Teaching In Higher Education Research Articles

Is online teaching teaching? A framework for understanding the costs and benefits

In the wake of the COVID-pandemic, and from the perspective of analytical philosophy of education, this paper investigates into, and discusses, costs and benefits to online teaching in higher education. Contrasting old and new ways of teaching, notions that are developed below, notable results in the paper are the following: a) even if expedient, online teaching does not cater well to the situationally contingent dialectical processes that teaching consists in, and, hence, b) it might have unwanted (and detrimental) effects as regards the development of our students’ ability to think. Two explanatory principles as regards teaching and learning are stipulated and analysed in the paper: the teaching trinity and the learning staircase. These analyses represent the papers main contribution to knowledge. But also, arguments addressing the importance of the human face in teaching situations, and arguments addressing the immediacy characteristic of such situations, represents novel contributions. On the background of said analyses, it is argued that online teaching might have a micro-level marketisation of education as an unintended consequence (the marketisation of teaching), and that this out-crowds important values that teaching traditionally installed. Drawing upon Alan Fiske and Michael Sandel, a frame for understanding this is suggested.

‘For the Dutch-speaking students, I will translate it': code-switching as discretionary transformation of EMI language policy

ABSTRACT In the study of English-medium instruction in higher education, attention is being drawn to discrepancies between codified language policy and its enactment in classroom practice. This can be situated in a larger trend in language policy studies, in which researchers document and analyze language policy as an interactional concept, revolving around norms which guide language selection and use. In this context, I discuss how lecturers discretionarily transform institutional policy through code-switching in interactions with students, resulting in the production of a micro-level classroom language policy. The dataset consists of 23 classroom recordings which capture the interactions between six engineering lecturers and their students in two English-medium engineering programs at a Belgian university. Drawing on Street-Level Bureaucracy and Frame Analysis, I study code-switching in lecturer-student interaction, with a specific focus on the initiation, timing, procedure, and purpose of code-switching, including whether it involves meta-pragmatic commentary and/or enactment routines which seek, grant, or presume permission. Findings highlight a functional distribution of code-switching driven by pedagogical and pragmatic considerations. In conclusion, the study brings into focus how an explanation for the unfolding multilingual dynamics of the English-medium classroom necessarily appeals to both activity-specific interactional expectations and (overlaps in) individual speakers’ repertoires.

How do We Conduct Teaching at Universities in the Future? A Study Illustrating How, Where, and Why Teachers and Students Disagree About Hybrid Teaching Formats

This empirical study investigates students’ and teachers’ preferences and experiences with hybrid teaching formats at the university level. In the presented teaching format, students and teachers attend sessions either on campus or online. Some students always participated from campus, others changed between campus and being online. The research shows surprising insights: students and teachers clearly disagreed about the experienced usefulness of the hybrid teaching formats, and whether to use hybrid teaching formats in the future. Out of 849 respondents, app. 80% of teachers prefer to teach at campus, app. 80% of students want the hybrid solution, despite the technical and pedagogical issues encountered. Findings show a need for the development of hybrid pedagogies and didactics preparing teachers for teaching in hybrid teaching formats and point to the need for a more general discussion about how universities and society at large want to conduct teaching in higher education in the future.

Psychological security in the digital classroom

The rapid digitalization of education, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, has transformed how teachers engage with information and communication technologies (ICT). This study empirically investigates the psychological security of higher education teachers (N = 59) as they navigate between traditional (classroom, offline) and distance (online) learning environments. Using a mixed-methods approach combining associative techniques, semantic field analysis, and statistical evaluations, we examined teachers' emotional perceptions and subjective safety assessments across learning modalities. Results revealed significant differences in how teachers associate with distance versus traditional learning, with the former evoking primarily ICT-related and negative emotional associations, while the latter elicited communication-focused and positive associations. Notably, our analysis uncovered a complex relationship between emotional perception and psychological security that varied based on the time spent engaged in online teaching. Teachers with moderate online engagement (6-18 hours weekly) demonstrated the most positive associations with distance learning but paradoxically reported feeling less secure in this environment. Conversely, those with extensive online teaching loads (>18 hours) developed increasingly neutral emotional responses while reporting similar security levels across both modalities. The findings suggest that psychological security in digital learning environments is shaped by complex interactions between technological engagement, interpersonal communication opportunities, and individual differences among educators. These insights have important implications for developing institutional support systems, balanced teaching schedules, and targeted psychological interventions for educators navigating increasingly digital educational spaces.

Collective Art Activist Practice: A Pedagogy of Hope

In its intent and structure collective art activist practice as a form of cultural production is pedagogical because it combines the creative power of the arts to move us emotionally with the strategic planning of activism necessary to bring about social change. Given that the goal of art activism involves some form of social action, working collectively becomes an important part of the educational process. Drawing from personal experience teaching an art activist classes as a collective in a corporate university the essay explores two questions: What does collaboration mean in artistic activism, and what can we learn about collective pedagogy for our increasingly diverse classrooms where critical DEI practices of teaching and learning in higher education should be enacted? The essay discusses the possibilities of collective pedagogy as a pedagogy of hope in the Freirian sense as well as some of the tensions and contradictions of this practice. It advocates for collective pedagogy as a prefigurative practice as it provides a space for participatory democracy as a way of living and being to be enacted in classrooms that are diverse.

Strategies and barriers to implementing physically active teaching in universities from the perspective of lecturers: a qualitative study

BackgroundUniversity students accumulate lots of sedentary time without interrupting and comprehensive approaches to reduce time spent sedentary are lacking. The implementation of physically active university teaching needs practicable approaches and the support by lecturers. However, there is little research on which physically activating strategies lecturers actually use and what barriers they become aware to implement these. This exploratory, qualitative study aims to identify physically activating strategies as well as barriers for reducing sitting time and physically active university teaching from the perspective of lecturers.MethodsWe conducted semi-structured interviews with 16 lecturers to explore potential physically activating strategies in university teaching, assess their degree of utilization, and identify barriers to implementation. The data were analysed by a structured content analysis of the interview transcripts using MAXQDA 2020 software.ResultsPhysically activating strategies are hardly known among university lecturers and are seldomly used on a regular and conscious basis. We identified two types of strategies with physically activating measures and teaching methods. Lecturers highlighted two specific types of physically activating measures: physical activity breaks and the use of physically activating furniture. All together, we identified 18 distinct teaching methods (e.g. group work, gallery walk) that integrate learning processes with physical activity in a pedagogical-didactic manner. The main barriers to implementation identified were lack of space, lack of time, students’ unwillingness to move; organizational social norms, and lecturers’ uncertainty about how to implement these strategies effectively.ConclusionsUniversity lecturers are generally unfamiliar with and rarely use physically activating strategies to reduce sedentary behavior in students. However, lecturers identified 18 potential teaching methods that integrate physical activity with pedagogical-didactic principles, offering a new approach to physically active university teaching. These methods present an untapped potential for the low-threshold integration of physical activity and breaks from sitting into university teaching, aligning with "stealth health" strategies that incidentally promote health while assuring a “high-quality education” as the core concern of higher education teaching. Understanding and addressing the barriers to implementation, such as lack of space, time, social and organizational norms, is crucial for the effective planning and implementation of interventions.

AI in Higher Education: A CLARIN Community Survey

The easy access to generative AI applications, such as ChatGPT, might have huge implications for teaching and learning in higher education. Therefore, more and more policies to regulate the use of AI are published by countries and institutions; however, there is no general overview of the existing policies within CLARIN, a Common Language Resources and Technology Infrastructure – at the member state and institutional level. There is also no overview of how the lecturers and teachers in the CLARIN network are applying generative AI applications in the classroom; furthermore, there is no data available on whether the community has specific concerns regarding the use of AI in education and research. To fill this gap, a small exploratory study was launched in April 2024 within the CLARIN community. This contribution shares the first insights from an online survey and highlights the implications for training and upskilling opportunities.

Techno-eustress under remote work: a longitudinal study in higher education teachers

Abstract Technology has transformed the work practices of higher education teachers (HETs), leading to stress associated with using such technology, known as technostress. Technostress in the higher education context has predominantly been framed in a negative light, assuming that harmful techno-stressors lead to adverse outcomes. Moreover, most technostress research in higher education has taken a cross-sectional approach. Contemporary research, however, frames technostress as a holistic process that includes both negative and positive aspects: the negative side, techno-distress, and the positive side, techno-eustress. The process viewpoint invites investigations on the positive side of technostress as well as those that capture its temporal, dynamic nature. This study investigates how techno-eustress experienced by HETs evolves longitudinally. Using the holistic technostress model as our guiding lens, we investigate how three techno-stressors (usefulness, reliability, and complexity), two coping mechanisms (synergic literacy, technical support), and three individual traits (coping flexibility, IT mindfulness, and age) impact HETs’ positive psychological responses, and, in turn, two workplace outcomes (job satisfaction and work performance) over time. A two-wave longitudinal paired survey design was employed to survey 712 HETs during two distinct periods of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results indicate that usefulness leads to a positive psychological response over time; IT mindfulness, coping flexibility, and synergic literacy influence a positive psychological response over time; and a positive psychological response positively impacts job satisfaction and work performance over time. The findings offer several theoretical contributions and can help policymakers, school districts, and administrators develop strategies to support HETs’ psychological well-being, job satisfaction, and productivity.

How does curriculum making contribute to teaching culture in higher education?

Abstract Curriculum making characterized by effective change management and knowledge sharing in the professional community is at the core of developing higher education. Curriculum making both contributes to teaching culture and is affected by it. However, empirical evidence of this relationship is scarce. This study addresses the gap in the literature by examining the interrelation between higher education teachers’ and pedagogical leaders’ perceptions of curriculum making and teaching culture within their institutions. Higher education teachers (N = 3064) and pedagogical leaders (N = 370) from all Finnish higher education institutions participated in the study, constituting a nationally representative sample. The survey data were analyzed using descriptive statistical analyses and structural equation modelling. Results showed that curriculum making influenced teaching culture. Higher education teachers and pedagogical leaders perceived curriculum making as collaborative and well-grounded and that the division of roles and functions within the process were reasonably clear. They also reported moderately high levels of development-oriented culture and lower levels on individualistic culture. This implies that the faculty members perceived themselves as active and collaborative within the curriculum making processes rather than experiencing isolation or a lack of collaboration with colleagues. In addition, they reported that development work was seen as important and persistent within their institutions. Differences were detected in curriculum making based on institutional sector. Institutions should be therefore encouraged to consider their teaching culture and differences in support that their faculty members might need when undertaking curriculum development efforts or initiatives.

Measuring STEM Instructors' Learning of and Growth in Inclusive Teaching: Development and Evaluation of the STEM Faculty Inclusive Teaching Survey (FITS).

There is a growing emphasis for professional development programs that teach instructors about inclusive Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) practices and the impact of instructor and student identities on these practices. As instructors implement these practices, there is a need for instructors, departments, and faculty developers to measure instructor progress and to help identify next steps in improving inclusive STEM teaching. This study describes the development of the Faculty Inclusive Teaching Survey (FITS) using scale-development theory, frameworks using Clarke and Hollingsworth's interconnected model of professional growth and Dewsbury's Deep Teaching model, and higher-education STEM, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and professional development literature. Using data of three cohorts from an online national inclusive STEM teaching program, exploratory factor and confirmatory factor analyses and invariance measurements were conducted to evaluate the initial internal structure of the FITS, comprising four measures: Awareness and Impact of Identity, Confidence in Inclusive Teaching, Reflection on Inclusive Teaching, and Likelihood to Implement Inclusive Teaching. Our results provide initial evidence that the FITS could be used as one of the measurement approaches for instructor feedback and growth to support multidimensional and iterative learning about inclusive teaching in higher education. Implications and suggestions for practical use and future research are provided.

Assessing the validity of utaut among higher education instructors: a meta-analysis

Assessing the validity of utaut among higher education instructors: a meta-analysis

Corporate culture of a higher education institution as a factor of consumer policy realisation

In the process of writing the article, the author focuses on the fact that education is one of the areas of formation and implementation of the state consumer policy, where one of the main factors that influence on the status of its implementation it is its subject composition, regulatory component and the systemof guarantees. Therefore, it is suggested that the subjects include higher education students, research and teaching staff, and the administrative, management component of a higher education institution and state bodies responsible for education. As for the regulatory framework for educational consumer policy, it consists of the national and international legislative framework and internal documentation of higher education institutions. It has been established that the implementation of the consumer policy in the educational sphere is influenced by the corporate culture that is carried out by the relevant educational institutions. That is why the author examines the pluralism of scientific interpretations of both corporate culture in general and corporate culture of higher education institutions in particular, and offers his own author’s positions on these categories. It was also found that corporate culture in higher education institutions has an external form of manifestation (culture of communication; career guidance; support for social projects; image of a higher education institution) and an internal one (corporate management; image of a teacher; student etiquette). The author also identified the factors of manifestation of consumer policy through corporate culture in higher education institutions. In particular, such factors include: language (terminology), used and established customs, traditions, rituals, approved principles, a system of values, ideology, development strategies of the institution, moral climate in the educational team, common patterns of thinking, common mental models that guide perception, thinking and language used by academic staff, collective meanings and symbols that include ideas, feelings and harms, internal regulatory framework. For more thorough understanding of these forms of consumer policy in the context of corporate culture, the author has prepared reasoned conclusions and proposals.

Behind the "emotional exhaustion" of physical education teachers: A chain mediation model.

Behind the "emotional exhaustion" of physical education teachers: A chain mediation model.

Modernization of teaching and development methods in higher education

Theoretical analysis of the problem showed that one of the priorities of the strategic development of Ukraine is the integration of our state into the European Community. According to the perspective Development Program, which is designed for ten years, Ukraine must harmonize and bring its socio-economic institutions closer to the standards of the EU countries and make them meet European requirements. The priorities of European education are to provide the young generation with professional knowledge and practical skills to adapt to life and study in different European countries, to be mobile, socially capable, capable of communication and protection of their rights. Forms and methods of introducing knowledge in higher education at the present stage are of particular importance. It is today that the progress of society determines a new attitude to methods, means and forms of education. Currently, information and communication technologies, new interactive forms of education play a leading role. The article analyzes the requirements for teaching methods for undergraduate students of higher education. The most successful and modern methods of education and development are identified. The article emphasizes that at the current stage of updating the content of higher education, the most demanded skills that should be formed and developed in students are soft skills. In accordance with the characteristics of modern students, the updated arsenal of teaching and development methods will be represented by innovative teaching and development methods, in particular interactive and active ones. The conclusions drawn emphasize the use of precisely those teaching methods that will promote active thinking of students and support their motivation to study. The purpose of the study is to characterize the main methods of teaching and development in higher education institutions regarding the formation of professional, specialized skills and abilities and the development of soft skills in bachelors of physical education and sports. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the presentation of the strengths of soft skills in combination with teaching and development methods in higher education.

How students’ digital literacy promotes knowledge sharing and academic performance in online learning environments

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine how digital literacy influences knowledge sharing and academic performance among graduate students in online learning environments.Design/methodology/approachStructural equation modeling via AMOS was utilized to test the research hypotheses in this cross-sectional study. Students’ digital literacy, their knowledge sharing, and their academic performance in online learning environments were surveyed by questionnaires. The sample of 330 graduate students was selected from a leading public university in Iran. Based on a stratified sampling approach, the recruited students answered questionnaires based on their degree level and field of study.FindingsThe results demonstrated that digital literacy was a positive and significant predictor of knowledge sharing and students' academic performance. Furthermore, the study revealed that knowledge sharing mediates the relationship between digital literacy and academic performance.Research limitations/implicationsOur findings revealed that digital literacy positively and significantly predicts knowledge sharing and academic performance. This may be attributed to the fact that digital literacy is essential for developing digital learning in higher education. Conducting research on the antecedents and consequences of digital literacy in academic environments may prove attractive to future researchers.Originality/valueResearch on the influence of digital literacy on students’ knowledge sharing and academic performance in online learning environments is scarce. This study suggests that improving students’ digital literacy and knowledge sharing can enhance their performance in online learning environments, and it is a recommendation for university educators and educational technologists. Gaining insight into the influence of digital literacy on how students share knowledge and their academic achievements in virtual learning environments can have numerous managerial ramifications for administrators and instructors in higher education.

The architecture for synchronous hybrid peer learning using pedagogy-space-technology (PST) framework

Abstract The paradigm shifts towards synchronous hybrid instruction in higher education, influenced in part by the impact of the post-COVID-19 pandemic and initiatives such as Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL), underscores the need for a comprehensive redesign of digital interactive learning environments. This transformation necessitates the integration of educational technologies and adaptable interior architecture to facilitate a wide range of instructional and learning pedagogies that foster peer learning. Through the utilization of the Pedagogy-Space-Technology (PST) Framework, this study aims to explore the challenges inherent in reconfiguring the “architecture” of synchronous hybrid learning (SHL) environments to promote technology-enhanced collaborative peer learning experiences. Data were gathered from academics at ten higher education institutions, collecting 134 survey responses and outcomes of utilizing a new patented technology of a SHL Console. By examining three key factors of pedagogy, space, and technology, this study investigates the challenges and opportunities associated with facilitating peer learning with new technology. The empirical findings underscore that the integration of interactive educational technology, innovation in pedagogical development, and institutional re-thinking of the architecture of the learning environment are pivotal to effectively promoting peer learning. By offering some recommendations on the re-design of the SHL environment, educators and higher education institutions can create a more engaging, inclusive, and collaborative peer learning experience for students, ultimately promoting academic success and personal growth.

Habermas as an ethnic thinker Par Excellence: on critique, Palestine and the role of intellectuals

ABSTRACT Taking Habermas’ 2023 statement on Palestinians-Israel as the point of entry, this article examines his concept of critique. Against the dominant view of him as a philosopher of ‘universalism’ and ‘critical rationality,’ my thesis is that Habermas is an ethnic thinker, for, his ideas of critique and universalism unidirectionally rest on ‘to all’ rather than ‘from all.’ Consequently, it is missionary and borders on Islamophobia, particularly after 9/11. I show how Habermas’ denial of Palestinians’ genocide and his unqualified support to ‘Israel's right to exist’ as integral to Germany's ‘democratic ethos’ is neither an ample departure from his participation in the Hitler Youth nor from his understanding of the Enlightenment-modernity but largely their offshoots. I also juxtapose Habermas’ role as a public intellectual with that of Imam Malik (d. 795) who chose to be flogged rather than parrot unjust language of power elites. I conclude with three broad implications this article has in the field of teaching in higher education.

STUDI PENILAIAN KINERJA DOSEN DALAM MENINGKATKAN KUALITAS PEMBELAJARAN DI PERGURUAN TINGGI

This research aims to explain in detail the dimensions and indicators of lecturer performance and analyze how lecturer performance indicators influence the quality of teaching in higher education. This research used qualitative methods, and obtained a conclusion that lecturer performance, which includes lecturers' work in all aspects of educational management, such as designing and conducting the lecture process, assessing learning outcomes, guiding students, and fulfilling teaching duties. A lecturer's performance depends not only on his or her academic background but also on the application of the required skills. Improving the quality of education is a national strategic issue and is the focus of education quality management research. Lecturer performance is a very important factor that can influence the efficiency of higher education in achieving set educational standards. Teacher expertise and personality have a significant influence on achieving quality standards in higher education teaching. Research findings confirm that good lecturer performance and adequate academic background can influence the overall quality of education. Thus, the positive impact of lecturer performance and academic qualifications is an important variable in efforts to improve the quality of education.

Integration of biomechanics and IoT in physical dance sports: Enhancing campus culture and psychological development in higher education

Sports dance, a sport that combines art and competition, has steadily taken center stage in university physical education programs in recent years. This study examines the complex relationship between sports dancing, campus culture, and college students’ psychological development using digital twin technologies and the Internet of Things (IoT). In order to provide a thorough investigation of the physical movement features involved in sports dance, the emphasis is on introducing a biomechanical perspective. A connected model of the biomechanical properties and psychological development aspects of sports dance movements was built, and a hierarchical nearest neighbor propagation approach was suggested for multi-level pose clustering of sports dance motions. It was discovered through experimental validation that the digital twin-based dance scene design greatly increased dance motion capture accuracy and optimized the virtual digital scene for motion recovery. According to the study’s findings, biomechanical data analysis powered by digital twins can more effectively describe the kinematic and dynamic properties of dance moves and raise the level of scientificity in dance movement instruction and performance. Furthermore, the model’s stability is demonstrated by the optimized model’s split half reliability coefficient of 0.889 and internal consistency coefficient of 0.887. This study offers a novel method for the theoretical investigation and real-world implementation of sports dance instruction in higher education by fusing biomechanics and digital technology, which supports the enhancement of students’ mental and physical well-being.

The role of employers in the assessment process in WIL: Students’ and employers’ perspectives

Meaningful assessment and feedback are key principles of effective teaching and learning in higher education. In the context of Work Integrated Learning (WIL), assessment is more challenging as it involves external partners, for example employers. Employers can contribute to the assessment process and give valuable feedback to students, but the important question is how and to what extent? This study explored the perspectives of students and employers on the benefits and challenges of involving employers in the assessment process. Feedback was gathered from 39 students and five employers following students’ participation in simulated WIL in an academic environment, in the form of work-related projects. Employers’ role in the assessment process was predominantly perceived as a mentor and advisor, and the majority of students and employers agreed that assessment criteria should be co-created between teachers and employers. Students appreciated employers’ feedback as it provided a real-world perspective. The themes of Clarity of expectations, Quality of feedback, Authenticity/real-world, Awareness of business dynamics, and Career development resonated across students’ perceptions of the impact of employer feedback. This paper contributes to establishing mutual understanding of meaningful assessment among stakeholders (teachers, students and employers) participating in WIL learning experiences.