Search results
1 – 10 of over 1000Investment in graduate education is costly in various ways so completion success is a big concern for universities and stakeholders. Largely the graduate educational landscape…
Abstract
Purpose
Investment in graduate education is costly in various ways so completion success is a big concern for universities and stakeholders. Largely the graduate educational landscape moves along a commonly structured path from acceptance to graduation. Despite many having successfully attained the award, the research literacies that signal doctoral achievement remain obscure and scholars continue to struggle with developing clear and tangible measures for the competencies that represent attainment of the degree. Feedback gathered from faculty at a large research institution through a series of semi-structured interviews illustrated the challenge departments have to effectively communicate what it takes to get through graduate education. As a result students still have a difficult time understanding the complexity of graduate training. This study views graduate education from the lens of intellectual journeys, as opposed to the research lifecycle, as a way of uncovering distinct disciplinary discourse practices and offering libraries critical points to align services using this framework.
Design/methodology/approach
The methodology is highly flexible and adaptable to many contexts besides graduate education. This study takes a different approach from previous studies in its framing of discussions with academic faculty, using journey maps, to focus on the intellectual journeys of graduate students. Faculty from different disciplines participated in one-on-one, hour-long interviews. Discussions were audio recorded, transcribed, and then coded into NVivo. Iterative review on the data continued until themes emerged. The data gathered were used to compile a detailed map of the processes and requirements that make up graduate education. This approach to the data helped to identify what faculty perceive as the greatest struggles for graduate students and provide evidence of the key places within the intellectual journeys of graduate students.
Findings
This paper provides a discussion of graduate student personas revealed through intellectual journeys, assesses the issues students encounter, shares critical time points and key places within these intellectual journeys where significant development occur, and suggests how libraries can and should connect with graduate committee members to establish missing support structures. Practical suggestions for library support are given for the areas where students struggle most. These critical services can be aligned to key developmental phases that will not only positively impact the time to completion but also retention.
Originality/value
First, the methodology discussed is highly flexible and adaptable to many contexts besides graduate education. Second, librarians adopting this methodology can generate their own editable journey maps not only to offer the most critical services but these tools also double as visual communication and negotiation tools for graduate students and their mentors during graduate training. Third, previous research has suggested that the most instrumental factor for graduate students completing their degree was the concept of forward progress. Framing the graduate experience and orienting library graduate support through the lens of disciplinary intellectual journeys achieves an action-oriented approach that supplements and addresses structural inequities by providing consequential support at meaningful points in a student’s journey thus allowing students to make forward progress and ultimately lead to faster completion rates.
Details
Keywords
Rebecca Rogers, Martille Elias, LaTisha Smith and Melinda Scheetz
This paper shares findings from a multi-year literacy professional development partnership between a school district and university (2014–2019). We share this case of a Literacy…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper shares findings from a multi-year literacy professional development partnership between a school district and university (2014–2019). We share this case of a Literacy Cohort initiative as an example of cross-institutional professional development situated within several of NAPDS’ nine essentials, including professional learning and leading, boundary-spanning roles and reflection and innovation (NAPDS, 2021).
Design/methodology/approach
We asked, “In what ways did the Cohort initiative create conditions for community and collaboration in the service of meaningful literacy reforms?” Drawing on social design methodology (Gutiérrez & Vossoughi, 2010), we sought to generate and examine the educational change associated with this multi-year initiative. Our data set included programmatic data, interviews (N = 30) and artifacts of literacy teaching, learning and leading.
Findings
Our findings reflect the emphasis areas that are important to educators in the partnership: diversity by design, building relationships through collaboration and rooting literacy reforms in teacher leadership. Our discussion explores threads of reciprocity, simultaneous renewal and boundary-spanning leadership and their role in sustaining partnerships over time.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to our understanding of building and sustaining a cohort model of multi-year professional development through the voices, perspectives and experiences of teachers, faculty and district administrators.
Details
Keywords
This paper reports a sub-set of results from a mixed-method ethnographic study of literacy among female graduates and undergraduates of a United Arab Emirates public university…
Abstract
This paper reports a sub-set of results from a mixed-method ethnographic study of literacy among female graduates and undergraduates of a United Arab Emirates public university. With reference to survey data and two in-depth interviews, the paper focuses in particular on the predispositions and preferences of these women with regard to reading and writing in English and Modern Standard Arabic. Employing a New Literacy Studies theoretical framework along with a number of concepts developed by Bourdieu, the paper finds that literacy practices in this context are developing rapidly, influenced by the diverse transnational linguistic marketplaces in which these women grow up. Suggestions are made with regard to possible directions for curricular development in higher education in this region based on the opinions expressed by these young women.
Şeyma Şahin and Abdurrahman Kılıç
Researchers have previously utilized the project-based 6E learning model and the problem-based quantum learning model in various courses, such as the instructional principles and…
Abstract
Purpose
Researchers have previously utilized the project-based 6E learning model and the problem-based quantum learning model in various courses, such as the instructional principles and methods course and the character and values education course. These models were evaluated for their impact on students in different subjects, including developing skills, values, democracy perceptions, attitudes towards cooperative learning, metacognitive thinking skills and teacher self-efficacy perceptions. In 2023, Ökmen, Sahin and Kiliç reported positive outcomes, while Sahin and Kiliç reported similar findings in 2023a, 2023b and 2023c. There has been no investigation into how the models affect students' critical thinking and academic literacy. This study seeks to determine the impact of both models on these skills, gain more insight into their effectiveness and determine which is more beneficial. The results will guide the decision-making process for the character and values education course and other courses in the future. Specifically, this research aims to compare the effects of the project-based 6E learning model and problem-based quantum learning model on critical thinking and academic literacy.
Design/methodology/approach
This research employed the Solomon four-group experimental design to assess the efficacy of the applications. Prior knowledge and experience of the participants were evaluated through pretests. However, it should be noted that pretests may impact posttest scores either positively or negatively. For instance, participants taking the test multiple times may become more interested or attentive to the subject matter. The Solomon four-group design was deemed appropriate to analyze the influence of pretesting. This design enables the investigation of the application effect, pretest effect and interactive effect of pretest and application (van Engelenburg, 1999).
Findings
It was concluded that the project-based 6E learning model was effective in developing critical thinking in students, but not significantly. It was concluded that the problem-based quantum learning model significantly improved students' critical thinking skills. It was concluded at the end of the study that the project-based 6E learning model notably enhanced students' academic literacy. It was concluded that the problem-based quantum learning model had a significant positive impact on students' academic literacy. According to research, it has been determined that the problem-based quantum learning model is superior in enhancing critical thinking abilities compared to the project-based 6E learning model. Nevertheless, there seems to be no detectable disparity in the academic literacy advancement of pupils between the problem-based quantum learning model and the project-based 6E learning model.
Originality/value
There has been no investigation into how the models affect students' critical thinking and academic literacy. This study seeks to determine the impact of both models on these skills, gain more insight into their effectiveness and determine which is more beneficial. The results will guide the decision-making process for the character and values education course and other courses in the future.
Details
Keywords
Rahmat Budiman and Andre Iman Syafrony
This study aimed to acquire a comprehensive understanding of the digital literacy skills possessed by first-year students and how they impact students' participation in online…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aimed to acquire a comprehensive understanding of the digital literacy skills possessed by first-year students and how they impact students' participation in online classes.
Design/methodology/approach
This research was conducted using a quantitative method to investigate first-year students' digital literacy and its effect on their interaction in online learning. Nine hundred and two students from 19 online English writing classes were invited to complete an online survey questionnaire. The sampling approach was conducted by a nonrandom method. Prior to the data collection, the instrument was reviewed by researchers and peers with quantitative and Indonesian language backgrounds. The procedure was conducted to ensure that the instrument covered the objective of the research.
Findings
The results showed that students digital literacy in the first semester, in general, is still in the low category. The average score for each competency area still varies. The average score on information and data literacy competence was low. The average score for communication and collaboration competence was in the medium category. The average score for the digital content creation competence area is low.
Practical implications
The authors suggest that educational institutions should consider organizing primary student digital literacy training or optimizing the lecture process to improve students' digital literacy and further research could usefully explore how information and communication technology (ICT) skills affect student performance.
Social implications
The study reveals the importance of digital literacy of students for online teaching learning. In order to achieve quality teaching in online methods, the digital literacy is a must for students. The study highlights the limitations of the study and indicates the necessity for further research in this area. The findings have immense implications for practice in a distance learning university, where online teaching learning has become a new normal post-Covid-19.
Originality/value
The authors present new findings on the digital literacy of first-year students and their effect on their interaction in online learning. The authors also make connections between digital literacy and student engagement in online classes, which is a significant contribution to the field. This paper also provides a comprehensive review of the literature on digital literacy and e-learning, which adds to the scholarship in the field.
Details
Keywords
Cathy Nutbrown, Julia Bishop and Helen Wheeler
– The purpose of this paper is to report on how early years practitioners worked with the ORIM Framework to support work with parents to promote early literacy experiences.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to report on how early years practitioners worked with the ORIM Framework to support work with parents to promote early literacy experiences.
Design/methodology/approach
Co-produced Knowledge Exchange (KE) was used to develop and evaluate work with parents to facilitate their young children’s literacy. Information was gathered in discussion groups, interviews with parents and practitioners and feedback from all the parties involved.
Findings
Practitioners and families engaged with each other in the further development of an established literacy programme, and families demonstrated “ownership” of the co-produced knowledge after the end of the project.
Research limitations/implications
Project design in co-produced research and KE is necessarily flexible. The focus is on practitioners’ knowledge and ownership of the process, sharing knowledge with parents and enhancing children’s experiences.
Practical implications
Practices that can enhance parental engagement in their children’s early literacy are varied and multiple and ORIM can be used flexibly to plan, develop and evaluate innovative and community – (and family –) specific practices.
Social implications
Where parents have more knowledge of children’s early literacy development they are in a better position to support them; for learning communities there are implications in terms of future development of work with families to support early literacy development.
Originality/value
This paper contributes an original approach to the co-production of research with early years practitioners. It also identifies specific issues around the ethics of ownership in co-produced research.
Details