Higher Education Opportunities Research Articles

Can parental financial literacy enhance children's higher education opportunities?

Can parental financial literacy enhance children's higher education opportunities?

Inequality of higher educational opportunity – the role of circumstances among the Jordanian people

ABSTRACT This paper investigates the role of background circumstances in shaping individuals’ opportunities in higher education in Jordan, for the whole population as well as for key subpopulations using both of the publicly available waves of the Jordan Labor Market Panel Survey (2010 and 2016). My findings suggest that higher education attainment and the mean years of completed education have expanded for the whole population, as well as for all subgroups. Unequal opportunities in higher education are relatively moderate in Jordan and are mainly explained by parental education, father’s occupation, and sector of work, with much less impact from gender, number of siblings, and the region of birth.

Impacting factors and degree of influence on the selection of ICT subject in GCE Advanced Level

Education in Sri Lankan education focuses on accelerating the country’s knowledge economy by producing skilled and knowledgeable people who suit present-day needs. Moreover, society wants universities to produce graduates, and of course, those graduates must be employable. Meanwhile, job opportunity is guaranteed for job seekers skilled in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) nowadays. Thus, the Sri Lankan government introduced a new stream “Technology” in the year 2015 as an educational reform. The success level of this government initiative should be measured in an acceptable form for further improvements. The most productive way to measure success measuring the interest of students in ICT on GCE A/L, and the factors that influence it. This study was conducted to examine the factors fluencing ICT subject selection by GCE Advanced Level students and to find out the degree of influence of each factor. The coastal region area of Ampara district of Sri Lanka was covered as a sample population for our study. Data to find out the influencing factors were collected by having One on-One interviews with four categories of stakeholder groups, namely principals or deputy principals, teachers, students, and parents, and prepared a questionnaire with these factors and distributed among the A/L students from different schools to gather their opinions from 266 respondents to find out the degree of influence of factors using the convenience sampling technique. Later, the answers to the questionnaire were analyzed by a statistical data analysis tool which shows that the family income, awareness programme, other main subjects in A/L, and the results of mathematics, English, and ICT subjects in O/L are affecting the ICT subject selection in A/L, meanwhile the results says that gender, parents’ education, and previously followed ICT related courses are not having relations in A/L ICT subject selection, and it revealed the degree of top encouraging factors such job market, opportunities in higher education, and getting high z-score and discouraging factors such lack of resources available in the medium, having no relevancy with other main subjects, and lack of interest in IT.

Leveling Up Learning: Game Based Learning Initiatives in Canadian Higher Education

Game based learning (GBL), the use of game design elements within non-game contexts such as education, became increasingly popular in the early 2000s, yet empirical evidence about the benefit of games on student learning remains inconclusive. The potential impact of GBL can be influenced, for example, by design elements, context, and discipline. In Canadian higher education, GBL may be housed within departments, the library, or centres for teaching and learning. At our institution, GBL initiatives have only recently begun to surface; for example, the Department of English and Drama has recently launched a games studies minor for undergraduate students, the library has an extensive collection of video games available to borrow, and the academic skills centre has a large collection of board games that are used primarily for social game cafés. While opportunities for curricular connections may exist, our academic skills centre currently lacks staff who have both capacity and expertise in GBL pedagogy. Exploring possibilities for expansion, we aimed to understand the landscape of GBL initiatives across Canadian post-secondary institutions. To achieve this aim, we conducted an environmental scan of over 100 Canadian post-secondary institutions, gathering data such as the existence of GBL programs, category and level of programming (curricular, co-curricular, or research), initiative types, research development, faculty involvement, and availability of additional resources. Findings indicate inconsistencies in definitions used to promote GBL and a concentration of GBL initiatives at the curricular and research levels. The majority of GBL in Canada is led by faculty through course and degree-level programs at both undergraduate and graduate levels. This research gives us insight into GBL program development, challenges, and opportunities for higher education in Canada and globally.

Transforming research and pedagogy in higher education through scientific inquiry steps

This research aims to investigate how to transform study and pedagogy in higher education through scientific inquiry steps. Scientific research serves as the foundation for human development. It drives humanity forward into discovery and innovation. The purpose of this study is to explore how teachers and researchers apply scientific inquiry steps to improve research and pedagogy in higher education in South Africa. Constructivist theory serves as the foundation for the study. Therefore, we employed a qualitative method and phenomenology design to explore the lived experiences of participants. The participants included ten experienced researchers doubling as teachers in the field of science education. We selected these participants from ten public universities in South Africa using a purposive sampling technique. The main instrument for data collection was a semi-structured interview schedule, which covered scientific inquiry steps. Recordings were made of the data with the permission of the participants, later transcribed into a notebook, and analyzed thematically. The findings indicated that teachers and researchers were aware of the scientific inquiry steps. Most of them benefited from scientific inquiry, which included constantly refining methods, embracing diverse perspectives, and revisiting hypotheses and experiments. Also, scientific inquiry steps enhanced the effectiveness of their teaching practices and provided them with a reliable scope for making informed decisions in the ever-evolving educational environment. This study has practical implications, including creating opportunities in higher education for both prospective teachers and emerging researchers to acquire a rigorous education in the scientific inquiry steps. This approach forms the bedrock for acquiring knowledge and promoting best practices in education.

SWOT analysis of the dental hygiene profession in Pakistan—past, present, and future

BackgroundPakistan faces a significant burden of oral diseases, which can be effectively reduced through preventive measures. Dentistry in Pakistan predominantly focuses on corrective dental procedures, increasing the treatment costs and widens disparities in oral healthcare access. To address this gap and meet the country’s oral health needs, Aga Khan University initiated a Dental Hygiene program aimed to expand and diversify the oral health workforce and improving access to quality care in various healthcare settings. Due to limited awareness of this profession in the country, the program encounters significant challenges.AimThis article aims to present a SWOT analysis of the Dental Hygiene profession in Pakistan and propose evidence-based strategic changes to address these challenges and improve future outcomes.MethodsA SWOT analysis was conducted to identify the internal strengths, weaknesses, external opportunities, and threats related to the Dental Hygiene profession, gathering both quantitative and qualitative data through a survey of relevant stakeholders (Consultants, Dental hygiene graduates, dental auxiliaries, fresh dental graduates, and prospective students) using Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap).ResultsA total of 267 respondents participated in the survey, providing insights into the current state of the Dental Hygiene profession.ConclusionThe analysis reveals that the Dental Hygiene profession in Pakistan requires robust advocacy, increased collaboration with dentists, opportunities for higher education, and the establishment of proper legislative frameworks to prevent professional transgression beyond the scope of practice.

Training of information retrieval in the State university of Vilnius: some contential and technological aspects of education in the field of librarianship and bibliography

The article deals with the problem of professional education of librarians at the University of Vilnius. The changing role of information, which is becoming one of the natural resources of the country, and the rapid development of computer technology reveal new professional demands for librarians. As a result of this tendency, teaching online bibliographical searching has become of great importance in the library education curriculum. Specific conditions of development and practical needs of libraries and information services, main traits, and opportunities of higher education in Lithuania are revealed. This makes it possible to create an original conception of automated information retrieval training. The problems of information retrieval are studied in subjects such as Librarianship, Bibliography, Information Retrieval Systems, Information, and Technical Aids for Library Work, which are based on a specially created training automated information retrieval system (AIRS). Three different kinds of connections between the revealed subjects are presented in a scheme and commented upon. The choice of education technology is discussed. The main forms are various practical studies, realized on the basis of AIRS. These also help overcome the psychological barrier that arises when working with computers.

Likelihood of AI Tools Adoption and Interest in Professional Development Opportunities in Higher Education: An Ordinal Logistic Regression Analysis

This study explored the factors influencing academic staff’s readiness to use artificial intelligence(AI) tools and participate in AI-related professional development, utilizing a quantitative approach. Data from95 academic staff members of the University of Vlora “Ismail Qemali” were gathered via an online survey. Theanalysis, conducted using univariate ordinal logistic regression, pinpointed key predictors of educational AItools adoption likelihood and interest in attending AI professional development opportunities. Rigorousevaluation of model fit, influence diagnostics, and cross-validation was conducted to ensure the findings’reliability and accuracy. Results highlight the critical role of interest in AI educational tools development,technological proficiency, and past use of AI educational tools in determining the likelihood of adoptingeducational AI tools, underscoring the pivotal importance of fostering a genuine interest in AI. Furthermore, theresearch identifies gender as a significant factor influencing interest in attending AI professional developmentopportunities, while negative perceptions of AI’s role in education tend to reduce such interest. These findingsstress the need for targeted efforts to enhance educators’ readiness for AI, mitigate gender disparities, andcorrect misconceptions about AI. By revealing the complex factors affecting educators’ willingness to adopt AItechnologies, this study advocates for a holistic strategy encompassing a broader range of influences. It providesactionable insights for educational policymakers, curriculum developers, and AI tool creators to create anenvironment conducive to AI adoption in higher education. Although limited by its use of convenience samplingand focus on a single institution, this research offers essential insights into the dynamics of AI adoption ineducation. It lays a foundation for strategies that encourage innovation, inclusivity, and a forward-thinkingapproach to integrating AI into future teaching and learning.

Exploring Multifaceted Expectations from Teachers: An Analysis From Guardians’ and Students’ Perspective

The teachers' role extends beyond academics, including sharing knowledge and imparting moral values and ethics to students. However, guardians and students have multi-dimensional expectations from their teachers, encompassing several facts and figures. Considering the context, this study investigates those multifaceted expectations aiming to bridge the gap and propose measures for enhancing the teachers' ability to meet the expectations of guardians and students. This study has collected data through a structured questionnaire survey. The sample population of this study includes guardians, students, and teachers from primary to tertiary education levels. A total of 384 samples were selected from unknown populations. A descriptive statistical technique (percentage analysis) was applied to identify patterns and trends in the quantitative data. This study finds that the expectations of guardians and students emphasize the teacher’s role as a good human being, guide, and role model. Skills for motivation, thirst for knowledge, empathy, and communication are considered the necessary qualities for an ideal teacher. Moreover, respondents argue that effective teacher-student relationships depend on fairness, openness, accessibility, and compassion. They emphasize enhancing teachers' humility, neutrality, clear communication, and ability to realize the expectations of students. The study recommends measures that may help teachers meet the intricate expectations of guardians and students, such as providing training, opportunities for higher education, ensuring academic support, teacher autonomy and flexibility, and depoliticizing educational institutions. It concludes that enhanced support and teacher training are vital in meeting the complex expectations of guardians and students. The findings of this study contribute to the enhancement of teaching-learning practices and the delivery of quality education

Could minimum grading enhance high school graduation rates and cost-effectiveness across Arkansas?

High school graduation is a pivotal milestone that can shape students' future, offering them opportunities for higher education and gainful employment. Because research shows grade point averages and course failures to be predictive of high school graduation, it is important for students' life outcomes that their teachers assign them equitable grades. However, recent research has scrutinized how schools have traditionally graded students, calling for new approaches such as minimum grading. In this analysis, we simulate the economic impacts of implementing a minimum grading policy statewide during the ninth-grade year of the cohort of students who were in ninth grade in 2015-16 in Arkansas. On average, in Arkansas public schools, we estimate that minimum grading would affect about one (narrow bound) to 3% (broad bound) of students, increase cost-effectiveness by 6% (narrow bound) to 23% (broad bound), largely varying across districts, and have essentially no impact on the return on investment. The application of minimum grading shifted 1% of failing course grades to passing, thereby positioning 10% of previously failing students to pass. These findings suggest that minimum grading could serve as a cost-effective strategy to enhance graduation rates in districts with higher rates of affected students, without necessitating additional educational spending.

Examining the impact of self-stigma on workplace well-being: an empirical investigation of medical students with physical disabilities in China and the moderating role of trait mindfulness

BackgroundAs societal evolution unfolds in China, individuals with physical disabilities are increasingly provided opportunities in higher education, particularly in the field of medicine. However, these medical students often encounter bias in their work environments, including during internships, which fosters self-stigma and impedes their experience for workplace well-being (WWB). Such a decrease in WWB detrimentally affects not only their mental health in the workplace but also hinders their sense of personal worth and assimilation into broader society. This study aims to examine the challenges faced by medical students with physical disabilities in China as they aspire to achieve WWB, and to explore potential intervention strategies.MethodsLeveraging cognitive consistency theory (CCT), we introduces a conceptual framework to examine the relationships among self-stigma, perceived discrimination, and WWB. It also investigates the role of trait mindfulness as a potential mitigating factor in this dynamic. We employed the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Scale (ISMIS), Discrimination Perception Questionnaire (DPQ), Workplace Well-being Subscale (WWBS), and Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) to survey 316 medical students with physical disabilities. Statistical analyses, including correlation, regression, and moderated mediation effect assessments, were conducted using SPSS 22.0 and AMOS 24.0.ResultsA notable negative correlation exists between self-stigma and WWB (r = -0.56, p < 0.01). Perceived discrimination partially mediates the relationship between self-stigma and WWB. The direct effect of self-stigma and its mediating effect through perceived discrimination account for 60.71% and 21.43% of the total effect, respectively. Trait mindfulness moderates the latter part of this mediating pathway. Moderation models indicate that trait mindfulness has a significant negative moderating effect on the impact of perceived discrimination on WWB (β = -0.10, p < 0.001).ConclusionsSelf-stigma adversely affects the positive work experiences of medical students with physical disabilities by eliciting a heightened sensitivity to discriminatory cues, thereby undermining their WWB. Trait mindfulness can effectively counter the detrimental effects of perceived discrimination on WWB. Consequently, this study advocates for the systematic incorporation of mindfulness training into educational services and workplace enhancement programs for medical students with disabilities, aiming to foster an inclusive and supportive external environment.

Equality in higher education opportunities: Practitioners’ perspectives from global, rural, post-colonial disability

This paper gathers practitioner perspectives on tuition-free online courses and their potential to improve equality in higher education. Through an intersectional lens of race, gender, income, and indigeneity, this paper focuses on the experience of people living with disabilities (PLWD) as a further marginalized sub-population within diverse marginalized populations. Of note, disability-knowledge held by PLWD and by their family members can position them as sensitive and effective healthcare or disability-care providers. At the same time, society often does not grant an easy pathway to this education and licensure. The existing landscape of massive open online courses (MOOCs) may present tuition-free learning, but accreditation can rest upon payment and other complex structures. Even after PLWDs gather financial resources for official accreditation, prospective employers have the autonomy to determine whether this learning is valid. In a global context, low-income families may experience internal competition for financing between PLWD and non-disabled siblings. Securing a future in which payment models and disability-needs are accommodated for in MOOCs can alter multiple life trajectories in the families of PLWD and ensure that the intersectionally marginalized may equally benefit from open education.

Authentic and Creative Assessment in a World with AI

Introduction Artificial intelligence (AI) presents challenges and opportunities for higher education. The challenge is to incorporate the benefits of AI while minimizing its potential for misuse and undermining of learning. The opportunity is that AI allows instructors to assess learning authentically by fostering creative, engaging, realistic, and reflective assessments. Statement of the Problem Drawing on some of the current practices of AI use in the classroom, I discuss how authentic assessment can be achieved while incorporating AI. Literature Review First, I review what authentic assessment is, how it is implemented, and some of its positive outcomes. Then, I present sample activities that use AI to design, implement, and evaluate assessments to serve the APA Learning Goals for the Undergraduate Psychology Major. Teaching Implications The activities and assessments here and in the online Supplemental Materials (Miserandino, 2024, May 23) help fulfill additional learning goals and build academic skills (e.g., critical thinking, reading, writing). Conclusion By using these activities and assessments or drawing on them to create their own, instructors can improve their teaching and student learning outcomes.

Research on China's Higher Education Policy

Taking China's higher education policy as the research object, this paper conducts a comprehensive and in-depth research on the historical evolution of China's higher education policy, current policy analysis, policy effect evaluation and challenges and countermeasures by using the historical analysis method, policy analysis method and effect evaluation method. The study found that China's higher education policy has experienced three stages of historical evolution before the reform and opening up, since the reform and opening up to the end of the 20th century, and from the beginning of the 21st century to the present, and the policies at each stage have had an important impact on the development of higher education. Currently, China's higher education policy has achieved remarkable results in terms of macro management, micro operation and characteristic development, but it still faces problems such as uneven distribution of educational resources and equity and opportunity in higher education. In response to these problems, this paper puts forward a series of countermeasure suggestions to optimise the higher education policy system and strengthen policy implementation and evaluation. In the future, China's higher education policy should focus on innovation and reform to promote the sustainable and healthy development of higher education.

Enhancing decision‐making in higher education: Exploring the integration of ChatGPT and data visualization tools in data analysis

AbstractThis chapter explores the potential of integrating conversational AI tools such as ChatGPT with data visualization (DV) tools such as Power BI in higher education settings. A brief history of chatbots is summarized and challenges and opportunities in higher education are outlined. The highlights include AI's prospects for enhancing data‐informed decision‐making while needing safeguards to mitigate risks. Through a pioneering exercise, we integrated ChatGPT's conversational capabilities with Power BI's interface via API and tested functionality. Suggestions for good practice and implications for higher education are discussed.Practical Takeaways The importance of data security, recognizing current limitations in accuracy, and good practices for integrating DV tools with ChatGPT. The exercise shows that AI tools have the potential to aid higher education leaders, but still face many challenges, and human judgment remains essential. Integration of ChatGPT with Power BI in higher education aims to enable natural language interaction with data visualizations, facilitating dynamic discussions and insights for leaders. Considerations include data security protocols, technical challenges, financial constraints, and the potential and limitations of AI. Technical challenges include limitations in ChatGPT's interpretation of complex queries, API performance issues, and data processing inefficiencies. Affordability of enterprise AI versions poses a barrier to adoption for institutions with budget constraints despite recognizing potential benefits. ChatGPT represents a significant advancement in AI capabilities but has limitations, including generating inaccurate information and lacking awareness of its limitations. Human oversight and critical evaluation are crucial in navigating the evolving AI landscape and leveraging its benefits effectively while mitigating risks.

Adapting to the AI Era: Higher Education's Opportunities and Challenges with ChatGPT

As AI technology continues to evolve, higher education is facing profound changes. Driven by this change, advanced chatbots such as ChatGPT, as representatives of AI, have gradually become a focus of attention in higher education, triggering academic discussions on how to better integrate these technologies to facilitate learning and teaching. This paper aims to systematically grasp the opportunities and challenges of ChatGTP in higher education to explore in depth its positive role in academic support and teaching support for students and teachers. However, the challenges posed by the ChatGPT technology, which comes with opportunities, include academic integrity, information accuracy and reliability. At the same time, a number of potential solutions are presented, such as raising awareness of the advantages, limitations and potential risks of AI models, developing students' digital skills, and investing in research and development to improve transparency and control. Along with adapting to the age of AI, higher education needs to constantly explore new assessment models and teaching methods to better respond to developments in technologies such as ChatGPT.

Appreciation of differences: promoting diversity and flourishing among college students

PurposeCollege students who are interested in experiencing and learning about other cultures could be potential agents to ongoing social and policy initiatives in promoting societal changes. As universities intensify their efforts toward embracing cultural diversity, it is imperative to gauge how these diversity initiatives resonate with students' developmental stage and pursuits in diverse campus climates. However, what kinds of educational experiences/contexts students choose for enhancing cultural competence, and how seeking diversity experiences might benefit college students in emotional wellbeing and cognitive skills, are under-investigated.Design/methodology/approachThis study explores the relationships among college students' diversity-seeking behaviors, cultural competence, perspective-taking, and flourishing. A total of 359 college students from a STEM-focused university participated in this study. Students were recruited from classes over four semesters, from 2021 to 2023.FindingsStudents exhibited moderate to high levels of interest in seeking diversity in their learning experiences. Results from the structural equation modeling showed that higher levels of diversity-seeking in learning were associated with higher levels of perceived cultural competence, as well as higher levels of perspective-taking and flourishing.Originality/valueThis research delves into experiential and extracurricular dimensions of learning diversity, bridging a significant gap in academic literature. This study also elucidates the links between aspects of diversity engagement, cultural competence, and positive outcomes for college students, which underscores the significance of diversity-focused educational opportunities in higher education. Such opportunities are instrumental in enhancing cultural proficiency and further implications on cognitive growth and emotional well-being.

Neurodiversity and third-level education: A lacuna between the strength-based paradigm shift and the lived experience

There has been a notable change in how third-level institutions perceive and interact with students who do not meet historically typical expectations regarding education. This is evidenced by an increased emphasis on equality, diversity, and inclusion in terms of access and retention across the sector. The extent to which this includes a neurodiversity focus varies significantly across jurisdictions. However, research suggests a gap between rhetoric and reality concerning neurodiversity at the third level, with many students’ lived experiences being reported as challenging, and at times compounding stigma, masking, and feelings of inadequacy. Moreover, it is unclear whether third-level institutions understand the nuance of neurodiversity and the significance of the neurodiversity movement. This project utilised the Global Café methodology to explore the above phenomenon from a participatory lived experience perspective. The project found that, despite the increase in focus by third-level institutions in the area of neurodiversity, this cohort is still disadvantaged when compared to their neurotypical peers and indeed may be experiencing greater exclusion as a result of the overemphasis upon what is perceived to be a singular and neurotypical understanding of the strength-based model within the third-level sector. Lay abstract This study looks at how colleges and universities treat students who learn differently. Even though colleges and universities talk a lot about being fair and inclusive, the research shows that many students who think and learn differently still face a lot of difficulties. This study explored this using a method called the Global Café. The Global Café method gathers information with students about their own experiences, allowing the students to direct the research. The findings reveal that, despite colleges and universities saying they support students who learn differently, many students still face challenges compared to those who learn in more traditional ways. The study highlighted that terms used in the area of neurodiversity were open to question/debate with different terms being preferred by different people in different contexts. It also found that many supports and initiatives are steeped in neurotypical (typical learning approaches) assumptions and therefore do not always apply to the needs of students who think and learn differently. Finally, the study found that more needs to be done to make sure students with different learning styles have the same opportunities in higher education, not just when they are entering it.

Ресурсні центри з інклюзивної освіти у закладах вищої освіти України: передумови створення, цілі та завдання

Ukraine is currently facing the challenge of providing accessible education for all, including people with special educational needs. One of the key tools for achieving this goal is the creation of resource centers for inclusive education in higher education institutions. Resource centers for inclusive education in Ukrainian institutions of higher education are an important step on the way towards ensuring equal opportunities for all students and supporting their successful learning and development. The article examines the problem of creating resource centers for inclusive education in higher education institutions in Ukraine. The prerequisites for the creation of such centers are studied, and their goals and main tasks are determined. The activities of these centers in various education institutions of Ukraine are analyzed. The main attention is paid to the analysis of the needs of students with special educational needs and the methods of their integration into the academic environment. The prerequisites for the creation of resource centers for inclusive education are the recognition of the need for inclusive education and the awareness of the importance of creating an environment where every student has the opportunity to receive quality education regardless of their personal characteristics. Also, the prerequisites for creating resource centers for inclusive education cannot fail to include an analysis of the current state of inclusion in Ukrainian higher education institutions. The goals of resource centers are to create a favourable environment for the learning and development of students with special educational needs. The main tasks include supporting access to education, advising, and providing the necessary resources and services for the successful education of target groups of students. Innovative approaches to the development of inclusive education, aimed at creating a favourable environment for the development of each student, regardless of their characteristics, are highlighted. Resource centers become key agents in implementing the principle of equal opportunities in higher education and contribute to the formation of an open and tolerant society. Keywords: inclusive education, resource centers, higher education, special educational needs, accessible education, quality education, inclusive education.

Latinx/a/o Senior Leaders in U.S Higher Education: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Latinx/a/o senior leaders remain underrepresented in the executive ranks, and more research is needed to adequately address equity gaps in higher education leadership. By employing a systematic literature review approach, we examined 57 pieces of scholarship that focused on the experiences of senior Latinx/a/o leaders in postsecondary education. This exploration was aimed at equipping higher education scholars and practitioners with the tools to understand how Latinx/a/o leaders navigate challenges and opportunities in higher education. We identified three major themes: 1) scholarship focusing on individual traits and important identity-based differences; 2) research describing the environmental and structural conditions that shape these leaders’ realities; and 3) literature describing these individuals’ leadership pathways. As an effort to make this body of work more accessible to researchers and decision-makers, we provided implications for research and practice to shape the field of Latinx/a/o leadership in higher education.