Use of Instructional Feedback and Modification Methods among University Faculty

This study focused on methods used by faculty to gather feedback and how this feedback was used to modify instruction. Data were gathered to determine the degree to which these methods of feedback and modification of instruction were dependent upon variables such as class size, teaching experience, pedagogical training, academic rank and status, gender and academic discipline. It was found that the amount of feedback and modification of instruction did not vary significantly across the variables of teaching experience and class size. The analyses examining the effects of the remaining independent variables (i.e. college of study, pedagogical training, gender, rank, status) did detect statistically significant results. Specifically, those instructors who had received some training in pedagogical methods gathered feedback about their teaching more than those instructors without such pedagogical training. Also, faculty from the Colleges of Education and Liberal Arts used more methods to gather feedback than those faculty from the College of Science and Mathematics. Faculty in the College of Science and Math also did the least in terms of course and instructional modification, significantly less than faculty in the Colleges of Agriculture, Business, Education, Engineering and Liberal Arts.     

Where Are the Liberal Arts?

Research in Higher Education - Responses to the College Student Experiences Questionnaire at each of five types of institutions (Selective Liberal Arts, General Liberal Arts, Comprehensive Colleges...     

Why are some universities better? An evaluation in terms of organizational culture and academic performance*

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationships between organizational culture and academic performance among higher education institutions. The sample was composed of 647 faculty members working in the colleges of education, health, engineering, law, economics, and administrative sciences in four central research universities in Turkey. The Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument (OCAI) was used to describe organizational culture, whereas University Ranking by Academic Performance (URAP) data were used to investigate academic performance. A multilevel analysis in which one unit of analysis (i.e., faculty member) was nested within another (i.e., college) was performed. The original contribution made to the literature by this research is its examination of the relationships between organizational culture and tangible performance indicators (e.g., the number of academic publications and citations). Results show that three different culture types were observed in the universities: Innovative team culture, competitive culture, and hierarchic culture. Although significant relationships were found between academic performance and both competitive culture and innovative team culture, the sole significant predictor of academic performance was competitive culture. One particularly interesting finding was that whereas competitive culture was effective on quantitative indicators (i.e., number of publications and number of citations), only innovative team culture affected the indicators related to effectiveness (i.e., article impact level and citation impact level).     

INSTITUTIONAL SELECTIVITY AND INSTITUTIONAL EXPENDITURES: Examining Organizational Factors that Contribute to Retention and Graduation

Many institutions of higher education increasingly are concerned with retention and graduation rates. Focusing on private Baccalaureate Liberal and General colleges and universities, the purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between institutional selectivity and institutional expenditures and retention and graduation rates. Framed by Berger’s (2001–2002) view that organizational behavior can impact student departure, this inquiry examined if expenditures for instruction, academic support, student services, facilities, institutional support, and institutional grants (i.e. student financial aid) could predict retention and graduation rates at baccalaureate-granting institutions. Institutional selectivity and institutional expenditures, specifically those that directly contributed to students’ academic integration, were found to contribute significantly to retention and graduation rates. Recommendations are suggested, including using the results to inform resource allocation strategies that can enhance retention and graduation rates.     

高校文科实验室贵重仪器设备管理探索

为提高高校文科实验室贵重仪器设备的使用效益,探索适合文科实验室贵重仪器设备的管理模式。通过分析当前高校文科实验室贵重仪器设备的管理现状,将文科实验室贵重仪器设备分为通用设备和专用设备两类,提出:高校应加强资源配置的统筹规划,建立灵活多样的管理模式;实施论证-效益考核-开放共享的系统性管理;加强技术队伍建设,提高应用水平;建立完善的运行经费保障体系。     

高职院校信息类专业文理分科生源成绩差异分析

运用统计学方法,对高职院校的文理生成绩差异性进行了分析。研究结果表明：以理工课程为主的信息类专业,文理生的基础课成绩差异明显,专业课成绩差异不大。文科生源的增加,并没有降低学院总体的教学水平。在生源减少的情况下,适当增加文科生的招生比例是可行的。通过成绩变化趋势的分析,为提高教学质量提供改进建议。     

负性生活事件对大学生心理健康的影响研究

为了解负性生活事件对当代大学生心理健康的影响,本文运用刘贤臣编制的青少年生活事件量表,对河南省三所高校598名大学生进行了问卷调查。结果显示,27项负性生活事件对男大学生的影响程度都高于女生,对理科生的影响程度均高于文科生,对大二学生的影响程度要高于其他三个年级。     

More student trust,more self-regulation strategy? Exploring the effects of self-regulatory climate on self-regulated learning

Self-regulated learning has been one of the important areas in educational research. The authors adopted structural equation modeling to explore and compare the impacts of three aspects of self-regulatory climate (i.e., academic emphasis, teacher trust, and student trust) on three features of self-regulated learning (i.e., self-efficacy, intrinsic motive, and self-regulation strategy). The results revealed both direct effects of academic emphasis on students’ use of self-regulation strategy, and indirect effects mediated by self-efficacy and intrinsic motive. Teacher trust has a positive impact on self-efficacy. While student trust has a positive impact on intrinsic motive, its relationship with self-regulation strategy is negative. Significant differences in school levels and gender were identified. The findings indicate that students in different cultures may have different expectations for teachers’ support in learning, which in turn influence the relationship between student trust in teachers and the use of self-regulation strategy. Implications for cultivating self-regulated learners are discussed in the article.     

Predictors of classroom stress and burnout experienced by gifted and talented students

Classroom stress and burnout experienced by 121 gifted and talented students were assessed in combination with seven background variables (i.e., sex, age, IQ, etc.), five personal variables (i.e., creative personality typology, locus of control, family environment, other-rated behavioral, academic self-esteem, and self-rated self-esteem), three general anxiety and stress variables (i.e., state/trait anxiety, life change events), and two organizational variables (i.e., classroom tedium and quality of school life). The student's age, sex, birth order, IQ, and achievement level bore little relationship to either stress or burnout. Poor self-esteem, an externalized locus of control, high levels of state and trait anxiety, poor school life quality, and tedium proved to be significant predictors of classroom stress. These, plus problems in the family environment and high classroom stress levels, predicted significant levels of classroom burnout. Males reported a greater number and different types of stress and burnout sources than did females, indicating differentiated sex-related problems with stress and burnout.     

Faculty development at its best

The College of Liberal Arts at the University of Tennessee recognizes that the early freshman experience can be a difficult one. It offers a three quarter hour course of study, University Studies 1000, designed to assist first quarter freshman negotiating a new environment. This course uniquely mixes the academic and personal experiences in three areas: career exploration, human development, and the history of universities. This paper presents the author's own professional and personal development as she interacted with the academic content of the course and the students' struggles of late adolescence and the chaos of college.     

大理学院不同学科大学生学习习惯差异分析

目的：了解大理学院不同学术背景大学生学习习惯的差异。方法：问卷调查法,对医学类、理工类和文科类3个不同学科的1131名大学生进行学习习惯的抽样调查。结果：文科类学生有较好的课堂学习习惯和较高的学习效率,学习主动性显著高于理工科和医科的学生。医科学生在获取新知识方面比较主动。结论：大理学院不同学科类的大学生学习习惯是有差异的,要根据学科特点引导学生的学习习惯,提高教学质量。     

开设师范高专《文科高等数学》课程的实践与可行性探索

作为原国家教委“师范教育科研课题”:《师范高等专科学校文科类大学生数学素质教育研究》的实验课程,开设了师范高专《文科高等数学》。根据开课实践,初步探讨了在这一层次的文科大学生中进行数学素质教育的可行性,并提出了尚需研讨的几个问题。     

Facilitating academic performance in college: understanding the role of clear and organized instruction

Extensive research on college impact has identified a range of practices that enhance students’ academic outcomes. One practice—clear and organized instruction—has received increasing attention in recent research. While a number of studies have shown that clear and organized instruction is related to a range of postsecondary outcomes, researchers have not considered the mechanisms that link this educational practice to student outcomes. In this study, we draw on the constructivist theory of learning to identify potential mechanisms that may explain the relationship between clear and organized instruction and academic performance. Results from the Wabash National Study of Liberal Arts Education, including an analytical sample of 7116 students attending 38 four-year institutions in the USA, indicate that three mechanisms examined—faculty interest in teaching and student development, academic motivation, and academic engagement—explain almost two-thirds of the relationship between clear and organized instruction and first-year GPA. When students experience greater exposure to clear and organized instruction, they perceive their faculty as being more invested in their learning and development, and they report being more academically motivated and engaged in their studies. Moreover, students who enter college less academically prepared benefit more from exposure to clear and organized instruction.     

更新理论观念培养创新人才——文学理论课程群教学改革实践与创新思路

文学理论课程群是高等院校中文专业课程结构中理论性最强、适应面最广的课程群,也是整个中文课程改革的难点和重点。文章围绕培养具有创新精神和创新能力的中文专业人才,总结宁波大学文学院文学理论课程群在完善课程结构、教学内容革新、教学方法革新、实践教学环节等方面进行了诸多探索,并提出文学理论课程群进一步深化改革的思路。     

Decentralized Decision Making and Organizational Effectiveness in Colleges for Vocational Education: A Structural Equation Model for School Organization

The present study deals with the effect of decentralization on organizational effectiveness in Dutch colleges for middle vocational education (or MBO in Dutch). Following recent developments in educational administration, four domains of organizational effectiveness are distinguished: adaptation; goal attainment; integration; and teachers commitment (Quinn & Rorhbaugh, 1983: Competing Values Approach). Decentralization is defined as the relative amount of influence on decision making processes at the operational level compared with strategic level. In accordance with Hanson's Interacting Spheres Model (1991) three domains of decision making are distinguished: an educational domain; an administrative domain; and a contested zone. These concepts were measured with a questionnaire which was administered to middle managers, i.e., heads of departments, course co‐ordinators, etc., within each college for vocational education in the Netherlands. From the total population, 299 middle managers (62%) of 87 schools (87%) completed the questionnaire. The data were analyzed with structural equation modeling (LISREL 8). The results show a moderate positive effect of decentralization on organizational effectiveness.     

地方高校新闻实务课程评价体系的现状调查分析——以嘉应学院文学院新闻本科专业为例

地方高校新闻实务课程评价是新闻教学活动中的重要环节,以嘉应学院文学院新闻本科专业为例,采用资料收集和问卷调查的方法,从实务课程设计评价、实施评价及效果评价三个方面进行了分析,论述了当前地方高院新闻实务课程评价体系存在的问题及原因,期待为新闻学教育改革作出有益的探索。     

Total quality and adult education: A natural partnership in the classroom

This article highlights the philosophies of adult education and total quality and shows how they are combined to create a powerful educational tool. The article scans the literature, shares a case study at a community college, and offers examples and strategies for making learning a more collaborative, adult, high quality process.Laura L. Bierema obtained a Bachelor's degree in Liberal Arts from Michigan State University, a Master's degree in Labor & Industrial Relations from Michigan State University, and an Ed.D. in Adult Education from the University of Georgia. Dr. Bierema is currently a faculty member at Washtenaw Community College in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Her interests include teaching effectiveness, women's development, organizational learning, qualitative research, and total quality management.     

Racial Inequality in Critical Thinking Skills: The Role of Academic and Diversity Experiences

While racial inequalities in college entry and completion are well documented, much less is known about racial disparities in the development of general collegiate skills, such as critical thinking. Using data from the Wabash National Study of Liberal Arts Education, we find substantial inequality in the development of critical thinking skills over four years of college between African American and White students. The results indicate that these inequities are not related to students’ academic experiences in college but are substantially related to their experiences with diversity. These findings have important implications for understanding racial inequality in higher education and considering strategies for addressing observed disparities.