Search results
1 – 10 of over 14000The purpose of this paper is to investigate the attitudes of students in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) towards non‐institutionally sanctioned student evaluation web sites, and to…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the attitudes of students in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) towards non‐institutionally sanctioned student evaluation web sites, and to consider how educational institutions might respond to the demands of students for specific information.
Design/methodology/approach
The study involved a self‐completed questionnaire administered to 118 undergraduate students at a single university in the UAE.
Findings
Even though there exists no UAE‐based web site that carries student evaluations of faculty/teaching, 13 per cent of the survey participants had previously visited a site that held student ratings, 85 per cent said they would consider posting on one if it existed in the country, and just over a half of the students were in favour of such web sites being established in the UAE.
Research limitations/implications
Despite limitations, such as the sample size and convenience sampling strategy, it is clear that students appreciate information about course evaluations and that educational institutions should consider how students obtain this information.
Practical implications
The advent of student evaluation web sites in the UAE could bring a set of challenges and opportunities to educational institutions, but, whether they are established or not, institutions might benefit from developing effective strategies for the dissemination of course evaluation and other student‐related data in the near future.
Originality/value
Student evaluation web sites, such as RateMyProfessors.com, are popular in the USA, Canada and the UK, but it was unknown how students in a relatively conservative country such as the UAE would react to such web sites. Educational institutions can use the findings of this study to develop suitable policies and strategies that address the issues discussed herein.
Details
Keywords
The aim of this paper is to present the Information Literacy Instruction Assessment Cycle (ILIAC), to describe the seven stages of the ILIAC, and to offer an extended example that…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this paper is to present the Information Literacy Instruction Assessment Cycle (ILIAC), to describe the seven stages of the ILIAC, and to offer an extended example that demonstrates how the ILIAC increases librarian instructional abilities and improves student information literacy skills.
Design/methodology/approach
Employing survey design methodology, the researcher and participants use a rubric to code artifacts of student learning into pre‐set rubric categories. These categories are assigned point values and statistically analyzed to evaluate students and examine interrater reliability and validity.
Findings
By engaging in the ILIAC, librarians gain important data about the information behavior of students and a greater understanding of student strengths and weaknesses. The ILIAC encourages librarians to articulate learning outcomes clearly, analyze them meaningfully, celebrate learning achievements, and diagnose problem areas. In short, the ILIAC results in improved student learning and increased librarian instructional skills. In this study, the ILIAC improves students' ability to evaluate web sites for authority.
Research limitations/implications
The research focuses on librarians, instructors, and students at one institution. As a result, specific findings are not necessarily generalizable to those at other universities.
Practical implications
Academic librarians throughout higher education struggle to demonstrate the impact of information literacy instruction on student learning and development. The ILIAC provides a much needed conceptual framework to guide information literacy assessment efforts.
Originality/value
The paper applies the assessment cycle and “assessment for learning” theory to information literacy instruction. The ILIAC provides a model for future information literacy assessment projects. It also enables librarians to demonstrate, document, and increase the impact of information literacy instruction on student learning and development.
Details
Keywords
Nora Hegarty, Tina Hurley and Ted Lynch
The purpose of the paper is to report on the experience of a library‐based Learning Support Unit at Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT). It examines the background to the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the paper is to report on the experience of a library‐based Learning Support Unit at Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT). It examines the background to the educational experience in libraries, major trends and resources in the area of library education, emerging strategies and how they are being translated into practical activities at WIT.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper provides an overview of the educational initiatives of libraries in general and of WIT Libraries in particular. It takes a descriptive or instructional “how to” approach to its topic. Research methods used include a qualitative analysis of contemporary writings on the subject, first hand accounts and evaluations of the experience of library staff at WIT Libraries, and formal and informal student surveys.
Findings
The paper underlines the need for the library to be an equal partner in the educational process. The value of the librarian/lecturer partnership to the student experience is recognised. The paper finds that, in WIT's experience, it has been possible to position the library over a comparatively short timeframe as a major strategic asset for its institution simply by drawing largely on the skills and experiences of existing library staff in partnership with lecturing staff on curriculum‐related projects.
Originality/value
The paper shows that it is possible for a comparatively small unit to advance library education in its parent organisation in practical, achievable steps.
Details
Keywords
Stephen Wilkins and Melodena Stephens Balakrishnan
Given that there exists in the literature relatively little research into student experiences in transnational higher education, the purpose of this paper is to identify the…
Abstract
Purpose
Given that there exists in the literature relatively little research into student experiences in transnational higher education, the purpose of this paper is to identify the determinants of student satisfaction at international branch campuses in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Design/methodology/approach
This quantitative study involved 247 undergraduate and postgraduate students at branch campuses in the UAE who completed a questionnaire using either hard copies or an online version.
Findings
It was found that levels of student satisfaction at UAE branch campuses were generally high. The factors that were most influential in determining whether or not a student at a UAE branch campus was satisfied overall with their institution were quality of lecturers, quality and availability of resources, and effective use of technology.
Research limitations/implications
Given that cultures, customs, traditions and social contexts vary considerably in different locations, the findings of this study are not generalisable across all international branch campuses globally.
Practical implications
The findings indicate that there remains scope for UAE branch campuses to further increase levels of student satisfaction. Managers might use the findings to review their own institution's performance, so that areas for improvement can be identified.
Originality/value
Given that the logit model developed had an 87.4 per cent success rate in predicting whether or not a student at a UAE branch campus was satisfied overall with their institution, this research has demonstrated the potential usefulness of logistic regression as a predictive and explanatory tool in education management.
Details
Keywords
This study aimed to investigate the impact of social media advertising features (interactivity, perceived relevance, informativeness and entertainment) on brand engagement in the…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aimed to investigate the impact of social media advertising features (interactivity, perceived relevance, informativeness and entertainment) on brand engagement in the fast food industry. It was also designed to identify the effect of brand engagement on purchase intention.
Design/methodology/approach
The data was gathered from 258 customers of fast food restaurants in United Arab Emirates using an online survey. The collected data was analyzed via the partial least square approach (PLS-SEM) to verify the hypotheses and reach at conclusions.
Findings
The findings indicated that social media advertising features have positive effects on brand engagement. In particular, it was found that interactivity, perceived relevance, informativeness and entertainment are positively associated with brand engagement. The results also confirmed that brand engagement has a positive effect on purchase intention.
Originality/value
This study provides a noteworthy contribution to the literature by examining the effect of four unique social media advertising features on consumer engagement. By looking at previous studies, it can also be observed there is a limited empirical research on the effect of perceived relevance and informativeness on brand engagement. It further focuses on covering existing gaps in the literature concerning the effect of brand engagement on purchase intention in the fast food industry setting. This is one of the earlier studies that collectively examined these factors in model; particularly, in fast food industry setting with empirical data from a Middle East country.
Details
Keywords
Vaughan C. Judd, Lucy I. Farrow and Betty J. Tims
The purpose of this paper is to discuss the attempt to find an evaluation instrument for undergraduate students to use to evaluate public web sites, the analysis of the variety of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to discuss the attempt to find an evaluation instrument for undergraduate students to use to evaluate public web sites, the analysis of the variety of instruments discovered, the subsequent development of an appropriate instrument, and the application of the instrument in workshops with students.
Design/methodology/approach
The instrument was created based on the following criteria that the authors determined would meet the students' needs. It focuses exclusively on the information aspect of a web site, has some basis in theory or is based on an accepted model, is parsimonious, is quantitative, with both absolute and relative measures, and indicates whether or not the information should be accepted or rejected. The instrument was also developed with the goal of focusing on the process rather than the outcome.
Findings
Although a number of diverse evaluation instruments from the literature and from web‐based sources were examined, none was deemed suitable for students to use so the authors developed their own.
Originality/value
The authors concurred that, based on their assessment of the learning environment, the focus of an instrument should be on evaluation as a process.
Details
Keywords
Using a questionnaire distributed to participants in the library instruction programmes at two Canadian universities, the author studied students’ understanding of the need for…
Abstract
Using a questionnaire distributed to participants in the library instruction programmes at two Canadian universities, the author studied students’ understanding of the need for Web site evaluation and their ability to articulate criteria for evaluation. The results show that students view Web sources somewhat critically and are aware of standard Web site evaluation criteria.
Details
Keywords
Tony Doyle and John L. Hammond
The purpose of this paper is to show how web sites can be a valuable research source for students if approached with due caution.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to show how web sites can be a valuable research source for students if approached with due caution.
Design/methodology/approach
This article is the product of collaboration between a sociology professor and a librarian. The authors discuss the nature of their collaboration and present their views on web evaluation in the context of an extensive literature review.
Findings
Reputable print sources have numerous mechanisms to help ensure reliability: proven authors and editors, track record, and (sometimes) peer review. Obviously, the vast majority of web sites lack these features. Accordingly, the paper offers a critical look at the standard criteria of web evaluation with illustrations from two sites, one credible, one not.
Originality/value
Healthy skepticism regarding the internet is urged. It is suggested that web evaluation has costs and benefits. The chief benefit of careful web site evaluation is that the process makes it more likely than otherwise that one will wind up with reliable sites. The main cost is that evaluation takes time, and the value of a given piece of information declines according to the effort one spends verifying it. A second potential cost is that undue skepticism can prompt one to dismiss perfectly respectable sites.
Details
Keywords
Robert J. Nathan, Paul H.P. Yeow and San Murugesan
This paper aims to report on a web usability study and to identify and prioritise key web interface usability factors (WIUFs) for web sites of 36 student‐related online services…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to report on a web usability study and to identify and prioritise key web interface usability factors (WIUFs) for web sites of 36 student‐related online services categorised into three groups: personal services, purchase services and study‐related web sites.
Design/methodology/approach
In this study, involving 400 student internet users (SIUs), 12,310 data points were collected and analysed using a multiple linear regression test. Seven WIUFs were tested: use of colour and font (UCF), use of graphics and multimedia (UGM), clarity of goals in web site (CGW), trustworthiness of web site (TOW), interactivity of web site (IOW), ease of web navigation (EWN), and download speed of web site (DSOW).
Findings
The study results reveal that every online service category has a different set of crucial WIUFs. SIUs' web usability preferences were compared with those of general internet users.
Research limitations/implications
The participants were all Malaysians; therefore, generalising the findings to all SIUs will require a confirmatory study with SIUs from other parts of the world.
Practical implications
Web developers can use the results to design usable web sites for specific online service categories.
Originality/value
The research offers a simpler alternative to measure web usability and to determine which WIUFs are crucial for a specific online service category with consideration of the users' role. This study overcomes some weaknesses of previous studies, i.e. small sample size, no consideration of product‐task relationship, no specific customer group and cumbersome procedures.
Details
Keywords
Lara Ursin, Elizabeth Blakesley Lindsay and Corey M. Johnson
In light of the general emerging focus on assessment, it is imperative that librarians develop effective methods for evaluating their instructional endeavors. This study involved…
Abstract
In light of the general emerging focus on assessment, it is imperative that librarians develop effective methods for evaluating their instructional endeavors. This study involved analyzing the frequency with which Washington State University Freshman Seminar students used items from librarian‐constructed resource guides. In addition, the researchers evaluated the quality of Web sites used in the freshman seminar final projects. Regardless of the information format and special treatment to place resource guide items at their fingertips, students largely did not use the librarian‐recommended resources. Citation analysis of the student Web sites exhibited a broad spectrum of quality levels and raised key questions about Web site evaluation. Ideas for improving student resource selection are discussed.
Details