Search results

1 – 10 of over 1000
Article
Publication date: 24 July 2019

Devrim Ozdemir, Heather M. Opseth and Holland Taylor

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate a process of faculty utilization of learning analytics by evaluating students’ course objective achievement results to enable student…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate a process of faculty utilization of learning analytics by evaluating students’ course objective achievement results to enable student reflection, student remediation and faculty curriculum evaluation.

Design/methodology/approach

Upon the completion of a backward curriculum design process, the authors utilized learning analytics to improve advising, student reflection, remediation and curriculum evaluation. The learning management system incorporated the learning analytics tool to assist the learning analytics process. The course faculty, student advisors and students utilized the learning analytics throughout the academic year.

Findings

Unlike relying merely on student grades and other proxy indicators of learning, the learning analytics tool provided immediate and direct data to multiple stakeholders for advising, student reflection, student remediation and course curriculum evaluation. The authors believe it was a meaningful endeavor. It enabled meaningful conversations focusing on course learning objectives and provided detailed information on each student. The learning analytics tool also provided detailed information regarding which areas faculty needed to improve in the curriculum.

Originality/value

Most of the literature on learning analytics present the cases that administrators utilized learning analytics to make higher level decisions and researchers to explore the factors involved in learning. This paper provides cases to faculty regarding how learning analytics can benefit the faculty and the students.

Details

Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, vol. 12 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2050-7003

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 January 2020

César Alberto Lucio-Ramirez, Juan Pablo Nigenda, Marisol Garcia-Garcia and Silvia Lizett Olivares

The current emphasis within education is on collaboration, data-driven decision-making, and assessment driven accountability. Medical education is now being oriented to guarantee…

141

Abstract

Purpose

The current emphasis within education is on collaboration, data-driven decision-making, and assessment driven accountability. Medical education is now being oriented to guarantee patient-centered care. Having appropriate data from student outcomes is crucial for decision making on both educational and health care institutions. This paper describes the development of a mobile app to assess the clinical competencies of medical students for timely and quality feedback.

Design

The app development included 4 phases. The conceptual model was designed on collaborative and multidisciplinary focus groups with clinicians, information technology professionals, hospital directors, and change managers. The prototype was an app with functional and friendly features to assess students with Patient-Centered Learning perspectives. Innovative features included student profiles, multiple examiners, customizable instruments, and data reports. The pilot started with faculty training and monitoring by information technology professionals. For a broader implementation, detailed rubrics were applied to assess the clinical competencies on bedside (ambulatory care, surgical procedures and emergency skills) and non-bedside learning moments (case discussions and rounds).

Findings

Non-bedside learning moments had the highest frequency (55.3 vs 28.8 per cent) of the records. Case discussions represented 40.7 per cent of assessments while rounds accounted for 14.6 per cent. In contrast, regarding the bedside learning moments, the emergency department had the lowest figures (3.5 per cent). It seems that faculty prefers to grade students on academic activities rather than complex student patient encounters.

Originality

Obtaining multiple results from real-time feedback promoted awareness of patient centeredness on medical students. Both the medical school and the hospital now have accountable information for decision making.

Details

Development and Learning in Organizations: An International Journal, vol. 34 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1477-7282

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 22 February 2024

Daniele Morselli

This article focuses on the assessment of entrepreneurship competence by selected vocational teachers in Italy. The exploratory research question addresses the extent to which…

Abstract

Purpose

This article focuses on the assessment of entrepreneurship competence by selected vocational teachers in Italy. The exploratory research question addresses the extent to which entrepreneurship assessments are competence based, and the research seeks to identify fully fledged assessment programmes with both a formative and summative component, and the use of assessment rubrics. It also explores the extent to which entrepreneurship competence is referred to in school documentation and later assessed, and the tools and strategies used for such assessment.

Design/methodology/approach

This case study is part of a larger European research project promoted by Cedefop; in Italy it focused on six selected vocational IVET and CVET programmes and apprenticeship schemes. It used a wide range of instruments to ensure triangulation and multiple perspectives: analysed policy documents and undertook online interviews with experts and policy makers. At VET providers' premises it deployed: analysis of school documents; observations of learning environments; interviews and focus groups with (in schools) teachers, directors and vice directors, learners and alumni (in companies) instructors, company tutors and employers, apprentices and alumni.

Findings

Assessment tasks were rarely embedded within fully fledged assessment programmes involving both formative and summative tasks, and assessment rubric for grading. Most of the time, entrepreneurship programmes lacked self-assessment, peer assessment and structured feedback and did not involve learners in the assessment process. Some instructors coached the students, but undertook no clear formative assessment. These findings suggest institutions have a testing culture with regard to assessment, at the level of both policy and practice. In most cases, entrepreneurship competence was not directly assessed, and learning outcomes were only loosely related to entrepreneurship.

Research limitations/implications

One limitation concerned the selection of the VET providers: these were chosen not on a casual basis, but because they ran programmes that were relevant to the development of entrepreneurship competence.

Practical implications

At the policy level, there is a need for new guidelines on competence development and assessment in VET, guidelines that are more aligned with educational research on competence development. To ensure the development of entrepreneurship competence, educators need in-service training and a community of practice.

Originality/value

So far, the literature has concentrated on entrepreneurship education at the tertiary level. Little is known about how VET instructors assess entrepreneurship competence. This study updates the picture of policy and practice in Italy, illustrating how entrepreneurship competence is developed in selected IVET and CVET programmes and apprenticeships.

Details

Education + Training, vol. 66 no. 10
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0040-0912

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 June 2017

Nadine Hoffman, Susan Beatty, Patrick Feng and Jennifer Lee

This pilot aims to study a way of integrating research and writing support into a university course along with content. Research and writing skills are not taught explicitly in…

2208

Abstract

Purpose

This pilot aims to study a way of integrating research and writing support into a university course along with content. Research and writing skills are not taught explicitly in most university courses, yet these skills are increasingly required both in and outside of the classroom.

Design/methodology/approach

An embedded, collaborative instructional team comprising the instructor, librarians and writing specialists re-designed a first-year inquiry-based learning course, incorporating research and writing instruction throughout, formative and summative assessments and a flipped classroom model. At the end of the course, each member of the team reflected on their collaborative and individual experiences. The team also surveyed students to gauge their perceptions of the research and writing sessions.

Findings

The team learned from this experience and noted a large, but rewarding, time commitment. The flipped classroom model allowed the tailoring of instruction to students’ needs but required more work by librarians to prepare content and to grade. Students indicated appreciation for repeated interactions with librarians and reported confidence to use the skills taught.

Originality/value

Embedding librarians throughout the course with a writing specialist, as well as involvement in grading, is novel – this may be the first example in the literature of “deep integration”. The concept of “embedded librarianship” can be enhanced by expanding librarian and other support roles in a course.

Details

Reference Services Review, vol. 45 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0090-7324

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 30 August 2021

Oluseyi Matthew Odebiyi

The purpose of this study is to explore the dynamics of critical thinking for informed action within the frame of six sample US states’ Kindergarten-5 social studies content…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore the dynamics of critical thinking for informed action within the frame of six sample US states’ Kindergarten-5 social studies content standards.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used quantitative content analysis. In addition to describing how the states’ standards present critical thinking for informed action, four variables were included: the enrollment weight of the states, textbook adoption status to advance standards, summative test status for social studies and grade levels.

Findings

The results indicate complex variations in context-based critical thinking levels are required by the sample states’ content standards with an extensive orientation toward superficial contextual thinking.

Originality/value

The study provides a new lens with which to make sense of students’ context-based critical thinking, as it relates to the expectations found in standards. It discusses the implications of the states’ K-5 standards on engaging students in critical thinking.

Details

Social Studies Research and Practice, vol. 16 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1933-5415

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 July 2016

Kenneth Strang

Many universities now offer courses online using learning management systems (LMS). Numerous studies have been conducted to assess the effectiveness of the LMS but few studies…

Abstract

Purpose

Many universities now offer courses online using learning management systems (LMS). Numerous studies have been conducted to assess the effectiveness of the LMS but few studies have examined how student online behavior within the course, or what they think about the online course, are related to their actual learning outcomes. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, student activity in an online business course was captured though learning analytics and assignments to determine if online activity and reflective learning impact final grade. A post-positivist ideology was employed. The dependent variable was the grade resulting from five assignments assessed using rubrics. Correlation, t-tests, multiple regression, surface response regression, General Linear Model (GLM)/F-tests, text analytics, analysis of means (ANOM), and cluster analysis were used to test the hypotheses.

Findings

Four statistically significant predictors of online student learning performance were identified: course logins, lesson reading, lesson quiz activity, and lesson quiz scores. This four factor model captured 78 percent of variance on course grade which is a strong effect and larger than comparative studies using learning analytics with online courses. Text analytics and ANOM conducted on student essays identified 17 reflective learning keywords that were grouped into five clusters to explain online student behavior.

Research limitations/implications

First, from a pedagogy standpoint, encouraging students to complete more online lessons including quizzes, generally promotes learning, resulting in higher grades, which is a win:win for students and for the university. Second, from an IT perspective, the student pre and post testing resulted in statistically significant increase of IT-course knowledge, which puts students on a solid foundation to begin an online business course. Additionally, the link between students voicing IT problems but nonetheless scoring very well on the course certainly implies the development of IT self-efficacy, developed partly through the pre and post testing process. A clear link was established between course learning objectives and student learning performance by using a unique text analytics procedure.

Originality/value

The mixed-methods research design started with hypothesis testing using parametric and nonparametric techniques. Once a statistically significant predictive GLM was developed, qualitative data were collected from what the students thought as expressed in their last essay assignment. Text analytics was used to identify and statistically weight the 17 most frequent reflective learning keywords from student essays. A visual word cloud was presented. Parametric statistics were then used to partition the reflective learning keywords into grade boundaries. Nonparametric cluster analysis was used to group similar reflective keyword-grade associations together to form five clusters. The five clusters helped to explain student online behavior.

Details

Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, vol. 8 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2050-7003

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 22 June 2012

Iain McPhee and Tor Söderström

The purpose of this paper is to discuss performance in postgraduate education in Sweden and Scotland. Drawing on two cases, the paper considers three themes: differences in…

3072

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss performance in postgraduate education in Sweden and Scotland. Drawing on two cases, the paper considers three themes: differences in students’ performance by study mode, differences in students’ performance by length of study, and finally comparing performance by study mode between modules in Scotland with an entire programme in Sweden.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical setting from Scotland builds on an evaluation of online and on‐campus study groups with exactly the same module syllabus. The Swedish setting is also based on an evaluation of distance and on‐campus study groups with exactly the same module syllabus. The data compiled in both countries arise from student performance scores and grades.

Findings

The results indicate that students in both countries foremost use the virtual learning environment (VLE) as a forum for accessing information, to access asynchronous postings in the forums and access streaming‐synchronous online lectures which are also accessed asynchronously in the VLE. The results show that there are no differences between the grades or test scores between campus students with face‐to‐face education and distance students with electronically (VLE) mediated education. These differences and similarities will form the basis of these reflections in this paper.

Research limitations/implications

The study is limited because the examples given are only a few cases and small samples and there is a need to more rigorously investigate different educational programs in different academic disciplines.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to quality issues in distance, online and campus education by taking into account, in the first case, different student performance in the same course over a longer period and in the second case, changes over time within the same educational program.

Details

Campus-Wide Information Systems, vol. 29 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1065-0741

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 2 September 2014

Musa Matovu and Ainol Madziah Zubairi

– The purpose of this paper is to analyse the lecturers’ self-perceived competencies and practices in assessing students.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the lecturers’ self-perceived competencies and practices in assessing students.

Design/methodology/approach

An Assessment Practices Inventory Modified was administered to a sample of 329 randomly selected lecturers from six universities in Uganda. Factor analysis and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) were used to address the research questions.

Findings

The results of factor analysis yielded a factor structure of four variables; design, administration, interpretation, and application. The MANOVA multivariate test results highlighted differences in assessment competencies and practices among lecturers in the different academic levels (Wilks’ λ=0.732, F(16, 313)=5.624, p<0.05, η2=0.075), and in the interaction between type of university, specialisations, and academic levels (Roy's largest root=0.073, F(8, 313)=2.543, p<0.05, η2=0.068). The Tukey HSD post hoc test results revealed that lecturers in the specialisation of education were different from their counterparts in other specialisations, in interpreting assessment results. Academic levels differences existed in all the dependent variables (design, administration, interpretation, and application). No differences existed in assessment competencies and practices between lecturers in the different types of universities.

Originality/value

Lecturers have been found to differ in their assessment competencies and practices, according to their specialisations and academic levels. It has been recommended in this study, that, assessment training programmes be made mandatory to all lecturers in universities, in order to bridge the gap their competencies and practices in assessing students.

Details

Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, vol. 6 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2050-7003

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 1 December 2004

John Burt

Students entering Zayed University are expected to become active participants in their learning. However, the majority of these students have come from a public education system…

1077

Abstract

Students entering Zayed University are expected to become active participants in their learning. However, the majority of these students have come from a public education system that is recognized to focus on teacher-centered passive learning. Students may be unprepared for this transition. This paper reports on a case study of changes in performance and motivation for students transitioning from passive learning to active learning.

Three students from the public education system were followed through two consecutive courses employing increasing active learning. Methods included observations, surveys, and interviews. Results indicate that the initial transition from passive learning to active learning has a negative impact, mainly due to inadequate preparation. However, subsequent development of skills through exposure results in improvement to the extent that motivation and performance exceed high school levels. It is concluded that the transition from active learning has the capacity to greatly improve student achievement if properly managed.

Details

Learning and Teaching in Higher Education: Gulf Perspectives, vol. 1 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2077-5504

Abstract

Details

Remembering the Life, Work, and Influence of Stuart A. Karabenick
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80455-710-5

1 – 10 of over 1000