The reality of ‘middle’ management roles: a case study of the Associate Head of School experience in a New Zealand University

Research on management in higher education predominantly investigates senior staff such as Deans or Pro-Vice-Chancellors. Relatively little attention is focused on the department level, middle management roles, such as Associate Heads of Schools (AHoS). This case study, based on anecdotal scoping data, utilized a mixed-methods approach through an email survey and face-to-face interview of past and present AHoS at Massey University, New Zealand to investigate participants’ perceptions about the role and the factors that influence it. Results show that a majority of participants did not envisage undertaking higher management within the University after holding the AHoS position, predominantly because the time commitments for the position disadvantaged their teaching and research, and therefore opportunity for academic promotion. Consideration of how AHoS roles may be supported and acknowledging the value of undertaking the role could aid in recognition for promotion and encourage the undertaking of the middle management positions within academia and universities.     

Quotable Ideas about Teaching

Considered by many to be cost-effective and user-friendly, video technology is utilized in a multitude of contexts, including the university classroom. One purpose, although not often used, involves recording oneself teaching. This autoethnographic study focuses on the author's use of video and reflective practice in order to capture and examine her own teaching. The author discusses how video promoted reflective practice and how the camera and videos functioned as metaphorical eyes, which, in turn, prompted further examination and reflection of her teaching and pedagogy. This study's results indicate that when used to record and study one's teaching, video offers another set of eyes and provides an additional lens through which teaching practices and pedagogical stances may be viewed and considered.     

The use of personal video conferencing with special needs pupils from three schools serving rural areas: a case of successful adoption of new technology

Abstract

This article will focus on the use of desktop (or personal) video conferencing to link groups of special needs children from three secondary schools in a rural area of Wales. The collaboration developed out of a Superhighways project which introduced video conferencing to a network of schools and which was aimed mainly at supporting geography teaching through the use of satellite images of the Earth. The link was used with the special needs pupils to develop communication and social skills and to overcome their relative isolation from other pupils with similar needs. The article will examine how the technology was used and identify factors that might have influenced its adoption amongst the teachers involved. (N.B. Throughout this article, the terms ‘desktop’ and ‘personal’ video conferencing refer to the same thing, i.e. a system consisting of a small video camera mounted on a desktop computer.)     

Factors Affecting the Use of MIS as a Tool for Informing and Evaluating Teaching and Learning in Schools

This study looks at the way in which Management Information Systems (MISs) are being used in Primary Schools in Birmingham. Analysis was from data collected through a questionnaire, to a 50% sample of schools in May 1999 and semi structured interviews with a cross section of staff at 20 schools, conducted during the period September 1999 until September 2001. The findings indicate that despite an overwhelming acceptance of the value of such systems, they are generally being used to provide specific statutory returns and administrative type functions. This is as opposed to use as a constant monitoring tool for self-evaluation, performance management, alerting and feedback, which is then used to inform the teaching and learning process. The paper goes on to propose a hypothesis as to why this is occurring and makes suggestions as to how the situation may be remedied. The research and its findings are part of the LEAs continuous evaluation of the use of ICT in its schools and the remedies which follow are part of its planning for the future.     

Proposing a framework to assess Internet usage in university education: an empirical investigation from a student's perspective

University administrators are continuously investing in Information Technology (IT) to support learning and help deal with educational budget cuts. Instructors are increasingly making their teaching materials available on the Internet. While administrators and instructors would like to make the Internet an effective educational tool, they need to understand what their students’ attitudes towards using it are. Since the use of the Internet in university education is still in its early stages, many issues regarding its use have not been fully addressed. This study was conducted to provide a better understanding of how the Internet is used in university learning from a student's perspective. Our research framework is based on the Theory of Reasoned Action, Technology Acceptance Model, and IT Diffusion Process Model. We use a survey conducted among university students to explore these issues. Research findings provide some useful insights for university administrators and educators.     

Data needs identified for sacs self-study

Roseann Hogan, director of institutional research at the University of Notre Dame, describes successful strategies used at her previous institution, Kentucky State University, to provide assessment data in support of a Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) self-study completed in 1989. A faculty committee examined the institution's goals, as stated in its planning documents, and identified the data that were needed to document how successfully the institution had met them.     

Effectiveness and motivation towards the use of video tutorials when learning how to use music software / Efectividad y motivación hacia el uso de videotutoriales para el aprendizaje de un software musical

Abstract

The objective of this study is to highlight the potential of video tutorials for learning how to use music editing software as well as students’ perceptions of their use. The project has been developed within a flipped-classroom approach, in which students studied with two types of resources: video tutorials and printed tutorials created ad hoc. Using a quantitative study with a quasi-experimental design, students participating in the project (n = 48) were divided into an experimental group (video tutorials) and a control group (printed tutorials) in order to evaluate the resource used according to: (1) academic results achieved; (2) students’ independence; (3) time spent completing tasks; (4) motivation generated by the resource. The resource used did not result in an improvement of academic performance in those students who used video tutorials. However, there has been an improvement in time invested in the production of scores, students’ autonomy in relation to the teacher and motivation towards the resource used.     

普通本科高校定向运动开展现状研究——以安徽省普通本科院校为例

以10所普通本科高校教师、教练员和大学生为调查对象,分析安徽省普通本科高校定向运动的现状和影响其发展的因素,研究结果表明：影响安徽省普通本科高校定向运动发展的主要因素是安徽省普通本科高校申定向运动的普及程度低,从事定向运动教学和训练的师资力量及赛事的管理能力有待加强。场地的开发和利用率较低、教学与训练的器材短缺,给教师的教学和训练带来不小阻力。分析认为加大政策扶持和设备投入,整合定向运动资源,实现场地资源共享,是保障教学、训练顺利开展的重要条件;优化师资建设,创新教学模式,是发展安徽省普通本科高校定向运动的必要措施。     

英国大学交叉学科建设——以苏塞克斯大学为例

自20世纪80年代始,交叉学科建设在英国进入全盛发展期,作为新大学代表的苏塞克斯大学成为英国跨学科建设与发展取得突出成果的典范。苏塞克斯大学采取“学群结构制”实现教学组织的创新,以设立“研究主题”模式促进学科课程整合,开展创造性跨学科科研与教学。在经费支持方面,苏塞克斯大学采取“启动网络”资助和研究主题资助等方式支持交叉学科发展。     

Online Learning as a catalyst for reshaping practice – The experiences of some academics developing online learning materials

While tertiary teaching staff are familiar with teaching strategies used in traditional course delivery, the design and delivery of courses integrating new technologies such as online materials poses new challenges for many. Hence, although technology may be used, its use is often at a superficial level, failing to have significant impact on teaching practice. Motivated by the authors' belief that the development of online learning materials is an endeavour aimed at improving the quality of the learning environment, this paper explores the experiences of several lecturers within Griffith University as they engage in the design and development of online materials as part of the university's flexible learning initiative. Insights into the experiences and perceptions of teaching staff developing online materials are used to highlight issues that can then be used to inform appropriate professional development support for tertiary staff. This in turn will enable the integration of technology into the learning environment to act as a catalyst for positive changes to teaching practice.     

Validating a teaching survey which drives increased response rates in a unit survey

At Curtin University, student perceptions of teaching and learning are gathered and reported online through eVALUate, a system that includes separate unit and teaching surveys. This article reports the development and validation of one of those surveys, the eVALUate teaching survey, which was developed based on the research literature on excellent teaching and evaluation. Since its development in 2006, repeated statistical testing using progressively larger samples has shown that the survey is valid and reliable. Moreover, the way in which the teaching survey is deployed within eVALUate, appended to the unit survey, which provides crucial institutional data, has significantly increased university response rates. This validated instrument is used for self-reflection, professional development, and rewarding staff.     

Wikipedia and the University,a case study

This article discusses the use of Wikipedia by academics and students for learning and teaching activities at Liverpool Hope University. Hope has distinctive aspects but we consider the findings to be indicative of Wikipedia use at other British universities. First we discuss general issues of Wikipedia use within the university. Second, we examine existing research on Wikipedia use amongst students and academics. Based upon a sample of 133 academics and 1222 students, our principal findings were: (1) 75% of academics and students use Wikipedia; (2) student use is typically confined to the initial stages of assessments; (3) a quarter of academics provide guidance on how to use Wikipedia and (4) 70% of academics use Wikipedia for background information for teaching purposes, something that it is not influenced by whether student use is tolerated or not. Our conclusion is that whilst Wikipedia is now unofficially integrated into universities, it is not ‘the’ information resource as feared by many and that an enlightened minority of academics have attempted to assimilate it into their teaching.     

停课不停学，网络教学遇到的挑战

新冠肺炎疫情爆发,为响应"停课不停学"号召,学校纷纷克服各种困难开展网络教学。调查显示:广大教师在网络教学中遇到了教学不适应、外界支持不足、学生身心适应障碍、网络教学效果参差不齐等多种挑战,而教师的认知观念、网络教学能力、教学方式转化以及外界支持是影响教师网络教学的主要原因。要有效应对网络教学挑战,教师应当提升对网络教学的认识,具备多样融合的网络教学能力,发展网络教学教师新角色,成为网络教学先进理念的倡导者、网络技术的引导者、优质资源的遴选者、网络教学活动的组织者、网络学习方法的构建者和高水平的网络心理师。同时,还需要构建网络教学的立体化支持系统。     

Carnival visions: digital creativity in teacher education

This paper is a theoretical and analytical account of a digital video‐editing project with student teachers. The work was part of a wider study known as ‘Creative Teachers for Creative Learners’, and investigated how creativity could be integrated within existing structures and courses of initial teacher education. The paper draws on notions of multimodality to explain how resources such as gesture, image, speech, narrative and music were used by student teachers to create meaning within video productions. Participants noted that the digital video project allowed them to think about how to use these resources in formal schooling contexts and how this could contribute to further work on introducing creativity and agency into their teaching practices.     

Science Teacher Efficacy and Extrinsic Factors Toward Professional Development Using Video Games in a Design-Based Research Model: The Next Generation of STEM Learning

Designed-based research principles guided the study of 51 secondary-science teachers in the second year of a 3-year professional development project. The project entailed the creation of student-centered, inquiry-based, science, video games. A professional development model appropriate for infusing innovative technologies into standards-based curricula was employed to determine how science teacher’s attitudes and efficacy where impacted while designing science-based video games. The study’s mixed-method design ascertained teacher efficacy on five factors (General computer use, Science Learning, Inquiry Teaching and Learning, Synchronous chat/text, and Playing Video Games) related to technology and gaming using a web-based survey). Qualitative data in the form of online blog posts was gathered during the project to assist in the triangulation and assessment of teacher efficacy. Data analyses consisted of an Analysis of Variance and serial coding of teacher reflective responses. Results indicated participants who used computers daily have higher efficacy while using inquiry-based teaching methods and science teaching and learning. Additional emergent findings revealed possible motivating factors for efficacy. This professional development project was focused on inquiry as a pedagogical strategy, standard-based science learning as means to develop content knowledge, and creating video games as technological knowledge. The project was consistent with the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPCK) framework where overlapping circles of the three components indicates development of an integrated understanding of the suggested relationships. Findings provide suggestions for development of standards-based science education software, its integration into the curriculum and, strategies for implementing technology into teaching practices.     

Evaluating the impact of Forest Schools: a collaboration between a university and a primary school

The Forest School movement, an important part of education in Scandinavia, has gained momentum in the UK in recent years. Within the context of declining access to, and engagement with, the natural environment Forest Schools can provide invaluable life experiences for our children. In 2012 the University of Northampton investigated opportunities to develop part of its campus as a forest site for use by schools and to enhance its students' learning. A researcher from the university evaluated the impact of visits made by children from the pilot primary school through a series of pupil, staff and parent interviews. Analysis of the interview data showed that evidence of impact was anecdotal and it was clear that a systematic approach was needed. The university and school have collaborated in developing a toolkit for evaluating this impact, which will act as a starting point to support other schools visiting the site.     

YouTube: An emerging tool in anatomy education

The use of online social networks in medical education can remodel and enhance anatomy teaching and learning; one such network is the video-sharing site YouTube. Limited research in the literature exists on the use of YouTube as a platform for anatomy education. The aim of this study is to assess student's perceptions and patterns of usage of this resource, as well as the effectiveness of YouTube videos within a problem-based learning (PBL) curriculum. The study was conducted on 91 second-year medical students for whom video links were suggested throughout the academic year. In addition, the Human Anatomy Education (HAE) Channel was launched on YouTube to support classroom teaching with videos that emphasized applied aspects of anatomy. The results demonstrated that 98% of the students used YouTube as an online information resource, albeit in different frequencies. Out of the 86% who have been to the HAE Channel, 92% agreed/strongly agreed that the channel helped them learn anatomy. The study also reports the popularity of and awareness about using YouTube as a social network as well as in learning. Based on these findings, YouTube can be considered as an effective tool to enhance anatomy instruction if the videos are scrutinized, diversified, and aimed toward course objectives. Faculty of average computer literacy should be enabled to produce videos on their own YouTube channels to support independent learning and integration in a PBL curriculum. The methods described for capturing and editing the videos can be used as a prototype.