Multi-campus University Research Articles

Assessment of a Faculty and Preceptor Development Intervention to Foster Self-Awareness and Self-Confidence

Objective. To conduct and evaluate the outcomes of a pharmacy faculty and preceptor development program to foster self-awareness and self-confidence. Methods. A faculty and preceptor development intervention was implemented in a multi-campus college of pharmacy to promote and assess for improvements in self-awareness and self-confidence. Faculty members and preceptors were surveyed regarding their self-perceptions and confidence at baseline and following an intervention in which they completed the Birkman Method self-assessment and participated in a training program with an active-learning component. A longitudinal follow-up survey was conducted to assess the long-term impacts of the intervention. Results. Faculty members and preceptors experienced significant improvements in self-awareness from baseline following the development intervention. They also experienced increases in self-confidence related to coaching. A survey evaluating the longitudinal impact of the intervention indicated a positive association between receiving a sufficient level of Birkman Method training and improved ability of both faculty members and preceptors to manage professional relationships. Similarly, a positive association was identified between the sufficiency of training and preceptors' confidence in their ability to manage personal relationships and stress following the intervention. Conclusion. Faculty members and preceptors teach students to be more self-aware and confident, yet both groups often need to grow in these areas themselves. A faculty and preceptor development intervention using the Birkman Method self-assessment is one approach to facilitating growth in these educators' self-awareness and self-confidence.

The Prevalence and Correlates of Food Insecurity among Students at a Multi-Campus University

ABSTRACTThis cross-sectional study investigated the prevalence of food insecurity among undergraduate college students (N = 524) in a poverty area. Results indicate that over half of the students (54%) who experienced food insecurity also indicated that they had been eligible for a Pell Grant. Food-insecure students were more likely to report a lower (Graduate Point Average) GPA (2.0/4.0). Data suggest that food insecurity is an issue for a large percentage of the sample. Food insecurity may also have adverse effects on students’ commitment and ability to continue their college education.

College students' attitudes toward interracial relationships: Variations by student race and campus type

Objectives: In this study, variability in college students’ attitudes toward interracial dating and marriage relationships as a function of student race and campus type (predominantly White vs. ethno-racially diverse) was examined. Methods: Undergraduate students ages 18-24 were recruited from a large public multicampus university in the Northeast. Using an online survey, students (N = 231) provided demographic information (e.g., gender, age, family income) and reported on their interracial relationship history and attitudes toward dating and marriage relationships. Results: Analyses of variance revealed significant differences in students’ attitudes toward interracial dating and marriage depending on students’ race and the type of campus they attended. White students enrolled at ethno-racially diverse urban campuses reported significantly lower approval of interracial dating and marriage relationships than their White peers at the predominantly White main campus and their peers of color at the predominantly White campus and the ethno-racially diverse regional campuses. Conclusions: The findings highlight the role that the particular geographical-cultural profile of campuses plays in college students’ attitudes toward interracial relationships when considered in tandem with students’ racial background.

An assessment of intergroup dynamics at a multi-campus university: one university, two cultures

ABSTRACTResearch on Intergroup Contact Theory has suggested that more positive environments develop when individuals have greater exposure to diverse groups, though minority students and White students often report different experiences. Literature on higher education institutions has largely been relegated to studies on predominantly White institutions. This study was designed to address that gap by assessing the diversity climate at a large, recently consolidated multi-campus university. Comparisons were made between the two main campuses, one a predominantly White campus (PWC) and the other a more racially diverse campus (DivC). The Diverse Learning Environments survey was administered to 2582 undergraduate students to assess perceptions of diversity climate, racial harassment and campus hostility, likelihood of attrition, satisfaction with the university, and perceptions of professor effectiveness. Results indicated that experiences of harassment correlated with dissatisfaction with the campus and lower perceptions of institutional devotion to diversity, and a greater likelihood that students would choose to transfer. Campus differences in diversity climate are also explored. Views of diversity climate were correlated with perceptions of their professors’ effectiveness. As more colleges across the US continue to consolidate into larger, multi-campus universities, it is essential to consider the diversity climate across campuses with varying demographics and cultures.

Does the use of annotated exemplars by nursing students predict academic performance? A cohort study

AimsTo examine the usefulness of the annotated exemplar as an academic support strategy, and explore the characteristics of students who were more likely to engage with this academic support tool. Additionally, to identify if there was any influence on the academic performance in the assessment activity among those who engaged with the annotated exemplar. BackgroundAnnotated exemplars have the potential to target students en masse and provide meaningful, task specific comments that guide students prior to assessment submission. Effective strategies to support student learning are needed as nursing students are increasingly entering tertiary studies from non-traditional backgrounds. DesignA cohort study was used to collect administrative data, academic grades and annotated exemplar usage statistics. SettingA large multi-campus university in NSW, Australia during Spring semester 2016. ParticipantsSecond year undergraduate students enrolled in a single unit in the Bachelor of Nursing Program. MethodsQuantitative data related to marks, grades and usage information; and demographic data and contact details were extracted from the online learning management system and student electronic records. ResultsOf the 1120 students enrolled in the unit, 49.5% of students engaged with the annotated exemplar. Students more likely to engage with the tool were older, female, born outside of Australia and had higher hit rates on the online learning management site. Of those who engaged with the annotated exemplar, there was no demonstrated increase in assessment mark. ConclusionTo improve student performance it is essential that feedback is engaging and effective. While, in this study, use of the annotated exemplar was not reflected in student marks, it is unclear how students may have performed without access to the exemplar. Further research is required to explore the reasons why students did not engage with the annotated exemplar and, for those who did, why the intervention did not impact on assessment mark.

Student perceptions, experiences and support within their current Bachelor of Nursing

BackgroundThis study was developed to assist academics and curriculum designers to understand the perspectives and expectations of students when designing a program of study and inclusive of students as partners. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perceptions and experiences of students enrolled in the Bachelor of Nursing (BN). Settings, participants, methodsThe setting is a multi-campus university in Australia. Participants were currently enrolled and recruited from the Bachelor of Nursing, Bachelor of Nursing Advanced and Bachelor of Nursing Graduate Entry. Semi-structured focus group interviews and thematic analysis was used to collect and analyse the data. ResultsThree major themes were identified from the focus group interviews: 1. Expectations; 2. Interesting and stimulating; and 3. Preparedness for study and clinical practice. ConclusionStudents held strong personal reasons for pursuing a nursing degree. The geographic location and international rankings were factors for choosing the university in this study. Student's perceptions and experiences of the curriculum and support identified that their BN program was interesting and adequately prepared them for clinical practice. Some areas for improvement were more detail during program orientation related to clinical practice requirements and more assistance with engaging with learning and teaching technologies.

Critical success factors for an outsourcing strategy in a multi-campus university setting: A case of University for Development Studies, Ghana

Critical success factors for an outsourcing strategy in a multi-campus university setting: A case of University for Development Studies, Ghana

Spaces of inclusion and belonging: The learning imaginaries of doctoral students in a multi-campus and distance university

Doctoral studies are often described as solitary and challenging endeavors, dependent on candidates’ highly developed skills, self-driven nature, and commitment to engage in years of research activity. A range of university initiatives are specially crafted to support higher research degree students, for example, through digital and physical resources, workshops, group gatherings, and others. Our project examines what constitutes significant places for learning and experiences of inclusion amongst doctoral students, and ways of capturing and sharing these experiences with those learning at distance and on university campuses. Our focus is on connections between social values and the built environment, and on developing ways of expressing these values through students’ representations of places for learning. This paper reports on interviews with doctoral students’ discussing their connections to on-campus and distance places for learning – within the digital and physical landscapes of a multi-campus university, with provision for both, internal and distance students. Our findings reveal the ways doctoral students navigate the digital and physical realms of university spaces, the places they inhabit and value, their attachments to things, and how these, in turn, influence their feelings of inclusion, belonging, and learning purpose.

Language support improves oral communication skills of undergraduate nursing students: A 6-month follow-up survey

BackgroundWith the widening of participation in higher education, it is essential in the discipline of nursing that students are able to communicate proficiently to deliver quality patient care. However, undergraduate students can experience significant difficulties with spoken communication critical to professional nursing, which places them ‘at risk’ of failure during the nursing course. ObjectivesTo examine the relationship between students' use of academic literacy support and oral communication skills. DesignProspective, correlational survey design. SettingA large multi-campus university in Western Sydney, Australia. ParticipantsA total of 1699 assessment ratings of first and second year nursing students were completed at both baseline and at the 6-month follow-up in 2015. MethodsThe CLIP index was embedded as an assessment requirement in four clinical skills-based units and assessed at the end of each semester in the first two years of the Bachelor of Nursing program. In this study, first and second year students were assessed in Semester 1 at baseline and also six months later in Semester 2. ResultsFrom Semester 1 to Semester 2, the mean CLIP scores improved from 15.8 (SD: 3.7) to 17.2 (SD: 3.3) and all four components of the mean CLIP index improved. The smallest improvement was in the area of pronunciation while the lexical component had the greatest improvement. In addition, students who attended an academic literacy consultation or workshop for oral language support were over 1.5 times more likely to achieve an improvement in CLIP score (AOR: 1.58, 95% CI: 1.26 to 1.98). ConclusionThe CLIP tool can be used to track and monitor students' oral language skills over the course of their study, and identify ‘at risk’ students requiring additional support through on-campus language support programs.

Surviving and Thriving at a University in the United Kingdom

While considerable research on college student surviving and thriving has been conducted in the United States, fewer studies exist that examine these phenomenon multinationally. This mixed methods study, conducted at a large multi-campus university in the United Kingdom, examines factors purported to contribute to college student retention and engagement in a British context. Data were collected and analysed in the five theme categories of belonging, student support services, academic engagement, decision-making and resilience. Significant differences were found in student engagement by metropolitan vs. suburban campus, and in levels of engagement in academic and student life by gender.

A portrait of Japanese popular culture fans who study Japanese at an Australian university: Motivation and activities beyond the classroom

Abstract This article presents a quantitative study with a focus on portraying Japanese Popular Culture (JPC) fans who take a Japanese language course at a university. Questionnaires were administered to students who were studying Japanese as a foreign language (JFL) at a multi-campus university in Australia. 247 participants (which accounts for an 85.6 per cent response rate) responded to questions concerning interest in studying Japanese, future motivation and out-of-class activities related to JPC. Further data regarding JPC consumption in retrospect and perceived benefits of JPC in studying Japanese were collected from those who identified themselves as JPC fans. It revealed that nearly three-quarters of the students were self-claimed JPC fans. While both fans and non-fans showed high interest in the language, interest in traditional culture and travel to Japan, fans revealed substantially higher motivation than non-fans in all other accounts, namely future motivation. Non-fans, however, showed relatively high motivation only in future employment. A prominent finding was that fans were exposed to Japanese language far more frequently outside the classroom than non-fans of JPC. The most popular activities for fans were watching anime, listening to J-pop music and playing video games. Reading ‘manga’ was also a frequent activity but they were reading translated ‘manga’. The findings suggest that future motivation associated with Japan and Japanese language is an important element in continuing Japanese language study. This article has implications for the role of popular culture in foreign language (FL) education, in particular when many FL learners are interested in popular culture like JPC.

Students’ mobility attitudes and sustainable transport mode choice

PurposeThis study aims to explore the propensity of university students to use different sustainable transport modes, taking into account individual and specific trip characteristics, as well as students’ psychological traits (i.e. attitudes).Design/methodology/approachUsing the transport mode preferences of 827 students who responded to a travel survey, a two-step analysis is conducted. The first step examines the effects of individual characteristics, travel experience and origin or destination features on students’ stated preferences (i.e. self-selected values assigned to personal attitudes). The second step analyses students’ travel mode choices, given their intrinsic mobility attitudes.FindingsThe results suggest that informing students about environmental issues increases their propensity to use sustainable mobility, leading to an average decrease in private transport usage of 5.8 per cent. Interestingly, improving the public transport service and promoting sustainable transport mobility have different impacts on individual campus areas. For campuses located in the city centre and in the historical hamlet, improvements in public transport are found to decrease solo driving by 3.3 per cent and 5.3 per cent, respectively. In suburban areas, this value increases to 9.5 per cent.Originality/valueThis work makes two contributions to the literature. First, it focuses on an unexplored setting, namely, that of a multi-campus university, with districts located in three different areas. This is used to explain how students are influenced by their travel experience and the cultural framework in which they are embedded. Second, the two-step analysis leads to a deeper understanding of the differences between attitudes and “intrinsic attitudes”, and their relative influence on the preferred alternative.

Implementing a Blended/Online Learning Policy on a Face-to-Face Campus: Perspectives of Administrators and Implications for Change

Many universities are currently exploring the factors that impact implementation of blended learning policies and institutions. In the Caribbean this is particularly important as financial support by Governments in the region has dwindled in the context of a global recession and universities are seeking ways to reduce costs and increase access. The vision for blended learning on one Campus of a multi-campus, higher education institution in the Caribbean, was to enhance teaching and learning by offering students and staff greater flexibility, more opportunities for engagement and wider choices consistent with varying teaching and learning styles and needs. As this multi-campus university moves toward a re-engineered online policy and greater collaboration among the campuses, some administrators have expressed the view that they have been left out of the implementation strategies and are not clear on the status of the blended learning policy on their campus, nor their roles and responsibilities. This is a qualitative case study, focusing on the stage of blended learning implementation and the perceptions of Deans and Administrative Officers at a specific Higher Education Institution. The methods used were, review of the use of the Learning Management System, and interviews conducted with Deans and Administrative Officers. Thick descriptions of perceptions of administrators are provided. The implications of their perceptions for implementation are discussed and recommendations to close gaps where they exist are made. Findings confirm that change management strategies are required, such as establishing a sense of urgency, forming a powerful guiding coalition and creating a vision. Administrators need to provide clear direction on who should lead the initiative and senior management has a role in ensuring there is additional team support to increase programme development. Findings also indicate that while blended learning has the potential to reduce costs to Higher Education institutions, initial investments in software, hardware, appropriate staff and training require financial investments. Administrators have a role to play in sourcing funds for implementation of blended learning and also in performing audits, which can help in providing information on the existing technical skills, hardware and software available on the campus and how they are being used.

Design and Implementation of the Interprofessional Education Passport Curriculum in a Multi-campus University with Distance Learners

The Interprofessional Education (IPE) Passport is an innovative curricular model that addresses the needs of learners across seven health professions to meet discipline-specific IPE accreditation requirements. In addition, the IPE Passport capitalized on existing grassroots IPE activities and developed a process for reviewing and approving IPE activities in alignment with IPE accreditation requirements. The approval process was structured to ensure alignment with the Interprofessional Education Collaborative’s Core Competencies. In 10 months, 50 Passport activities were reviewed and 47 were approved. All activities assess at least three Interprofessional Education Collaborative Core Competencies and 66% assess all four. In year 1, over 30 activities were successfully implemented, 11 of which included distance learners. The complexities of ensuring positive outcomes, confounded by the need to drive culture change, led to a model that meets the needs of many learners in a variety of settings. The intent of this manuscript is to describe the lessons and challenges learned in designing and implementing the IPE Passport in response to meet the diverse IPE needs.

Exploring nursing students' experiences of a drop-in support-centre: A mixed-methods study

BackgroundThe increased use of blended learning approaches in undergraduate nursing programs has resulted in reduced on-campus contact with academic staff and other students. ObjectivesTo explore student's experiences of a Drop-In-Support-Centre and assess the impact of attendance on academic performance. DesignConcurrent mixed-methods. SettingA large metropolitan, multi-campus university in Sydney, Australia. ParticipantsUndergraduate nursing students enrolled in a 3-year Bachelor of Nursing program. MethodsIn March 2016, to support students' learning, a weekly Drop-In-Support-Centre (DISC) initiative was piloted. The DISC provided an informal, learning space one day a week for students to access academic support. Baseline quantitative data was extracted from the University administrative dataset with a 12-month follow-up Grade Point Average (GPA) in January 2017. Attendance at the DISC was collected progressively throughout 2016. Qualitative data were collected using semi-structured interviews. ResultsOf 1016 undergraduate nursing students enrolled on the campus, 163 (16%) attended DISC at least once. Attendees were older, more likely to be Overseas-born (74% versus 45% native-born, p < 0.001). Sub-group analysis of first year students revealed attendees had a higher grade point average than non-attendees (4.20 versus 3.85, p = 0.005). Controlling for demographic factors, they were over three times more likely (Adjusted Odds Ratio: 3.75, 95% CI: 1.44–9.78) to achieve a higher GPA (>4.0) compared to non-attendees. Thirteen students were interviewed. Two main themes emerged; 1) ‘Home away from home’ and 2) ‘A sense of community: Everyone supports each other’ with three accompanying sub-themes. ConclusionsThis study supports the usefulness of a Drop-In-Support-Centre in enhancing students' learning experiences and outcomes. The success of the program is highlighted by an improvement in academic performance of students who attended the DISC.

Frog and Toad’s ongoing journey: Cooperative acquisition of award-winning children’s and young adult titles at a multicampus university

Two years ago, we reported the beginnings of a collaboration between Education librarians at two locations within Pennsylvania State University Libraries (PSUL): the Education Library at University Park and the Penn State Harrisburg Library. We described our methods of cooperative purchasing of PreK–12 textbooks and instructional materials, which represented substantial costs and challenges to both locations.2 Since then, we have explored additional ways of sharing collection development tasks, while retaining much of the autonomy that librarians within PSUL prize. This article focuses on our efforts with our juvenile literature collections.

Different destination, different commuting pattern? Analyzing the influence of the campus location on commuting

There is a vast literature on the relationship between built environment and travel, emphasizing the importance of built environment as a determinant of travel. However, the majority of studies focuses on the characteristics of origins and neglects the influence that the destination might have on travel, despite the already demonstrated importance of destinations to explain travel. In this paper, we test the relationship between residential and workplace built environment and the commuting pattern of staff and students of the University of Lisbon, a multi-campus university. Data was obtained through a dedicated travel survey, containing 1474 georeferenced individuals. Chi-square analyses were developed to analyze differences between staff and students and between different campuses. A logistic regression model was developed to explain car commuting, controlling for socio-demographic data. Two different models were developed for students and staff.&#x0D; &#x0D; Our results show the built environment and associated multimodal accessibility of the campuses are important explanatory variables of commuting. Free parking at the campus is crucial for car commuting, especially for students. These results emphasize the importance of measuring destinations as explanatory variables and promoting good urban integration of the campus in the city, increasing its multimodal accessibility.

The challenges and opportunities in leading a multi-campus university.

Leadership in higher education on the best of days is complex and challenging due to the many competing internal and external demands and constituents. In today's climate of decreased funding, dwindling enrollments and political debate over the value of higher education, the higher education leader is often in the crossfires of debate and conflict. Nursing education leaders have the added requirement of protecting the public safety by graduating competent and safe practitioners. The role of the higher education leader is even more complex when the institution has multiple campuses, whether within one state or across states. This article addresses the unique challenges of leading across multiple college campus sites including autonomy in decision-making, communication, quality academic outcomes, consistency, culture, and knowledge management. Approaches to enhance leadership success include establishing system-wide goals and strategies; technology to facilitate knowledge management, communication and consistent policies; system-wide committees or councils and a central office to provide support and consistency. By building the appropriate infrastructure and processes, multiple benefits of scale, expanded access, and efficiencies can be derived in multi-campus educational institutions.

From the ground up: building a system-wide professional development and support program for academic department chairs

ABSTRACTActions of academic chairs can dramatically affect a university's effectiveness and productivity, yet many department heads move into their roles without having experienced any training on many key aspects of the job. Within one multi-campus university system, it became evident that the system lacked a consistent tool, resource, or experience benefitting its 160+ department heads. Thus, the objectives of this study were to: (1) identify existing and needed training and support opportunities for academic chairs; (2) determine the content, commitment, and delivery preferences of the department heads for such a program; and (3) inform the design of a new initiative that addresses the department heads’ needs and preferences. Findings revealed a clear need for the development of interpersonal skills and departmental planning abilities, as well as a strong preference for informal, face-to-face programming.

Learning Analytics Across a Statewide System

This chapter explores lessons learned from two different learning analytics efforts at a large, public, multicampus university—one internally developed and one vended platform. It raises questions about how to best use analytics to support students while keeping students responsible for their own learning and success.