Traditional Higher Education Institutions Research Articles

Assessing Online Faculty Satisfaction at Traditional Higher Education Institutions: The FSOTS and its Psychometric Properties

Assessing Online Faculty Satisfaction at Traditional Higher Education Institutions: The FSOTS and its Psychometric Properties

THE ERASMUS+ FUNDED KNOWLO PROJECT DIGITALIZATION ON A GLOBAL CONTEXT IN EDUCATION A TEACHER’S PERSPECTIVE

This paper reflects the works being carried out under the Erasmus+ funded on-going KNOWLO project, Promoting knowledge-sharing culture in Learning Organization, Project number: & Code 2021-1-LV01-KA220-VET-000029991KA220-VET-Cooperation partnerships in vocational education and training. The project is aimed to cater an essential support to any vocational or traditional Higher Education Institution (HEI), which is looking forward for a change or transforming to become Smart learning organization. The project is ongoing and schedule to finish by December 2023, The KNOWLO project has 5 results that project partners from 4 difference countries are committed to develop they are arranged in the order as Result number 1 to Result number 5. This particular paper discusses about the Result number 1, Sub-criteria identified or the development of Transformational Framework (Digitalization of Learning Practices) on a Global context. This paper can be treated as a case study towards identifying various aspects of consideration when undergoing transformation from traditional learning organization to Smart learning organization. The paper discusses the perspective from the point of view of one of the crucial stakeholders in the educational sector (Teachers). This paper puts forth what is the perspective of teachers towards smart learning organization and what aspects they assume are necessary to involve all the stake holders towards such a transformation. The paper highlights the current situation in context with digital transformation from the teacher’s perspective and the results collected highlight how teachers from different regions view digital learning practices on with different aspects and needs. The data collected has been analyzed on a qualitative & quantitative pattern and the final discussions put forth a guide of do’s & don’t, for any learning organization looking forward for a transformation into smart learning organization from the teacher’s perspective.

MOOC Appropriation and Agency in Face-to-Face Learning Communities

Aim/Purpose: The emergence of massive open online courses (MOOCs) has fostered the creation of co-located learning communities; however, there is limited research on the types of interactions unfolding in these spaces. Background: This study explores Peer 2 Peer University’s Learning Circles, a project that allows individuals to take MOOCs together at the library. I investigated the patterns that emerged from the interactions between facilitators, learners, course materials, and digital media in the pilot round of these Learning Circles. Methodology: This study employs an ethnography of hybrid spaces (online/offline participant observations, in-depth interviews, and artifact collection) of face-to-face study groups taking place at library branches in a Midwest metropolitan area. Data analysis employs the constant comparison method. Contribution: Interactions taking place in the Learning Circles increased individuals’ agency as learners and subverted the MOOC model through processes of technological appropriation. Findings: The findings reveal that interactions within Learning Circles created a dynamic negotiation of roles, produced tension points, enabled a distributed model of knowledge, and structured study routines. The pilot round of Learning Circles attracted diverse participants beyond the typical digitally literate MOOC student. Many of them had no previous experience taking online courses and, in some cases, no Internet connection at home. This paper argues that Learning Circles favored the appropriation of artifacts (technologies) and increased participants’ agency as learners in the Internet age. Recommendations for Practitioners: Practitioners can use the Learning Circles model to benefit disenfranchised individuals by providing them with access to materials resources and a network of peers that can help increase their agency as learners. Recommendation for Researchers: This study suggests that it is fundamental to pay attention to learning initiatives that are unfolding outside the scope of traditional and formal education. Impact on Society: Open educational resources and public libraries are opening new pathways for learning beyond traditional higher education institutions. Future Research: Future research can explore how the learning circles are adapted in cultural contexts outside the United States.

Teaching and Learning in Higher Education in Bangladesh during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Learning from the Challenges

The higher education sector globally has gone through a transition because of the coronavirus outbreak, and as a result, many traditional higher education institutions across the globe have been forced to go online to provide education and arrange assessments so that their students could continue their education and complete their courses. Unlike developed countries, at the beginning of the lockdown, most of the higher education institutions in Bangladesh shut down their operations, and a few universities started moving toward online distance teaching and learning activities. Based on an empirical study, this article discusses the challenges of teaching and learning in higher education in Bangladesh during the COVID-19 lockdown. It also identifies good practices to overcome those challenges. An online survey was conducted to collect data from university teachers throughout the country. Findings from this study show that it was a great challenge for most universities to adopt online teaching and learning models at the beginning of the pandemic. Many factors, such as preparedness, limited resources including financial means, low digital literacy, internet connectivity and suitable physical and virtual infrastructure affected this transition. However, the findings also show that the COVID-19 pandemic created new opportunities for educators and practitioners to explore various professional development activities by trying out different digital pedagogies through practice and reflection. This article also highlights the immediate effect and long-term impact on teaching and learning regarding preparedness for future approaches to education in emergencies.

Professional Development Effectiveness of E-Learning on Quality of Students’ Performance in Higher Education

Technology has played an important role in education, changing the learning environment’s traditional style. Widespread use of technological devices harnesses the educational process and creates opportunities to make education available everywhere and at any time. E-learning provides a way to manage and overcome challenges faced by traditional higher education institutions by allowing them to be more competitive. This research conducted a case study of Taif University to evaluate the effectiveness of e-learning development in the higher education sector, and examined its impact on student performance quality, aiming to identify the important axes for developing higher education e-learning. The study analysed the requirements for developing e-learning and investigated opportunities to build and develop e-learning capabilities in higher education in general and Taif University in particular. Many external and internal influences contribute to e-learning trends in higher education; external funding, tuition fees, technology costs, and education development all influence internal pressure to reduce institutions’ costs. Thus, higher education is turning to e-learning to relieve these pressures, because it significantly reduces costs and improves both learning effectiveness and learning outcomes compared to traditional methods. Despite the advantages of e-learning, some higher education institutions remain in the experimental stages of developing and benefiting from it. This research study the relationships between e-learning difficulties, providing requirements, supporting e-learning, and providing e-learning services in higher education and quality performance.

The status of Physical Education service programs in Utah’s colleges and universities

Physical education service programs on college and university campuses vary across the United States. In the 1920s some 97 percent of institutions required physical education for their students, and that requirement held strong, with some 84-87 percent of colleges and universities still requiring it as a graduation requirement up through the 1960s. In the last 60 years, that percentage has dropped to an estimated 39.5. To get a clearer picture of the current status of physical education service programs across the United States, analyzing offerings on a state-by-state basis is needed. The purpose of this study was to determine the status of physical education service programs in Utah’s colleges and universities by examining the specific requirements of each institution to get as detailed and as accurate results as possible. Of Utah’s 10 traditional institutions of higher education, all 10 (100%) offer physical education courses; 1 (10%) mandates a wellness course as a graduation requirement for all students, and 4 (40%) have physical education courses as requirements in specific majors. These results corroborate the current trend that required physical education programming is decreasing across the nation. Nonetheless, physical education service programs are robust in Utah’s colleges and universities, with a wide range of offerings. These data are useful for the leaders in kinesiology as well as campus administrators to support the continuation of physical education service programs, if not to champion requiring physical education on college and university campuses because of its known effectiveness in improving the health and wellness of students and alumni.

Priorities for reorienting traditional institutions of higher education toward online teaching and learning: Thinking beyond the COVID-19 experience

The purpose of this study is to suggest priorities for reorienting traditional institutions of higher education (IHE) toward online teaching and learning beyond the COVID-19 experience. This research applied the qualitative research method. Data collection sources included both a systematic literature review relating to how COVID-19 informed online distance learning across the globe and an analysis of circulars germane to the pandemic that were issued by the Ministry of Education (MOE) in Saudi Arabia and by Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University (PSAU). Guided by those two types of data, that is, review of the literature in general and the MOE and PSAU circulars in particular, and also illuminated by their own experiences of online teaching during the lockdown, the researchers were able to put forward those priorities. For the systematic review of the literature, five steps were performed: (1) identifying search terms and developing and applying a search strategy; (2) screening the obtained research papers, removing duplicates and papers outside the focal point, and establishing inclusion/exclusion criteria; (3) assessing the research papers against the inclusion/exclusion criteria; (4) data extraction; and (5) data synthesis. Although this article does not suggest traditional IHE should go entirely digital, it highlights the need for IHE to ensure access to online learning content, develop more partnerships with community, develop online self-study skills, get students to shift from passive to active learning, and a need to reconsider current e-assessment. Additionally, the study emphasizes the need to provide additional support for faculty members, how university buildings should be gradually reopened, controlling factors influencing online learning outcomes, and addressing the issue of dropouts in IHE. Finally, the study underlines the need to add further emphasis to the importance of integrating blended learning in the university curriculum and navigating toward developing global distance learning programs.

The Role of Interdisciplinarity in Bringing PBL to traditional Universities: Opportunities and Challenges on the Organizational, Team and Individual Level


 
 
 Problem-based learning (PBL) has emerged as a suitable approach to shift from teacher-centered to learner-centered educa-tion. However, higher education institutions (HEIs) experience obstacles stemming from lecturers’ and students’ reservations as well as organizational challenges. Following action research, the author reflects on her implementation of interdisciplinary PBL within one exemplar case study to explore opportunities and challenges of interdisciplinarity in the transition toward a PBL curriculum in a traditional HEI. At the organizational level, interdisciplinarity facilitates collective knowledge creation about PBL by providing interdisciplinary learning spaces and in-house training. At the team level, lecturers as well as students can collectively learn about PBL. At the individual level, interdisciplinary student-to-student and lecturer-to-lecturer learning can enhance personal knowledge about PBL. Monodisciplinary structures, discipline-based differences in teaching and knowledge traditions, as well as individual prejudices are sources of challenges associated with interdisciplinarity in organizational learning.
 
 

Academic and pastoral teams working in partnership to support distance learning students according to curriculum area

ABSTRACTThe Open University has provided distance learning opportunities for 50 years and succeeds in offering its students many of the attributes of flexible learning. This article is a case study of the development of a highly successful partnership model of academic and pastoral support in mathematics and statistics at The Open University, and its application to flexible learning. The model involved reciprocal governance structures and equal status in the making of curriculum-related decisions. The model is illustrated by three examples throughout the student learning journey before, during and after study. The partnership model is applicable regardless of the curriculum area; hence the article is relevant to all disciplines. Equally, although the model was developed in the context of distance learning, its ethos remains relevant in the face-to-face context, all the more so given the prevalence of flexible learning and the growing number of distance learning courses being offered at traditional Higher Education Institutions across the sector.Abbreviations: OU: Open University; School: School of Mathematics and Statistics; SST: Student Support Team; VLE: Virtual Learning Environment

Entry qualifications of students as predictors of academic performance in various degree programs in distance education setting in Pakistan

Academic performance of students has always been the area of concern for educational institutions as it is a key indicator of institutional quality. In order to have a better quality output the higher education institutions set some admission criteria such as scores on specified international standardized tests, previous academic qualifications, and admission tests of students or a combination of such scores. Virtual University of Pakistan (VU) is a technology-based distance learning institution that facilitates students who are unable to attend traditional institutions of higher education for a variety of reasons. It was of interest to the researchers to study the entry qualifications of students i.e. the admission criteria, as predictor of their academic performance in various degree programs at VU. For that purpose, the data of 5825 graduates in different two years masters programs in 2015-16 were taken as sample. The entry qualifications of students, and cumulative scores of their previous academic qualifications were taken as predictors of their performance i.e. cumulative grade point average (CGPA,) in relevant degree program. Descriptive (range, percentage) and inferential (pearson r, multiple regression) statistics were applied after grouping the students into low, average and high achievers on cumulative scores as well as entry qualification scores. The results showed significant differences in the predictions and their implications are useful for policy makers and relevant departments of the university as well as for other distance learning educational institutions.

Factors influencing the intention to use social media for work-related purposes at a South African higher education institution

Orientation: The rapid development of information communication technology (ICT) has changed much of contemporary society. ICT’s influence extends to the working context with ramifications not only for employees but also for the entire organisation.Research purpose: The primary purpose of this research was to investigate the behavioural intention of a sample of employees at a traditional higher education institution to make use of social media within the workplace.Motivation for the study: Social media has become a common tool within society for communication and networking purposes. An understanding of the factors that influence behavioural intention to use social media within the workplace can assist the organisation to better manage social media usage within the workplace.Research design, approach and method: The research adopted the positivism paradigm with a quantitative research approach. The data were analysed making use of exploratory factor analysis and multiple regression analysis. A traditional higher education institution was chosen as the research site for the study, relying on a convenience sample (n = 134) and data gathered using the work-related social media scale and behavioural intention to use scale.Main findings: Although most employees make use of social media for problem-solving and communication purposes already in the workplace, organisations should allow their employees to help manage their reputation on social media.Practical and managerial implications: An understanding of the factors that influence behavioural intention to use social media within the workplace can serve as a useful precursor for both employee and organisational-specific interventions. This study has specific relevance to the use of ICT platforms, such as social media, in traditional higher education institutions in South Africa. The study’s results are therefore useful to both employees as end-users and managers as drivers of such interventions in the workplace.Contribution: This study is one of the first within a South African work context to investigate social media usage in a traditional higher education institution and proposes a workplace social media usage framework (WSMUF) that helps not only employees but also the entire organisation to predict intention to use social media in the workplace.

Mechanisms for credit transfer of e-learning results within the framework of educational programs of higher education

The evolving mechanisms of e-learning leads to new challenges for traditional institutions of higher education. Different countries adopt various mechanisms for their harmonization and integration of the MOOC to the educational process. The Russian system of higher education is distinguished by rigidity of its standards and the requirements both to the educational process and to the results of education. This had significantly complicated the implementation of the MOOC in the educational programs of Russian universities. Changes in the legislation and the adoption of a strategy for the development of the digital educational environment in the Russian Federation has provided new opportunities to Russian universities in this regard. The article is devoted to various options, mechanisms and practices for the credit transfer of e-learning by Russian universities, which were revealed during the monitoring of their legal acts placed in the open sources.

Culturally Responsive Teaching Knowledge and Practices of Online Faculty

Cultural differences between faculty and their students can create important challenges that affect the quality and efficacy of online teaching and learning. The objectives of this study were to: (a) create and pilot test an assessment for online faculty to measure culturally responsive teaching knowledge (CRT) and culturally responsive educational practices (CREP) in teaching and advising students of color, military students, LGBTQ students, religious minority students, and international students; (b) describe participants’ CRT knowledge, value, and CREP; and (c) examine differences between their knowledge and their practices. The combined pilot and main study sample was comprised of 47 completed surveys. Internal consistency reliability was high for all subscales (.895-.970); subscale intra-class correlation coefficients ranged from .526-.833. The pilot round revealed strong face and content validity. Campbell-Fiske multitrait-multimethod matrix generated evidence of construct validity. Within-group comparisons of subscale scores using Wilcoxon Signed-ranks test revealed some significant differences between perceived knowledge and practice. Mann Whitney U test did not reveal significant differences in subscale scores or overall score by sector, degree level taught, or gender. The results have important implications for faculty training, professional development, mentoring, and support. Faculty who teach online who understand and value culturally responsive pedagogy and have the knowledge and skills to implement best practices in meeting the needs of diverse learners will enhance both teaching and learning. Culturally responsive knowledges and practice are particularly important as online programs are becoming ubiquitous across traditional institutions of higher education and their core faculty are teaching an increasingly diverse student body.

A Study on the Policies, Finance, and Operations of Sungkyunkwan during the Great Han Empire

This study identified a couple of points based on the Sungkyunkwan policies, finance, and operations during the Great Han Empire. The first one concerned “modern education” and its definition and examined the status of Sungkyunkwan as a traditional higher education institution in it. The investigator regarded the core of modern education as the national education of the country, from which perspective both the government of Gabo Reform and that of Great Han Empire made a plan of building modern educational institutions from elementary school to college.BR Secondly, the study focused on the political position of Great Han Empire government in relation to the first point. The study looked into the patterns of financial organization at the government of Great Han Empire and traced the conflicts involved in the process of Sungkyunkwan trying to find financial resources in the official documents of the government those days, trying to shed light onto the point. A look at the financial organization reveals that the budget of Sungkyunkwan increased in 1899 when the Gwangmu Reform became full-blown, Confucianism was proclaimed as religion, and the establishment of government schools was active. Sungkyunkwan enjoyed better finance than before, but there were no further big changes to its budget since in spite of the government’s expanding finance. The pattern was also confirmed in the conflict between Naejangwon and Hakbu(Sungkyunkwan) over the budget of Sungkyunkwan in the local communities.

Modern higher education students within a non-traditional higher education space: not fitting in, often falling out

A growing number of studies are focusing on the ‘fit’ between the higher education student and the educational institution. These studies show that a lack of fit between the two generates anxiety, ultimately acting as a barrier to student learning. Research involving 23 higher education students attending a dual-sector further and higher education college in Northern Ireland was conducted in order to examine ‘this fit’. It was assumed that this fit should be greatest in a local institute serving the needs of its local population.Findings however highlight that the expectation of what a student is and should be by an institute is not in tandem to the life the student lives. Study participants cited an institute lacking in understanding; an institutional habitus that does little to make this a space that supports the learning needs of students.While this lack of understanding has been found in traditional higher education institutions, it is most surprising to find that it exists in a dual-sector organisation. The paper concludes that those who deliver higher education in this space must understand and respond to the modern-day student, before success of this initiative can be achieved.

Acceptability of Online Degrees in Employer Hiring Practices

Due to its flexibility and convenience, online education has become a feasible alternative for degree seeking students who are unable to attend a traditional higher education institution. Although ...

Acceptability of Online Degrees in Employer Hiring Practices

Due to its flexibility and convenience, online education has become a feasible alternative for degree seeking students who are unable to attend a traditional higher education institution. Although online courses and programs have their benefits, there remains an ongoing debate on issues related to credibility, quality, and acceptability among certain stakeholders including faculty, administrators, and employers. The current study focuses on one group of stakeholders-namely, hiring gatekeepers and employers; that is, those who are directly involved in the hiring process. Specifically, the objective is to explore hiring gatekeeper and employer acceptability of online degrees as a sufficient credential for employment. The data for this study was collected through a survey apparatus. Survey results reveal that there is still a strong preference among employers for traditional degree holding candidates. However, data also indicated some perceived difference in attitudes and perceptions based on an employer's position and industry.

Innovación y aplicación tecnológica en el ámbito de la Educación Superior universitaria. El empleo de los blogs en las universidades españolas.

The University is immersed in a scenario of change in which new teaching formulas in technology and multimedia content will be the main allies. Traditional institutions of higher education, face-to-face or online, reset their distribution and communication systems. They go from being the center of educational communication star to form simple knots of a network of networks, inside the great cyberspace, where the student/user is moving in a more flexible coordinate. In the same way, originated in these coordinates new space-temporal changes bring with them the emergence of different teaching organizations, which are consortia or networks of institutions and whose education systems are characterized by modularity and interconnection. All this requires universities easing in its usual procedures and its administrative structure, to be able to adapt to alternative forms of training more in line with the needs presented by this new partnership. Now, the implementation platforms blogs and other technological resources, contribute to the improvement of teaching quality and, therefore, to suitable training of students. As a continuation of the innovation technology, likely to be adopted at the University level, there are blogs as a channel, tool or resource of information and communication, whose use has become the technological revolution which marks the beginning of the so-called Web 2.0.

The Role of Advanced Networks in the Education of the Future: A Report of Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria i-Lab Initiatives

Many have predicted that a global network of affordable multimedia computers, on-line libraries, student-centered "leaning ware," and enhanced human communications in general will improve access to high-quality education on a scale that simply cannot be accomplished today. Although this may be a compelling vision of the future, many details, methods, capabilities, and even principles necessary to achieve it are not yet clear. Recent rapid progress on several fronts, however, suggests that much of this vision can be realized—and sooner rather than later. There is an exciting ferment in the entire field, both within and outside traditional institutions of higher education. This paper looks at how the emergence of an Advanced Internet has specifically broken the access, performance, and cost barriers that in the past have presented an insurmountable obstacle to the new vision of education at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. It then discusses the more fundamental opportunities and challenges concerning missions, goals, roles, methods, organization, and evaluation that will face most institutions of higher education once the technical barriers have been removed. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2013.v4n14p109

On the Horizon: The Year of the MOOCs

THE NEW MEDIA CONSORTIUM HORIZON REPORT 2013 IS NOW AVAILABLE. A STANDARD IN HIGHER EDUCATION SINCE 2002, THIS REPORT HIGHLIGHTS EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES AND THEIR POTENTIAL IMPACT ON TEACHING, LEARNING, AND CREATIVE INQUIRY. Starting with trends and challenges to higher education, the report projects emerging tools on a timeline that corresponds to three adoption horizons.The six trends identified in the report this year (Johnson et al., 2013) are not surprising but will certainly cause some angst in traditional higher education circles. Here is a brief look at the six trends:* Openness as a Value A new vision is emerging that defines open as free, copyable, remixable, and without any barriers to access or interaction (p. 7).* Massively Open Online Courses MOOCs are center stage and seem to be trending as the word of the year.* Workforce Demands Acquired from Informal Learning The emphasis is on critical thinking and communication skills.* Data Analytics These are used to personalize learning and identify students in need of attention.* The Ever-Changing Role of Educators Mentoring emerges.* Educational Models These are shifting to include online learning, hybrids, and collaborative learning.The challenges noted in this report seem similar to those in the past: lack of faculty development or training in digital media literacy; new forms of scholarship that outpace traditional academic performance metrics; and resistance to change. The demand for the use of learning analytics, the continued growth of new educational models that compete with traditional higher education institutions, and the continuing resistance of faculty are challenges surfacing in higher education institutions.I can speak from personal experience as a member of a university- wide Emerging Technologies Committee that is struggling with how to keep pace with the demands of new technologies. And, as a member of a campus-wide committee charged with developing a vision for online learning, I know that faculty are uneasy about the need for online learning opportunities. Committee members even resist using technology to conduct our meetings, so we meet face to face. As one of my colleagues, Dr. David Hildebrand of the Philosophy Department, aptly stated: seems we should be doing more than shooting emails back and forth - since we are the envisioners of the future, we should at least not be operating with steam engines and handlooms!Before moving to the real substance of the Horizon Report 2013, let's look at the Table to see how emerging technologies were projected during the past five years. Looking back, we can observe definite patterns and some consistency. Gaming, learning analytics, and mobile applications are present across multiple years. Tablet computing has spiked in the last two years and ebooks are becoming commonplace. With the increased number of tablets and smartphones, geo-everything, semantic-aware, and augmented reality functions are now an integral part of what we expect of our tools. Interacting with our tools with a tap or swipe is a common form of gesture-based computing. But there is continued growth in the development of high-fidelity systems that will allow people to use subtle body gestures to engage in virtual activities. Visual data analysis has a definite connection with learning analytics and the ability to easily comprehend and display results from Big Data. Smart objects have evolved to the Internet of Things (IOT) and will eventually lead to wearable computing. As noted in a previous column (Skiba, 2013), IOT will not only impact higher education but will have a transformative effect on health care. So let's explore the 2013 technologies.Tablets in Higher Education It is hard to believe the penetration since the introduction of the iPad in 2010. Look at any classroom and see how many students are using tablets. Many medical schools require tablets and sometimes give them to their students. …