Higher Education Project Research Articles

Interdisciplinaridade no ensino superior: de imagem-objetivo à realidade!

Os autores relatam a experiência de adoção de ações interdisciplinares no processo de ensino-aprendizagem no curso de Odontologia da Universidade Severino Sombra (USS), as quais foram realizadas com fomento do Pró-Saúde. O objetivo do trabalho é descrever as etapas da construção da proposta, a metodologia adotada, as dificuldades e resistências enfrentadas, assim como os resultados e seus desdobramentos. A partir do relato é possível concluir que as ações interdisciplinares podem ser praticadas no ensino superior desde que haja uma diretriz no projeto pedagógico, uma equipe docente comprometida com a inovação metodológica e gestores institucionais empenhados em efetuar mudanças.

The Borsuk-Ulam Theorem

This work has been supported by the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education project “Managing a Large Repository of Computer-verified Mathematical Knowledge” (N N519 385136)

Learning from Life — Exploring the Potential of Live Projects in Higher Education

This paper introduces the educational issues surrounding live project work, exploring the potential benefits and drawbacks of these teaching projects. It draws on the findings of a University of the West of England Teaching and Learning Grant funded project to explore the potential for live project work across disciplines in Higher Education. The study drew on two case studies – one architecture design project and one information systems consultancy project – to develop a wider understanding of the educational outcomes of live projects across disciplines. In the case studies presented, students developed a range of attitudes and skills that can be seen to enrich, critique and develop those found in traditional academic work; in particular skills in communication, negotiation and professionalism which are hard to simulate within the academy. Students were actively engaged in an integrative learning process, which should result in ‘deep’ learning. In addition, students’ enthusiasm was often higher than in their university-based projects, which has the potential to impact on the quality of their learning. The projects are conceptualised as a form of transformative pedagogy, based around experiential learning, which is located between two worlds, the university and the community. It is this in-between location that affords live projects particularly powerful learning opportunities across a range of disciplines.

Table Talk: Improving Dining Room Acoustics for Older Adults with Hearing Loss

Table Talk: Improving Dining Room Acoustics for Older Adults with Hearing Loss

Peer assessment accounting for student agreement

Peer assessment has been gaining significant ground as a means of fostering an environment of accountability and responsibility for group projects in higher education. A popular peer assessment method assigns individual grades via a linear relationship to peer assessment scores. Using this method, a group member who receives his or her group’s average peer assessment score is assigned the instructor‐given group grade; the group member who receives a total peer assessment score of zero is assigned an individual grade of zero. Unfortunately, applying this method often requires time‐consuming exploratory data analysis because of the potential for the method to yield a high spread of grades, including grades over 100%. The present study proposes a modification, which accounts for the degree of student agreement. When the modified procedure results in a change from the group grade, the direction of change is always the same, but with smaller magnitude, requiring less subsequent data analysis and instructor time demands. Easy‐to‐modify SAS code for applying the method is presented in the Appendix.

The Intersection of Race and Spirituality: Underrepresented Students' Spiritual Development at Predominantly White Evangelical Colleges

Although a great deal of research assesses the value of both diversity and spirituality in the university setting, little research addresses the experience of underrepresented students and their spiritual development in an environment that is defined by a mission committed to spiritual growth. Utilizing data from the College Students' Beliefs and Values survey, a longitudinal dataset from the UCLA Spirituality in Higher Education project, this study explored the racial differences in students' spirituality at faith-based institutions. Amongst all students, seniors demonstrated significant growth on the spiritual identification and ethic of caring scales, and their religious commitment decreased during college. White students scored significantly higher on the religious commitment scale than non-white students, and non-white students scored significantly higher on the ethic of caring scale.

Higher Education Projects - Three-year Doctorate scholarship for research - Region Liguria

Higher Education Projects - Three-year Doctorate scholarship for research - Region Liguria

Higher Education Projects - I and II level Master's courses - Region Liguria

Higher Education Projects - I and II level Master's courses - Region Liguria

The Impact of Campus Context, College Encounters, and Religious/Spiritual Struggle on Ecumenical Worldview Development

Using a national longitudinal sample of 14,274 college students generated as part of the UCLA Spirituality in Higher Education Project, this study employed structural equation modeling to analyze how students develop an ecumenical worldview. The findings suggest that challenging co-curricular experiences and the salience of religion and spirituality in academic encounters tend to provoke religious/spiritual struggles, which in turn enhance ecumenical worldview.

Ecumenical Worldview Development by Gender, Race, and Worldview: A Multiple-Group Analysis of Model Invariance

Based upon a national longitudinal dataset of 14,527 college students generated by the UCLA Spirituality in Higher Education Project, this study used structural equation modeling to test the applicability of a model of ecumenical worldview development for students of diverse genders, races, and worldviews. The model suggests that challenging co-curricular experiences and the salience of religion and spirituality in academic encounters tend to provoke religious/spiritual struggles, which in turn enhance ecumenical worldview. However, tests for model invariance revealed group differences in the applicability of the model. Differences by gender and race/ethnicity are minimal in comparison to differences by worldview.

Intermezzo A performative research project in teacher training

In this article we discuss an ongoing project named Performing Knowledge A project to improve knowledge in higher education through a double perspective: Theory and Performativity. This project is situated at the Department of Visual Art Education at Konstfack, University College of Arts, Crafts and Design in Stockholm, Sweden. The aim is to investigate and develop pedagogy and methods through double perspectives, whereby scientific research is joined with artistic practice as different, but compatible forms of knowledge in learning and degree projects in higher education. The research examined how different forms of knowledge appear in learning processes as well as in student theses; focus is equally placed on forms of representation and presentation. The article presents and discusses two different student projects as examples of performative knowledge. In this text we draw upon a presentation held at the 32nd InSEA World Conference, in Osaka, August 2008.

E-portfolios and personalized learning: research in practice with two dyslexic learners in UK higher education

This paper analyses the use of an e-portfolio system in contributing to the personalized learning of two dyslexic learners at the University of Wolverhampton, UK. The rationale for this research rests at the intersection of generic findings from e-portfolio (and wider e-learning) research and the still challenging project in higher education (HE) of creating inclusive curricula. A qualitative, ethnographic approach was employed in a piece of collaborative research between academic staff and dyslexic learners. Two retrospective learner narratives were constructed and then reviewed by all co-authors in terms of the 'personalized fit' which they allowed with dyslexic thinking, learning and writing experience. The findings suggest a potential refinement of the general pedagogical claims about e-portfolio-based learning when considering dyslexic learners and thence the value of an enhanced prioritization of e-portfolio learning practices within inclusive HE curricula. The review and analysis also allow a 'critical' discussion of the practical and theoretical issues arising within this work.

Designing a Self-Assessment Item Repository: An Authentic Project in Higher Education

An international association advancing the multidisciplinary study of informing systems. Founded in 1998, the Informing Science Institute (ISI) is a global community of academics shaping the future of informing science.

O processo de Bolonha da Europa torna-se global: modelo, mercado, mobilidade, força intelectual ou estratégia para construção do Estado?

O artigo examina a interligação progressiva dos espaços da política de educação superior no mundo, focalizando em particular a Europa e o seu projeto de globalização da educação superior, assim como as implicações do mesmo para outras economias nacionais e regionais. O trabalho começa com o Espaço Europeu de Educação Superior, esboçando as principais características do competitivo projeto europeu na educação superior. Apresenta-se como o Processo Multilateral de Bolonha, projetado para criar uma arquitetura unificada de educação superior na Europa, foi remodelado e dirigido pela estratégia Lisboa 2000 da União Europeia para a competitividade e pelo relançamento da Agenda Lisboa 2005. Essa agenda tem permitido a utilização da educação superior como uma plataforma para amplas estratégias de regionalização e globalização da União Europeia para criar tanto "mentes" quanto "mercados" para a economia europeia de conhecimento, levando à emergência de um sistema global mais integrado e relacional de educação superior. As ações da Europa também são moldadas por seu próprio projeto de construção do Estado, que tende a favorecer a colaboração com as regiões e promover o inter-regionalismo como uma plataforma para a negociação global.

Editorial Introduction

Are you considering writing an article to describe your recent teacher research project? The editorial board at Networks is interested. While we publish discussions of teacher research and accounts of teacher research projects in higher education, we are dedicated to providing a forum for the research and findings of teachers in pre-K through 12 classrooms.

The Quality Assurance System for Post‐Secondary Education in Saudi Arabia: A Comprehensive, Developmental and Unified Approach

The rapid growth in the number of post‐secondary institutions in Saudi Arabia over the last few years necessitated the creation of a government agency for accreditation and quality assurance. The National Commission for Academic Accreditation and Assessment was established in 2004 for this purpose. Between 2005 and 2008, it developed a new three‐stage quality assurance and accreditation system that benefited from the international expertise, while keeping its characteristics. This comprehensive detailed system was implemented gradually with wide acceptance. It included standards in 11 areas of activity for both programmes and institutions, including: a national qualifications framework that specifies generic standards of learning outcomes, and supporting materials such as key performance indicators, student surveys, self‐evaluation scales, templates for programme plans and reports, and handbooks detailing quality assurance processes. During this period, considerable help has been provided by the British Council through the Excellence in Higher Education project.

College Experiences and Spiritual Outcomes: An Interview with UCLA Spirituality in Higher Education Project Director Jennifer Lindholm

In a recent interview, Dr. Jennifer Lindholm, director of the UCLA Spirituality in Higher Education project, reflected on the project’s history and goals, key findings, and implications for institutional practice and assessment.

The Interdisciplinary Process: A Qualitative Study of Interdisciplinary Projects in Higher Education

The Interdisciplinary Process: A Qualitative Study of Interdisciplinary Projects in Higher Education

Stirring the lions: strategy and tactics in global higher education1

In many parts of the world, higher education is viewed as a prime ‘motor’ for the development of a knowledge‐based economy. Under the banner of this ‘new economy’, higher education policies, programmes and practices have been increasingly co‐opted and shaped by wider geo‐strategic political and economic interests. This paper explores three, interlinked, higher education policy spaces – in Europe, the United States, and Australia. It explores how the growing range of educational initiatives at the European level has affected – both directly and indirectly – American and Australian policymaking in higher education. The European higher education project, which is increasingly perceived as having some significance to the global economy, has set off a series of dynamic reactions in both Australia and the United States, which is leading to multiple new logics and new imaginaries about the global higher education landscape. Through this, a more integrated and relational global system of higher education is emerging.

A comparative analysis of key construction projects of higher education in China, Korea and Japan

In the era of globalization, China, Korea and Japan have put forward favorable policies to develop higher education. The essay is aimed to make a comparison of their various policies. The conclusion is that, when facing similar forces and problems against the background of globalization, the guidelines and goals of the key construction projects in higher education demonstrate convergence, meanwhile, due to different development status and governing patterns in higher education, the policy contents and implementation procedures tend to be divergent.