University Learning Environment Research Articles

Mapping Student Engagement in Diverse Learning Environment in Universities: A Correlational Study

Mapping Student Engagement in Diverse Learning Environment in Universities: A Correlational Study

Humanitarian learning environment of the regional university as an object of monitoring and management

Introduction. Modernization of modern higher education determines new requirements to the structure of university learning environment as a part of educational space and social environment of students and updates its humanitarian component. The strategy of training humane centered individual is documented in the fundamental documents of the world's leading universities and presupposes an adequate mechanism for assessing the quality of this environment and its key subjects. At the same time, in the context of the implementation of the concept of academic leadership, national ideas in the field of science and education, a special role in the organization of monitoring the quality of education is assigned to the regions in order to maximize the effective realization of their human, intellectual and cultural capital.Materials and Methods. In accordance with the goals and objectives of the article, the research methodology is represented by a group of theoretical (analysis and generalization of scientific literature, synthesis of the obtained information) and empirical methods (survey, questionnaire, observation). The methodological basis was shaped by research in the field of humanization of universities learning environment, quality of higher education and monitoring of higher education. The author also proceeds from the understanding of the development of the regional system of higher educational as a highly organized multilateral interactions of various participants, the main among which include governing bodies, civil society institutions, employers, students, administration of educational institutions, teaching and academic staff.Results. Performance assessment and performance monitoring of universities represent one of the main open information sources for full-scale studies of the educational process and analysis of the current state of the learning environment of universities of different levels and focus. The paper discusses approaches of Russian and foreign researchers to genesis and structure of learning environment and humanitarian learning environment, describes the content of such key terms as «monitoring», «monitoring in education», «management in education». The main monitoring indicators proposed are the students' satisfaction with the main parameters of the educational process (learning activities, extracurricular activities, research activities), assessment of the spatial-semantic component of the university, employers' satisfaction with the quality of graduates' training.Discussion and Conclusions. Management of the quality of education in a modern university is directly related to the systematic monitoring of the quality of its learning environment. The author comes to the conclusion that the diversity of targets of monitoring the quality of higher education determines the plurality of approaches to the procedure of its implementation. The accumulation of monitoring data makes it possible to formulate a scientifically grounded judgment about the quality of the university learning environment as a whole and identify promising directions for further development. The obtained data confirmed the need to expand the fundamental humanitarian component of higher education as the basis for a holistic and systemic perception of the world, which, in turn, implies the modernization of the principles of selection and systematization of knowledge, the search for new forms of their synthesis, as well as the active interaction of science, art, natural sciences and humanities.

Disrupted student engagement and motivation: observations from online and face-to-face university learning environments

Student engagement is a crucial factor that can influence both the student learning experience and student success. The return to campus learning and teaching after the pandemic highlighted that many university students are still adapting to the shift to full-time online learning from hybrid or full-time on-campus learning and are still experiencing feelings of isolation, anxiety, and uncertainty. As higher education institutions adopt or embed digital methods of teaching and learning with simultaneously moving back to face-to-face learning environments, student feelings of isolation and disengagement are apparent to educators. This “transition,” in our opinion, has affected how learners engage in digital as well as face-to-face environments. Previous studies have highlighted the importance of engagement within an online setting as it brings about new factors for student learning and teaching that were not fully considered before. To address this issue, universities have sharpened the focus on improving student motivation, self-efficacy, and their sense of belonging within their learning community. As educators, it is important for us to understand this period of student disengagement and develop strategies to overcome and support students. We can acknowledge that such challenges are likely to resurface in the future; therefore, it is essential that we are able to provide frameworks to enhance student engagement within higher education. We believe that in creating an effective learning environment, whether it be online or on-campus, educators need to develop intrinsic motivation techniques and collaborative spaces to increase the sense of belonging for students and improve their overall engagement with their learning course content.

Perspectives on School Security Management for Conducive Learning Environment in Universities in Ebonyi State, Nigeria

Security tasks in the school system is a plague which tends to affect all the critical stakeholders and sundry. This study therefore explored the perspectives on school security management for conducive learning environment in Universities in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. The participants in the study were 1,800 samples(50%) of 2,650 security personnel, working at the two institutions (Alex Ekwueme Federal University and Ebonyi State University). Descriptive survey, three research questions and one hypothesis were used in the study. A validated instrument titled: Perspectives on Managing School Security for Conducive Learning Environments in Public Universities Scale (PMSSCLEPUS) with 30 items was used to collect data for the study. Kuder–Richardson formula was used to ascertain the reliability index of the instrument at .90. The collected data were analysed using mean, standard deviation and independent t-test. Findings indicated that the manifestation of insecurities in Universities in Ebonyi State were cult-related activities, abductions, sexual molestations and incursion of herdsmen into campus among others. Findings also showed that lack of modern security gadgets, poor funding of surveillance unit, poor security awareness and porous campus environment among others were the barriers to effective management of insecurities in Universities in Ebonyi State. The results equally indicated that Ebonyi State University is less significantly managing the perspectives of school security threat than Alex Ekwueme Federal University of Ndufu-Alike Ikwo. Based on the findings of this study, it was concluded that the security threats in Ebonyi State universities constitute a serious threat to conducive learning environment and hinders school activities. It was recommended among others that the surveillance unit of EBSU should be well funded and equipped with modern gadgets by the University management in collaboration with the State government in order to encourage conducive learning environments in public Universities in Ebonyi State of Nigeria.

Factors Affecting the Online Learning Outcomes of Higher Educational Institutions in Nepal

Purpose: This study primarily aims to examine and evaluate the factors affecting the outcomes of online classes during the COVID-19 pandemic period among university students in Nepal. Similarly, this study investigated management students’ perception of online management courses and explored the presence of factors that help to generate online learning outcomes in management courses and devise an online learning outcomes model.
 Methodology: Using a survey research design, the study applied a cross-sectional study in three out of eight universities that taught management courses. A purposive sampling method was applied to select the respondent students. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted to establish internal consistency and evidence of validity. To assess the responses to online classes, a multivariate linear regression analysis was used.
 Findings: Digital pedagogy, learning environment, ICT knowledge, COVID-19 context, ICT-friendly University and curriculum, and outcomes were identified as the factors from exploratory factor analysis. The overall students’ perceptions of the online management course had high reliability with Cronbarch’s alpha of 0.941. However, only three factors; digital pedagogy, learning environment, and ICT friendliness of university and curriculum were found to be significant as per the regression analysis.
 Originality/value: This study contributes to the management of higher educational institutions and the model can be used in future research. The findings will support on quality improvement of the online teaching mode.
 Implications: Nepalese universities have to work on the development of ICT infrastructure and courses should be redesigned with ICT features in mind for effective online learning. Furthermore, Nepalese higher educational institutions should step forward for institutional transformation, especially by following an ICT-friendly curriculum and structure with a gradual introduction of digital pedagogy in its regular courses.

Factors influencing effective smart learning environment in Malaysian universities

This study aims to examine the factors influencing an effective smart learning environment in the universities in Malaysia from the perspective of the students. Specifically, this study examines three key factors: students' attitudes towards smart learning, their perception of smart learning tools, and the impact of course design in the smart learning environment. This study utilized a quantitative approach using a questionnaire survey that was administered to a sample of 386 students enrolled in both private and public institutions without regard to their academic year. This study demonstrates that there exists a positive and statistically significant correlation between all three parameters and the efficacy of smart learning environments. These results suggest that institutions should consider the viewpoint of students when developing a smart learning environment. Ultimately, this has the potential to enhance their educational experience. This study's findings offer additional insights into the various factors that can impact the efficacy of smart learning environments. These insights can aid universities in formulating strategies to optimize the content, activities, and assessments within such environments, thereby enhancing their overall effectiveness.

Validating the Influence of School Learning Environment on Students’ Academic Performance in Selected Universities in Central Uganda

The global demand for higher education has been steadily increasing, leading to a rise in student numbers. This surge in enrollment has significant implications for students' learning environment, including factors such as class size and the availability of lecturers. The study was purposely to validate if the learning environment influences students’ academic performance in universities in Central Uganda. The study used 381 final-year undergraduates and 19 lecturers from Nkumba University and Kyambogo University, using a convergent parallel mixed methods research design. The study took both a subjective and objective epistemological stance. Data were collected using a five-point Likert scale structured questionnaire, interview guides, and findings corroborated with a documentary review. The correlation analysis revealed a positive and significant relationship between students’ learning environment and academic performance in the selected universities in Central Uganda (r=.457, p=.000<0.05), and regression analysis showed that all the constructs of students’ learning environment explain 26.7% of the variation in students’ academic performance (R²=0.267). Findings from the study may direct evidence-based policy reform in Uganda’s higher education. The limitations of the study included the selection of a small sample of only two universities which cannot be generalized to all universities in Uganda. The study recommends that policymakers and university management focus on improving the learning environment in universities in Central Uganda.

Learning to Teach in Out-of-University and Out-ofSchool Environments in Primary Teacher Education in Estonia, Finland, and Sweden

Learning in diverse settings during pre-service teacher training equips future primary teachers with the knowledge and skills to teach in authentic learning environments later in their work lives. This experience helps to meet the varying needs of their future students who have increasingly diverse cultural and socio-economic backgrounds with varying levels of access to learning and knowledge. During their university studies, pre-service teachers need to recognise the value of outof-school environments, reinforce awareness in practice, and reflect on experiences to deepen pedagogical thinking about learning environments. This multiple case study describes the common practices in the pre-service training of primary teachers at Tallinn University, University of Helsinki and Uppsala University concerning teaching in out-of-classroom learning environments. Our aim was to explore the ways that the three universities support pre-service primary teachers in using out-ofschool learning environments in their future practice. We intended to identify practices regarding our respective national curricula and university courses for pre-service primary teachers. We have three main suggestions for teacher educators regarding learning to teach in diverseenvironments: enable meaningful and reflective practical tasks in out of university learning environments for pre-service teachers; ensure the sustainability of external partnerships by stating collaborative practices in course programmes while leaving flexibility in the details; and reflect on professional networking across the boundaries of institutions.

Components of the university learning environment, academic burnout, and shame among pre-service teachers: A structural equation modelling approach

Previous studies have investigated the connections between university learning environments and academic burnout, as well as between university learning environments and academic shame among students. Also, burnout and shame are related. However, no empirical studies have been conducted to determine the relationships between the university environment, academic shame, and academic burnout among pre-service teachers. To examine this issue, the present study assessed a hypothesized model examining the relationship between the university environment and academic burnout through academic shame as a mediator among pre-service teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic. To this end, 700 pre-service teachers (114 males and 586 females from the Faculty of Education at Helwan University) were randomly selected for an invitation to complete a questionnaire. The data were analyzed using SPSS to develop operating descriptive results. Confirmatory factor analysis was adopted to ensure the construct validity of the instruments used. AMOS software was used to validate the structural equation model (SEM) created using maximum likelihood estimation. The resulting model had a good fit to the data, according to the SEM analysis. The significant standard coefficients of the drawn paths indicated that components of the university environment directly and negatively predicted academic burnout and its components. Also, academic shame directly and positively predicted academic burnout and its components during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the components of the university environment had an indirect effect on academic burnout and its components through the mediation of academic shame during the COVID-19 pandemic. The implications are considered, and recommendations are proposed for future research.

Modelling motivating education environment to enhence teaching english to university students

Improving the quality of language education in higher educational institutions of a non-linguistic profile without attracting additional material and other resources today seems to be an important task in the field of teaching foreign languages. Based on this attitude, the purpose of the work is to determine, taking into account the new learning conditions, in the structure of the educational environment of a non–linguistic university, a range of activities that optimize the process of learning a foreign language, including through the management of students' motivation. The article examines the role and place of such actions in the structure of the educational environment of a non-linguistic university and their impact on the quality of education, as well as the development of students' academic competence. To test the developed model, previously developed activities aimed at managing students' motivation to study were organized in groups of foreign language learners, which were built taking into account the structure of the university's learning environment. In addition to solving the actual educational tasks, this approach made it possible to demonstrate the potential of external and university electronic resources, developing students' ability to learn independently. As a result, students showed more independence in preparing for classes, and at the end of the course showed a higher level of development of communicative competence. The authors come to the conclusion about the need for systematic purposeful work on the management of motivation to learn, as an important factor affecting the effectiveness of the entire educational environment.

Exploring the Full Potential of Collaborative Learning and E-Learning Environments in Universities: A Systematic Review

This systematic review examines the challenges and potential solutions to improve the implementation of collaborative learning and e-learning environments in universities. The article analyzes 200 relevant articles published between 2014-2022 using a qualitative approach to identify themes and sub-themes related to collaborative learning and e-learning environments. The study reveals various learning methods employed, including MOOC (Massive Open Online Course), digital mind maps, and tripartite learning, but also highlights challenges such as lack of digital infrastructure, low-quality internet networks, and inadequate practical tools. The research emphasizes the need for effective leadership and management in vocational institutions and recommends further research on curriculum development, learning evaluation methods, lecturer performance assessment, and improving digital infrastructure and educator training. Collaboration with industry and other training institutions is also suggested to improve students' employability and entrepreneurship skills.

Students' sound environment perceptions in informal learning spaces: a case study on a university campus in Australia

PurposePhysical environments, especially the sound environments of ILSs on a university campus, have become increasingly important in satisfying the diverse needs of students. Poor sound environments are widely acknowledged to lead to inefficient and underutilised spaces and to negatively influence students' learning outcomes. This study proposes two hypotheses to explore whether students' sound environment perceptions are related to their individual characteristics and whether students' preferences for the type of ILS are related to their sound environment sensitivities.Design/methodology/approachAn investigation through a questionnaire survey has been conducted on both students' individual characteristics affecting their sound environment perceptions in informal learning spaces (ILSs) of a university campus and their sensitivities to the sound environments in ILSs affecting their preferences for the type of ILSs.FindingsThe research findings indicate that students' sound environment perceptions are associated with some of their individual characteristics. In addition, the results show that students' sound environment sensitivities affect their preferences for the type of ILS they occupy.Originality/valueThis study could help architects and managers of university learning spaces to provide better sound environments for students, thereby improving their learning outcomes. The article contributes valuable insights into the correlation between students' individual characteristics, sound environment perceptions and preferences for ILSs. The research findings add to the existing knowledge in this field and offer practical implications for enhancing design and management of university learning environments.

Проектирование и реализация административного узла институциональной обучающей виртуальной среды языкового вуза

The research is aimed at developing and testing a node of the institutional virtual learning environment of a linguistic university to monitor the learning process and to assist the management of the educational programs in decision-making, which would be organically combined with the corresponding lear¬ning nodes – both technically and conceptually. Scientific novelty lies in the fact that the notion of an ad-ministrative node is introduced into the concept of the virtual learning environment for the first time; in addition, the paper proposes an approach to the development of software solutions that are secondary to methodological aspects, that is, they proceed from the needs of the learning process and not from any “technical” circumstances. In the course of the research, firstly, the requirements for the functions of the administrative node were drawn up and the technical tools for its implementation were listed, sec-ondly, its complete programming code was written, including the construction of an interactive graphical user interface, and, thirdly, the created software package was tested and its viability as a node of the insti-tutional virtual learning environment of a language university was established. As a result, the correctness of the approach to creating software for the needs of the learning process as an add-on to the basis, which is made up of methodological components, has been proved. This approach is opposed to choosing ready-made software solutions, which lack flexibility and are poorly compatible with the actual processes of or-ganizing and implementing educational programs in specific conditions.

Using the Progressive Design Method in higher education: An analysis of cohesion, collaboration and inclusion dimensions

Many cognitive benefits for learning have been highlighted in the literature, due to peer feedback, but the relational aspects of this way of working, when it is implemented with groups of students, have been little investigated. This study aims to analyze some relational aspects of the use of peer feedback in the university context, considering in particular how the cohesion in the network of exchanges, the level of collaboration and inclusion of students, change during an activity carried out with a method based on peer feedback called Progressive Design Method. Eighteen undergraduate students participated in the study and worked in teams to develop projects in successive phases, each of which involved peer feedback in an online environment, Knowledge Forum. The results showed an increase in the values of the three dimensions (cohesion, collaboration and inclusion) in the first phases of work and a decrease in the last phase. The implications of the study focus on the possibility of creating collaborative learning environments in universities based on this method of work.

Retracted: Construction Path of Academic English Learning Environment in Colleges and Universities from the Perspective of Education Ecology.

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.1155/2022/6727334.].

Becoming the Mentors We Needed: Formative First-Year Practices and Motivating Factors of Peer Mentorship in College

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine formative first-year practices and motivating factors that encouraged first-year college students to pursue peer mentorship roles. The examination of peer mentorship within undergraduate populations owes much to Jacobi’s (1991) study on mentoring and academic success, which more recently has been continued by Nora and Crisp (2007), Crisp and Cruz (2009), and Crisp et al. (2017). Peer mentorship bolsters both individual student development and undergraduate enrollment (Crisp et al., 2017; Yomtov et al., 2017), and assuming a peer mentor role contributes in meaningful ways to a college learning environment (Kuh et al., 2011). Although a significant amount of research has been conducted on peer mentorship, there has been less focus on motivating factors during the first year of college that prompt peer mentors to seek such roles in their second year of undergraduate education. The results of this study indicated students were motivated to pursue peer mentorship roles for four reasons: the desire for community, their sense of self-efficacy, a vocational connection, and the opportunity to impact incoming students’ experiences. Implications of these results are discussed in terms of implementing formative best practices into first-year experiences as a means of encouraging and recruiting second-year peer mentors.

Constructing a Demand-Driven College English Learning Environment in Higher Education Institutions

ABSTRACT This paper aims to introduce a new approach to enhance college English learning through an intelligent method that constructs a learning environment from a demand analysis perspective. The proposed model utilizes a bionic algorithm to structure the algorithm and adopts a highly efficient energy generation method to calculate the interaction energy. This study aims to find the optimal solution to the constraint problem by using a process of continuous generation, expansion, and replacement of magnetosomes. The methodology employed in this research involved constructing the college English learning environment in colleges and universities from a demand analysis perspective. This was achieved by analyzing the needs and requirements of college students and designing an ecological virtual learning environment (EVLE) that meets their demands. The findings of this study indicate that the proposed EVLE for college English is effective in improving the effectiveness of college English learning. The experimental verification results support the effectiveness of the proposed model in creating an interactive and engaging learning environment that facilitates the acquisition of English language skills. It is an innovative approach to college English learning that utilizes intelligent methods to construct a demand-driven learning environment that enhances students’ learning outcomes.

Studying the influence of technology on the social connectedness of students: A hybrid university learning environment (HULE)

Student social connectedness is indicated to be changing as universities are becoming more digitalised. Although social connectedness is shown to have a significant influence on the learning process, little is understood about the relationship between student social connectedness and the hybrid university learning environment (HULE). This empirical study aims to develop understandings by exploring student social connectedness in a hybrid-style class at a Swiss university. The study applies theories of placemaking and socio-materiality to explore students’ self-reported and observed perceptions of individual social connectedness at the start of a university master’s level course. The qualitative study is conducted using questionnaire data and observational data collected over the first month of a new course starting in the Autumn semester. The findings indicate that although students favour flexibility to design their learning space, they require the appropriate tools and guidance in which to make effective decisions for their social connectedness. Understanding the correct implementation of co-design for the HULE is therefore deemed important to facilitate social connectedness, this is particularly necessary for the liminal space. These findings are preliminary as part of a larger research project and offer a basis for further research to be developed. This study offers an innovative perspective of the HULE based on student social connectedness, impacting the existing pedagogical approach for university courses.

Creative Problem Solving Process Instructional Design in the Context of Blended Learning in Higher Education

The Creative Problem Solving (CPS) process is a conceptual model that focuses on using higher-order thinking skills in order to overcome authentic problems during learning. The CPS process offers a structured methodology to enhance every learner's solid critical, creative, and innovative thinking skill. The application of the CPS method has been growing, including its implementation in the blended learning environment in universities. However, its application still requires a strategic framework that is by the blended learning conceptual model to facilitate the CPS process. Properly organized instructional design is an important element in maintaining the success of the CPS process in blended learning to encourage and promote learner creativity to solve problems. The application of the CPS method in the context of blended learning is integrated through synchronous and asynchronous patterns facilitated by the Moodle LMS-based e-Learning facility. This research aims to produce a CPS process instructional design in a blended learning context that is valid, practical, and effective and can systematically guide instructors or lecturers in facilitating students to be skilled in critical thinking and creative thinking in problem-solving processes. This development process is based on the incorporation of ideas related to the conceptual model of blended learning with the principles of the CPS process design strategy that has been developed. Instructional design was developed by applying the Research and Development (R&D) method, which implements several stages between Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation. The validity of the resulting model product was measured using a validation sheet of learning design experts, learning technology, media, materials, and linguists with the title of professor. Questionnaire responses from lecturers and students measured the product's practicality, and the product's effectiveness was measured by conducting testing of critical and creative thinking skills. The research data were analyzed using descriptive statistics to provide a quality score on the resulting instructional design. Based on the results of the study, it can be concluded that this learning design is valid, practical, and effective in improving the thinking skills of prospective teacher students. This proves that the instructional design developed has the feasibility to be used in learning, which can effectively improve the creative problem-solving process in the context of blended learning.

A Narrative Literature Review Using Placemaking Theories to Unravel Student Social Connectedness in Hybrid University Learning Environments

Student social connectedness is indicated to be changing with the increasing digitalisation of universities. This narrative literature review aims to bring new meanings to the hybrid university learning environment (HULE), and to develop a framework for the benefit of student social connectedness by using placemaking theories. It searches through the academic literature for evidence of experience with three attributes of social connectedness: socialising, social support, and sense of belonging, in relation to individuals’ sense of place, bringing a range of outcomes, such as identity development, which might contribute to improved social connectedness. This is then expanded in the HULE by looking at the physical and online spaces, with a focus on liminal space and co-design. The findings show that an overly rigid structure of the HULE can cause negative student social connectedness, with co-design being proposed as a way of creating a tailored and connected learning experience. However, this is underdeveloped for learning environment needs and could be enhanced by applying placemaking theories to map levels of student social connectedness in the physical location and in the more-than-real ‘non-places’. This provides an innovative perspective of the HULE based on student social connectedness, impacting the existing pedagogical approach for university courses.