Higher Education Reform Research Articles

Knowledge control of higher school students majoring in Physics in General Physics and Profession-oriented English by means of testing

One of the important problems of the methodology of teaching any discipline is the effective identification of the objective level of students’ knowledge, acquired skills and abilities in the study of a discipline. Traditional methods of testing and assessing knowledge contain some drawbacks: excessive time spent on the exam; elements of teacher’s subjectivity that may occur; inability to clarify clear criteria for assessing knowledge, etc. Based on this, and the prospects for the reform of higher education in Ukraine, such methods of knowledge control are needed, which would allow teachers not only to establish an objective level of students’ knowledge, but also to identify (diagnose) the causes of gaps in student learning so that they could on its basis help the student to overcome the identified gaps. This method, devoid of most of the above shortcomings, is computer testing, the use of which for a long time as a means of monitoring and evaluating students’ achievements in studying the course of General Physics and Profession-oriented English at the Department of Materials Science and New Technologies (State higher educational institution "Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University"), at the Department of Physics and the Department of Western and Oriental Languages and their Teaching Methods (The State Institution“ South Ukrainian National Pedagogical University named after K. D. Ushynsky”) has shown that the use of computer testing in the study of Physics and foreign languages in the professional field should be subject to certain reservations, since this method has some advantages alongside disadvantages that can distort the results of monitoring and evaluation of students’ achievements. Based on the analysis of the authors' experience as well as the analysis of pedagogical, psychological and scientific-methodological literature devoted to this problem, an attempt is made to establish the conditions and limits of computer testing in the organization of the learning platform (courses) in the fields of General Physics and foreign languages for the students majoring in Physics at institutes of higher education. The article states that computer testing, on condition that tests meet the quality requirements, should be used only for the current (thematic) control of knowledge during each semester. This method is at the same time an express control method aimed at testing students' knowledge in the process of studying General Physics and foreign languages; it is also a “sensitive” diagnostic method which allows you to identify shortcomings of a student in time in the process of learning, giving the teacher the opportunity to timely influence its course. The learning progress control (testing in theoretical modules) can be carried out by means of computer testing but with the use of certain additional precautionary methodological measures. It is more expedient to carry out the final control in the form of a quality written-oral examination.

The Basic Role of Art Education 4.0 in the Educational Revolution of Colleges and Universities

This article intends to describe the related elements of "Humboldt Model" and "Art Education". Through the analysis of the influence of the "student revolution" and the "Humboldt model" in German higher education, it explores effective ways to carry out higher education reform 4.0. Put forward the idea of letting art education, science and technology innovation, and school-enterprise cooperation form a key interconnected group. Explore the reform and development ideas and future directions of art higher education.

Exploration and Reform of Ideological and Political Teaching in Western Economics Courses Under the Background of New Liberal Arts

The construction of new liberal arts arises at the historic moment under the background of higher education reform 
 and new engineering construction. Promoting the development of liberal arts higher education is an important measure to adjust 
 the structure of higher education reform and promote the overall development of higher education. Under the background of the 
 construction of new liberal arts, it is of great reform and practical significance to promote the reform of the ways and methods 
 of cultivating talents in economics. The theoretical course of western economics specialty is the basic theoretical course in the 
 training program of economics specialty, and the exploration of ideological and political teaching of western economics curriculum 
 is of great educational significance for cultivating economic talents. By the theory of microeconomics and macroeconomics 
 course of ideological elements of digging, redesign the corresponding teaching content, innovative use of teaching methods and 
 teaching methods, reform the teaching effect evaluation system and methods, combination of western economics teaching and the 
 present ideological content, so as to achieve the unification of the theory and practice, The integration and synergy of professional 
 curriculum education and ideological and political theory system and human effect.

Intergenerational Educational Inequality and Its Transmission in China’s Elite Universities

China is experiencing high social inequality accompanying influential education reforms. The Independent Freshmen Admission (IFA) policy was one of the multiple strategies in higher education reforms in China against the social context of high social inequality and the expansion of higher education. By comparing students admitted through IFA with those admitted by the National College Entrance Examination (NCEE), we examined how family advantages contributed to higher education inequality in terms of educational opportunity, process, and results. Using data from an elite university in Beijing, we found that: (1) Family advantages improved a student’s likelihood of being admitted through IFA, exhibiting opportunity inequality. (2) No significant difference in academic grades existed between the students admitted through IFA and NCEE. In comprehensive quality, however, those recruited through IFA performed significantly better than those admitted through NCEE. (3) Family social capital not only increased the likelihood of students being admitted through IFA but also, through direct and indirect effects, increased their comprehensive quality performance in terms of receiving student association and social practice awards.

Limitations and Possibilities of Evaluation-based Higher Education Reform in South Korea

Evaluation-based higher education reform policies in South Korea have been hot issues among stakeholders including policy makers, professors, and university leaderships since the 1990s. This paper analyzes the aims and contents of the different types of evaluation that have been systematically and practically enforced in Korean higher education as part of its reform initiatives and discusses its’ limitations and possibilities for improving higher education quality. By employing content analysis including government documents and related articles this paper first reviews the developmental phases, focusing on the types and contents, of evaluation policies initiated at the government level. Then, the paper explores some characteristics of the evaluation policies since the mid-1990s. Lastly, this study discusses its’ limitations and possibilities of the evaluation based higher education reform by considering major issues which appeared in the process of implementing the evaluation policies.

Can the gap get any wider? How the new GCSE curriculum will make progression to university more challenging and less inclusive

ABSTRACT The latest reforms to the GCSE Subject Content attempt to bring languages in line with other subject areas through a quantification of the material that needs to be learnt and a focus on the linguistic system, to the detriment of the broader communicative aims associated with ‘knowing a language’. This article suggests that the reforms expose a lack of understanding of the fact that curricula based on instrumental skills do not prepare students (from state schools, in particular) for the level of reflection and intellectual enquiry that is at the core of university learning. This paper will also argue that an instrumental view of languages creates a wider gap between school and university that perpetuates inequality and that keeps promoting an Anglocentric public idea about languages. In order to mitigate the impact of the latest GCSE reforms, it is proposed that higher education institutions and schools should engage in collaborative work towards an understanding of language education that takes account of some of the principles which now inform languages curriculum reform in higher education in the UK and also in other sectors in Europe via the CEFR.

What lessons can university education learn from outside the ivory tower: insights from engineering alumni

ABSTRACT Alumni can offer authentic perceptions of how university education is relevant to career requirements with direct educational experiences and frontline work experiences. This study captures the experiences of alumni in the engineering field to illuminate the multi-faceted distinctions between the higher education and employment systems. Based on semi-structured interviews and artefact collection, the findings reveal that the university system focuses more on fragmented and theoretical knowledge in course goals, using classical textbooks as the main means of instruction, while the workplace system emphasises the whole picture and application competence, using cutting-edge instruments and project-based approaches to enhance employees’ abilities. Students at universities are less incentivised to work hard and collaborate with each other than employees at companies due to different incentive rules and different community milieu. The workplace system also has a better division of labour than universities in cultivating talents. Practical implications are discussed regarding aspects of higher education reform.

Designing an Integrated Undergraduate Disaster STEM Curriculum: A Cultural Shift in Higher Education Curriculum Development in Bangladesh

The Department of Disaster and Human Security Management (DHSM) at Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP) started its journey in 2015. This is one of the few programs at this university that began at the very beginning. At the onset, this study examined some of the existing undergraduate programs in Disaster Science and Management offered by various higher educational institutions around Bangladesh. Among these programs, a handful are well-organized and utilize an integrated curriculum responsive to the needs of the 21st century. Transforming the traditional undergraduate programs and curricula of Social Disaster Management into an integrated STEM program from policy to practice is a considerable challenge, and students have many expectations for this cutting-edge discipline. This study found that very few Bangladeshi academicians and professionals can develop dynamic suggestions regarding this matter and have the knowledge to design an effective program and curriculum for the future students of this discipline. As a result, certain challenges devising integrated STEM-based programs may jeopardize the development and implementation of disaster management programs at the university level. Hence, adequate qualified members, budget, laboratory, and equipment must implement a multidisciplinary STEM program. Moreover, an innovative STEM program requires additional support from diverse professional organizations to support projects and research. Very often, national higher education policy and regulatory institutions create obstacles. At the same, attempts are made to launch such innovative and integrated programs. This study recommends that a new integration be partially implemented, turning into a milestone of Bangladesh’s 21st-century higher education reformation process.

Technical efficiency in Chile’s higher education system: A comparison of rankings and accreditation

Improving the productivity of higher education in every nation's economy is one of the main challenges faced in the current environment of competition and shrinking public funds. The effective use of resources is a crucial issue in Chile's higher education reform. Data envelopment analysis (DEA) has been widely applied to measure efficiency in universities, sometimes focused on teaching or research. Universities function as a complex production process in which teaching and research are linked in the internal structure, share some inputs, and continue across multiple periods. To deal with this complexity, we developed a new DEA model that incorporates network structures, carryover activities, and shared inputs in a dynamic approach. We applied this model to a set of 33 Chilean universities and compared the results to their rankings and accreditation status. Our proposed DEA model has advantages: (a) there are no subjective criteria, and (b) the model considers the internal structure of the university production model, as well as the inputs and outputs over time. The objectivity of the model allows us to evaluate overall efficiency in terms of the quantity and quality of teaching and research, removing exogenous criteria and judgments regarding the performance of higher education institutions. This new quantitative approach could generate disaggregated data to analyze efficiency improvement over time or serve as a benchmarking tool according to the universities' characteristics.

Economic-managerial Problems of Higher Education in Georgia

The study of economic-managerial problems of higher education has the special importance for the effective functioning and management of the society and the state because without researching mentioned problems it will be impossible to solve these problems. When thinking about finding the ways to rectify the situation, we encounter two major issues: financial and substantive. In order to improve the quality of higher education, along with increasing funding, it is important to know where and how increased funding will be spent. In my opinion, at least three conditions are required to increase quality: internationalization, standardization and hierarchization of education. Internationalization implies the need to integrate the Georgian higher education system into the international educational space. For this, the teaching process needs to be closer to the international standards. One of the important components of higher education reform is the hierarchization, division of areas according to the priority. This implies not only assessing the level of existing academic staff but also identification areas where a small developing country can offer a student international level education. The article offers recommendations about the ways to solve the economic-managerial problems of higher education. Keywords: Education, economic-managerial problems, state, efficient functioning, management.

DIVERSIFICATION OF SOURCES OF FINANCING HIGHER EDUCATION: THE EXPERIENCE OF REFORM IN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES

The exacerbation of the shortage of financial resources in the current global challenges has necessitated increased efficiency in the financing of higher education institutions. Along with the increase in funding, diversification of sources and transformation of funding mechanisms for higher education systems have become topical issues. The study attempted to identify the internal structure of public funding for higher education in Europe concerning funding mechanisms. According to the results of clustering of European countries based on coverage of the population with higher education and public spending on higher education by one undergraduate, eight clusters were identified, four of which are unique and contain one country (Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, Luxembourg). Four other clusters cover countries with: incomplete public funding for higher education; state protectionism in the financing of higher education; specific forms of state funding for higher education; strategic state priority in financing higher education. The general patterns of financing higher education in European countries, the experience of expanding funding sources, efficient use of financial resources and granting autonomy to universities, which can be taken into account in the process of higher education reforms in countries with transformational economies.

The history of education as a teaching subject and academic discipline: Macedonian pathways and crossroads

ABSTRACT The article explores the position and the ideological background of the study of the history of education in Macedonia over a span of almost 80 years: from the late1920s, when it was introduced as a subject in teacher schools, until 2004 when the last change of the study of history of education as scientific discipline was made due to the Bologna reform in higher education. Within this time frame, two main lines of development are followed. One refers to teacher education, and the second to the academic path of educational study. Both lines met in the1980s, when the education of primary-school teachers and education specialists faced the common university challenges. The analysis of the study programmes has shown that the academic position of the history of education has been declining over the years, in both teaching and research. Reflecting on causes, attention is paid to the ideological turnovers: from the Marxist and Leninist theory of education that was dominant in the socialist period to the neoliberal agenda in education implemented since the late1980s. In relation to its ideological foundations, the status of the history of education is examined within the latest reform of the programme of educational studies that reflected the national and international trends in higher education and the social and political changes that caused them.

Understanding STEM academics\u2019 responses and resilience to educational reform of academic roles in higher education

BackgroundAcross the globe, there have been significant reforms to improve STEM education at all levels. A significant part of this has been teacher reform. While the responses and resilience of STEM teachers to educational reforms in secondary education have received significant attention, the responses and resilience of STEM teachers in higher education remains understudied. In higher education, educational reforms of academic roles have seen increasing numbers of STEM academics focussed on education. Responses of STEM academics to education reform of the academic role have some parallels with teacher resilience, but there are also potential misalignments within a culture which values and prioritises science disciplinary research. This study examined the responses of STEM academics in higher education to educational reform of the academic role using the theoretical construct of resilience and Bronfenbrenner’s socio-ecological model. This was a 2-year case study of 32 academics and senior educational leaders in higher education in STEM. Data collection included semi-structured interviews which were theme coded and inductively analysed.ResultsThe responses and resilience of STEM academics focussed on education appeared to be dependent on interactions between individual disposition in the microsystem and influences of the exosystem and the external macrosystem. Five major themes emerged about the value and quality, scholarship and expertise, progress and mobility, status and identity and community and culture of STEM academics focussed on education. The exosystem was a significant unidirectional influence on STEM academics where judgements were made concerning academic performance, awards, and promotion. Responses of senior leaders in the exosystem were influenced by the macrosystem and culture of science. Academics focussed on research, rather than education were more valued and more likely to be both financially rewarded and promoted.ConclusionDuring this pressured decade, where COVID-19 has intensified stress, more attention on the direction and reciprocal relationships in the socio-ecological model of higher education is needed in order for educational reform in higher education STEM to be effective. Resilience of STEM academics to educational reform in higher education is a dynamic quality, and the capacity to “bounce back”, learn from challenges, and realise expectations of educational reform will depend on an understanding of resilience and support of Bronfenbrenner’s spheres of influence.

Issues of reforming professional medical education in Russia

The reform of higher education is directly related to the solution of problems arising in the medical education system. The article describes the activities of the Section for the development of educational activities of therapeutic departments within the framework of the Russian Society for the Prevention of Noncommunicable Diseases, created to unite qualified teachers of medical education in solving problems of improving the efficiency of the process of training medical personnel in the specialty “Therapy”. The article discusses the organization of the project of the Russian Society for the Prevention of Noncommunicable Diseases on additional issues of the scientific and practical journal “Cardiovascular Therapy and Prevention. Professional education”, as well as the activities of the Section.

Means of Optimising the Development of Critical Thinking of Students in German Universities

The issue of developing and optimising critical thinking among students is on the agenda when developing programmes for the improvement of higher education systems. This aspect has become particularly relevant in the European space, in particular in Germany, which is explained by the priority of educating students and the development of such important skills as rapid response to a problem, its effective solution, as well as cognitive flexibility of the individual in critical situations. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the experience of Germany in the context of using tools to optimise the development of students’ critical thinking, as well as to create recommendations for the development of the higher education system in Ukraine based on the results obtained. To achieve this purpose, the following scientific methods and tools were used in the course of the research: functional and dialectical approaches, method of logical analysis, synthesis, comparative analysis, analysis of scientific literature. The paper provides an overview of the general principles and scientific positions regarding the interpretation of the concept of “critical thinking”, its nature and features. A comprehensive analysis of the tools and mechanisms that are actively used at this stage in German universities for the development of critical thinking among students is provided. Positive aspects from the experience of this country are identified and a strategy for their implementation in the activities of Ukrainian universities is formed. The prospects for further research are the implementation of a comparative analysis of modern mechanisms for optimising the process of students’ critical thinking development used in universities of the United States of America and France. The practical significance of the study is conditioned upon the priority of its use in higher education reform in Ukraine and is also an important element in the development of methodological materials for teachers

Caught between COVID-19, Coup and Conflict—What Future for Myanmar Higher Education Reforms?

On 1 February 2021, Myanmar military dictators seized power from the elected government and halted the country’s budding reform process. This article explores how Myanmar’s higher education (HE) sector was affected by the coup and COVID-19 and how this has resulted in societal conflict. The article reviews first the history of military coups, then the education reforms in general and what was done in HE, before discussing the effects of COVID-19 and the coup on the sector. Voices from HE teaching staff show the tension in the role of HE as a vehicle for reform and promulgation of those in power. The article argues that the national vision propagated by Myanmar’s HE sector is juxtaposed to that propagated by the Tatmadaw, both claiming to represent Myanmar’s future. This research highlights the dual forces of the COVID-19 pandemic and military coup at a crucial time for HE reforms in a fragile, conflict-affected state, with the future of the reform goals of equity and equality of the sector at stake.

Higher education reform in China: A comprehensive review of policymaking, implementation, and outcomes since 1978

This article comprehensively reviews the higher education policymaking and implementation in China since the reform and opening up in 1978. With the presented statistical data, this article discusses the intended and unintended consequences of China's higher education reform. In addition, by critically reviewing the literature and analyzing the data on China's higher education reform, this study concludes its outcomes into decentralization, stratification, massification, marketization, and internationalization.

1 - Towards Academic Freedom for Africa in the 21st Century*

This paper begins by reviewing the ways in which the higher education landscape in Africa has changed significantly during the last decade as a result of the ongoing regional crisis and the changing perspectives on African higher education articu- lated within the international development arena and argues that, if the higher edu- cation crisis of the 1980s and 1990s was the result of financial conditionalities imposed through structural adjustment, then the ensuing decade has seen a global policy shift that has profoundly changed the conditions under which academic work is carried out. Particular attention is paid to the manner in which the changing, economically-driven constraints on academic freedom, institutional autonomy and conditions of service in higher educational institutions are mediated by other social conditions such as gender inequalities, the HIV/AIDS crisis, the effects of long- term brain drain and the manner in which local capacity is diverted into survivalism. I argue that higher education reforms threaten to undermine the material base for academic life by emphasising privatisation and cost recovery in contexts where poverty is a major feature of life. Exaggerated concerns with “efficiency” and “ex- cellence” lead to increased regulation and surveillance of scholarly output, render- ing academic freedom vulnerable to formulaic measures of performance that may be insensitive to the work of African academics. The paper concludes by recom- mending a programme of activities designed to re-affirm the public stake in higher education, strengthen and diversify independent scholarly work and encourage Af- rican governments to adopt policies that will strengthen the tertiary sector and en- sure an enabling environment for intellectual development and freedom.

8 - ‘Makererization’: Politics, Leadership and Management at the University of Botswana from 2011-2017

I recently visited a friend in Soweto to pay my condolences after his wife died. While I was still in the process of greeting my bereaved friend, he said to me, “Thabo, I understand that you are the new Vice Chancellor for the University of Botswana, my condolences to you”!Professor Thabo FakoThis article examines an aspect of higher education leadership and university management through a critical appraisal of the leadership style and tenure of Professor Thabo Fako as Vice Chancellor (VC) of the University of Botswana (UB) from 2011 to 2017 and his attempts to dismantle the reforms of his predecessor. It addresses the important role played by the intersection between character, political strategy and administrative leadership in higher education reform. The article thus examines the manner in which these concurrently affect democratic and good corporate governance at university institutions, and as well the risks they pose in engendering widespread fear and institutional paralysis. It is written against the backdrop of a paper in 2004 by this VC castigating organizational restructuring undertaken by UB during that period. The article argues that state intervention in the selection and appointment of university management stalled reform and introduced a leader rendered paranoid by the selection process. ‘Makererization’ is used here to refer to the marginalization of UB by government through reduced funding and the VC’s persecution of university staff and students.

Pedagogical Science Practices in Public Higher Education Institutions of Ethiopia: Progress Made but Challenges Remain

The contribution of education to the overall development of a nation becomes evident especially through higher education. This is because higher education is considered a key to delivering the knowledge required for ensuring sustainable development. Studies reveal a strong positive correlation between higher education participation rates and levels of development, as high levels of education are essential for designing and producing new technologies, and enhancing innovative capacities for the development of a society. While the reforms of higher education in high-income countries have received much attention, relatively little is known about the change dynamics in higher education system in developing countries. Therefore, with this research I want to contribute to a better understanding of higher education system in Africa, from the perspective of the type of pedagogy being practiced frequently and its consequences in producing competent graduates for the world of work by taking Ethiopian public higher education system as a case. To this end, data were collected from selected higher education institutions’ officials and instructors using questionnaire and interviews. The collected data were analyzed using mixed method. Findings of the study revealed that despite the offering of on-job pedagogical science trainings in the sample universities, little progress has been made in terms of applying student-centered pedagogy. Most of the instructors in the institutions still predominantly use traditional teaching methods. It is recommended that instructors in higher learning institutions should use critical pedagogy. Keywords: higher education, pedagogical science practice, progressive pedagogy, traditional pedagogy, transformative pedagogy