Practice In Higher Education Research Articles

Countering English-prioritised monolingual ideologies in content assessment through translanguaging practices in higher education

This paper presents the use of translanguaging in the assessment of content subjects in the context of Nepal’s higher education. Since its proposition in the 1990s, translanguaging has been receiving much scholarly attention in multilingual educational contexts. In such contexts, individuals’ language practices show a shift from the understanding of languages as separate autonomous systems to the recognition of integrated and heteroglossic practices. Drawing on the analysis of relevant policy documents and examinees’ answer sheets of formative assessment, and interviews with eight purposively selected teacher educators teaching at the master’s level at a university in Nepal, this paper reports that examinees’ translanguaging practices in responding to assessment questions exhibit their translanguaging instinct resisting unplanned English-prioritised monolingual policies. It also reveals fluidity and simultaneity in examinees’ use of diverse linguistic resources defying demarcated language boundaries as aspired by the institution’s English-prioritised policies. The study further reports layered translanguaging exercised by examinees which educators acknowledged as an attempt to enhance efficacy in content communication. Examinees’ translanguaging practices and educators’ acknowledgment of translanguaged writing indicate collective resistance from the bottom-up countering monoglossic ideologies in assessment systems. This implies consideration of examinees’ and educators’ roles in promoting translanguaging for future language policy changes to facilitate effective assessment.

Psychometric analysis of the teacher support scale with higher education students

The Teacher Support Scale has been used to assess students’ perceived teacher support in compulsory school years. However, the literature requires attention to perceived teacher support in higher education and to the referred measure’s psychometric properties. This study examines the factorial structure, invariance for sex, relations to other variables, and reliability of the Teacher Support Scale with a sample of 262 Portuguese higher education students (Mage = 24.36, SD = 7.46), 133 (50.8%) women and 129 (49.2%) men. Results from confirmatory factor analyses suggested that a two-factor measurement model yielded a good fit to the data. Multi-group analyses indicated configural and metric invariance for women and men. Positive correlations among perceived teacher support and students’ academic experiences were found. The Teacher Support Scale might be useful to assess students’ perceived academic and social teacher support, as well as to sustain psychological practices in higher education.

Epistemological orientations of ideal pedagogical practices in higher education: Perspectives of lecturers

Epistemological orientations of ideal pedagogical practices in higher education: Perspectives of lecturers

COVID-19 Impacts on Mexican American College Student Experiences in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas

The COVID-19 pandemic devastated many communities and exacerbated existing inequities, particularly for Mexican American communities along the South Texas border. During this tumultuous time, many Mexican American college students balanced coursework, work, and familial responsibilities in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV), a Texas borderland region disproportionately affected by the spread of COVID-19 when compared to Texas overall. This qualitative study uses narrative analysis to examine oral history interviews of 11 college students from the RGV to understand how COVID-19 shaped their experiences throughout the 2020-2021 academic year and how they leveraged region-specific cultural assets to navigate their multiple roles during this historic time. The authors draw from Borderland Cultural Wealth (Yamamura et al., 2010) to posit a college retention framework by examining how 11 college students navigated the COVID-19 pandemic to inform policy and practices. Findings suggest that Mexican American students leveraged their RGV cultural assets to navigate health disparities, secure income for themselves and their families, and prioritize familial responsibilities while completing virtual coursework during the pandemic. This study contributes to the research that challenges RGV student deficits and illuminates the importance of cultural assets of Mexican American communities in the RGV. We provide future research recommendations and considerations for asset-based college retention policies and practices in higher education.

'English-Medium Instruction Practices in Higher Education: International Perspectives' Edited by Jim McKinley and Nicola Galloway

English-Medium Instruction Practices in Higher Education: International PerspectivesEdited by Jim McKinley and Nicola Galloway (2022)London: Bloomsbury Academic, 279 pp.

Prompting Higher Education Towards AI-Augmented Teaching and Learning Practice

Large Language Models (LLMs) and conversational-style generative artificial intelligence (AI) are causing major disruption to higher education pedagogy. The emergence of tools like ChatGPT has raised concerns about plagiarism detection but also presents opportunities for educators to leverage AI to build supportive learning environments. In this commentary, we explore the potential of AI-augmented teaching and learning practice in higher education, discussing both the productive affordances and challenges associated with these technologies. We offer instructional advice for writing instructional text to guide the generation of quality outputs from AI models, as well as a case study to illustrate using AI for assessment design. Ultimately, we suggest that AI should be seen as one tool among many that can be used to enhance teaching and learning outcomes in higher education.

Examining Emergency Remote Teaching Practices in Higher Education Within the Context of Management Component of Open and Distance Learning

Pandemi gibi krizlerin oluşturduğu kritik durumlarda hayata geçirilen eğitim uygulamaları iyi planlanmış bir Açık ve Uzaktan Öğrenme (AUÖ) yerine, ani kararlarla çözümler üretilmeye çalışılan bir Acil Uzaktan Öğretim olabilmektedir. Dolayısıyla kriz durumlarında nitelikli AUÖ uygulamalarının hayata geçirilebilmesi için kriz öncesinde oluşturulan planlamalara ihtiyaç duyulmaktadır. Ancak planlama öncesinde, öncelikle deneyimlenen krizlerin değerlendirilmesi gerekmektedir. Buradan hareketle bu araştırmada, deneyimlenen bir kriz durumu örneği olan Covid-19 sürecine odaklanılarak, yükseköğretimdeki Acil Uzaktan Öğretim uygulamalarının AUÖ sisteminin yönetim bileşeni bağlamında değerlendirilmesi amaçlanmaktadır. Araştırmada Keşfedici Durum Çalışması kullanılmıştır. Araştırmanın çalışma grubunu; 14 yükseköğretim kurumu, her bir kurumdan olmak üzere 14 akademisyen ve 14 öğrenen oluşturmaktadır. Araştırmanın verileri görüşmeler, dokümanlar ve araştırmacı günlüğü aracılığıyla toplanmıştır. Görüşmeler ve dokümanlar aracılığıyla toplanan verilerin analizinde betimsel analiz ve içerik analizi kullanılmıştır. Araştırma sonuçlarına göre AUÖ’nin yönetim bileşeni bağlamında, yükseköğretimdeki Acil Uzaktan Öğretim uygulamalarının, yükseköğretim kurumlarına göre birçok açıdan farklılık gösterdiği görülmektedir.

Jim McKinley and Nicola Galloway (eds): English-Medium Instruction Practices in Higher Education: International PerspectivesRobert Wilkinson and René Gabriels (eds): The Englishization of Higher Education in Europe

Jim McKinley and Nicola Galloway (eds): English-Medium Instruction Practices in Higher Education: International PerspectivesRobert Wilkinson and René Gabriels (eds): The Englishization of Higher Education in Europe

Innovative Supervision Practices In Higher Education: Assessing Digitalization, Sustainability, And Quality Management

Middle managers act as a bridge between top-level administrators and frontline staff, ensuring effective communication and coordination between different levels of the organizational hierarchy. They translate higher management's vision and goals into actionable plans for implementation at the operational level. This research study aims to explore the innovative supervision practices of middle managers and their influence on the performances of higher education institutions. There were 321 faculties who participated in this study to rate their institution middle managers. Three HEIs from Zamboanga Peninsula were randomly selected as the study settings. Performance metric was based on the SUC levelling and number of accredited programs, which were collected from CHED database. The adoption of digital communication tools by middle managers has enhanced interactivity and communication flow within the organizations. Additionally, their focus on sustainability and resource allocation for continuous improvement has contributed to effective planning and a shared vision within the institutions. Middle managers in the three HEIs manifested competence in digitalization, sustainability, and quality management system as innovative supervision practices. This competence was correlated to their overall institution performance on SUC levelling and number of accredited programs. Nonetheless, the findings provide opportunities for HEIs to enhance their performance through the development of effective training programs and fostering a conducive administrative environment. This study contributes valuable insights to improve the overall performance of higher education institutions in the Zamboanga Peninsula.

Effective Teaching Practices in Higher Education during Covid-19 Pandemic: Lecturers and Students’ Lens

This article investigates lecturers’ and students’ perspectives on effective teaching practices in Islamic higher education during the Covid -19 pandemic. The pandemic caused the movement of teaching and learning modes from face to face into online/distance teaching and learning. The different modes of teaching and learning processes may raise a different perspective on effective teaching and learning practices, especially in Islamic higher education. Thirteen English lecturers and 262 English students from the third, fifth, and seventh semesters participated in this survey research. Questionnaires are distributed through Google Forms to collect data on lecturers’ and students’ perspectives on effective teaching practices. The results show that the lecturers and students have good perspectives on four aspects of online teaching (pedagogical, managerial, social, and technological roles) as effective teaching practices in higher education during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, lecturers and students have quite different sequences of most frequent responses on the roles. The three sequences of the lecturers’ responses are social roles, managerial roles, and pedagogical roles. Then the three sequences of the students’ responses are pedagogical roles and managerial roles (two positions: the second and third positions). This different perspective can be a consideration in conducting online teaching and learning.

Re-viewing Peer Reviewing: Towards an Affirmative Scholarship

Although often unacknowledged and unrewarded, peer reviewing is a crucial part of the process of academic scholarship. Surprisingly, not much has been written on the process and experience of peer reviewing, besides a few articles in journals of teaching and learning in higher education. Nor has there been much consideration of peer reviewing as a critical component of the academic project within larger efforts to rethink the problematic euro-western, patriarchal and neoliberal logics that underpin higher education. This article makes a contribution to the emerging interest in the peer reviewing process by considering the experiences of authors in this regard and thinking about reviewing as a pedagogical practice which refuses reviewing as an individualist, competitive and gate-keeping practice. We address reviewing as a key component of the project of reconceptualising knowledge-making practices, within the context of current feminist decolonial and new materialist rethinkings of dominant neoliberal scholarship. We propose affirmative, response-able peer reviewing as a critical part of the larger project of challenging current conditions and practices in higher education - for doing academia differently.

Exploring Indonesian Lecturers' Perceptions and Practices on English Language Assessment

Assessments are crucial in teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL), impacting students' knowledge acquisition and influencing teachers' beliefs and training. The present research investigates lecturers' fundamental conceptions regarding assessing English as a foreign language (EFL) and their instructional practices in higher education. Twelve English department EFL lecturers participated in a study using purposive sampling, semi-structured interviews, and questionnaires. The research used a thematic analysis methodology to identify themes, classifications, and subcategories reflecting respondents' perspectives on EFL evaluation. The study's results showed that the subjects used diverse terminology to illustrate evaluation, offering a stimulating context for their respective methodologies. Furthermore, the participants believed that language assessment serves multiple purposes, including administrative and educational functions. Most respondents viewed evaluation as a continuation of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom instruction and acquisition, significantly influencing students' educational outcomes and learning strategies. Therefore, considering how assessments can improve student learning will likely influence educators' working in EFL assessment. Research highlights the need for professional development for lecturers to improve their understanding of language assessment and practice through workshops, training sessions, and resources.

Incorporating Arts-Based Pedagogy: Moving Beyond Traditional Approaches to Teaching Qualitative Research

Arts-based pedagogy has the potential to reimagine “traditional” research to engage learners in expanded and innovative methods, while also creating space for student voices. Grounded in a Deweyan experiential framework informed by arts-based pedagogy, this reflective dialogue revolves around a pedagogical reframing of a data analysis unit in a qualitative research course with specific focus on the incorporation of creative analysis. We came together as three participants (instructor, student, and scholar) within this experience to collaboratively share insights on the pedagogical approach, particularly as experienced through the eyes of the learner. Implications include how arts-based experiential inquiry can empower novice researchers to explore new avenues for sense-making while also extending across disciplines to support the inclusion of arts-based reflective practices in higher education.

Gender Diversity, Sustainable Development Goals and Human Resource Management Practices in Higher Education

Based on a systematic literature review, this article analyses the issue of gender diversity in higher education institutions (HEIs) and explores the role of strategic human resource management practices in its management. Results indicate that HEIs do not deal with gender diversity and challenges in achieving sustainable development goal-5 (SDG-5) proactively but manage them with compliance and some affirmative actions. The study finds that the number of women holding top leadership positions is substantially low, indicating the need for gender diversity in leadership. The glass ceiling for women is still intact in HEIs, presenting internal and external barriers that limit the career growth of women employees, especially in leadership roles. The research outlines the importance of gender-focused HRM policies and practices in HEIs. The review also confirms that the UN target to address challenges in achieving SDG-5 by 2030 needs reassessment.

Игрофикация учебно-воспитательного процесса вузов

Training of highly qualified specialists in modern conditions requires gamification of the educational process itself in higher education. The article is aimed at substantiating the need to expand the field of game practice in the system of higher education by including gamification of the educational process of universities and outlining the conceptual foundations of the author’s innovative method of organizing the educational and educational process in the system of higher education VIRTUOZ (‘Variable Game Solution of Difficult Educational Tasks’). The article provides a detailed review of the subject field of scientific publications of domestic and foreign researchers on games and game practices in higher education, which showed that they comprehensively consider gamification in higher education, with attention to various types of games. However, the problem of gamification of the educational and upbringing process itself, the tasks solved by it before the author, no one in the Russian Federation and abroad has investigated and implemented in practice. The author substantiates that it is advisable to gamify the organization of educational activities of the university in order to make this process meet the requirements of the transformation of national education, deeper and more justified. The VIRTUOZ method is designed to help in the effective formation of competencies in solving the corresponding specific task: writing a WRC, undergoing practical training and others. The uniqueness of the project lies, first of all, in the fact that it involves the comprehensive interaction of all participants in the educational process; is implemented on the basis of the results of a sociological survey on a particular problem to identify the most difficult tasks; simulates the game situation, based on the specifics of the university, the subject and other factors; ensures effectiveness for all participants in the educational process. The VIRTUOZ project makes extensive use of end-to-end technologies and digital tools. The VIRTUOZ method opens the way for the development and implementation of other innovative game methods for organizing the educational process in higher education.

Quality Management practices in Higher Education

Quality Management practices in Higher Education

Features of training specialists using innovative approaches

The article examines the peculiarities of training specialists through the use of innovative approaches. The article shows the methodological concept of purposeful formation of competitive specialists in the process of professional training, which represents the main innovative approaches to the study of the problem of training specialists. The purpose of the research is revealed, in which the peculiarities of the training of specialists using innovative approaches are revealed. Two types of these approaches to high-quality training of specialists are identified. The innovative approach in education is considered through the use of the proposed model and through the ability to design and model the programmed educational process in a higher education institution with the mandatory application of various innovative approaches. The authors highlight the main components of educational innovation in the article. Prospective directions of educational innovation are highlighted. The necessity of applying innovative approaches in the system of education of future specialists is proven and the need for active assimilation of educational information is shown, the development of key competencies, professional growth and ensuring the competitiveness of future specialists on the labor market in the modern world are proven. The main innovative technologies in education, which have recently been introduced into the practice of higher education, are considered.

Bridging the Gap between Educational Research and Practice: A Qualitative Study at Superior University Lahore

This qualitative study attempts to investigate the current disconnect between applied educational studies and professional practice. The study focuses on the requirement that academic researchers give policy implementation in the area of education more consideration. Ten faculty members from two private colleges were chosen as participants for semi-structured interviews using a simple random sample technique. With the aim to enhance the role of research in developing and improving professional practices in higher education, it aimed to gain knowledge about the issues and possible solutions. The study's conclusions help to clarify the problems with practice-based research in the educational setting and have important ramifications for upcoming policy creation and implementation.

Modern Approaches to Assessing the Universal Competencies of Future Teachers on the Example of the Communicative and Regulatory Component

The purpose of the study. With the transition of higher education to modernized federal state educational standards of higher education, the concept of “universal competencies” was introduced in the theory of competency-based approach and in pedagogical practice. Later on, this notion was uniformly fixed by the levels of education for all areas of higher education in the Russian Federation. Federal state educational standards of higher education are focused on the norms of professional standards, and universal competencies supplement professional qualifications and reflect the peculiarities of educational training of future teachers. Today in Russia there is a stable social order for professional educators and formation of universal competences imposes new requirements to the quality of their training. According to the requirements of the federal state educational standards of higher education, the result of training is not only a competent specialist who is able to perform certain operations within his/her professional business, but also a specialist with a set of universal competences. However, the theory and practice of higher education currently lacks a unified approach to assessing the universal competencies of future teachers. The aim of the presented work is to identify modern approaches to the assessment of universal competencies in higher education institutions on the example of communicative and regulatory component of the universal competencies of future teachers.Materials and methods of research. The presented study comprehensively used such methods of research as study and analysis of scientific and pedagogical literature, normative and program documents of educational organizations of higher education, which form the basis of pedagogical activity, generalization of articles of major scientific and educational communities and their comparative analysis. The methodological basis of the study are integrated and activity-based approaches associated with the activity-based nature of the formation of universal competencies of future teachers.Results. As a result of the study, the theoretical foundations of evaluating universal competences are considered, the domestic and international experience of evaluating universal competences is analyzed and the evaluation of universal competences of future teachers is proposed on the example of the communicative and regulatory component.Conclusion. The federal state educational standards of higher education have a very detailed description of indicators of achieving universal competencies, but the present study highlights the problems of their assessment. The comparative analysis of domestic and international experience in assessing universal competencies showed that the results of individual research projects, as well as the opinions of employers and experts are a source of information on their formation. This indicates different approaches to assessing competencies. In order to assess universal competencies it is necessary to structure them. Our study is based on the three-component structure of universal competencies of future teachers, consisting of motivational, cognitive, communicative and activity-based components. The practical significance lies in the presentation of assessment of communicative and regulatory component of universal competencies of future teachers with the help of assessment tools for interim certification of the studied disciplines (modules) and various techniques.

Teacher role of learners in a mobile learning environment: practice in higher education

PurposeAvailable research on mobile learning all stand on the viewpoint of teachers. However, as mobile learning is learner-centric, learners' roles must be understood clearly from the learners' viewpoint, particularly considering its self-directed learning feature. It is well-known learners for self-directed learning must bear some teachers' core responsibilities. The knowledge gap on this important issue inspires the present work which tries to answer two questions: which “teacher roles” can learners play and how will learners play their “teacher roles” in a mobile learning context. This study aims to discuss the aforementioned objectives.Design/methodology/approachA novel research approach integrating an action research model and a teaching presence scale analysis is proposed to answer the questions. The mobile learning courses conducted by the present authors for engineering undergraduate students, during the COVID-19 pandemic, provided the experimental data for this study.FindingsThe experimental results reveal that the learners could play a number of “teacher roles” actively for mobile learning. Some of this research studies are consistent with available studies but a discrepancy is also observed. Discussion is conducted for such discrepancy.Originality/valueThe findings will contribute to improve the pedagogy of mobile learning theoretically and practically.