A solution‐focused model for improving individual university teaching

Universities commonly use individual teaching development as one of a suite of strategies to improve teaching and learning outcomes. This paper outlines an individual teaching development programme based on the tenets of solution‐focused brief therapy (SFBT). The programme was trialled with a senior lecturer of a large third‐year subject in an Australian university. The approach resulted in evidence of positive changes in teaching. The potential and wider application of this approach is considered.     

Doctoral students on the university–industry interface: a review of the literature

Doctoral students are highly important in university—firm relationships, since they are significant producers of knowledge in collaborative research projects, they are an important channel for knowledge transfer between universities and firms, and are vital in network configurations between firms and universities. An increasing number of doctoral students interact with firms, but we know relatively little about the experiences of these students or how collaboration influences their training, research and subsequent careers. With this in mind, this paper presents a literature review of (1) theoretical assumptions concerning the roles doctoral students are expected to fulfill in university–industry relationships, and (2) empirical research of doctoral students’ interaction experience and outcomes of doctoral student-industry interaction. The aim of the paper is to develop hypotheses for further research on doctoral student—industry interaction.     

Student–university relationships and reputation: a study of the links between key factors fostering students’ supportive behavioral intentions towards their university

Focusing on academic institutions in higher education as the research context, this study examined the relations of key factors affecting students’ supportive behavioral intentions toward the university (e.g., giving gifts as alumni, continuing education, and giving referrals regarding the university). Based on the literature from various disciplines, this study proposed four factors are critical influencing such intentions: (1) students’ communication behavior with the university, (2) perceived quality of educational experience, (3) evaluations of the relationship with the university, and (4) university reputation. The data in this study were collected using a survey of current undergraduate students (N = 336) who were attending a private university in Seoul during Fall 2005. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze the proposed model. Regarding overall results, the proposed model can be retained as a valid model based on data-model fits: Eight hypotheses were supported in this study, but not the effect of students’ educational experience on university reputation. The findings suggest that to foster students’ supportive behavior, universities need to cultivate a good relationship with their students and to obtain favorable reputation held by students, while ensuring active communication behavior of students and the quality of students’ educational experience.

Constructing a professional development school: A model of one school‐university partnership

Abstract

A partnership between an elementary school and a university in the Midwest evolved into a professional development school. The authors describe this process, making analogies to the process of constructing a house. The steps are also related to Kagan's (1991) stages of organizational development. From laying the foundation of the partnership through adding the sill (the vision), constructing the frame (the goals and objectives), adding the sheathing (the formal structure), installing siding (the implementation), to maintaining through assessment, the parallels are explored and analyzed. Because the process relates to individuals as well as an institution, the authors also discuss ways in which the processes diverge.

The process is presented as a model that might be useful to others engaged in creating a professional development school or improving teacher education. A visual of the model is included.     

Staying in the science stream: patterns of participation in A‐level science subjects in the UK

This paper describes patterns of participation and attainment in A‐level physics, chemistry and biology from 1961 to 2009. The A level has long been seen as an important gateway qualification for higher level study, particularly in the sciences. This long‐term overview examines how recruitment to these three subjects has changed in the context of numerous policies and initiatives that seek to retain more young people in the sciences. The results show that recruitment to the pure sciences has stagnated, general trends have hardly varied and the track record of government policy in influencing change is not strong. There is no evidence for increasing achievement gaps between the sexes at A level and even national policy requiring that all young people study science up to the age of 16 appears to have had little impact on recruitment at this level.     

Re‐engineering conventional university education: Implications for students’ learning styles

There is no doubt that education is being fundamentally transformed and affected by information and communication technologies (ICT). The demand for online courses in higher education is growing. Education is also affected by the new approaches towards learning and instruction that have emerged during recent decades: student centred learning, distributed learning, and collaborative learning. These new instructional approaches reflect the adoption of constructivist approaches to learning. National and international studies support this approach, but also point to a number of problems, such as the lack of clear policies and implementation strategies. The adoption of new learning approaches has resulted in the re‐engineering of courses, curricula and in certain cases complete universities. Examples of the latter can be found at the Jones International University (www.jiu.edu) that started in May 1999 as a completely new and virtual university, and the Dutch Open University that transformed its educational model towards a competency‐based educational model implemented in a digital university setting (www.ou.nl). The transition from a traditional approach is not an easy process. The implementation of the new ideas can be hampered by a large number of variables and processes at micro‐ and mesolevels. The study, described in this article analyses such difficulties when implementing a specific re‐engineering of a course. The difficulties are described and analysed in terms of the learning styles of students. The major focus of the study is on incongruencies between the innovative course re‐design and learning styles issues. The authors expect that the results of the study will fuel the discussion about the necessity to consider innovation at the meso‐level (curriculum level) instead of solely at course level.     

University as vocational education: working‐class students’ expectations for university

Labor market conditions, a pervasive public discourse about the benefits of higher education, and parental hopes push many young working‐class people into university. The institutional culture and demands of university, however, often remain elusive and fraught with uncertainty. In this paper, I draw on qualitative interviews with first‐generation, working‐class students at a Canadian university to analyze the ways in which these students discuss their reasons to attend and their expectations for university, and the implications of their attitudes for their future success at university. Analysis of the interview data shows how the relatively high and risky investment of working‐class youth in education leads to strong utilitarian and vocational orientations toward university. Although a narrow focus on the career potential of university is generally perceived as problematic, I argue that it may also help working‐class students in their transition to university. Nonetheless, a critical educational process is necessary that not only helps working‐class students achieve their educational and occupational goals, but also understand their unique status in a social institution that they entered as outsiders.     

Exploring the determinants of students’ academic performance at university level: The mediating role of internet usage continuance intention

Education and Information Technologies - This study investigates the impact of integrating essential factors on academic performance in university students’ context. The proposed model...     

Student support via audio teleconferencing: Psycho‐educational workshops for post‐bachelor nursing students

Abstract

Although the provision of student services for distance learners is recognized as critical, the development of effective services for distance learners has been minimal. This paper will provide an overview of a recently initiated project designed to provide student services via audio teleconferencing to a population of Post‐R.N. Bachelor of Nursing students at the University of Calgary. A series of psycho‐educational workshops was developed to ease the transitions first to the distant student role and then back to the role of worker. These workshops were implemented and evaluated in terms of both process and content. Evaluation results indicated that the teleconference delivery of psycho‐educational workshops is effective in providing support services to distance students.     

From knowledge sharing to knowledge creation: A blended knowledge-management model for improving university students’ creativity

Creativity and knowledge management are both important competences that university students need to strive to develop. This study therefore developed and evaluated an instructional program for improving university students’ creativity based on a blended knowledge-management (KM) model that integrates e-learning and three core processes of KM: knowledge sharing, knowledge internalization, and knowledge creation. Moreover, this study investigated the underlying mechanisms that achieve the effectiveness of this model. A 17-week instructional program was conducted. The findings from both quantitative and qualitative analyses suggest the following. The blended KM model is effective in improving knowledge, dispositions, and abilities of creativity. The online sharing and evaluation of creative products, learning communities and discussions, and the practice of creativity strategies have substantial effects on all three aspects of creativity. The observation and peer evaluation of group assignments and creativity-related feedback enhance the learning of knowledge and dispositions. Finally, the creation of products and scaffolding of a teacher are critical to skill improvement.     

Predicting university performance in Psychology: the role of previous performance and discipline‐specific knowledge

Recent initiatives to enhance retention and widen participation ensure it is crucial to understand the factors that predict students' performance during their undergraduate degree. The present research used Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to test three separate models that examined the extent to which British Psychology students' A‐level entry qualifications predicted: (1) their performance in years 1–3 of their Psychology degree, and (2) their overall degree performance. Students' overall A‐level entry qualifications positively predicted performance during their first year and overall degree performance, but negatively predicted their performance during their third year. Additionally, and more specifically, students' A‐level entry qualifications in Psychology positively predicted performance in the first year only. Such findings have implications for admissions tutors, as well as for students who have not studied Psychology before but who are considering applying to do so at university.     

Web‐based learning environments: developing a framework for evaluation

With the widespread use of web‐based learning environments in the tertiary sector it is important to establish the usability of such environments for the target audience and their effectiveness in terms of meeting the educational objectives. However, a search of the literature has shown a scarcity of systematic evaluative studies of web‐based learning environments. Furthermore, the literature did not reveal a consistent starting position on appropriate methodologies with which to carry out such evaluations. This paper presents a general methodology for evaluating complex systems that is particularly appropriate for web‐based learning systems. Using what is called a trailing methodology (Finne et al., 1995 Finne, H, Levin, M and Nilssen, T. (1995). Trailing research: a model for useful program evaluation. Evaluation, 1(1): 11–31. [Crossref] [Google Scholar]), an evaluation was carried out of a web site that was used with student industrial experience projects. A key element in this evaluation was that the process was adaptive and collaborative; another was that it involved a team with expertise in evaluation, knowledge of the functional aspects of the web site and the educational purpose of the site. The evaluation process pointed to the importance of a flexible approach that utilizes the skills of the key stakeholders.     

Voices of university students with disabilities: inclusive education on the tertiary level – a reality or a distant dream?

Twenty-four university students with disabilities were interviewed about their experiences studying at Czech universities. The interviews were analysed using the grounded theory approach. The most commonly experienced barriers faced by these students were institutional barriers, attitudinal barriers, and disability-specific barriers. The types of support mentioned by the students included family support, peer support, and support provided by assistants. The participants also shared strategies they used to deal with the barriers they faced. These were assertiveness, self-determination, metacognition, efforts to ‘fit in’, optimism, and career planning. The implications for policy and universities are discussed.     

Academics’ conceptualisations of the research-teaching nexus in a research-intensive Irish university: A dynamic framework for growth & development

The interdependent relationship between research and teaching is at the heart of research-intensive universities. In the present study, an initial electronic quantitative survey was undertaken following which, we performed 28 in-depth, semi-structured interviews amongst a cross-section of faculty in a research intensive Irish university to capture how faculty conceptualise the relationship between research and teaching. Our qualitative analysis revealed a dynamic framework with three interacting phases: 1) teaching is enhanced by research 2) learning research skills and competencies; and 3) student engagement with research practice. These themes contribute to the development of the student as a researcher and the implicit vision of the research-intensive university as a ‘community of scholars’ where teaching enhances research and research enhances teaching. The perceived benefits of teaching on research provides a new insight into the research and teaching nexus from which the opportunity exists to foster these approaches and develop institutional policy to grow and sustain the research-teaching interactions.     

Quantitative skills as a graduate learning outcome of university science degree programmes: student performance explored through the planned–enacted–experienced curriculum model

Application of mathematical and statistical thinking and reasoning, typically referred to as quantitative skills, is essential for university bioscience students. First, this study developed an assessment task intended to gauge graduating students’ quantitative skills. The Quantitative Skills Assessment of Science Students (QSASS) was the result, which examined 10 mathematical and statistical sub-topics. Second, the study established an evidential baseline of students’ quantitative skills performance and confidence levels by piloting the QSASS with 187 final-year biosciences students at a research-intensive university. The study is framed within the planned–enacted–experienced curriculum model and contributes to science reform efforts focused on enhancing the quantitative skills of university graduates, particularly in the biosciences. The results found, on average, weak performance and low confidence on the QSASS, suggesting divergence between academics’ intentions and students’ experiences of learning quantitative skills. Implications for curriculum design and future studies are discussed.     

A model for the supervisor–doctoral student relationship

The supervisor–doctoral student interpersonal relationship is important for the success of a PhD-project. Therefore, information about doctoral students’ perceptions of their relationship with their supervisor can be useful for providing detailed feedback to supervisors aiming at improving the quality of their supervision. This paper describes the development of the questionnaire on supervisor–doctoral student interaction (QSDI). This questionnaire aims at gathering information about doctoral students’ perceptions of the interpersonal style of their supervisor. The QSDI appeared to be a reliable and valid instrument. It can be used in research on the relationship between supervisor and doctoral student and can provide supervisors with feedback on their interpersonal style towards a particular student.     

Interdisciplinary In‐service at the University: a participatory case‐based model for professional development

Abstract

The Participatory Case‐Based Model for Professional Development is an in‐service model which is useful across the human service disciplines (social work, occupational therapy, public health, special education, early childhood and family education). In the model, participants enrolled in a graduate course engage in dialogue and perspective‐taking, through case analysis and case writing. Using grounded theory and inductive data analyses, the major effects of this professional development model were studied. These effects included: (1) gaining new knowledge; (2) ‘really seeing’ from multiple perspectives; and (3) developing a sense of support, renewal and networking across various professions. Connections to the selected professional development literature —; problem‐based learning, case process and effects, and the practical argument model — offered affirmations and challenges to the Participatory Case‐Based Model for Professional Development     

Enhancing Curriculum Policy in Pre‐Five Mathematics: A tool for audit,a framework for development

This article draws on data from a larger study of the ‘goodness of fit’ between the mathematical curriculum policy operating in preschool settings and the content framework provided within the recent Scottish Guidelines for Mathematics for 5‐14‐year‐old children. The work was based in three pre‐five establishments within Strathclyde Region Education Authority, where staff agreed to help the researchers to try and understand the nature of existing mathematics policy.

In this article the focus is two‐fold. Firstly, a tool and process for eliciting the mathematical frameworks managers use in planning the curriculum is outlined. Examples of three frameworks produced by the tool are given and contextualized by other information on curriculum organization. Secondly, a simple model of four key elements which are central to developing and evaluating a curriculum policy is outlined.

The overall purpose of the article is to suggest that this tool and the resulting framework which has been developed may be of use to others in individual, collegiate and cross‐establishment curriculum analysis and development.