Public Research University Research Articles

A Picture of Perfect Mental Health: Exploring Barriers and Facilitators to First-Generation College Student Wellness Through Photovoice

ABSTRACT Employing arts-based inquiry and drawing on photovoice, this study explores how first-generation college students manage their mental wellness at a large, public research university in the Southern United States. Compared to continuing-generation peers, these students face unique challenges, exacerbating health challenges. Findings indicated how the need for employment, college burnout, and juggling responsibilities present challenges and how connections to culture and nature helped to alleviate stress. This study is designed to inform the institution, partners, and the existing research on what presents stressors to participants and how they manage their college-going experience, so we might better serve first-generation college students.

Investigation of students repeating calculus-based introductory physics courses by gender, ethnicity and race

Abstract We analyze institutional data from large introductory calculus-based physics courses at a large public research university in the US in which the students enrolled in these courses majored in engineering, chemistry, physics, and mathematics. The data was analyzed from two introductory physics courses that are required for most of these students and they are often considered “weed out” courses in that a poor performance in these courses can severely hinder students’ long term career goal achievement. In particular, these courses can act as gatekeepers for many students and those who do not perform to their satisfaction the first time often repeat these courses, particularly if they aspire to remain in their major. We present findings by analyzing data from different demographic groups based upon gender, ethnicity and race for how likely were the students from different demographic groups to repeat these introductory calculus-based physics courses and we compared outcomes of students who repeated with those who did not. We also analyzed and found similar patterns in the calculus courses that are co-requisites for the physics courses. However, the students who failed and repeated physics courses were not necessarily those who failed and repeated the calculus courses. These findings can help physics departments contemplate strategies for providing support to help all students excel in these calculus-based physics courses so that students do not have to repeat these courses, which are pivotal for accomplishing their long-term career goals.

Social Stigma, Logistics, and Reserving Resources for Others: Understanding Barriers to Campus Pantry Use

Food insecurity is prevalent among college students nationwide, but barriers preclude students from accessing campus food pantries (CFP). A multimethod approach was used to understand why students at a large, public research university who screened positive for food insecurity did not use the CFP. Survey (n = 82) and interview (n = 8) data revealed substantial barriers to CFP use including logistical challenges, social stigma, the belief that other students are in greater need of resources, and the view that food insecurity is a personal, private problem. Institutions can address these concerns by engaging all members of the campus community in campus anti-hunger efforts.

COVID-19 pandemic impacts on student learning in undergraduate mineralogy

Online and hybrid instruction as a response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic presented specific challenges in geosciences due to the role of laboratory and field activities. We carried out a research study on student learning in undergraduate mineralogy at a large public research university in the United States over a 4-year period including pre-pandemic in-person instruction and during pandemic online and hybrid instruction. A total of 94 students participated in course activities and mixed-method surveys. Survey results indicated that during the pandemic, students entered the course with lower sense of belonging relative to pre-pandemic students. Despite challenges related to instruction and student learning since 2020, the pandemic did not necessarily produce worse learning outcomes for mineralogy students as measured by course assessments. Structured course delivery and opportunities for interaction can offset challenges resulting from global emergencies.

Paths to status among public research universities in the United States, 2010–2021

Paths to status among public research universities in the United States, 2010–2021

Navigating and Evaluating Ongoing Assessment Efforts in the University Library

This column reflects the author’s conversation with the University Library Dean about ongoing assessments and future directions. It raises a key question for assessment professionals and library leadership: “As the current assessment is proceeding according to plan, should we continue with the existing approach or explore potential changes?” To address this, the author will present the background of assessments at a public research university, highlighting outcomes and challenges using current examples. Additional questions will be provided to encourage reflection on assessment efforts at their institutional library.

Transitions in social media use and social media use for transition

High school and college students are known to be heavy users of social media. Much of their use is focused on peer social interactions and entertainment, but social media is also a potential platform for informal networked learning. In this study, we examine how college students used social media to learn about and prepare for college, how they use it in the university context, and how their social media use has changed as they mature and transition from one educational setting to another. Undergraduate students at a large public research university completed an online survey about their social media uses and perceptions. In terms of using social media to support the high school to college transition, preliminary findings show that for many students social media provided a valuable source of information about colleges, and in particular helped them plan and begin to build their social and activity networks in their new setting. Once at college, social media continued to help provide connections, serving as a source of information about campus events and supporting social connections. Social media was less frequently used as a means of networking with instructors. Many students noted that their use of social media had changed in meaningful ways as they transitioned to college. These students indicated that their networks were now different, that their attitudes and uses had matured, and that they were better able to use their social media networks as a platform for awareness and change. Whether they perceived meaningful changes in their use of social media across the transition, most participants alluded to a desire to minimize drama, social comparison, and other ill effects of social media. As data analysis continues, we will be exploring differences across platforms and relationships in college-related social media use based on intensity of use and sense of belonging. The study has implications for how institutions offer and support the development of social media networks among prospective and current students and provides insight into mindsets that can support or inhibit greater use of social media as a platform for informal networked learning as youth transition from high school to college and eventually on to careers.

Privileging whiteness in higher education institutions: critical discourse analysis of white racial frames in diversity strategic plans

ABSTRACT I examine diversity strategic plans at a large public research university to investigate how whiteness remains pervasive in the institution, even amidst diversity and equity planning. Using critical discourse analysis guided by Feagin’s theory of white racial frame, I interrogate how whiteness persists in university values, policies, and messages within diversity strategic planning, and discuss the consequences for equitable change within the university when the scope of planning is limited by whiteness.

Navigating the high school to university transition with social media: intensity of use, sense of belonging, and meaningful change

PurposeThis study aims to explore the use and perceptions of social media among university students before and during their transition from high school to higher education.Design/methodology/approachThis exploratory, cross-sectional study uses an online survey of 312 undergraduate students at a large public research university in the USA.FindingsActive participation was prevalent for connecting with peers, while passive use was high when learning about university-related topics. While at university, social media was most useful for finding campus events and connecting with classmates, but least effective for connecting with instructors. Most participants experienced meaningful change in their social media use from high school to university, which is often attributed to personal growth. Social media intensity correlated weakly but positively with usefulness and sense of belonging.Research limitations/implicationsThe study’s sample from a single university limits generalizability. While similar institutions might show comparable results, variations due to student demographics and differing institutional practices could emerge. The retrospective approach for reporting high school behaviors also poses a limitation. Future research could longitudinally follow students from university search to enrollment and attendance.Practical implicationsThe study recommends universities adjust social media strategies by prioritizing social content, using student ambassadors and customizing feeds. Universities should support students both online and offline, recognizing diverse pathways to belonging.Originality/valueThis study examines the transition period by asking university students to retrospectively reflect on high school experiences and also report current experiences. It also offers insights into student perceptions of whether their social media use has changed in meaningful ways.

Industry 4.0 readiness model designed for public research centers and universities

In this research, a quantitative diagnostic instrument was developed to evaluate the technological capabilities that public research centers and universities must develop projects related to Industry 4.0 technologies. Because the characteristics and development objectives of projects carried out in an academic environment differ from those developed within an industrial environment, the diagnostic instruments found in the literature cannot be fully applied to academic projects. This research aimed to develop a model that focuses on studying the technological dimensions, as well as the capabilities of people framed in an academic field, leaving aside the areas related to products and businesses. The questionnaire developed was answered by researchers who work in Mexican institutions and who are in charge of research related to technology. The readiness model developed evaluates the three dimensions that are common to industry and academia: personnel, manufacturing and functions based on the collected data. The proposed model can be used to identify areas that need to be reinforced when working on technological projects.

“I Just Feel Overwhelmed” Overall Stress, Course-Related Stress, and Stress Management Among First-Generation and International Students at a Research University

ABSTRACT This mixed-methods study ascertained the causes of course-related stress — and strategies to cope with such stress — for first-generation (FG) and international undergraduate and graduate students. Using survey data from a public research university, results show FG students experiencing higher levels of overall and course-related stress — and lower abilities in stress management — than their international, domestic, and continuing generation counterparts. Teaching practices and policies that exacerbated students’ struggles were recognized across foci relevant to heavy and unevenly distributed course workloads, ineffective and unsupportive instructor behaviors, and ambiguous communication about course expectations and requirements. Implications for policy, practice, and research are discussed.

Graduate students’ e-book awareness and usage at a public research university in the USA

PurposeThis study aims to understand the level of graduate students’ awareness and usage of e-books purchased by the authors’ university library since the COVID-19 pandemic.Design/methodology/approachThe authors created a Qualtrics survey with 13 questions that was sent to the university’s graduate student email list. The survey was sent in the fall of 2023 and was open for one month. The list had 3,318 subscribers; 113 complete responses were received, for a response rate of 3.4%.FindingsThe results found that doctoral students (80%) are more aware than master’s students (64%) of e-book availability through the library, and usage rates are higher for doctoral students (78%) compared to master’s students (52%). In addition, the frequency of e-book usage since COVID-19 has changed, with more than half of respondents using e-books more often. The majority of respondents who use e-books do so because they are required as a textbook. While international students use their laptop or smartphone for reading e-books, domestic students prefer laptops. Student comments at the end of the survey revealed ways for libraries to help improve e-book awareness.Research limitations/implicationsThe authors’ goal to have a response rate of 5%–10% was not achieved; the authors therefore did not use any statistics to measure the significance of the results. The survey did not ask whether students started their degree programs prior to 2020, but their start year could have influenced responses.Originality/valueThe present study looks at the current level of usage and awareness of specific populations (graduate students, online students and international students) regarding e-books. This study focuses on student perspectives regarding what devices they use to access e-books and how their usage differs across academic disciplines.

Supporting Economic Understanding and Student Success Through Peer Assistance in an Economics Learning Center

This paper provides an overview of a peer-assistance resource for students in the undergraduate degree programs in economics at the University of California (UC), Irvine. UC Irvine is a large public research university with approximately 1900 undergraduate economics majors. The Economics Learning Center (ELC) is a walk-in help facility for students in principles of economics, intermediate economics, statistics, and econometrics courses. The ELC is staffed by trained undergraduate students with strong academic records. The ELC was opened in 2014 in response to growth in the ratio of undergraduate majors to faculty and graduate TAs and growth in the share of economics students who are from outside the United States. The author discusses the effectiveness of the ELC, describes lessons learned since its inception, and provides suggestions for improvements to the model.

Course Design, Belonging, and Learner Engagement: Meeting the Needs of Diverse International Students in Online Courses

International students comprise a growing population in U.S. higher education institutions, including online courses. Online international students’ experiences and needs have been largely understudied, but their increased presence in online courses offers a rich opportunity to understand better and improve their course experiences. This qualitative study draws upon interviews with international and domestic online learners to illuminate the importance of inclusivity and how it can be improved through course design and facilitation. To address our research questions, we interviewed 27 graduate students at a large public research university in the United States. The sample included 17 international and 10 domestic students. The findings show opportunities for enhancing the online learning experience for international learners through culturally attuned teaching, supporting both social and cognitive presences along with clear course expectations, and encouraging instructor’s responsiveness and peer engagement. This study concludes with four major implications for online instructors.

Assessment of Nutritional Status Among Undergraduate Students at a Nairobi Tertiary Institution Using BMI and Waist Circumference Metrics

This study investigated the impact of dietary and lifestyle changes on the nutritional status of undergraduate students during their transition to university life and the associated risk for non- ommunicable diseases. A review of global studies indicated varying prevalence rates of overweight and obesity among university students, influenced by diet, physical activity, and sleep patterns. This research specifically assessed the nutritional status of Kenyatta University students in Nairobi, Kenya, with an emphasis on the limited studies utilizing both BMI and waist circumference for assessment. Employing a cross-sectional, analytical design, the study was conducted at Kenyatta University Main Campus in Nairobi County. This public research university, founded in 1970, was selected for its urban setting and its representation of young adults. The target population comprised undergraduate students pursuing bachelor’s degrees, with inclusion criteria of voluntary participation and at least six months on campus. Multi-stage stratified sampling was used to select 260 participants. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire, pretested on 10% of the sample, with reliability assessed via a test-retest method. Anthropometric measurements were taken by trained research assistants. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 24, evaluating nutritional status with BMI and waist circumference. Ethical considerations and COVID-19 protocols were rigorously observed. Findings revealed that, based on BMI, 67.5% of respondents had normal weight, while 8.4%, 16.5%, and 7.6% were underweight, overweight, and obese, respectively. The overall prevalence of overweight and obesity (BMI ≥ 25) was 24.1%. Female respondents showed a higher prevalence of obesity (63.2%) and overweight (73.2%) compared to males. In the underweight category, more males were underweight (57.1%) than females. Waist circumference assessment indicated that 21.7% had abdominal obesity, with a higher prevalence among females (87%) compared to males (13%), highlighting a gender-based risk factor for abdominal obesity. The study’s BMI analysis revealed a substantial proportion of respondents within the normal weight range, with significant gender disparities in obesity and overweight prevalence. The waist circumference assessment underscored a notable occurrence of abdominal obesity, particularly among females, indicating gender-specific susceptibility to this health concern.

The effects of active learning on students’ sense of belonging and academic performance in introductory physics courses

Research-based active learning strategies have been shown to have positive effects on students’ learning in physics class. However, the exploration of active learning’s impact on students’ sense of belonging in physics classrooms remains limited. In this paper, we present our findings pertaining to students’ sense of belonging in an introductory physics course at a large public research university. This course was taught by three different instructors, one of whom integrated research-based active learning strategies, while the other two employed traditional lecture-based approaches. Our results show a statistically significant decrease in the sense of belonging among students in the traditionally taught classes, in contrast to a modest increase in students’ sense of belonging in the active learning class. Furthermore, we observed a statistically significant gender difference in students’ sense of belonging at the beginning of the course, which was closed by the end of the active learning class but persisted in the traditional classes. In addition, the active learning class exhibited a positive impact on students’ academic outcomes, and this effect was partially mediated by the sense of belonging. Our findings indicate that active learning classes, particularly those thoughtfully designed to foster inclusive environments, may benefit students’ sense of belonging and enhance their academic performance without relying on the use of specific belonging interventions.

Indirect effects of leadership behaviors on departmental performance via organizational learning in Ethiopian public research universities

Indirect effects of leadership behaviors on departmental performance via organizational learning in Ethiopian public research universities

Towards Connectivism: Exploring Student Use of Online Learning Management Systems during the Covid-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound global impact on students, necessitating a shift towards fully remote e-learning via digital learning management systems (LMS). Despite this significant shift, there is a paucity of research exploring how students of varying academic performance levels engage with e-learning resources. This study addresses this gap by leveraging self-regulated learning theory and connectivism theory to analyze 129,567 activity logs from an Australian public research university. These logs encompass the online learning activities of 313 students and provide insights into their utilization of course files, discussion forums, gradebook, and online quizzes. Our analysis reveals significant differences in how students of varying academic performance levels engage with these resources. We found that higher-performing students tend to view course files, view and create forum posts, and access online quizzes more frequently, suggesting a positive correlation between active engagement with these resources and academic performance. However, the frequency of gradebook views did not significantly differ among students of different performance levels, indicating that grade tracking may not be a strong determinant of academic success. These findings underscore the importance of active engagement with online resources in academic success and provide valuable insights for educators and institutions in designing online courses and strategies to support student learning. The study also highlights the need for further research to understand the nuances of student engagement with e-learning resources. The implications of these findings extend beyond the pandemic, contributing to the broader discourse on e-learning and academic performance.

The effects of leadership behaviours on departmental performance in Ethiopian public research universities

AbstractDespite the abundance of research linking leadership behaviours to organisational effectiveness in various sectors, there is a lack of empirical studies that investigate how leadership behaviours influence performance in the context of research universities. The present study examined the effects of leadership behaviours on departmental performance in public research universities in Ethiopia. The study employed a quantitatively driven embedded type of mixed methods design. The participants of the study were 1176 academic staff (969 instructors and 207 department heads). They were selected from four public research universities using a simple random sampling technique. In addition, 14 key informants were selected using a purposive sampling technique based on their teaching‐learning, research and leadership lived experiences in higher education institutions and interviewed using semi‐structured guiding questions. Quantitative data were collected using questionnaires composed of demographic questions and adapted versions of two scales: Multifactor Leadership Questionnaires and a new tool for measuring global academic performance. The quantitative data were analysed using frequency, percentage, multiple correlations and regression, one sample t‐test, exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. Version 23.0 of Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS) and SPSS‐23 were used for data analyses. Qualitative data were analysed thematically using open code version 4.03 software. The analyses showed that transactional leadership dimension and teaching‐learning dimension of departmental performance were practised predominantly. Dimensions of leadership behaviour were found to be positively and significantly related to dimensions of departmental performance. The joint contributions of dimensions of leadership behaviour were larger than their separate contributions, thereby supporting the formulated alternative hypotheses. Implications of the findings were discussed.Context and implicationsRationale for the studyLeadership is one of the indispensable factors that determine organisational success. However, empirical study findings that show the effects of leadership behaviours on departmental performance in public higher education institutions were scarce.Why the new findings matterThe new findings matter because the transactional leadership dimension of leadership behaviours and the teaching‐learning dimension of departmental performance are practiced predominantly in the sampled research universities. The findings demonstrated that the stated dimensions of leadership behaviour are positively and significantly related to departmental performance. It is more informative and contributes to knowledge and practice that the combined contributions of leadership behaviours are larger than their separate contributions.Implications for practitionersThe findings of the study have policy and practical implications for improving effectiveness of higher education leadership and departmental performance dimensions: the teaching‐learning process, research and community services in the context of Ethiopian public research universities. This finding further implies that schools and department heads need to use a combination of appropriate leadership behaviours in order to improve departmental performance dimensions.

Ideologies of teachers and students towards meso-level English-medium instruction policy and translanguaging in the STEM classroom at a Malaysian university

Abstract English medium instruction (EMI) as a language policy in higher education is based on monolingual conceptions and limits the use of the full linguistic repertoire of bilinguals/multilinguals in the university classroom. Informed by the constructs of language ideology (Spolsky, Bernard. 2009. Language management. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press), translanguaging (Li, Wei. 2018. Translanguaging as a practical theory of language. Applied Linguistics 39(1). 9–30) and pedagogical translanguaging (Creese, Angela & Adrian Blackledge. 2010. Translanguaging in the bilingual classroom: A pedagogy for learning and teaching? The Modern Language Journal 94(1). 103–115), this case study aimed to examine the ideologies held by micro-level stakeholders (i.e., teachers and students) towards institutional English-only EMI policy, translanguaging, and the significance and scope of pedagogical translanguaging in EMI classrooms. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six teachers and 10 students at a public research university in Malaysia. Also collected were a variety of publicly accessible institutional documents, including the focal university’s programme brochures, promotional materials and policy statements on its website. Analyses of the interviews and documents revealed that although EMI was officially adopted in the programmes, both teachers and students advocated for translanguaging and underscored its important role in the transmission of new information, effective communication, and scientific meaning-making. In light of these findings, the study concludes that an inclusive language policy is required that allows teachers and students to access all their linguistic resources.