Learning Practices In Higher Education Research Articles

On-Line Learning Assessment: Egyptian Universities as a Case Study

This article presents results of a study on the level of satisfaction of graduate and undergraduate students, instructors and higher education quality assurance experts with respect to online learning in the field of social sciences at Egyptian universities. A random sample of 577 students, 101 instructors and 6 quality experts participated in the survey. Results convey considerable variations between students affiliated to state universities, a 50% level of dissatisfaction on online learning compared to a 35% level of dissatisfaction to their counterparts at private universities, a one of the key indicators for the success of institutions to in shift from conventional to online learning approach. The study presents skepticism concerning conformance of fully online learning approach with academic quality assurance requirements and intended learning outcomes. Recommended policies aim for improvements in challenges related to environmental and technological variables such as the poor internet infrastructure and simultaneously the lack of training and application in Internet usage. Policies are pushing forward with drivers of satisfaction in distance learning instructional design, capacity building, integrative international academic quality measures to develop on-line learning practices in higher education in Egypt ensuring a boost stakeholders’ satisfaction.

Editorial 18.4: Reframing theory of, and for, practice in higher education

When the Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice — JUTLP as we have come to know it — was established in 2004, it was to fill a perceived gap in publications related to teaching and learning practice in higher education, with practice being the operative word (Carter, 2004). While other higher education journals existed, they were mainly the purview of academic developers and the most prodigious of disciplinary academics researching their teaching. In contrast, JUTLP was to be built as open-access and its readership as ‘practitioners looking for good ideas based soundly on a body of accessible theory and research’ (McInnes, 2004, n.p.). JUTLP was established in the Australian context at a time when promoting excellence in teaching and learning was regarded as an important government agenda to improve the student experience, and not accidentally, coincided with the creation of the Carrick Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (later the Australian Learning and Teaching Council, and later again the Office for Learning and Teaching). The Carrick Institute supported national cross-institutional grants and fellowship schemes, and promoted national networks of educational research into practice to support the mission of the then Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) to ensure all ‘Australian higher education institutions provide high quality teaching and learning for all students’ (Carrick, 2009). How times have changed.

Enhancing Student Engagement Using a Blended Learning Approach

Student engagement is the core of the teaching and learning practice in higher education. This exploratory action research project was designed to enhance teaching and learning using a blended learning approach to increase student engagement prior, during, and after lecture and seminar sessions of a module run for first-year undergraduate students. Within an academic semester, three action research cycles were carried out to collect data and redesign the classroom practice. Different data collection techniques were used along with Microsoft OneNote Class Notebook. This article presents three case studies of individual students to demonstrate how the digital workspace helped to develop the practice of participatory teaching and learning during a first-year undergraduate module. This study indicates that listening to students' voices through a blended learning approach helped to increase student engagement, thus increasing student participation in shaping and redesigning teaching and learning to engage them within the classroom and beyond.

Sustainable engineering master module – insights from three cohorts of European engineering team

Mobility and transnational migration are current social developments among the population of the European Union. These developments in both society-at-large and companies, linked to the challenges of sustainability, lead to new requirements for working in the European Union. Teaching and learning in higher education needs to adapt to these requirements. As a result, new and innovative teaching and learning practices in higher education should provide competencies for transnational teamwork in the curriculum of tomorrow's engineers in order to ensure their competitiveness in the job market. A transnational project-oriented teaching and learning framework, which provides the future key competencies for young engineers was implemented in the course European Engineering Team (EET). Engineering students from four countries participated in a new project-based course that focused on the development of innovative and sustainable products and opportunities. The goal of this paper is to present results and lessons learnt from three cohorts of EET.

Stepping Back to Let the Learning Happen: A Learning Practice in Higher Education

Stepping Back to Let the Learning Happen: A Learning Practice in Higher Education

Value creation: What matters most in Communities of Learning Practice in higher education

This study examines the phenomenon of value creation enabled by peers’ voluntary participation in Communities of Learning Practice (CoLPs) in higher education, with the aim to extract which experiences of learning community participation are considered valuable by learning community members. The participants were 27 international master students at a German university. Data were collected from participants’ written narratives-so called value creation stories. A systematic qualitative research approach was employed. Initially, we conducted a theory-driven content analysis to classify members’ attributed values. Subsequently, we performed an emergent data-driven thematic analysis to extrapolate the specifics of attributed values by participants. This study underscores the role of learning community members’ agency in value creation, by having community members, instead of external members, define value creation for themselves, as an individual and collective process and “outcome” enabled by participation in CoLPs.

Possibilidades e desafios da prática de aprendizagem colaborativa no ensino superior

O uso da prática de aprendizagem colaborativa no ensino superior busca a construção do conhecimento de forma compartilhada entre os estudantes. A aprendizagem é um processo realizado colaborativamente e mediado pelo docente, que também fomenta a interação, colaboração e desenvolvimento do grupo. Este estudo objetiva descrever os benefícios e os desafios sobre a utilização das práticas de aprendizagem colaborativa no ensino superior, com base em artigos publicados na SciELO. Nesta revisão sistemática, foram localizados 147 artigos que abordam a temática, mas apenas 46 atendiam aos critérios de inclusão: publicação entre 2000 e 2016; pesquisa empírica; e ensino superior. As pesquisas mapeadas definem aprendizagem colaborativa como um trabalho conjunto, interativo e compartilhado, que permite a construção do conhecimento colaborativamente, conforme apontado na literatura. A totalidade dos artigos que tratam dessa perspectiva apresenta a prática como benéfica para o estudante sob diferentes aspectos, tais como: autonomia, aprender a interagir e responsabilidade sobre sua própria aprendizagem. Um dos desafios identificados é desvinculá-la do manuseio de tecnologias, visto que estas independem do seu uso e, consequentemente, da formação docente. Conclui-se que a prática de aprendizagem colaborativa possibilita a construção da aprendizagem e do conhecimento de forma compartilhada entre os estudantes, estando o grande desafio na compreensão do conceito pelos docentes e sua aplicabilidade no ensino superior, não necessariamente associada ao uso de tecnologia.

Blended learning: Investigating the influence of engagement in multiple learning delivery modes on students’ performance

The current reliance on different modes for delivering learning materials and establishing connections among peers can be significantly attributed to the teaching and learning practices in higher education. Here, the possible effects of students’ engagement in multiple learning delivery modes on their academic performance were examined. This study specifically examined the effects of students’ engagement in three learning delivery modes—face-to-face (F2F) learning, learning management system (LMS)-based learning, and web-based learning (WBL)—on their learning experience and performance. A total of 196 questionnaires were administrated to university students (104 male; 92 female) to assess their perception of the three modes. Log records were also obtained to investigate the mediation effect of students’ learning experience in LMS-based learning (by access, time spent, tools usage) and WBL (by web tools usage and self-learning time) on their learning performance. Results of a partial least-squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) analysis revealed that students’ engagement in the F2F mode had a significant positive effect on their engagement in the LMS and WBL modes. Moreover, LMS time and tools usage had a positive influence on students’ learning performance in the blended learning environment. Thus, the study results evince the effectiveness of multiple learning delivery modes on the learning development of students in higher education.

Higher education students’ experiences of digital learning and (dis)empowerment

This paper focuses on learning practices in higher education in relation to a digital participatory culture. Using key principles of critical education, the research set out to explore higher education students’ sense of agency online – or lack of it –as part of their formal learning practices. The research found that although students were proficient Web users, they did not exercise their learner agency beyond what they assumed to be expected of them, thus evidencing the stability of their learning habitus in relation to the learning conventions associated with the academic field. Perhaps more surprisingly, however, is students’ perception of the Web not only as a space of student participation, but also as a space of student surveillance. Such perceptions constitute real obstacles to meaningful participation as a form learning.

Sustainable Innovation in a Multi-University Master Course

Mobility, multi-locality, and transnational migration are current social developments among the population of the European Union. These social developments in society and companies, linked to the challenges of sustainability, lead to new requirements for working in the European Union. Teaching and learning in higher education needs to adapt to these requirements. As a result, new and innovative teaching and learning practices in higher education should provide competencies for transnational teamwork in the curriculum of tomorrow’s engineers in order to ensure their competitiveness in the job market and advantage in their future careers. Thirteen European students from four countries participated in a new project-based course, called the “European Engineering Team”. Students focused on the development of two innovative and sustainable products. The goal of this paper is to present the thermal pallet cover, which is the result of the first one-year transnational and sustainability-oriented project. This paper also aims to present the process of performing the project. It provides the overview and discussion of engineering and management tasks that students completed in the transnational environment, working remotely at their own campuses between scheduled transnational meetings. The work contributes to project-oriented learning that may constitute a basis for teaching holistic engineering courses at mechanical and industrial engineering departments.

TECHNOLOGY ENHANCED LEARNING ASSISTED BY FREE AND OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE

The education system of the present day has undergone a great revolution, with the enhancement of education technology. Especially in the higher education sector, IT is playing a vital role in the advancement of teaching and learning practices. Most of the educational organizations have already adopted smart learning environment by upgrading their infrastructure and with proper capacity building among staff members. But in the education sector, sustainability of technology is always being a challenge. To develop learning materials, many institutions have already started using free and open source software (FOSS) tools. FOSS gives freedom to the developer with the provision of various customization options as per the requirements of the class or subject. Moreover, in the longer run, free and open source software could be considered as the best option in education for e-learning implementation, for sustainability. There are many tools which are available for e-learning resource development. Some of them are available online and some are available as an installer for the various platform. In order to adapt ICT in education, especially in non-IT specialization, the faculty members need the training to learn and implement these tools in their classes. But there are many tools, which are specially designed for educators with basic knowledge of computers. Educators can plan their sessions, based on content, duration as well as the level of the subject and the students. This research paper will highlight various aspects of the implementation of FOSS, in education by using such easy-to-implement tools and techniques. This would provide general guidelines for the development of various e-learning solutions for technology-enhanced teaching and learning practices in higher education.

The use of work-based learning pedagogical perspectives to inform flexible practice within higher education

ABSTRACTThe renewed emphasis on developing flexible learning practices in higher education (HE) underscores the importance of understanding pedagogies for students who are based in the workplace or undertake significant work-related elements of study. This paper draws on research that explores how work-based learning (WBL) pedagogy operates in UK HE using three main perspectives that help to conceptualise the existing range of practice: discipline-centred, learner-centred and employer-centred. Data were collected from 20 academic practitioners with expertise in WBL using qualitative interviews, documents and observations at 14 different institutions from 7 regions in England. The research findings suggest that there are both commonalities and distinctive attributes across the range of practice that influence how academics develop and orient their pedagogy. It is argued that the characteristics and discursive features of these WBL perspectives present pedagogical approaches that could be adapted to inform more flexible mainstream provision.

An academic home for play: games as unifying influences in higher education

Purpose– This paper aims to address opportunities and tensions when creating game-based learning practices in higher education. By detailing examples from a university in the Southeastern USA and the communities it serves, we suggest game-based research and learning be approached as a unifying influence adaptable across contexts.Design/methodology/approach– We use a working example methodology where someone with expertise “works through” a well-known issue while making the thinking overt. In this manner, we reveal processes, successes and challenges infusing game-based learning in higher education to deepen understanding between fields and encourage research and practice with games across disciplines.Findings– The working example demonstrates that games served as a unifying influence in three primary ways, which included redesigning courses and implementing programmatic changes; using existing programs to promote interdisciplinary teaching and research; and increasing outreach and partnerships. In each example, games served to strengthen or support the initiatives.Originality/value– This paper extends literature on the value of games to promote research and learning. Significantly, it provides an example for others in game-based learning fields to consider when building similar programs in higher education.

Mobile Learning Practice in Higher Education in Nepal

During the 15 years of this current century, mobile technology has become a leading technology in the support of educational outcomes. This study investigated the mobile learning practices among undergraduates in higher education in the semi-urban and rural areas of the Gorkha district of Nepal. The objectives were to explore the availability of mobile technology for learning; its costs; learning trends, institutional policies, and attitudes towards mobile learning. These factors were explored to identify implications for pedagogical practice. The study adopted a mixed methods design, in which the quantitative data were collected by using a questionnaire with a sample of 161 undergraduates from six campuses. The qualitative data were collected from 19 purposively selected respondents by the way of semi-structured interviews. The result indicated that virtually all undergraduates possessed their mobile phones and used them informally for learning both inside and outside of their classes. The majority of the students had positive attitudes towards mobile learning. However, many were not satisfied with the effectiveness of their practices or with the level of institutional support for using mobile devices to support their learning. Although comprehensive mobile learning is not widespread in Nepal, enriching conventional learning by the incremental use of mobile devices is possible in Nepalese institutes of higher education. I conclude that teachers and institutions should provide guidance to students about the effective uses of mobile technology because successful use of technology in learning largely depends on appropriate pedagogy and teacher support.

Editorial: Massive open online courses (MOOCs): Disrupting teaching and learning practices in higher education

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses the special issue, which is on the topic of massive open online courses (MOOCs) in higher education and the ways in which these online courses qualify as a disruptive technology in higher education teaching.

Enhancing learning analytics by understanding the needs of teachers

The field of learning analytics has great potential to inform and enhance teaching and learning practices in higher education. However, while many studies are being conducted to examine new learning analytics tools or ways that learning analytics can be used to address specific problems such as student retention, few studies have explored the fundamental needs of teaching staff in addressing educational problems or making improvements to their teaching. This paper presents the initial findings from research being conducted with staff associated with teaching and learning at the University of Melbourne to identify the needs and potential uses of learning analytics to improve educational outcomes. The role learning analytics will play in informing teaching practice in higher education is considered, as well as implications for future research in the field.

A Digital Ecosystems Model of Assessment Feedback on Student Learning

The term ecosystem has been used to describe complex interactions between living organisms and the physical world. The principles underlying ecosystems can also be applied to complex human interactions in the digital world. As internet technologies make an increasing contribution to teaching and learning practice in higher education, the principles of digital ecosystems may help us understand how to maximise technology to benefit active, self-regulated learning especially among groups of learners. Here, feedback on student learning is presented within a conceptual digital ecosystems model of learning. Additionally, we have developed a Web 2.0-based system, called ASSET, which incorporates multimedia and social networking features to deliver assessment feedback within the functionality of the digital ecosystems model. Both the digital ecosystems model and the ASSET system are described and their implications for enhancing feedback on student learning are discussed.

Module evaluation: a comparison of standard evaluation with nominal group technique

Teaching and learning practice in higher education (HE) should incorporate educational evaluation, both for the purpose of external and internal quality assurance and to monitor and improve the student experience. Methods used to evaluate education vary, but the majority of literature on course evaluation is based on quantitative surveys of the learner experience. One alternative to survey evaluation is 'nominal group technique' (NGT), which has been used with some success in curriculum development. This multi-method study aimed to (1) compare the nature and quality of data gathered using NGT with standard written questionnaires, (2) assess the usefulness of the feedback for an individual teacher and institution and (3) consider the appropriateness and feasibility of widespread use. Both the standard written questionnaire and NGT generated data on similar topics. The structured nature of the questionnaire tended to generate short answers which were similar to the results of the NGT ranking exercise. However, in contrast to the questionnaire data, the NGT discussion phase allowed in-depth exploration and interrogation of students' views. Whilst the specific data gathered via NGT are unlikely to be useful for quality assurance purposes within an institution, since they is not easily comparable, they can provide teachers with in-depth information on how to improve the learning experience and improve the efficacy of teaching. It is likely that NGT evaluation will be particularly useful when evaluating new courses, identifying problems in poorly performing courses, and identifying good practice in high-performing courses. Institutional investment in selective NGT evaluation may be more feasible than routine use.

Motivational and Cognitive Learning Strategies Used by First-Year Engineering Undergraduate Students at Universidad Católica in Chile

The learning process is sensitive to the demands from the learning task and the specific subject of study. This study provides a characterization of the motivational and cognitive learning strategies used by students in their first year of an undergraduate Civil Engineering degree course at a prestigious Chilean university. The module considered for this study was “Introduction to Calculus”, the first course in Mathematics that these students took at the beginning of their career. A sample of 339 students (73% of the total students enrolled) attended the last lecture and consented to participate in this study lecture (no student rejected to participate). They answered the Motivated Strategies Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ). The MSLQ asked the students about the motivational and cognitive learning strategies that they applied in the selected module. Mean scores for motivational and cognitive items were categorized into low, medium or high values. Students reported high motivational strategies, particularly regarding their value of the task and their control of learning beliefs. These were ranked as “high” level. As for the cognitive learning strategies, they were also high but slightly lower than the motivational dimensions of the learning experience. Hence, they were ranked in an upper-middle range, excelling in metacognitive self-regulation and effort regulation. Moreover, motivational and cognitive strategies were interrelated components affecting the learning outcomes. This study explored self-reported motivational and cognitive learning strategies applied by first-year undergraduate students of a Civil Engineering degree course in one of the largest universities in Chile. Our findings suggest that both motivational and cognitive components of the learning process are relevant and interact with each other. These results contribute to a better understanding of the learning process of Engineering students in an early curricular stage. Hence, they provide relevant knowledge that could be applied in teaching and learning practices in higher education.

‘We thought we would be the dunces’ - From a vocational qualification to a social work degree: an example of widening participation in social work education

The policies of successive UK governments have promoted access to higher education by students from diverse social backgrounds. This paper uses the example of social work education to examine one way in which The Open University (OU) has sought to attract ‘non-traditional’ students into higher education. It draws on findings from a small-scale research study that explored the experiences of students with vocational and other prior qualifications who gained ‘advanced entry’ to the University’s social work programme in Scotland. The paper explores the interplay between students’ day-to-day experiences of transition and broader influences on widening access to education, including the political and organisational contexts within which this change has taken place. It reflects on both the University’s learning from the experience of implementing this initiative and the continuing experience of widening participation in relation to social work education and, more broadly, to distance learning practices in higher education.