Postsecondary Curriculum Research Articles

Undergraduates’ perceptions of the value of service-learning

Service-learning integrates community service with academic study. Students apply skills and knowledge in practical situations and reflect on their experiences. Our 3000-level service-learning college course, Leadership Development in Agricultural Sciences, involved student-led development and execution of a one-day event, “AgCamp,” held on a university campus for high school students. The objective of this study was to evaluate if an intervention (i.e., a service-learning project) changed undergraduate students’ perceptions of their ability to collaborate, ability to lead, and overall perceptions of the usefulness of service-learning. An electronic mixed methods questionnaire-based survey was developed, tested for validity and reliability, and distributed to college students enrolled in Leadership Development in Agricultural Sciences as a pre- and post-test at the beginning and end of two semesters. Data were analyzed in SPSS 26.0 using measures of central tendency and paired sample t-tests. Undergraduate students’ (n = 74) had positive perceptions of service-learning entering the semester, all measures of which improved as a result of their experiences in the course. In comparison with traditional courses, students felt service-learning courses have more societal benefits and should be increasingly offered. Participating in the service-learning project significantly increased students’ comfort working with people from different cultures or backgrounds and empowered them in different ways, including with decision-making. Ultimately, our data indicate that students enjoyed service-learning and received soft skill development through the course. We recommend service-learning be increasingly integrated into post-secondary curriculum.

It’s Time to Bring Mental Health Literacy Education into the Postsecondary Curriculum

In the last twenty years, research on post-secondary students’ mental health and well-being has grown substantially, with a dramatic increase in publications over the past decade. Likewise, concerns about declining mental health on our campuses have risen; the mental well-being of postsecondary students is now widely recognized as a major public health issue. Over the last two decades, Canadian higher education has largely addressed these concerns by promoting mental health awareness through extracurricular means. Critically, a new movement towards mental health literacy has emerged across the nation: not just supplementary outreach, but education embedded into the curriculum. To put recommendations into practice, in 2020, one of the authors [CZ] developed and taught an undergraduate course on mental health literacy with a class of 106 students. In the first offering, we conducted a pre-post study to examine if this new course would be associated with changes in mental health knowledge, stigma, and help-seeking. Of the forty students who participated in the study, ten completed measures at both the start (T1) and the end of the course (T2). Within-subjects analyses showed that students made significant gains from T1 to T2, with a large effect size, in terms of attitudes toward seeking mental health services. Feedback on the course was very positive, both in students’ ratings and their comments. Looking ahead, student well-being will depend on how institutions approach and engage with mental health literacy. We recommend firmly integrating mental health literacy education into the post-secondary curriculum.

Civic Engagement and Resisting “Docile Bodies” in Postsecondary Education

Background/Context: Robust civic engagement by young adults supports the aims of a democratic society, as well as college- and university-espoused commitments to the public good. Civic engagement also benefits students themselves. Although voting participation among young adults has shown modest increases from 2016 to 2020, work remains to be done to help youth become more engaged in civics. Postsecondary education has the tools to support this engagement among college students. Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of Study: Postsecondary education has long sought to support young adults to participate in democratic society, despite the current dominance of a neoliberal focus on career and socioeconomic mobility outcomes. A realignment of goal-setting is necessary to recognize the need to do more than produce “docile bodies” for a neoliberal and capitalist labor market. Yet, colleges and universities struggle to center equity goals that would support radical democratic engagement. Research Design: This article is a philosophical analysis of the intersection of civic education, democracy, and equity in the postsecondary curriculum. Conclusions/Recommendations: The article concludes with four policy recommendations: (1) access to federal and state funding for postsecondary institutions for civic engagement initiatives; (2) support for the freedom to learn and the freedom to teach material grounded in equity principles, including critical race theory; (3) assessing civic education as a core learning outcome through collaborations between postsecondary education and government initiatives; and (4) protecting the methods by which young adults in college can participate in the electoral process.

A study of an Emphasis on Sanskrit Language in New Education Policy (NEP) 2020

Indian language instruction and study must be fully included into K-12 and post-secondary curricula. There has to be a continual supply of high-quality learning and print materials in these languages, such as textbooks, workbooks, movies, plays, poetry, novels, magazines, etc., for them to stay relevant and dynamic. The strategy also suggests that languages should have regular, official revisions to their dictionaries and glossaries, which would be communicated to a large audience, to ensure that the latest topics and ideas may be addressed fluently in these languages. The Union Cabinet has adopted the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, with a focus on establishing an Indian Institute of Translation and Interpretation and obligatorily emphasising Sanskrit and other Indian languages. According to NPE 2020, the Indian and regional languages must get adequate attention, and Sanskrit will be incorporated into the curriculum.

Indigenizing Internationalization and Internationalizing Indigenization: Insights From a Virtual Study Abroad to Ireland, Jamaica, and Aotearoa/New Zealand

This paper aligns with the themes found in “The Transitions of Online Learning and Teaching” and “Sustaining Positive Change,” and reports on the collaborative work of a faculty member and an instructional designer from the University of Saskatchewan, Canada, where Indigenization and internationalization are leading institutional priorities. Here we consider possibilities for greater collaboration between these disciplinary and programmatic imperatives for mutual benefit, which the shift to virtual learning during the Covid pandemic enabled. We explore the capacity of Virtual Study Abroad course design to synthesize Indigenous and Western pedagogies and methodologies to conceive of innovative curriculum consistent with the negotiation of epistemological third spaces through the design of a Virtual Study Abroad course focusing on educational systems in Ireland, Jamaica, and New Zealand. Major themes emerging from the data include the capacity of virtual learning to enhance the democratization of knowledge and the potential of participatory pedagogies and innovative assessment approaches to decolonize postsecondary curriculum. Ultimately, we hope that this work will serve to inform new institutional models and approaches, whereby Indigenization strategies serve to decolonize internationalization programs, and Indigenization efforts benefit from innovative programming emanating from internationalization initiatives. Such a reconceptualization holds the promise of mobilizing Higher Education in the service of social justice and the ‘global good.’

Indigenizing Internationalization and Internationalizing Indigenization: Insights From a Virtual Study Abroad to Ireland, Jamaica, and Aotearoa/New Zealand

This paper aligns with the themes found in “The Transitions of Online Learning and Teaching” and “Sustaining Positive Change,” and reports on the collaborative work of a faculty member and an instructional designer from the University of Saskatchewan, Canada, where Indigenization and internationalization are leading institutional priorities. Here we consider possibilities for greater collaboration between these disciplinary and programmatic imperatives for mutual benefit, which the shift to virtual learning during the Covid pandemic enabled. We explore the capacity of Virtual Study Abroad course design to synthesize Indigenous and Western pedagogies and methodologies to conceive of innovative curriculum consistent with the negotiation of epistemological third spaces through the design of a Virtual Study Abroad course focusing on educational systems in Ireland, Jamaica, and New Zealand. Major themes emerging from the data include the capacity of virtual learning to enhance the democratization of knowledge and the potential of participatory pedagogies and innovative assessment approaches to decolonize postsecondary curriculum. Ultimately, we hope that this work will serve to inform new institutional models and approaches, whereby Indigenization strategies serve to decolonize internationalization programs, and Indigenization efforts benefit from innovative programming emanating from internationalization initiatives. Such a reconceptualization holds the promise of mobilizing Higher Education in the service of social justice and the ‘global good.’

Academic Integrity in Online Assessment: A Research Review

This paper provides a review of current research on academic integrity in higher education, with a focus on its application to assessment practices in online courses. Understanding the types and causes of academic dishonesty can inform the suite of methods that might be used to most effectively promote academic integrity. Thus, the paper first addresses the question of why students engage in academically dishonest behaviours. Then, a review of current methods to reduce academically dishonest behaviours is presented. Acknowledging the increasing use of online courses within the postsecondary curriculum, it is our hope that this review will aid instructors and administrators in their decision-making process regarding online evaluations and encourage future study that will form the foundation of evidence-based practices.

Role of Co-curricular Activities (CCAs) in Academic Success and Increasing Graduate Employability

A significant body of research has investigated the impact of extra-curricular (ECAs) or co-curricular activities (CCAs) on academic performance. This review outlines the conceptual and theoretical value CCAs as they apply to students, faculty, staff, and employers of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). The review also describes existing methods of integrating CCAs into post-secondary curriculum in order to increase graduate employability. Based on the findings from the existing literature, the review outlines some recommendations for HEIs to provide CCA opportunities to students to increase academic success and graduate employability.

Educating behavior clinicians in a community behavior care center for children with autism spectrum disorder: Medication administration a pilot study in the United States.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a multifaceted developmental disability requiring specialized supports. Due to the growing diagnoses of ASD, the demand for behavior treatment centers has also grown. These centers offer a wide range of beneficial services to children with ASD, including medication administration and management. While centers may employ highly educated and certified employees, there may be a gap in education related to medication administration and medication management knowledge. Using an evidence based education tool, this study sought to explore if clinicians in a behavior care center could gain knowledge in their ability to accurately administer and manage medications for children with ASD, and postulate if existing post-secondary curricula for behavior clinicians should be enriched to include medication administration and management training. This comprised two separate day long sessions of an implementation pilot study of best practice education in medication administration and medication management for behavior clinicians employed at a community behavior care center for children with ASD in the United States. Using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, 25 (SPSS), the paired samples t-test was applied for analysis. The quantitative results demonstrated the skill level treatment effect was statistically significant (p < .001). On the basis of the results the author makes recommendations regarding how to include medication administration and medication management education into existing behavior clinician curricula in the United States.

The Educational Impact of Clothing Construction in Secondary and Post-Secondary Curriculum

Clothing construction knowledge, a foundational skill taught in Family and Consumer Sciences secondary and post-secondary classes, is being threatened at the middle and secondary levels as programs are dropped from curricula and classes are not offered. The decline in programs appears to be the result of a perceived negative value for clothing construction classes coupled with a misconception of career opportunities available to students in the fashion industry. This article discusses the career opportunities for students with clothing construction knowledge and skills in the robust and growing fashion industry, and suggests that a renewed focus on clothing construction skills and knowledge is vital to student success and career preparation for both family and consumer science education, and fashion merchandising and design students at the post-secondary level.

Teaching Collegiate Journalists How to Cover Traumatic Events Using Moral Development Theory

The authors make the argument that trauma journalism should be taught as part of the postsecondary curriculum in journalism schools. As part of that education, students will learn that coping with the psychological effects of repeated exposure to such events can have long-term impacts on their mental health. As Kohlberg and Rest found, students in college are at a pivotal point in their moral development. Education takes place as adolescents are developing key psychological skills, including moral and ethical decision-making. Collegiate journalists should be gaining these valuable reasoning skills as it relates to covering traumatic events.

Head-Mounted Display Virtual Reality in Post-secondary Education and Skill Training

Background: This review focused on how immersive head-mounted display virtual reality (VR) was used in post-secondary level education and skill training, with the aim to better understand its state of the art as found from the literature. While numerous studies describe the use of immersive VR within a specific educational setting, they are often standalone events not fully detailed regarding their curricular integration. This review aims to analyse these events, with a focus on immersive VR’s incorporation into post-secondary education. Objectives: O1) Review the existing literature on the use of immersive VR in post-secondary settings, determining where and how it has been used within each educational discipline. This criterion focused on literature featuring the use of immersive VR, due to its influence on a user’s perceived levels of presence and imagination. O2) Identify favourable outcomes from the use of immersive VR when compared to other learning methods. O3) Determine the conceptual rationale (purpose) for each implementation of immersive VR as found throughout the literature. O4) Identify learning theories and recommendations for the utilization of immersive VR in post-secondary education. Methods: A literature review was undertaken with searches of Education Research Complete, ERIC, MEDLINE, EMBASE, IEEE Xplore, Scopus and Web of Science: Core Collection to locate reports on the use of immersive VR in post-secondary curricula. Results: 119 articles were identified, featuring disciplines across Arts and Humanities, Health Sciences, Military and Aerospace, Science and Technology. 35 out of 38 experiments reported to have found a positive outcome for immersive VR, after being compared with a non-immersive platform. Each simulation’s purpose included one or more of the following designations: skill training, convenience, engagement, safety, highlighting, interactivity, team building and suggestion. Recommendations for immersive VR in post-secondary education emphasize experiential learning and social constructivist approaches, including student-created virtual environments that are mainly led by the students themselves under team collaboration. Conclusion: Immersive VR brings convenient, engaging and interactive alternatives to traditional classroom settings as well as offers additional capability over traditional methods. There is a diverse assortment of educational disciplines that have each attempted to harness the power of this technological medium.

Impact of Literature Circles in the Developmental College Classroom

This article describes a mixed-methods study that examines the effects of literature circles (peer-led small group discussion of an assigned reading) on the reading achievement of college students taking developmental reading courses. The researcher-developed intervention was comprised of three connected activities (collaborative oral re-tell, short written response, and open discussion). Quantitative methods were used to measure the effectiveness of the intervention, and qualitative methods were used to analyze reading attitude/motivation and textual engagement. Thirty-eight college students in required reading courses participated in the five-week study, randomly assigned to either the treatment (participation in literature circle) or control (independent reading) condition. Comprehension was assessed through an oral re-tell of the novel, a researcher-developed book-specific assessment, and a pre-existing assessment on an unfamiliar passage. Quantitative analysis, which is the focus of this article, revealed that the students assigned to literature circles outperformed the control group students (significant main effect). While the qualitative findings are not discussed herein, analysis revealed that literature circles not only improve reading comprehension and depth of textual engagement but also provide an opportunity for discourse, collaboration, and social interaction. These findings suggest that literature circles would be an effective addition to a postsecondary developmental reading curriculum.

Taken Together: Conceptualizing Students’ Concurrent Course Enrollment across the Post-Secondary Curriculum using temporal analytics

In this study, we develop and test four measures for conceptualizing the potential impact of co-enrollment in different courses on students’ changing risk for academic difficulty and recovery from academic difficulty in a focal course. We offer four predictors, two related to instructional complexity and two related to structural complexity (the organization of the curriculum) that highlight different trends in student experience of the focal course. Course difficulty, discipline of major, time in semester, and simultaneous difficulty across courses were all significantly related to entering a moderate and high-risk classification in the early warning system (EWS). Course difficulty, discipline of major, and time in semester were related to exiting academic difficulty classifications. We observe a snowball effect, whereby students who are experiencing difficulty in the focal course are at increased risk of experiencing difficulty in their other courses. Our findings suggest that different metrics may be needed to identify risk for academic difficulty and recovery from academic difficulty. Our results demonstrate what a more holistic assessment of academic functioning might look like in early warning systems and course recommender systems, and suggest that academic planners consider the relationship between course co-enrollment and student academic success.

Risk and ReORIENTations: An Asianist Approach to Teaching Afro-Haitian Dance

ABSTRACT I present an action research study that enacts an Asianist somatic movement education approach to teaching Afro-Haitian dance at Arizona State University as a response to my Chinese American body’s experience of hegemony in postsecondary dance curriculum. My pedagogical framework uses an intercultural teaching approach that applies a somatic teaching method integrating Chinese, Asian Indian, and Japanese somatic traditions. I offer instructions for teaching two Afro-Haitian dances and I push students beyond a tourist conception of Afro-Haitian dance. I apply a combined learning method that interlocks content learning of Afro-Haitian culture with their movement learning. I engage students’ cultural and research perspectives as evidenced by qualitative findings in the form of student work samples. I triangulate these data with my teacher observations and my review of video documentation. I conclude with a recapitulation and the implications of this action research study.

The Promise of Liberal Learning: Creating a Challenging Postsecondary Curriculum for Youth with Intellectual Disabilities

The Promise of Liberal Learning: Creating a Challenging Postsecondary Curriculum for Youth with Intellectual Disabilities

Financial threat and individuals’ willingness to change financial behavior

Financial threat and individuals’ willingness to change financial behavior

Introduction to Reproduction: Online Education for the Millennial Learner.

Despite staggering rates of sexually transmitted infections and unplanned pregnancies, reproductive health education is not yet standardized across secondary or postsecondary curricula. The Women's Health Research Institute and Northwestern University Information Technology created Introduction to Reproduction, a massive open online course to encourage global students to learn the biological foundations of reproductive health. This digital education experience appeals to the Millennial learner and offers unique opportunities to explore topics in reproductive biology via lectures, animations, and three-dimensional anatomical illustrations. Data were collected anonymously from de-identified learners who elected to self-report on their experiences while completing the course as well as through Coursera datasets. Northwestern University's Institutional Review Board classified this research project as an exempt status due to the de-identified nature of the collected data. Participants from 47 countries report on reproductive health content knowledge, past reproductive health education, and level of engagement with the topic. These data indicate that the Introduction to Reproduction course has a meaningful impact on its participants and presents the information in a concise and accessible format. Distribution of this course to a wider audience is the goal for the program and important to the field of reproductive health.

Merging movements: Diverse dance practices in postsecondary education

ABSTRACTThis article examines students' choices in a postsecondary dance major curriculum where students selected to study one or more of five dance practices (African and Diaspora Movement Practices, Contemporary Ballet, Movement Language Sources, Postmodern Contemporary Dance, and Urban Movement Practices) each semester along with required coursework centered on inquiry, the ability to pose and pursue informed questions, and creativity, the process of making something new. Using a qualitative research approach, the study investigated three main questions: What factors drive students' course selections?; How do students fuse information from diverse dance practices?; and What do students learn through taking courses with peers who study diverse dance practices? The study's findings suggest that the selection and study of diverse dance practices in combination with a curricular emphasis on creativity and inquiry led students to feel empowered in their dance education, develop and articulate individualized movement approaches, and increased awareness of dance and creative problem-solving ability. Postsecondary dance programs prepare future citizens, artists, educators, and administrators who may find themselves in leadership or other positions that require a re-thinking and implementation of arts policies in public schools and other settings. As such, the study's findings also speak to the potential for arts policies and their implementation to evolve in a way that situates dance as a critical component of a comprehensive education.

Developing Competency-Based Advising Practices in Response to Paradigm Shifts in Higher Education

Competency-based programs have gained prominence in recent years for two primary reasons. First, more students are seeking ways to apply nonclassroom learning experiences toward a degree. Second, a paradigm shift in higher education encourages postsecondary curriculum developers to accept nonclassroom experiences as demonstrations of skills and competencies and to adapt curriculum to include these experiences. Educators must realize that the traditional classroom learning necessary to earn credits toward graduation must also apply to life outside academe and must reflect student experiences. Like educators in the classroom, advisors must respond to this change in perspective through inquiry-based practices and democratic relationships with students.