Perceptions Of Instructors Research Articles

Rethinking Penalties for Late Work: The Case for Flexibility, Equity, and Support

Specifications grading is an alternative approach designed to establish assessment criteria aligned with well-defined learning outcomes while giving students autonomy and choice with respect to their level of achievement in a course and focus on the act of learning instead of earning points. Degrees in public health are based on the development of discipline-specific competencies, making them prime candidates for a specifications grading design. This study presents the implementation process and evaluation of specifications grading applied to three graduate health promotion courses, including a comparison of final letter grade distribution as well as student and instructor perceptions of the grading scheme implementation. We hypothesized that although the grading scheme may take some adjustment by students, overall students would feel more control over their letter grade and therefore less stress. The process of revising requirements for assignments and maintaining alignment with competencies is discussed. There were no differences in the distribution of final letter grades between traditional points-based grading and specifications grading. However, students were overwhelmingly favorable toward the specifications grading scheme, with a majority reporting reduced stress, more flexibility, a clearer understanding of the learning objectives and grading standards, greater engagement with the course content, and the perception of greater control over final grades. Using a grading scheme based on displaying competencies is logical in the public health education context. This study supports the application of specifications grading for meeting student and instructor needs, and contributing to an equitable learning environment.

Syllabus factors: Perceptions of instructor and course impacted by graphics and skills descriptions.

Syllabus factors: Perceptions of instructor and course impacted by graphics and skills descriptions.

Online Extensive Reading: A Friend or Foe

The study looked into the perceptions of EFL instructors working at schools of foreign languages at various universities throughout Turkey in order to better understand the effects of Online Extensive Reading (OER) on language learning and the difficulties regarding its implementation. A mixed-type descriptive study design was used to achieve the aim of the study, and the data were collected through semi-structured interviews and an online questionnaire. The questionnaire was completed by 181 EFL instructors, and 10 of them took part in the interviews. The quantitative data analysis was performed via SPSS.23 and frequencies and percentages were calculated. The qualitative data analysis which resulted in the formation of various themes and codes was carried out via MAXQDA. The results revealed that while the instructors held favourable perceptions towards the effects of OER on language learning including its benefits on reading, writing, and vocabulary, they were worried about certain difficulties including hectic schedules, student motivation, school curriculums, exams, and their technical expertise. Overall, it was concluded that despite the instructors' favourable perceptions of OER, it is not a practice that is frequently used in higher education in Turkey due to the instructors' lack of knowledge of OER and the difficulties they mentioned.

A study of the perception of students and instructors on the usage of Artificial Intelligence in education

Artificial intelligence (AI) approaches offer effective support for online learning and teaching, including personalizing learning for students, automation for instructors’ routine tasks, and fueling personalized appraisals of students. However, while the opportunities for AI are promising, the impact of AI systems on the culture of expectations and interactions between students and instructors are still vague. In online learning, learner–instructor interaction has a profound impact on students’ satisfaction and learning outcomes. Therefore, identifying how students and instructors perceive the impact of AI systems on their interaction is important to identify any gaps, challenges, or barriers preventing AI systems from achieving their intended potential and risking the safety of these interactions. This study becomes pertinent especially at a time where the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the education field and how knowledge was being transferred traditionally. As online and remote leaning platforms are being used at a high rate, and due to the lack of research to understand how each party perceives the role Artificial Intelligence plays has provided the need for this original study. For the purposes of this research paper and to address this need we will conduct interviews with 10 graduate online students and 2 instructors on their perception of AI in online learning.

A Case Study of student’s and instructor perception of the Transformation of the educational field through the use of artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence (AI) approaches offer effective support for online learning and teaching, including personalizing learning for students, automation for instructors’ routine tasks, and fueling personalized appraisals of students. However, while the opportunities for AI are promising, the impact of AI systems on the culture of expectations and interactions between students and instructors are still vague. In online learning, learner–instructor interaction has a profound impact on students’ satisfaction and learning outcomes. Therefore, identifying how students and instructors perceive the impact of AI systems on their interaction is important to identify any gaps, challenges, or barriers preventing AI systems from achieving their intended potential and risking the safety of these interactions. For the purposes of this research paper and to address this need we will conduct interviews with 10 graduate online students and 2 instructors on their perception of AI in online learning.

Factors that facilitate and hinder adopting a new pedagogy: a case study of flight observations in ab initio pilot training

ABSTRACT Flight training is a lengthy and resource-intensive process with additional learning, and teaching techniques are often overlooked. One technique is observational learning, or backseating in aviation training, which can accelerate pilot training. This study aimed to analyze the factors that facilitate and hinder the implementation of backseating in flight schools. The perceptions of students, instructors, and managers were investigated using an ethnographic approach. The results show that recognizing the benefits of implementation and the need for change, no extra financial burden, exposure of instructors to different pedagogies, and involvement of instructors in the decision-making process would facilitate the implementation of backseating. Additionally, factors such as practicality issues for implementation, concern about students’ needs, instructors’ self-confidence and emotions, lack of follow-up by managers, and regulatory ambiguity hinder implementation. To implement backseating, legislative ambiguity, instructors’ confidence and emotions, and their concerns about students’ needs should be addressed.

Instructor Perceptions of Teaching in Undergraduate Equine Programs During the COVID-19 Pandemic

In March, 2020, campus restrictions associated with COVID-19 necessitated significant changes to undergraduate instruction at institutions of higher education. Rapid, unplanned transitions to remote learning caused disruptions for all educators, especially those who traditionally facilitate student learning via wet labs or live animal interactions, as is common within equine science and management courses. This study sought to identify teaching challenges and strategies associated with pandemic-era instruction among educators in equine science and management. Instructors who taught undergraduate equine science or management courses in the United States before and after the spring of 2020 (n=43 respondents) completed an online survey distributed during Spring 2021. Approximately two-thirds of educators of lecture-based courses, and approximately 40% of educators of laboratory-based courses incorporated an online element into their teaching as a result of COVID-19. Content delivery and assessments were altered to accommodate remote learning, although participants noted lower student engagement and participation. Respondents were generally satisfied with their institutions’ ability to provide resources to meet the challenges of teaching during COVID-19 but indicated challenges related to work-life balance and working from home. Results from this study can be used to develop resources to improve instruction during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Evaluating student evaluations: evidence of gender bias against women in higher education based on perceived learning and instructor personality

Given student evaluations are an integral part of academic employment and progression in higher education, it is crucial to explore various biases amongst students that may influence their ratings. Several studies report a clear gender bias in student evaluation where male instructors receive significantly higher ratings as compared to female instructors. However, there is very limited research about gender biases in underrepresented samples such as South Asia and the Middle East. We examined whether perception of male and female instructors differed in terms of how they facilitate learning and level of engagement, using an experimental design. Six hundred and seventy-one university students were asked to watch a video of an online lecture on psychology, delivered by either a male or female lecturer, after which they were asked to evaluate their experience and instructor personality characteristics. To ensure consistency across content, tone, delivery, environment, and overall appearance, photorealistic 3D avatars were used to deliver the lectures. Only gender as a factor was manipulated. Given the racial representation in the region, a total of four videos were developed representing males (n = 317) and females (n = 354) of White and South Asian race. Overall, male instructors scored significantly higher in variables representing personality characteristics such as enthusiasm and expressiveness compared to female instructors. Participants did not however view male and female instructors to be different in terms of presentation and subject knowledge. Findings related to facilitating learning suggest that male instructors were perceived to have made instructions more interesting, kept participants' attention for longer, and were more interesting compared to female instructors. In terms of engagement, male instructors were perceived to be more expressive, enthusiastic, and entertaining, compared to female instructors. Given the experimental design, these findings can clearly be attributed to gender bias, which is also in line with previous research. With an underrepresented sample, an online platform delivery, and inclusion of multiple races, these findings significantly add value to the current literature regarding gender stereotypes in higher education. The results are even more concerning as they provide strong evidence of gender bias which may contribute to subconscious discrimination against women academics in the region.

Instructor Perspectives on Mobile Technologies and Social Media in Practice: Findings From the United Kingdom's Outward Bound Trust

Background: The use or non-use of mobile technologies and social media in residential outdoor adventurous education (OAE) remains contested and generates an often-cited for-and-against argument in both theory and practice. Purpose: This qualitative study explored instructor perceptions of mobile technologies and social media in their practice as members of instructional staff at the United Kingdom's Outward Bound Trust. Methodology/Approach: Grounded within a multiple-case study design, 20 members of instructional staff were interviewed online from three Outward Bound Trust centers across Wales, England, and Scotland. Findings/Conclusions: Two major themes are shared as statements: (1) phone-free outdoor experiences are more impactful for young people in contemporary society; (2) social media is fake, outdoor adventurous education necessitates in-person and in-place interaction. These findings are presented within a postdigital conceptual lens which questions whether any residential outdoor experience can be truly “technology free.” Implications: The study consolidates perspectives on mobile technologies and social media in the practices of residential OAE instructors. These perspectives are considered important in the framing and delivery of contemporary OAE practice.

Perceptions of Effective TEFL Instructors’ Qualities: A Survey of Cambodian University TEFL Instructors

Perceptions of Effective TEFL Instructors’ Qualities: A Survey of Cambodian University TEFL Instructors

The Teaching of Intermediate Grammar Using A Student-Centered Learning Approach

The active learning component of the student-centered learning strategy involves students working in teams to complete projects and solve issues. They also ask and answer their own questions, discuss topics, and provide explanations in class. This study intends to examine how lecturers view the student-centered learning strategy when teaching intermediate grammar to second-graders in higher education. It also seeks to ascertain how effective this technique is in this setting. This study specifically responds to the following queries: 1). How do the teachers feel about implementing a student-centered learning strategy when instructing intermediate English grammar? 2). How do the pre-test and post-test results of the control and experimental groups compare? An experimental research design was used in this study. The control group and the experimental group are the two groups that make up this study. First-graders in the experimental group were steered through student-centered education to improve their command of intermediate grammar. The findings demonstrated that student-centered learning was highly successful, while instructor perceptions were favorable, neutral, and negative. So, there are still pros and cons if teaching grammar uses a student-centered learning approach

Students’ Perceptions of Effective TEFL Instructors in Cambodian Higher Education Institutions

English language as a medium of instruction has been popular under globalization. English is now a popular medium of instruction and a major subject in Cambodia because most higher education institutions (HEIs) have adopted it as a common language for a learning curriculum. However, teaching English effectively has also been a concern in Cambodia because learners are not proficient or fluent in English. Moreover, most English classes have been taught by fresh graduates with little English teaching experience, and some instructors even teach subjects not in their field. Therefore, this study surveyed 265 year-4 TEFL students at three universities by asking them to rate their instructors’ teaching effectiveness. Instructors’ qualifications, content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, pedagogical skills, and personal and interpersonal characteristics are used to examine students’ perceptions of effective TEFL instructors. The study showed higher percentages of students’ positive perceptions of the five domains of effective TEFL instructors. The findings are also consistent with the results of previous studies, suggesting that these qualities and characteristics should be must-have criteria for TEFL instructors in higher education. Thus, educational institutions should create certain criteria for selecting qualified university instructors. The findings can help the institutions develop human resources with these quality aspects or elements when selecting effective English language instructors. HEIs can use these criteria based on the results of this study, while TEFL instructors need to develop or improve themselves to have these qualities and other attributes for English teaching.

Attitudes and Perceptions of Online Instructors towards the Use of Social Media in Teaching and Learning in East African Countries

Purpose: The aim of this study is to explore the attitudes and perceptions of online instructors towards the use of social media in teaching and learning in East African countries
 Methodology: The study adopted a desktop research methodology. Desk research refers to secondary data or that which can be collected without fieldwork. Desk research is basically involved in collecting data from existing resources hence it is often considered a low cost technique as compared to field research, as the main cost is involved in executive’s time, telephone charges and directories. Thus, the study relied on already published studies, reports and statistics. This secondary data was easily accessed through the online journals and library.
 Findings: The findings revealed that there exists a contextual and methodological gap relating to the attitudes and perceptions of online instructors towards the use of social media in teaching and learning in East African countries. Preliminary empirical review revealed that online instructors in East African countries perceive social media to be a useful tool in teaching and learning, as it enhances student engagement and facilitates the exchange of information and resources. Concerns about privacy, information security, and access to social media platforms were identified in some universities in the region. Positive attitudes towards the use of social media in teaching and learning were found in most of the studies reviewed.
 Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Social Presence Theory and Community of Inquiry (CoI) Framework may be used to anchor future studies on the attitudes and perceptions of online instructors towards the use of social media in teaching and learning in East African countries. Universities in East African countries should develop policies and guidelines on the use of social media in teaching and learning. Online instructors should be provided with training and support on how to use social media effectively in teaching and learning. Universities in the region should invest in social media technologies to enhance the teaching and learning experience for students.

“There’s a Lot of Stumbling Forward”: The Impact of Whiteness on Teacher Educators’ Reconceptualization of Culturally Based English Education Curriculum

Practices incorporating students’ cultures and communities are foundational to effective teaching. However, teacher candidates often do not effectively incorporate culturally based practices into their instruction. This article describes the perceptions of English education instructors as they reconceptualized their curriculum to cultivate culturally based practices. Findings show three major factors impacted the instructors’ reconceptualization of curriculum: (a) the instructors’ cultural roots; (b) the pervasiveness of whiteness—systems and processes that preference white identities, assumptions, and privileges that accompany the white experience; and (c) deep-seated tensions between culturally based practices and the practices of the university operating within the institution of English education. The authors assert that no individual who has matriculated through white-centric educational institutions and broader societal structures can be excluded from the call to unlearn whiteness. They urge teacher educators to dismantle oppressive, white-centric practices by reflecting on the interplay of biases and socio-political beliefs that they and their teacher candidates bring into educational spaces.

Digital transformation in higher education: A qualitative evaluative study of a hybrid virtual format using a smart classroom system

This study presents the salient perceptions of students and instructors in a master's program taught in a hybrid virtual format using the pocket Bipolar Laddering tool, a written open-ended electronic data collection system. Perceptions about the hybrid virtual format were tested on the participants of a master's program taught in the 2021–2022 academic year through a hybrid virtual format based on a Smart Classroom system developed as part of the digital innovations implemented to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. This work aims to shed light on the users' salient perceptions of the format, detect the positive elements mentioned by the surveyed participants and identify the negative items in a bid to minimize, or even revert, their effects for future editions of the master. As expected, the findings suggest that one of the main advantages of this format is that it allows students who have difficulty attending classes on campus to enroll on courses. However, the participants detected diverse elements that could be improved such as interaction, the degree of socialization, or the technical problems that arose during teaching sessions. It is hoped that these findings will be of use when adjusting new editions of the program and will help to determine the design and implementation of other hybrid virtual programs in the Institution.

Seeing innovation from different prisms: university students’ and instructors’ perspectives on flipping the Spanish language classroom

AbstractThis article focuses on the implementation of a flipped classroom approach in two different levels of Spanish foreignBy foreign language (FL), the authors mean modern language (ML), as strongly suggested by the European Commission.language university courses for beginner and intermediate learners. The flipped classroom approach delivers course content that prioritizes both digital technology and active learning. Despite its potential advantages in the language classroom, empirical research in this area remains limited. The present study addresses the gap by investigating the effects of the flipped classroom approach on Spanish as a foreign language by comparing student attitudes in flipped and traditional classrooms in beginner and intermediate Spanish courses at a university level. Specifically, this research explores the use of the flipped classroom approach in a second language classroom as a way to present grammar content prior to the in-class lesson and compares the results to those of a traditional, lecture-like delivery of the same grammar content. Drawing on data elicited from students and instructors in these course levels, this study investigates student and instructor perceptions, as well as student autonomy, engagement, and achievement through a qualitative lens.

Digital Skills through the Lens of Gamified Activities in Language Mediation. The DIAL4U Erasmus+Project

The current study intended to analyse the perception of foreign language higher education instructors and higher education students in Romania regarding the increase of their digital skills and the use of digital tools in the COVID-19 pandemic. Online instruction provided a multitude of challenges and opportunities for designing instructional content. Our respondents concluded that language learning games and gamified instruction represent valuable tools in reconfiguring the scenario within language classes. By exploring these opportunities that increase students’ participation, interactivity and accessibility, the teaching and learning experience can be improved and adapted to more complex and ever-changing technological advances.

Syllabus 2.0: Using Videos to Make the Syllabus Active

Given the wealth of research available on what components to include in a syllabus and how that affects instructor perception, there is a lack of research on how to present the syllabus to engage students in learning about the course. Our study examined the implementation of two multimedia syllabi developed for large lecture math courses: a graphic syllabus and a video version. After reviewing their respective syllabi, students were given a syllabus content quiz and course perception survey. Findings indicate no significant difference between students’ syllabus quiz performance and overall survey responses between groups. Students responded favorably to the survey regardless of syllabus type. Last, there was no observed relationship between the length of each syllabus segment video and the frequency at which students watched each segment. Implications of this study will address engagement with the syllabus and provide additional considerations for syllabus development.

The Perceptions of Faculty Members and EFL Learners to Proficient Instructors: A Philosophical Approach

Adopting a philosophical approach to the concepts of knowledge and instruction, this study aimed to explore the perceptions of faculty members and EFL learners towards the efficiency of EFL instructors at the University level of Sudan University of Science and Technology, College of Languages. Two tools were used to collect data. A direct interview was administered to both learners and faculty members of the English Department at the College of Languages in which faculties and learners were asked about their perceptions of the good EFL instructor. A 30-point questionnaire was distributed to both learners and instructors. The instructors and learners were requested to assess the points from the items of opinion including the valuable instructor merits. The findings revealed that the concepts of instruction varied immensely over the past two decades. Also, the results showed that the EFL learners and the teachers are different regarding the arrangement and exhibition of learning resources. The instructors prepared the tutorial plans in a way that grabs learners' attention and that satisfies the learners' needs to achieve gauges in a useful EFL tutor. To sum up, it might be said that skilled Sudanese EFL instructors are in high demand since they can motivate and push their students to reach their best potential to maximize their language learning prospects.

Exploring the educational needs and challenges faced by undocumented sub-Saharan students in Moroccan public schools

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate the educational experiences of sub-Saharan African undocumented students in Moroccan public schools, as well as the perceptions of instructors regarding the challenges and needs of sub-Saharan students in the capital city of Morocco, Rabat.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative interpretative case study approach was implemented to investigate this topic. This study involved seven respondents who had experience working with sub-Saharan students in their classrooms.FindingsThe findings of this study indicate that Moroccan public schools provide sub-Saharan African students with free education and a welcoming and secure learning environment. However, inadequate educational conditions, such as deficiencies in the designed programs, possibly limited competence of teachers, lack of professional instructors capable of teaching migrants and insufficient resources, can all hinder the learning process and educational integration of sub-Saharan African students.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the limited body of research on intercultural education in the Northern African region. The educational challenges and needs of hundreds or thousands of sub-Saharan African immigrants settling in Morocco are often overlooked or not given adequate consideration in scholarly works.