MOOCs,institutional policy and change dynamics in higher education

The last couple of years have witnessed a growing debate about online learning in higher education, notably in response to the global massive open online course (MOOC) phenomenon. This paper explores these developments from an institutional policy perspective, drawing on an analysis of the initial stages of different approaches to MOOCs and e-learning being taken up at three Australian universities. It points to four commonalities emerging from the institutional constructions of these initiatives including (1) the use of e-learning policy as a vehicle for curriculum redesign; (2) an emphasis on internal curriculum redesign as a core rationale for MOOCs; (3) a desire to capitalise on promotional opportunities but a reticence around wholly embracing the concept and structure of MOOCs and (4) the absence of access-driven concerns in university policy despite the prominence of such concerns in broader public debate. The approach is framed by a consideration of change dynamics in higher education and highlights the emphasis on internal university work within the policy narrative, suggesting this could represent an attempt to reframe the debate about MOOCs away from popular arguments about systemic disruption and instead use them to progress forms of change that align to broader strategic objectives.     

Assessing institutional performance in higher education: a managerial perspective

Although many institutions are expending considerable effort in attempts to assess institutional performance and to utilize the results in improving performance, there are many impediments to the success of these endeavours. These include conceptual problems with the notion of institutional performance, inadequacies in the current measurement techniques and judgement procedures, and the mis-match between the results produced and management's information requirements. Institutional management in higher education has unique characteristics which give rise to particular information needs. The existing approaches to institutional evaluation vary in their ability to provide information meeting management's requirements.     

An alternative assessment to higher education outcomes: Differentiating by institutional type

In this paper we propose higher education, and community colleges in particular, be evaluated not solely on their functional merits, but on their value in promoting, what Dewey (1966) called an active citizenry. Rather than considering only how well higher education meets the needs of democratic capitalism, we investigate alternative methods of assessing the contribution of higher education to the development of active citizens. In this exploration we consider how higher education preparation differs based on an individual's gender, race, class, academic program and the postsecondary institution attended. We explore alternative concepts of assessment in higher education not as proof we have discovered the method for assessing outcomes of higher education, but, rather, as an alternative approach to understanding the potential outcomes of higher education at its different institutional levels. Of special significance for our study is the finding that although students who attend a community college, for example, may not be as successful economically as university students, attendance at a community college is associated with an increased sense of self-empowerment. When we consider community colleges have a higher proportion of students who are typically marginalized by postsecondary institutions, the community college does appear to offer opportunities for students that are not measured only in economic terms.     

高等教育前沿问题刍议

高教前沿问题是指能够对高教理论与实践产生重大影响的问题,它是高教研究的核心问题。高教前沿问题自身具有当前性、先进性、复合性与创造性的特征,这是人们判断前沿问题与否的四个因素。本文在高教前沿问题的概念、特征解读的基础上,提出判定高等教育前沿问题的方法与途径。     

The quest for institutional autonomy in the Dutch higher education sector

The term ‘market forces’ has become one of the great clarion calls of the modern era. They are seen as providing the flexibility and responsiveness necessary to allow the satisfaction of consumer demands. Market forces is a term used chiefly to describe economic relationships. Can the characteristics of an economic system be used to characterise the wider society? In particular can increased flexibility and responsiveness to the needs of the consumer play a role in the shaping of Dutch educational policy? In the Netherlands the exigency of financial restraint has prompted educational expenditure cuts. Concomitant to these has been a move towards decentralisation, with self-regulation at the institutional level. Moves that have been characterised as constituting a change in the power structure. This paper argues that the operation of market forces and the promotion of institutional autonomy requires financial independence. Without financial autonomy institutional autonomy may well be a pipe dream.     

“慕课”冲击与高等教育厘革趋向——应用型高等院校课程建设研究探微

慕课(MOOCs)起源于基于互联网的开放课程,以其大规模、自组织、个性化、社会性和免费开放等新型课程优势,成为跨越时空的超级课程、聚合能量的巨型课程。慕课强烈地冲击与挑战着传统课程体系,颠覆着传统的高等教育模式。网络化的学习潮流,探索出一个新的学习前沿,带来一场新的学习革命。当下,中国大学到了自我转型升级的关键时刻,课程改革势在必行!     

Recent reforms in Australian higher education with particular reference to institutional amalgamations

The recent reforms in Australian higher education system envisaged the creation of a unified national system at the expense of the binary system with a smaller number of larger institutions through institutional mergers. The Green Paper quoted the La Trobe Lincoln merger as an exemplar. This paper examines the outcomes of these reforms in general with particular emphasis on La Trobe Lincoln merger, based on an evaluation of relevant archival material and interviews with all key personnel of both institutions and the merged university including the goals and academic rationale set for the merger and the progress made during the first three years, along with future trends.     

我国高等教育制度变迁的路径依赖与超越

长期以来,我国高等教育制度变迁形成了政府主导的自上而下的强制性变迁的路径依赖。这种方式在高教转轨初期发挥了重要作用,随着高等教育各项宏观政策的确立,强制武变迁不利于高教事业的进一步发展。本文首先分析了强制性高等教育制度变迁的弊端和形成此种路径依赖的原因．进而提出了突破高教制度变迁路径依赖即实现高教制度变迁方式由强制性向诱致性或强制性与诱致性相结合的方式转变的对策。     

Restructuring higher education systems through institutional mergers: Australian experience, 1981–1983

This paper reviews Australian experience over the period 1981–1983 in order to illustrate how institutional mergers can be used to tackle system-wide as well as local institutional problems in higher education. It also illustrates some of the tensions and complications that arise in a federal political system where the legal control for two out of three sectors of tertiary education lies at one level of government and funding responsibility at another. The background and context to the mergers are explained, an analysis is provided of how institutions and state governments reacted to Federal Government coercion, and an attempt is made to assess outcomes.     

A reinterpretation of institutional transformations in European higher education: strategising pluralistic organisations in multiplex environments

The paper draws on institutional theory with special attention to recent contributions that aim at developing its micro-foundations. We address the question of how individual higher education institutions deal with institutional pluralism. We develop an analytical framework inspired by institutional theory, the sensemaking perspective in organisation theory and strategy-as-practice to connect the macro-transformation processes of the organisational field and the micro-processes of organisational strategising.     

The importance of institutional image to student satisfaction and loyalty within higher education

This paper outlines the findings of a study employing a partial least squares (PLS) structural equation methodology to test a customer satisfaction model of the drivers of student satisfaction and loyalty in higher education settings. Drawing upon a moderately large sample of students enrolled in four ‘types’ of Australian universities, the findings suggest that student loyalty is predicted by student satisfaction, which is in turn predicted by the perceived image of the host university. While the perceived quality of “humanware” (e.g., people and process) and “hardware” (e.g., infrastructure and tangible service elements) has an impact on perceived value, this was found to be weak and indeterminate. Of most importance was the impact of the institution’s institutional image, which strongly predicted perceived value, and to a lesser extent student satisfaction. The findings have implications for newer, less prestigious universities seeking to compete in a more deregulated, market driven environment.     

Introducing a collaborative technology strategy for higher education students: Recommendations and the way forward

The area of group work and group based technology research is of value in that group and team work skills are seen as important to both industry and education. However, research also shows that there are major issues that have to be considered when introducing group work to organisations. These issues which include cultural, social, technological and educational are considered within this research. The purpose of this research was to gain a deeper understanding of the attitudes of university students to group work and group based technology. Group work and group based technologies were also considered in an industry setting as this was seen as an important pre-requisite to the study of student group work. The outcome of this paper is, based on the findings of the author’s research, and proposes a set of conclusions and recommendations for the introduction of group work and group based technology into the Higher Education environment. To this end it is important to recount the research process that led to the production of these recommendations. In order to further this research a substantial literature review was undertaken as was an industry survey and a student based case study.     

Changing the course: equity effects and institutional risk amid policy shift in higher education financing in Kenya

Reform in higher education financing in Kenya has been occasioned by both endogenous and exogenous variables. Internal pressures of a declining economy, rapid demographic growth and increased inter-and intra-sectoral competition for scare financial resources, couple with external neo-liberal doctrine championed by global donors like the World Bank have resulted in a new market-competitive policy of financing higher education. This paper analyzes the equity and risk effects of the new policy for the main stakeholders, namely students, academics and institutions themselves. The paper contends that the policy shift has had a significant effect on equity just as it has introduced universities to risks through engagement in academic capitalism with its emphasis on marketization of university programs and services. The paper concludes with suggestions on some policy options that could help to mitigate the negative consequences of this new policy.