Search results
1 – 10 of over 59000Andrea Harkins Parrish and Laila J. Richman
In higher education, the authors serve multiple stakeholders with varying perspectives on the institution’s learning analytic system. The purpose of this paper is to highlight…
Abstract
Purpose
In higher education, the authors serve multiple stakeholders with varying perspectives on the institution’s learning analytic system. The purpose of this paper is to highlight dual perspectives within the learning analytics (LA) system in one institution: that of an administrator responsible for college-wide improvement, and a faculty member responsible for programmatic improvement.
Design/methodology/approach
This manuscript provides a critical perspective with dual sets of experiences and viewpoints. This approach allows close examination of each perspective within the context of the existing literature, as the authors examine transitions in the use of LA.
Findings
These viewpoints offer insight into the interpretation of LA through the lens of various roles. In examining these viewpoints, the authors offer three actionable steps for other institutions who seek to implement.
Practical implications
These actionable steps offer a starting point for other institutions to engage in conversations related to the adoption of LA for continuous improvement across levels and roles. Relevant implications for various parties are discussed, with an emphasis on how administrators within the university system may support faculty to incorporate LA as part of their scholarly and teaching responsibilities.
Originality/value
Few studies have examined the perspectives of multiple stakeholders within an institution. Here the authors have presented these dual perspectives in order to further the dialogue between university administration and faculty as analytic systems become more widespread. Through this dialogue, the authors see increased opportunities for all stakeholders to better understand their role in LA.
Details
Keywords
Roselie McDevitt, Catherine Giapponi and Norman Solomon
The purpose of this paper is to present a unique version of the balanced scorecard developed and applied by the faculty of a university division.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present a unique version of the balanced scorecard developed and applied by the faculty of a university division.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper uses a case study approach and uses the experiences of the faculty of a business school to describe the process and benefits of developing a custom balanced scorecard.
Findings
The unique version of the scorecard revitalized the faculty and resulted in a process model of organizational change based on the balanced scorecard that can be used in many academic divisions.
Practical implications
This unique version of the scorecard helped to establish a program of continuous improvement and facilitated the formulation of strategic initiatives. The documentation provided in the scorecard supports requests for increased budgets and grant applications.
Originality/value
University and faculty administrators can use the model developed in this paper as a basis of a change program that can help design improvement programs, facilitate strategy development, and support funding requests.
Details
Keywords
Multiple-choice questions (MCQs) and essays and short answer questions are the most common assessment protocols instructors use in their classrooms. However, the reliability and…
Abstract
Purpose
Multiple-choice questions (MCQs) and essays and short answer questions are the most common assessment protocols instructors use in their classrooms. However, the reliability and validity of these assessment protocols are controversial. The current study employed a survey research design using Qualtrics to determine the faculty and student perspective on using MCQs and essay and short answer questions in their courses as well as their rationale for the preference.
Design/methodology/approach
Eighty-five students and 67 faculty within the social sciences discipline participated in the study.
Findings
65% of the students strongly preferred MCQs over essays and short answer questions. However, faculty did not show a strong preference for one or the other form of assessment (52.30% selected essays and short answer questions, and 47.69% preferred MCQs) in their courses. The study also explores why the students and faculty prefer one form of assessment over the other.
Research limitations/implications
The findings of this study helped to understand the current assessment practices in a classroom from a faculty and student perspective.
Originality/value
This is one of few studies that evaluated the faculty as well as student perspective on the use of MCQs and essays and short answer questions in the curriculum across the social science discipline.
Details
Keywords
Increasingly, higher education institutions are being held to account for the performance of their students internally in terms of academic performance and timely program…
Abstract
Purpose
Increasingly, higher education institutions are being held to account for the performance of their students internally in terms of academic performance and timely program completion, as well as externally through job placement. This challenge is compounded by a range of additional factors including fluctuating, international economic conditions, an increasingly globalised, competitive environment, widespread provision of online qualifications, and high student drop-out rates. There is a pressing need therefore to understand the factors which contribute to positive perceptions of institutional services and the way in which these drive student retention, especially within the first year experience. This research aims to explore the role of affective commitment in students' perceived satisfaction within the student-university relationship and the effect of this on retention in an Australian tertiary context.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative approach was adopted using four focus groups and eight in-depth interviews with first year undergraduate students enrolled at a large metropolitan Australian university. In addition, an online expert forum was used to obtain qualitative verbatim from 22 internationally-based faculty educators.
Findings
The results of this study suggest that the development of deeply entrenched emotional bonds with students is important in facilitating high levels of satisfaction during the first year experience. In addition, a sense of belonging was perceived by faculty as being the primary mechanism for ensuring the retention of students beyond the first year of enrolment.
Practical implications
From a managerial perspective, uncovering the nature of student-institution relationships and the importance of affective forms of commitment will enable higher education institutions to develop more targeted relationship marketing programs to increase student retention.
Originality/value
In a unique contribution, this research examines this issue from the perspective of first year students, as well as from an international faculty perspective, enabling a multi-dimensional comparison to be drawn between the perceptions of the student, and the service provider.
Details
Keywords
Karen A. Tarnoff, Eric D. Bostwick and Kathleen J. Barnes
Faculty participation in the assurance of learning (AoL) is requisite both for the effective operation of the system and for accreditation compliance, but faculty often resist…
Abstract
Purpose
Faculty participation in the assurance of learning (AoL) is requisite both for the effective operation of the system and for accreditation compliance, but faculty often resist engaging in AoL tasks. The purpose of this paper is to provide specific recommendations to address faculty concerns and to guide AoL systems toward maturity.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper provides a comprehensive model of faculty resistance perspectives aligned to AoL maturity, provides specific responses to faculty resistance and introduces success markers of progress toward maturity.
Findings
Specifically, a three-stage model of AoL system maturity is presented and aligned with five faculty perspectives. For each faculty perspective, responses targeting causal factors are proposed and signs of progress toward the next level of faculty engagement are highlighted.
Practical implications
Faculty and AoL leaders will be able to identify their current stage of AoL system maturity and implement practical solutions to move to the next stage of system maturity.
Social implications
Understanding the motivations for faculty resistance will facilitate more meaningful and effective internal interactions as a school seeks to improve its AoL system. In turn, a more effective AoL system will promote better learning experiences for students; and better learning allows students to become productive in their chosen careers more quickly, thus improving society as a whole.
Originality/value
To the knowledge, no prior paper has organized faculty resistance along a maturity continuum, provided targeted responses based on the level of maturity or included signs that indicate growth toward the next level of maturity.
Details
Keywords
The purpose of this case study is to determine the effectiveness of the UDL academy in terms of the number of UDL techniques used by faculty after participating in the academy and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this case study is to determine the effectiveness of the UDL academy in terms of the number of UDL techniques used by faculty after participating in the academy and surveys to explore faculty perceptions of UDL.
Design/methodology/approach
This quantitative case study utilized faculty surveys about the UDL academy, class observations and review of course syllabi to determine the effectiveness of the UDL academy and explore the experience of implementing UDL.
Findings
The UDL initiative has been a positive and effective experience. Broadly, faculty have had positive perceptions of UDL implementations based on faculty surveys. The effectiveness of the UDL academy was demonstrated by the number of UDL techniques used by faculty increased significantly for faculty that participated in the UDL academy. The control group of faculty members did not increase the number of UDL techniques used based on class observations and a review of course syllabi.
Research limitations/implications
This research is from one librarian's perspective since the librarian led the UDL initiative and is the sole librarian with faculty status currently at the institution. As a proponent of UDL, the librarian's perspective may be biased. Librarians can implement UDL to reduce educational barriers and support student success. Additionally, librarians can offer support to faculty in learning about UDL by offering a similar UDL academy.
Practical implications
Most faculty were able to incorporate UDL elements into their courses and responded positively to the concept of integrating UDL in the classroom, feeling that it helped improve their teaching. These results demonstrate that faculty can integrate UDL into higher education to use effective teaching strategies after participating in a UDL academy.
Originality/value
This paper is an original work describing a campus UDL initiative from a librarian's perspective.
Details
Keywords
Tessa Withorn, Joanna Messer Kimmitt, Carolyn Caffrey, Anthony Andora, Cristina Springfield, Dana Ospina, Maggie Clarke, George Martinez, Amalia Castañeda, Aric Haas and Wendolyn Vermeer
This paper aims to present recently published resources on library instruction and information literacy, providing an introductory overview and a selected annotated bibliography…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to present recently published resources on library instruction and information literacy, providing an introductory overview and a selected annotated bibliography of publications covering various library types, study populations and research contexts.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper introduces and annotates English-language periodical articles, monographs, dissertations, reports and other materials on library instruction and information literacy published in 2019.
Findings
The paper provides a brief description of all 370 sources and highlights sources that contain unique or significant scholarly contributions.
Originality/value
The information may be used by librarians, researchers and anyone interested as a quick and comprehensive reference to literature on library instruction and information literacy.
Details
Keywords
To provide insight into the relevant factors for faculty recruitment and retention that can help leadership of business schools to design and implement a tailored policy to…
Abstract
Purpose
To provide insight into the relevant factors for faculty recruitment and retention that can help leadership of business schools to design and implement a tailored policy to recruit and retain academic talent in a highly competitive and international market.
Design/methodology/approach
Two surveys were sent out in parallel to deans/directors and faculty of 181 European business schools. A total of 42 important factors were selected and ranked in order of importance for both recruitment and retention of academic talent. In addition the faculty were asked to indicate to what extent they are satisfied with each of the factors in their current situation. Deans/directors were asked to indicate to what extent they felt able to influence each of the factors.
Findings
Factors of crucial importance for recruitment and retention were identified, both from the deans and from the faculty perspective. Perception gaps occurred between deans and faculty, as well as satisfaction gaps on important factors: this led to the identification of interesting policy problems and opportunities. Segmentation of the sample facilitated the demonstration of differences in perception between groups of faculty according to gender, age and rank, and between groups of schools according to legal structure, orientation, enrolment, and accreditation status.
Research limitations/implications
Deans/directors of 69 European schools and 350 faculty members in 12 countries completed the survey. The database could be further enlarged to make more detailed analysis possible. Expanding the research to include schools of other continents would enable one to analyse cross‐continent differences between business schools.
Practical implications
The developed framework and the data provide an excellent opportunity for business schools' leadership to analyze the effectiveness of its policy and benchmark the school against a selected peer group.
Originality/value
The survey and the developed framework for analysis are unique and, in this form, have never been done before. The value of the paper is that it presents unique evidence on important factors crucial to faculty management.
Details
Keywords
Anna Marie Johnson, Claudene Sproles and Robert Detmering
– The purpose of this paper is to provide a selected bibliography of recent resources on library instruction and information literacy.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide a selected bibliography of recent resources on library instruction and information literacy.
Design/methodology/approach
Introduces and annotates periodical articles, monographs, and audiovisual material examining library instruction and information literacy.
Findings
Provides information about each source, discusses the characteristics of current scholarship, and describes sources that contain unique scholarly contributions and quality reproductions.
Originality/value
The information may be used by librarians and interested parties as a quick reference to literature on library instruction and information literacy.
Details
Keywords
Janet Mooney and Sarah Jane Moore
This chapter outlines an audit process that led to a group of non-Aboriginal academics, and professional staff embarking on a journey to explore insights into Aboriginal knowledge…
Abstract
Purpose
This chapter outlines an audit process that led to a group of non-Aboriginal academics, and professional staff embarking on a journey to explore insights into Aboriginal knowledge and culture. It presents a compelling account of the benefits of a project devised by a creative Aboriginal teacher and community arts practitioner, The Embedding Diversity: Towards a Culturally Inclusive Pedagogy.
Findings
The Embedding Diversity project allowed a reflective and process-based deep learning to occur which enabled practical and meaningful Reconciliation to transpire between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal staff at an Australian University. Within the Faculty of Education and Social Work, staff collaborated with, listened to, and were taught by Aboriginal people in a range of contexts. Through this partnership, training, engagement, and conversations were had that shifted perspectives and changed thinking.
Practical implications
The outcome of this project was a commitment to change and advocacy for cultural competence to embedding stronger and more informed Aboriginal education, Aboriginal Studies Units of Study (subjects), and perspectives in teacher education curriculum. We present this project as it is reflective of the meaningful Reconciliation and educational reform which may be possible in other learning communities.
Details