogical approaches to criminological theory.

The Impacts of Secondary Education on Women Decision Making of Higher Education (A Case Study of Khyber Pakhtun Khwa, Pakistan)

Women's decision-making about the pursuit of their higher education has been found to be significantly influenced by their schooling. In this regard, this study investigates the complex influences of education on women's decision-making processes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, while they are thinking about pursuing higher education. It has long been understood that education is essential for achieving socioeconomic advancement and self-determination, especially for women who have historically faced obstacles in receiving a high-quality education. The nature of this research study is qualitative while the primary data has been gathered with the help of an interview guide, (FGDs) focus group discussion. Female students enrolled in secondary, post-secondary, and higher education programs at Swat comprised the targeted population. The study conclusions show that women's early educations play a major influence on their decision to pursue further education. Following secondary education, women acquire the capacity to make decisions regarding their further academic pursuits. Similar to how women decide which subjects to study, which subject to pursue as a graduate program, and which mentor and supervisor to work under. Furthermore, parents have a crucial role in helping daughters make decisions about continuing their education. Moreover, women are empowered to make decisions about their education because of family support and encouragement. On the other hand, societal perception has a significant impact in women's education. While urban culture values about girls' education since it strengthens their capacity for further study, rural society forbids females from pursuing higher education due to the conservative nature of its culture. Women also face difficulties in juggling their schooling with their family responsibilities, but they manage somehow as their early education gave them management skills. Furthermore, because to social and cultural constraints, the majority of women in Pashtun society are not permitted to pursue higher education outside. The ratio of male to female literacy is not equal. The study strongly suggests that the media should play its role in raising awareness and launching campaigns regarding education for all, high-quality education, hiring more female teachers, requiring teacher training, and community involvement in education promotion in order to close the achievement gap and further raise women's literacy levels.

Loan Schemes Granted for Students as a European Union Financial Instrument for Education Inclusion in Its Member States

Abstract European Union financial instruments and more specifically loan schemes are tools that have been developed and used more and more in the world we are leaving in due to their availability as well as their accessibility for the European Union member states. Due to the significant implicants in education, these loan schemes became a foundation stone in the development of education inclusion. The aim of this paper is to show the way these loan schemes have been used, the scheme of these programs, the impact they had on the beneficiaries and on the education, the challenges and possible lessons for helping in the creation of the future funding programs. In doing a better understanding and analysis, I have used a multiple case analysis representing a qualitative method that focuses on analyzing of three different case studies on three different countries that have been used loan schemes as financial instruments for giving access to higher education programs for students that were not able to and facilitate education inclusion in their state. The main findings suggests that these loan funds have a positive impact on the evolution of education inclusion, students being open to apply for them even if in some cases, the understanding of the mechanism behind it was a little bit difficult in the beginning. Overall, based on the case studies and on the number of the applicants that took advantage of these funding programs, it can be concluded that these types of financial instruments must continue to be used in the future and extended in more regions no matter of their development status.

체제 전환과 통합 전환의 루마니아 교육

Due to changes in ideology and policy, the Romanian education system is divided into three distinct periods: the period from modern times to 1944, the socialist education system from 1944 to 1989, and the great transition period after 1989. While the first period was characterized by the expansion of the public education system and progress in improving curriculum and teacher education programs, the second period was characterized by the nationalization of all educational institutions, extreme centralization through a unified basic curriculum and textbooks, excessive politicization, and an emphasis on abstract teaching methods. The period of socio-political and economic change in Romania after 1989 led to the reform of the education system, with pressures on the market economy and the restoration of democratic principles, pressures imposed by the Bologna Process. During the transition period, there were many changes in the curriculum, public and private educational institutions, retraining and mobility of teaching staff, and infrastructure. The responses of the Romanian education system to new variables and opportunities were partly immediate and partly gradual, depending on the interlocking circumstances and interests. The reform process, including new challenges and social risks during the transition period, was difficult, slow, and complex, influenced by economic, political, and social conditions. However, Romanian education during the integration transition period symbolized by the Bolona Process and EU membership became a stepping stone for successful reform. In this process of integrated transformation, Romanian education continues contemporary ongoing educational reforms by embracing a unified three-level degree program (Bachelor’s, Master’s, Doctoral programs), ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System) & EQF (The European Qualifications Framework), as well as providing internationalization and mobility programs in higher education.

The Structural Model of Students’ Sustainable Professional for Developing Indonesia’s Higher Education Programs

The Structural Model of Students’ Sustainable Professional for Developing Indonesia’s Higher Education Programs

A Study on the Application of Python in Corporate Financial Analysis

This article examines the application value, current status, and challenges of Python in corporate financial analysis and proposes targeted solutions to enhance its extensive use in financial practices. Currently, despite Python being recognized as a key tool to bolster corporate financial analysis due to its robust capabilities in data processing and analysis, its application in finance departments is limited by several core issues: a general lack of programming knowledge among finance professionals, insufficient operational training, and a lack of policy guidance for digital technology transformation. To address these issues, the paper puts forward five recommendations: 1) leverage the guiding role of governments and accounting associations; 2) continuously improve higher education programs for finance and accounting talent, integrating programming skills with traditional accounting courses; 3) strengthen university-enterprise cooperation and deepen teachers' enterprise practice; 4) develop comprehensive internal training and incentive mechanisms within companies; and 5) transition from abstract application guidelines to detailed application instructions. These strategies aim to significantly enhance the Python application skills of finance personnel, drive the digital transformation of the financial industry, and thereby generate greater value for businesses.

Home Visits in School Social Work Practice: History, Best Practices, and Future Considerations

Abstract Beginning in 1906, the teachers who developed the profession of school social work conducted home visits to bridge communication between the school and home. In the more than 100 years that the profession has continued, home visiting has remained a cornerstone. Despite its continued importance, there remains a lack of comprehensive instruction on how to conduct effective home visits within higher education or professional development programs. This article aims to address this gap by acknowledging the limited research focused specifically on home visiting in school social work and consults the broader home visiting research, applying it to the unique setting of school social work. This article will delve into the purpose and benefits of home visiting, strategies for effective data collection during visits, cultural competencies necessary for fostering productive outcomes, and safety considerations for school social workers. Through this exploration, this article’s authors aim to provide valuable insights and guidance for school social workers striving to enhance their practice and strengthen connections between schools and families.

The Effects of Three Scaffoldings on Computer-Supported, Robot-Assisted Collaborative Programming in Higher Education

Computer-supported, robot-assisted collaborative programming (CSRACP) is a computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) mode used in programming education. CSRACP allows students to work in groups with the support of robots to achieve programming functions and complete complex tasks. This research applied multimodal learning analytics (MMLA) to examine the effects of three pedagogical scaffoldings (i.e., conceptual, task-oriented, and meta-cognitive scaffolding) on student pairs’ CSRACP activities in higher education. The results revealed that students under conceptual scaffolding had the low-level cognitive engagement, task-oriented regulation, and low-level socio-emotional expression, with the lowest programming task score; students under task-oriented scaffolding had the operation-driven cognitive engagement, observation-oriented regulation, and low-level socio-emotional expression, with the highest programming task score; and students under meta-cognitive scaffolding had the communication-driven cognitive engagement, exploration-oriented regulation and high-level socio-emotional expression, with the medium programming task score. Based on these findings, pedagogical and analytical implications were proposed to promote CSRACP in higher education.

Towards an understanding of multi-generational higher education cohorts in gamified entrepreneurship education

The increasing inclusion of gamified courses in entrepreneurship programmes in higher education have left gaps in understanding the critical essentials of the multi-generational student cohort undertaking these programmes. In this paper, we interrogate the educational experiences of multi-generational higher education students in a core gamified entrepreneurship course in an undergraduate business school programme. The research analyzed 392 course feedback responses from three generations (X, Y and Z) of a multi-generational cohort. The study developed and validated a behaviour-results model for gamified entrepreneurship courses leading to student entrepreneurial intention and entrepreneurial orientation, and disaggregated student engagement into it's multiple dimensions of cognitive, behavioural and emotional. The model also validated six dimensions of individual entrepreneurship orientation. Using the model, the study found differences in the component variables based on student Generations X, Y, and Z. Also, student cognitive and behavioural engagement led to entrepreneurial intention which also influenced student entrepreneurial orientation. There were marked differences in student grit, cognitive engagement, and emotional engagement between Generations X and Z. Furthermore, generational differences existed amongst Generation Z and Y, and also for Generation Z and X in student entrepreneurial intention. The study also confirmed the difference in entrepreneurial orientation between Generations X and Z. Additionally, the study found that there is a need to contextualize student engagement facilitators such as results demonstrability of the business simulation platform, student grit and user characteristics as they have selective effects on student cognition, behavioural and emotional engagements in a multi-generational student cohort of Generation X, Y and Z.

Vocational and Higher Education: The Role of Trust in the Formation of Educational and Professional Trajectory

The article compares the impact of student trust on their educational and career trajectories in vocational and higher education. Since 2015, in Russia, enrollment in upper-grade vocational education programs has exceeded enrollment in higher education programs, and increasingly, young people choose TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) institutions. Therefore, interest in studying various factors influencing the specific trajectories in TVET and higher education is growing. One of these factors is trust, which remains insufficiently studied. Trust has a positive effect on various aspects of education (academic achievements, satisfaction, loyalty to the university, etc.), which can directly or indirectly determine the choice of further educational and professional trajectory. The research data comes from a survey of Russian TVET and higher education students. Particularly in higher education, in contrast to TVET, student trust (in other students, teachers and management) influences their plans regarding educational and career trajectories after graduation. However, this influence depends on the subject of trust and on the intended life trajectory.

A framework for program wide curriculum transformation

Designing and delivering higher education programs in a global climate of constant change, technological advances and uncertain futures leads to the need for curriculum transformation practices that are innovative and responsive. This paper describes a university-wide approach to developing a framework for program level transformation that is strengths-based, data-informed and design-led. A strengths based approach builds on good practice, creating a space that is positive and forward looking. Data informed practice and the inclusion of data wranglers on the project allowed for conversations about the known, unknowns and desirable directions to take place and inform directions. Design-led practices introduced design thinking principles such a building empathy and co-design with students, alumni and industry. The emergent framework has three key stages: vision, design and build. The vision stage focuses on the program team, its students, industry and desired direction for transformation. The design stage focuses on defining challenges, ideating, co-designing and creating a plan for development. The build stage uses a rapid prototyping and iterative approach to development that incorporates user testing early in the stage. The project has delivered a framework for program level transformation and innovation and has shown that a strengths-based approach that is data informed and engages with students as codesigners has the capacity to unite teams, inform program visions and allow for innovative practices to emerge. Taking a learner experience approach to design also highlighted the value in engaging students and industry in curriculum design from the start of the process rather than simply as end users.

Peer Mentoring Circles in higher education: perceptions of their members with and without disability and program proposal

The increase of the number of students with disabilities in Higher Education, including students with intellectual disability, emphasizes the need for Higher Education Institutions to provide support for their inclusion and learning. Within inclusive Higher Education peers can have a fundamental role through Peer Mentoring Circles. This qualitative study aims to understand the perceived experiences of members of Peer Mentoring Circles, within the scope of a program that provided academic support, during an academic semester, to mentees with intellectual disability. Data collection included semi-structured interviews with members of the Circles (two mentees and seven mentors), and the facilitator’s field notes. Content analysis was used to analyze the data. Through the data analysis, two categories were identified: components of the Peer Mentoring Circles program and experiences of the members of the Circles. The data generated suggest that both mentors and mentees had positive experiences, contributing to the development of the mentees’ skills. Based on literature and the data generated emerged the proposal for the Peer Mentoring Circles program with a broad set of guidelines for its implementation, which can set the baseline for developing future peer mentoring programs in Higher Education aimed not only at students with disabilities, but also at other students with support needs such as international students.