Tertiary Programs Research Articles

The Pittsburgh Study: A Tiered Model To Support Parents During Early Childhood

ObjectiveTo test the feasibility of implementing The Pittsburgh Study’s (TPS) Early Childhood Collaborative, a population-level, community-partnered initiative to promote relational health by offering accessible preventive parenting program options for families with young children. Study designTPS partnered with healthcare and community agencies serving families in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, to enroll and screen 878 parents of 1,040 children 4-years-old and under. Participants were assigned to one of four tiered groups based on identified needs: (1) universal, (2) targeted/universal, (3) secondary/tertiary, or (4) tertiary programs. Parents were offered choices in empirically supported parenting programs within group ranging from texting programs to intensive home visiting. Program selection was optional. Chi-square tests were conducted to examine the likelihood of selecting a program by group. ResultsAbout 25% of participants were assigned to each tiered group; 78% of parents chose to enroll in a parenting program. In general, parents with higher levels of adversity were more likely to select a parenting program compared with those reporting less adversity, including secondary/tertiary versus targeted/universal groups (81.4% vs. 72.8%), and tertiary versus universal and targeted/universal groups (83% vs. 74.1% and 72.8%, respectively; p < .001). ConclusionOur high program enrollment rate supports the feasibility of TPS. TPS successfully engaged families in the study by offering choices in, and optimizing accessibility to, parenting programs. TPS is highly aligned with recent recommendations by the American Academy of Pediatrics for tiered approaches as part of a broad public health strategy for supporting early relational health.

Navigating the virtual classroom: unveiling the experiences and challenges of Australian psychology educators in online programs

ABSTRACT In the evolving landscape of education, understanding the experiences of Australian psychology educators in online programmes is crucial for enhancing educational strategies. The increased emphasis on psychology education, particularly online, post-COVID-19, highlights the crucial role of the degree meeting rising mental health needs. This is supported by the Australian governmental focus on STEM and employability, as psychology programmes equip students with essential skills for the workforce, necessitating strong tertiary programmes. Therefore, the aim of the current study is to explore the experiences and needs of Australian psychology educators teaching in online programmes in the last five years and to suggest strategies to address their perceived needs. A survey of 75 Australian online psychology educators revealed that while online teaching presented advantages for educators (e.g. autonomy, and motivation to learn new technologies), educators also found online teaching isolating and time-consuming. The challenges of engaging students online also emerged as a dominant theme. Additionally, the study highlighted the need for tailored support, specifically in the psychology discipline, with over 80% of the respondents agreeing that they could be better supported as online teachers. As the demand for online education grows, this study underscores the need for targeted support structures to empower educators, ensuring they continue to create enriched learning experiences for their students in virtual environments.

Investigating the Academic Progress of Namcol Tertiary Programme Students Admitted Through Recognition of Prior Learning 2019-2020

The intention of this study was to report on the progress of students admitted through the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) for the academic year 2019 and 2020 at the Namibian College of Open Learning (NAMCOL). The experience of students admitted through RPL seems under researched, given the number of limited studies undertaken at Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) offering Open and Distance Learning (ODL). The study aimed to explore the progress of students admitted to certificate programmes offered by NAMCOL through RPL. This study used Abraham Maslow’s Need Theory as a theoretical framework. The research followed a qualitative research method. A descriptive research design was employed for the study. The population comprised certificate students admitted through RPL during the 2019 and 2020 academic years. Purposeful sampling technique which comprised a sample of 30 students was used. Data were collected through a structured interview guide. Students ‘academic records were reviewed to determine their progress. Data were analysed and presented thematically. Main outcomes of the study showed that several factors affect students’ performance positively and negatively. Factors contributing positively include the delivery of face-to-face contact sessions and discussions with other students. Aspects contributing negatively to the academic success of students include distance, work, and family responsibilities. The study, therefore, recommends that more face-to-face contact sessions should be made available to students. These could be offered online synchronously or asynchronously to enable students to play and review sessions on their own time.

Constructive alignment of materials in tertiary programs

With the increasing adoption of blended learning, tertiary programs are becoming ever more varied and complicated. Laying at the heart of a range of complex learning activities, the role of blended materials once again comes into discussions concerning learning outcomes. But how do contemporary educators design and use blended materials to support pedagogical goals? In this study, we examine the constructive alignment of blended materials with the learning outcomes of modern language programs. Using pedagogical claims analyses with data gathered in two case studies, we found that educators tend to align materials to the curriculum, student interests, a research agenda and contemporary culture. We conclude our work with a discussion of constructive alignment of materials design and use in tertiary blended learning.

Physical Fitness Status of Tertiary Students under the New Physical Activity towards Health and Fitness (PATHFit) Course: A Quasi-Experimental Study

According to the latest findings of the World Health Organization (2022), most young people nowadays are deficient in fulfilling the global standard for moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activities. Concurrently, the issue of girls being less active than boys in most countries, including the Philippines, remains. To address this health issue, the Philippines’ Commission on Higher Education (CHED) implemented the new Physical Activity Towards Health and Fitness (PATHFit) Courses. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate existing program models that focused on developing students’ cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness. An exercise model underwent a quasi-experimental analysis using three fitness tests: Prone Bridge Test (PBT), 3-minute Step Test (STEP), and Wall Squat (WS). Results revealed that participants showed significant improvement after the 12-week fitness program, with p&lt;0.01 in PBT, STEP, and WS scores. However, while differences in means were all significant (N=155), Cohen’s d results show that small to medium effects occurred for the three performance test scores after the treatment period. Effects also showed that female participants still exhibited lower effect magnitudes. These findings recommend developing innovative exercise models incorporating health motivation and gamification. It is also suggested that tertiary PE consider modified models for female students, addressing their sports fitness needs and attraction to sports participation. Lastly, the Philippine Commission should vigilantly endorse tertiary program models following the availability of exercise and sports scientists in institutes, effectively implementing PATHFit on the ground and improving the overall sports fitness of students.

“Equitable multilingualism” for equitable access to learning

Addressing the digital divide for refugee learners accessing higher education in displacement also involves addressing the linguistic divide, particularly as we live in a world of interlanguage inequality where academic digital resources and learning opportunities available largely require fluency in colonial languages like English, French, Spanish, etc. This paper focuses specifically on English as many connected tertiary programs available to refugees around the world are English-mediated. It is crucial that as connected higher education becomes a key strategy for access by the United Nations, INGOs, bilateral institutions, and private donors, universities involved in this work expand their use of technology to deliver programs to integrate technology-mediated language education for digital-skills, language awareness, and language development. This argument is based on an emancipatory approach that argues literacy (i.e., English literacy and digital literacy) only empowers people when it renders them active questioners of the social reality around them.

Collaboratively crafting learning standards for tertiary education for environment and sustainability

Purpose The aim of this paper is to outline the collaborative approach used to craft national learning standards for tertiary programs in the field of environment and sustainability in Australia. The field of environment and sustainability is broad and constituted by diverse stakeholders. As such, articulating a common set of learning standards presents challenges. Design/methodology/approach The authors developed and used a staged collaborative curriculum design methodology to engage more than 250 stakeholders in tertiary environmental education, including discipline scholars, students, professional associations and employers and other environmental educators. The approach was adaptive, to ensure underrepresented stakeholders’ perspectives were welcomed and recognised. The project was commissioned by the Australian Council of Environmental Deans and Directors (ACEDD) and funded by the Federal Government’s Office for Learning and Teaching. Findings The collaborative approach developed and used for this work facilitated an inclusive process that valued diversity of perspectives, rather than marginalise diversity in favour of a perspective representing a minimum level of agreement. This is reflected in the standards themselves, and is evidenced by participant feedback, piloting of the standards and their subsequent application at multiple universities. Achieving this required careful planning and facilitation, to ensure a democratisation of the stakeholder consultation process, and to build consensus in support of the standards. Endorsement by ACEDD formalised the standards’ status. Originality/value Collaborative curriculum design offered the opportunity to foster a shared sense of common purpose amongst diverse environmental education stakeholders. This approach to curriculum design is intensive and generative but uncommon and may be usefully adapted and applied in other contexts. The authors note one subsequent instance where the approach has been further developed and applied in transforming a generalist science program, suggesting the methodology used in this case may be applied across other contexts, albeit with appropriate adjustments: the authors offer it here in the spirit of supporting others in their own complex curriculum design challenges.

Profiling the Australasian paramedicine tertiary academic sector and workforce: A cross-sectional study

Introduction In 1994, the first Australasian paramedicine tertiary program commenced as an off-campus offering not required as an entry-to-practice qualification A quarter of a century later, university programs have proliferated with tertiary qualifications becoming mandatory to acquire Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency registration. Despite this progression, concerns have been voiced regarding student enrolment volume and sustainability of the paramedicine academic workforce. To date, a census of the sector and the workforce has not been conducted, limiting capacity for data-informed strategic planning. The aim of this study was to profile the Australasian paramedicine tertiary sector and describe the academic workforce working in it. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in May 2022 using an online survey designed specifically for this research. The participants were discipline leaders from 19 universities or polytechnics offering entry-to-practice courses in Australia and New Zealand. Participants were asked to provide data on their course structure, organisational position, student enrolment loads and academic and non-academic staffing profiles. Simple descriptive statistics were generated to describe these data. Results Of the 19 eligible programs, 18 participated (response rate 90%). All but one course was at the undergraduate level; of the undergraduate courses, all but one were 3 years in duration. The academic workforce comprised 161 full-time or fractional and 727 casual paramedicine academics. Of the full-time academics, 131/161 were registered, with 45% of those holding ‘non-practicing’ status. Twenty-nine paramedicine academics (18%) had PhDs. There was 1 Professor and 10 Associate Professors, whilst 65% overall were Lecturers or Associate Lecturers. Conclusion This analysis represents the first description of the Australasian paramedicine tertiary sector. It reveals a diverse sector with large student enrolments and diverse course structures. The seniority of the academic workforce is skewed substantially towards lower academic levels; this shortfall in senior academics creates risk for the sector and may be symptomatic of a workforce sustainability issue.

Public Investment in Short-Cycle Tertiary Vocational Education: Historical, Longitudinal, and Fixed-Effects Analyses of Developed and Less-Developed Countries

We use three analytic steps to examine public investment in short-cycle tertiary education. First, reviewing the historical development, the literature reveals that national and regional policies on educational development emphasized bachelor’s programs in vocational education in the early twenty-first century, especially in the EU. This historical background informs the longitudinal trend analysis in the second step of the educational and public investment variables (2000–2018) in our econometric analysis. The combined descriptive studies illuminate competitive advantages for EU and ASEAN nations in networks emphasizing open economic and academic exchange. Third, the fixed-effects analysis indicates a higher level of investment in general tertiary education per student, associated with a lower enrollment level in short-cycle vocational and technical tertiary programs. Using insights from this three-step process, we explore the implications of a nation’s capacity to invest in short-cycle tertiary programs as part of economic development and the pursuit of social equity within and across countries. Specifically, we conclude that short-cycle programs are a step toward integrating vocational education into programs in polytechnics and other higher education institutions.

A systematic review of online learning and teaching strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic: implications for the construction management sector

PurposeMost educational institutions worldwide have shifted to online teaching and learning approaches to mitigate risks imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. This causes several issues, particularly in delivering the construction management (CM) courses which require site visits, interpreting technical drawings and developing 3D building models. This paper aims to identify the key strategies for online learning and teaching adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic and to investigate the implications for construction management education.Design/methodology/approachThe research approach is twofold. First, the study presents a systematic literature review (SLR) through a synthesis of the existing literature to identify the key strategies and lessons learned about online education during the COVID-19 pandemic in tertiary programs. It also discusses their implications in the context of the construction management (CM) sector in particular. Secondly, the authors shared their hands-on experience as construction management course facilitators – using the autoethnography approach – during the COVID-19 crisis.FindingsIn addition to identifying the key strategies such as online course delivery and assessments, the paper critically discusses the barriers to online learning and teaching, including (1) the technological and infrastructure barriers; (2) required online teaching skills and competencies; (3) issues surrounding mental health and wellbeing; (4) lack of consistency in the online delivery of various courses in a given program (5) difficulties around students' engagement and (6) the course characteristics and requirements.Originality/valueThe study offers some implications and recommendations not only for educational institutions and staff but also for vendors of online course delivery software. To prepare educational institutions for future online course delivery, the paper proposes several strategies. These include developing a set of guidelines for online course delivery, incorporating online teaching training modules into the recruitment process for academic staff, applying agile and resilience teaching and learning methods, wellbeing and mental health support and continuously improving course features to adapt to the online environment.

Comparing the herbal and naturopathic medicine curricula in Ghanaian tertiary education: A commentary

About 80% of Ghanaians rely on Traditional, Complementary, and Alternative Medicines for their health needs. However, Complementary and Alternative Medicine was not factored into Act 575 in 2000. The government of Ghana has nonetheless taken some steps to provide recognition for CAM with ministerial directives. To date, no tertiary program exists in Ghana to train experts in Complementary and Alternative Medicine, unlike Herbal Medicine. In 2021, the Nyarkotey University College of Holistic Medicine provided a roadmap in this area. The first National Occupational Standard was further developed at the Higher National Diploma (HND) and Bachelor in Naturopathy and Holistic Medicine approved by the Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET) for training Naturopaths. This paper compares the Herbal Medicine and Naturopathy curricula in Ghana.

African naturopathic education: Ghana’s model using competency-based curriculum

Despite the over 62 years of Naturopathy’s existence in the Ghanaian jurisdiction, no single tertiary program in Naturopathy or Complementary and Alternative Medicine is taught. The practice has not been streamlined and properly structured. Those who engage in the Naturopathic trade mostly receive their education through correspondence from unrecognized and unaccredited foreign schools that teach a limited aspect of naturopathy. : Following the development and approval of two Naturopathic programs; The Higher National Diploma (HND) for training Naturopaths and Bachelor of Technology in Naturopathy and Holistic Medicine, a 5-year program for Naturopathic Physicians, this paper provides a critical evaluation of the curricula approved by the Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET) in Ghana. This paper employs a sequential two-stage qualitative process. In phase one, the two curricula were submitted to the World Naturopathic Federation (WNF) Canada, for evaluation. Phase two involved a document analysis using the curriculum recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Naturopathic Federation (WNF), and the South African Naturopathic curriculum. An in-depth evaluation and comparison with the Ghanaian program were conducted, together with abstracted WNF responses which were then analyzed thematically. After the necessary recommendations by WNF were adopted. The two Ghanaian curricula met the international standard. The recommendations also strengthened the mandatory general area of competence in Naturopathic training. The Ghanaian Bachelor’s in Naturopathy has total clock hours of 5,979, which surpasses the South African degree in Naturopathy(5,950) clock hours. The Ghanaian naturopathic mandatory and elective subjects in the curricula meet the international standards. Issues raised by World Naturopathic Federations (WNF) were all addressed to strengthen the program.

Patients in Iowa Counties Lacking Hospitals With Labor and Delivery Services Disproportionately Receive Care at Level III Maternal Care Hospitals When Undergoing Cesarean Delivery: A Retrospective Longitudinal Study.

Introduction Many obstetrical patientsfrom rural areas in the United States lack hospitals that provide labor and delivery care. Our objective was to examine the effects of such patientson caseloads of cesarean deliveries at Iowa hospitals withlevel III maternal care, as defined by the Iowa Department of Public Health(e.g., with obstetric anesthesiologists). Methods Thisretrospective longitudinal studyincludedeverydischarge with cesarean delivery in the state of Iowa from October 2015 through June 2021. There were N=60,534 such deliveries from 76 hospitals, of which three were level III, and the rest were level I or II.Poisson regression models with robust variance estimation and controlling for geography, maternal risk factors, and insurance, were used to evaluate the binary outcome of whether patients received care at the university level III hospital in Eastern Iowa, or not. Similar models were also developed for care at the two private level III hospitals in Central Iowa, or not.Differences in the mean probabilities of receiving care at the level III hospitals were then estimated using logistic regression, with results reported in units of changes in cases per week at the hospitals. Results Statewide, the university level III hospital performed 7.4% of the cesarean deliveries, and the two private level III hospitals performed 23.4%.Patients from counties in which nocesarean deliveries were performedduring the quarter of the year when they underwent a cesarean delivery disproportionately received care at level III hospitals versus levels I and II hospitals. Lower 99% confidence limits for incremental risk ratios were 1.46 and 4.20, respectively. Cesarean deliveries among patients residing in counties where no hospital had a labor and delivery ward were distributed unequally between thecounties of the hospitals with level III maternal care. Therewere approximately 1.09 (standard error 0.10) extra cesarean deliveries per week at the university hospital versus 5.81 (standard error 0.11) at the private hospitals. The 1.09 vs 5.81 difference was caused, in part, by the effects of insurance and other hospitals with similar services. Conclusions Patients residing in counties without labor and delivery care disproportionately go to level III hospitals. These results can help anesthesiologists, obstetricians, and analystsat hospitals with large tertiary (level III) programs interpret their annual increases in total obstetric anesthesia activity.

Information provision and preferences toward tuition introduction in public universities: evidence from a survey experiment in Afghanistan

ABSTRACT Public higher education is chronically under-funded in developing countries, making private investment necessary for human capital development. We investigate if information provision mobilizes support for private investment in public higher education by employing an online RCT in Afghanistan. We find that information cues impact respondents’ support for how education should be financed. Respondents that received information about the current amount of funding devoted to different levels of education (including tuition amounts for private tertiary programs), became more partial to prioritizing public funding for primary and secondary education over tertiary education but also became more supportive of tuition introduction in public universities.

Employer development of professional capabilities among early career workers and implications for the design of work-based learning

Professional capabilities, particularly enterprise behaviours, are increasingly sought after in the labour market, enabling new workers to perform effectively in complex and diverse contexts. Capability deficits among new graduates have prompted the growth of work-based learning (e.g., internships) in tertiary programs to better prepare students for transition to work. There is, however, a lack of understanding of how students learn at work, leading to this investigation of employer approaches to capability development among early career workers, including tertiary graduates and youth workers. Survey data were gathered from 306 business owners, managers, and human resource practitioners from diverse organisational settings. Respondents were largely committed to developing professional capabilities among new workers, although some were prioritised over others. Six broad approaches to capability development were identified, with differences observed by sector and organisational size. Findings reinforce the importance of socio-cultural factors, including barriers, in shaping how early career workers learn at work. Findings advance our understanding of ways to develop professional capabilities among early career workers and can inform work-based learning design to better prepare students for future employment.

Tertiary music students’ perspectives on activist-musicianship: Approaches, challenges, and perceived role of higher music education

While tertiary music programs traditionally focus on developing musicians’ craft, there is an increasing emphasis on the need to develop students’ ability to use their craft in socially engaged ways. This has led to an increase in community music, mobility programs, and performance outreach opportunities being embedded into tertiary music programs. There is also, however, potential for students to develop their craft more explicitly in service of social change through activist-musicianship, but little academic exploration into how this might be embedded into tertiary music programs. This article, through interviews and focus groups, investigates tertiary music students’ perspectives on music’s role in activism, their social values and aspirations, and perceived opportunities and challenges for musicians and tertiary music institutions. Music activism was seen to be possible through focusing on the musician as embodying the message or the music communicating the message, with repertoire choice and the degree of explicit messaging deemed important considerations regarding potential impact. Students highlighted a desire to plant seeds for change, to encourage audience members to become aware of and question unconscious biases and values, and to spark ongoing conversations. Within their programs, students expressed a desire for more autonomy in repertoire selection, for training on the inclusion of extra-musical features to support messaging, and for strong integration and alignment of academic and performance courses that could provide opportunities to practice activist-musicianship as part of their programs. Further to this, there are a range of ethical considerations educators need to be mindful of, which are outlined throughout this article. Insights shared highlight a need for further understanding of the activist-musician and how associated skill sets and opportunities might be embedded within existing tertiary music programs.

Volume 13 Issue 2 2022

This special issue brings together a selection of articles and practice reports from the 2022 STARS Conference. The focus of STARS is expressed by broad guiding themes: Students, Transitions, Achievement, Retention, and Success. These themes provide the conceptual framework for this annual discourse and guide analysis of tertiary curriculum, programs, practices and culture. The themes are at the centre of considerations about how institutions are creating environments that enable students, in all their diversity, to realise their potential through post-secondary education.

‘We’re just touching the surface’: Australian university lecturers’ experiences of teaching theories of child development in early childhood teacher education programs

ABSTRACT Three Australian Government reports released between 2011 and 2017 highlight a child development theory–practice gap in Australian early childhood initial teacher education. This qualitative study explores what informs university lecturers’ teaching of child development theory in tertiary programmes. Grounded in Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, four themes are discussed from a Freirean inspired perspective. According to those interviewed, institutional culture and the practice focus of regulatory bodies strongly informs the teaching of child development with systemic practices often experienced as oppressive. The minimisation of early childhood content in combined early childhood/primary degrees also informed practice, but fostered a sense of marginalisation for many. Liberation was also evident as participants indicated that, despite many challenges, professional values, including commitment, tenacity and respect, informed their teaching practice. Implications for Australian universities and regulatory bodies are discussed with findings serving as a case example with international applicability to tertiary education policy and practice review.

Content lecturer and quality interaction in EMI university classrooms: a longitudinal case study

ABSTRACT While ‘interactive’ and ‘student-centered teaching’ are becoming buzzwords when promoting international English Medium Instruction (EMI) tertiary programmes in non-Anglophone countries, studies found that fewer lecturers possessed the competencies needed to teach content subjects interactively. This longitudinal case study looked beyond content lecturers’ language proficiency, instead, addressing their interactional competencies based on the framework of ‘Quality Interaction in Pedagogy’. The objectives were (1) to explore the interaction-related problems and behavioural triggers experienced by an untrained EMI lecturer of political science, and (2) to empirically assess the framework by observing classroom interactions before and after teacher training. The main participant was a non-native English-speaking lecturer (n = 1) teaching undergraduate students (n = 62) enrolled in three separate courses at Japanese universities. The study found that the framework was useful for measuring the effectiveness of classroom interactions after teacher training. The results also suggested that its systematic application done by extending Initiation-Response-Feedback sequences or broadening teacher language functions could enhance the quality of teacher-student interactions in tertiary contexts. These measures make a conceptually robust framework to help bridge applied linguists and content specialists on the issue of interactivity in EMI.

Weekly injury rates within semesters of a three-year tertiary dance program, and prospective training monitoring across one semester of training: a longitudinal study

ABSTRACT Dance research should consider time points within a season that may be associated with injury, and report on weekly dance training loads. The current study aimed to analyse injuries within each semester and participant, monitor load, mood and stress within one semester, and calculate compliance with monitoring in a tertiary dance training cohort. The dance training program that participants are drawn from is a six-semester, three-year undergraduate course, training in ballet and contemporary dance. A better understanding of injury in dance may further refine load management and injury prevention strategies. Fourteen tertiary dance students consented to participate. A medical attention injury definition was used. Weekly injury rate ratios within each 14-week semester were calculated. Participants completed ratings of perceived exertion , and mood and stress questionnaires across one semester. Injuries were significantly increased for Week 5, Semester 1; Week 2, Semester 2; and Week 1, Semester 3, and 4. Spikes in load coincided with injury spikes, as observed visually on a line graph. Certain weeks in proximity to a change in training schedule had increased injury. Applying training principles in response to monitoring, specifically to return to dance after a holiday period, may aid in reducing injuries at this time requiring further investigation.