Search results

The development of information technologies has led to the rapid evolution of learning approaches and educational solutions, with a focus on active learning. In the context of the transformative learning paradigm, active learning strategies are aligned with student-centered education, enabling learners to engage with complex concepts and practical challenges critically. This chapter presents a semi-structured literature review investigating the adoption of online active learning methods in the context of economics education and its potential to promote transformative learning. The main contribution of this chapter is the development of a framework for integrating online active learning strategies in economics education, grounded in the principles of transformative learning as described by Mezirow. The proposed framework highlights the importance of designing online learning experiences that support critical reflection, dialogue, and self-directed learning and suggests strategies for promoting student engagement and collaboration in the online environment. The impact of this approach on active learning practices in (higher) education is significant, as it provides educators with a roadmap for designing online learning experiences that foster transformative learning and promote student success in the post-pandemic era. The chapter concludes with policy recommendations and future research directions for enhancing the adoption and efficacy of online active learning strategies in economics education.

The number of disabled students participating in higher education (HE) and availing support services has increased 268% from the years of 2008/2009 to 2021. Disabled students face a range of transitional barriers that their non-disabled peers do not, including ableist attitudes, and inaccessible environments. The PhD research upon which this chapter is based investigated the social engagement experiences of disabled students in HE. It examined qualitative data from 65 participants, with representatives from 19 HE institutions (HEIs) across Ireland using a four-phased, sequential and concurrent qualitative data collection methodology. This chapter will focus on one phase of this PhD research design, namely phase one, which captured the voice of disabled undergraduate students (n = 23). The research identified that disabled students value social engagement, but barriers impact upon students' social engagement, having their voice heard, their ability to form connections, affecting students' sense of belonging. Based on my PhD findings and my work to implement them, I would argue that ‘consultation’ with disabled students is currently taking place in its most basic form. HE needs to embrace the disruptive potential of disabled people and move from passive to active listening, from meaningless consultation to meaningful consultation and then to collaboration and partnership.

Supporting students transitioning from high school into college continues to be a challenge for academics and policy-makers. Composition assignments that include Kuh’s (2008) High Impact Practices (HIP) and the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) rubric and HIP tenets of Civic Learning and Community Engagement (Fig. 1), help foster opportunities for empathy, which develops students’ abilities to think critically, write well, and succeed in college and beyond. While effective college teaching and instruction are necessary, increasing enrollments, and increasing percentages of First-Year Composition (FYC) students requiring supportive composition courses compound the difficulties of the effort. According to AAC&U, “a global community requires a more informed, engaged, and socially responsible citizenry” (2009, p. 1; Finley & McNair, 2013). In other words, educators and employers believe that “personal and social responsibility should be core elements of a 21^st-century education” (AAC&U, 2009, p. 1). This conceptual content analysis study framed by HIP analyzed 10 FYC syllabi from different composition faculty at one urban Hispanic public four-year university (SMU) in Southern California during the 2015–2016 academic year in the context of the university’s mission statement embracing Civic Learning and Community Engagement for FYC students.

The attrition rate within post-secondary institutions is unsettling. Due to a number of factors affecting their wellbeing, students are choosing to escape the pressures of higher education, many within their first year. Focusing on literature regarding the student experience, transformational learning, student engagement, and mentorship, this chapter will explore what encourages first-year students to stay and flourish in university. In addition to current literature, primary case study research conducted with a first-year cohort at a small, private university in Atlantic Canada during the 2021–2022 academic year will also be reviewed. While engagement is often treated as a personal issue, it is also a systemic issue, one that institutions would be smart to address through programming and policy development.

HyFlex course design is an effective instructional course design that combines active and transformative learning techniques. HyFlex course design encourages active learning by focusing on interactive activities, discussions, and collaboration. It also allows learners to collaborate effectively and flexibly as a community, providing peer support and opportunities for authentic dialogue and learning experiences. HyFlex course design provides the opportunity for transformative learning through its ability to offer personalized educational experiences to individuals. It facilitates greater customization of the learning experience, allowing individual learners to access tailored educational modules, offer personalized educational experiences to individuals, and effectively develop and build independent and critical thinking skills. This conceptual review, supported by implications from HyFlex literature and triangulated with experts' views undertaking a Delphi study, facilitates understanding the current state of research in HyFlex course design and future application strategies. Existing research has identified HyFlex courses as a promising means of engaging students in active learning. Allowing students to learn through flexibly predesigned mixed online and in-person experiences enables higher levels of student autonomy and supports students in taking more ownership of their learning. This approach can facilitate an understanding of how HyFlex courses can improve active learning practices in higher education. The review study findings identify the reported alignment issues and challenges, suggest four strategies and actions for policymakers and stakeholders, and provide a suggested research agenda for bridging identified research gaps.

Future research can provide evidence of the benefits of HyFlex course design and how flexible course design can address the challenges of traditional face-to-face courses, such as reduced student engagement, lack of student-centered approaches, and limited support for different learning styles. Further research can focus on strategies that can be used to promote active learning in HyFlex courses. Moreover, research can investigate how this kind of course design can equip educators with the skills and knowledge needed to design and implement effective and meaningful active learning experiences. Finally, research can assess the potential impact of HyFlex course design on student outcomes, including performance, satisfaction, and engagement.

This case examines critical ethical accounting practice issues surrounding a request for proposal for audit services at Aviary Corporation based on a real Securities and Exchange Commission enforcement action. Audit and tax partners at Western Accounting Firm, a large international public accounting firm, used confidential information obtained from the company’s Chief Audit Officer to modify their proposal for audit services. In response to their actions, the Securities and Exchange Commission fined the auditing firm, the partners, and the Chief Audit Executive. The authors used publicly available information and adopted fictitious names to develop a teaching case that instructors can implement in a variety of accounting and ethics classes to increase students’ understanding of professional codes of conduct and independence guidance.

Creating an engaging, inclusive, and supportive learning environment within higher education is challenging at the best of times. When considering refugees and learners who have been displaced from their home/region country due to war, this is paramount to enable continued learning. Team-based learning (TBL) is an active learning methodology whereby the learners take ownership of their learning and work within peer teams to deepen their learning through the application of knowledge. In the context of the above setting, TBL offers a number of key advantages over traditional didactic learning approaches to better support diverse student groups and aid learner integration. This chapter explores these advantages and details how TBL is not just a method of content delivery, but an approach which can bring about increased peer support (on campus and online), an increased sense of student belongingness and community, employability skills, and so on.

The incorporation of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and sustainability is essential for higher education institutions' (HEIs') future development as they deal with more societal and environmental concerns. The current status of research on CSR and sustainability in HEIs is examined in this systematic review, which also identifies major themes and trends for future development. This review emphasizes the complex characteristics of CSR and sustainability in the higher education environment, spanning aspects like university's social responsibility (education, community engagement, research, and internal management and organization), Sustainable Development Goal (environment, social, and economic), student's perceived self-efficacy, students' intention to implement sustainability, students' engagement for sustainability. It does this by assessing a wide range of scientific works. Additionally, it reveals the advantages and disadvantages of applying CSR and sustainability strategies in HEIs. The results highlight the significance of all-encompassing initiatives that cover governance, accountability, and openness in order to promote a sustainability culture inside HEIs. The paper ends with suggestions for further study, highlighting the necessity of interdisciplinary methods and successful collaborations to promote CSR and sustainability initiatives in HEIs and consequently contribute to sustainable development generally.