Distance and Online Social Work Education: Novel Ethical Challenges

Digital technology has transformed social work education. Today's students can take individual courses and earn an entire degree without ever meeting their faculty members in person. Technological innovations such as videoconferencing, live online chat, asynchronous podcasts, and webinars enable social work educators to reach students whose personal circumstances and geographical locations make it difficult for them to attend school in person. This paper highlights complex ethical issues associated with the proliferation of digital and online social work education. Key ethical issues concern student access; course and degree program quality and integrity; academic honesty and gatekeeping; and privacy and surveillance.     

ENHANCING FACULTY AWARENESS AND KNOWLEDGE OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

An increasing number of students with disabilities are enrolling in postsecond‐ary institutions. To better serve these students, faculty, administrators and counselors must develop an understanding of the needs of students with disabilities and how to make accommodations for their success. An inservice program that targeted skills in enhancing awareness of student needs, meeting legal mandates for accommodations, and developing a team approach to serving students is presented. As a result of participation in the inservice program, all community colleges in the Commonwealth have instituted an advisory council that addresses the academic environment and needed support services for students with disabilities.     

Satisfaction with Higher Education: critical data for student development

Higher education is a mainstay in the development and support of the economic, social and cultural development of the global society. Throughout history, academic institutions have sought to respond to the demands of endlessly changing and evolving environmental conditions. However, in the 21st century, a number of significant factors are changing the higher education landscape and challenging higher education institutions (HEIs) to interpret the vital needs of contemporary society to stimulate and enhance student development. Student development is an all-embracing concept that involves research focusing on students from recruitment to placement. Assuming that meeting student needs and stimulating and enhancing their development are crucial challenges for higher education institutions worldwide, the article focuses on a national study in Portugal designed to measure students’ expectations and satisfaction with their experience. On the basis of a nationwide survey, it examines these in the various types of higher education institutions in Portugal.     

An analysis of first year engineering students’ satisfaction with a support distance learning program in mathematics

An online support distance-learning program in Mathematics was developed to aid first year engineering students for their transition from the secondary to the tertiary education in order to reinforce deficiencies they may have in mathematical knowledge. The aim of the present study is to examine, firstly, to what extent the attendance of such a program helped students to familiarize themselves with distance learning programs. In addition, the students’ satisfaction with the material of the program was examined as well as their attitudes towards a conventional support learning program in Mathematics. The structure and part of the material developed is presented in detail. The basic methodological tool was an appropriately structured questionnaire. The results indicate that students responded positively to the program, which was a basic way of acquainting themselves with distance learning, and were satisfied with the material. The students’ attitudes towards a conventional program was found to be related to their prior experience in distance learning programs. Statistical analysis of the research data yielded 4 basic factors related to the students’ beliefs regarding the support online learning program in Mathematics. These factors were student’s development and progress, satisfaction with the parts of the online support program, their attitudes towards a conventional program while being in the online support program and their familiarization with online distance education. These factors as well as the targeted identification of the students’ needs should be taken under consideration while designing and implementing support online distance learning programs in Mathematics.     

Make or break: the role and support needs of academic advisors in work-integrated learning courses

ABSTRACT

The role of academic advisors in work-integrated learning courses is crucial to student success, yet poorly understood. This research aimed to understand the role and support needs of academic advisors by conducting interviews, a survey, and a focus group within a service learning program in Queensland, Australia. Participants identified rewards in observing student transformation and supporting students to contribute to social justice causes. However, the role had high demands in terms of pastoral support. Although academic advisors reported strong support mechanisms, they identified gaps in supporting them to meet the needs of international students and students with mental health issues. Academic advisors need strong mentoring or supervisory support to deal with diverse student issues, clear processes for tracking and managing students, training and resources to deal with special needs students, and opportunities for team building and bonding. Supporting academic advisors could help to better support students to successfully complete internships.     

Supplemental Instruction Online: As Effective as the Traditional Face-to-Face Model?

Supplemental Instruction (SI) is a well-recognized model of academic assistance with a history of empirical evidence demonstrating increases in student grades and decreases in failure rates across many higher education institutions. However, as college students become more accustomed to learning in online venues, what is not known is whether an SI program offered online could benefit students similarly to SI sessions that occur in face-to-face settings. The in-person (traditional) SI program at California State University San Marcos has demonstrated increases in grades and lower fail rates for courses being supported in science and math. Students enrolled in four biology courses who participated in online SI received increases in academic performance similar to the students in the courses who attended traditional SI. Both the online and traditional SI participating students had higher course grades and lower fail rates as compared to students who did not participate in either form of SI. Self-selection, as measured by past cumulative college grade point average, did not differ between students who attended either form of SI or who did not attend. Student perceptions of online SI were generally positive and appeared to offer an alternative path to receive this valuable academic assistance for some students. Overall, results are promising that the highly effective traditional model can be translated to an online environment.     

International student persistence in U.S. postsecondary institutions

The study used the data from the Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study data set to observe the characteristics of international students in their first-year in college and examine the factors that influenced their persistence in U.S. postsecondary institutions. Results from logistic regression analysis revealed that GPA, degree plans, and academic integration were positively related to persistence of international students, while remediation in English and social integration had the negative effects on their persistence outcome. The results of the study signal the importance of encouraging collaboration between offices of international student services and other academic departments or support services on campus. The retention of international students should not be viewed as the responsibility of only international student advisors. Instead, it should become a joint responsibility of faculty, academic advisors, English language program staff, and student affairs professionals on campus.     

A systematic review of teacher roles and competences for teaching synchronously online through videoconferencing technology

As a growing number of educational institutions are offering online programs, teachers need to be competent in this new way of teaching. This is especially the case for synchronous online learning through videoconferencing technology, an emergent and so far understudied form of online education. Based on a systematic literature review of 30 studies, this study identifies 24 competence clusters, which can be grouped into 5 teacher roles associated with synchronous online teaching through videoconferencing: the instructional, managerial, technical, communicational, and social role. This framework can act as a starting point for future research on this understudied topic and can also provide directions to support teachers’ professionalization and practice.     

Consensus among stakeholders about success factors and indicators for quality of online and blended learning in adult education: a Delphi study

Quality models for online and blended learning (OBL) have mainly been developed in higher education. The literature indicates that these models are often conceptualised from the providers’ perspective. What is important for the quality of OBL from the students’ perspective has recently received increased attention in the literature. Consensus among stakeholders about students’ quality needs is useful to support dialogue between professionals to strategically adopt OBL and to ensure that the needs of students are met. This study aims to validate a quality instrument for OBL, taking a set of 74 quality indicators and analysing them in terms of seven success factors (credibility, accessibility, transparency, flexibility, interactivity, personalisation, productivity). The Delphi method was selected as most suited. Participants from adult education were asked to indicate on a 7-point Likert scale to what extent the indicators add to OBL quality to meet students’ needs. After four Delphi rounds, the participants agreed on definitions of success factors and 30 indicators. The results are useful for institutions, ministries of education and external quality assessment agencies to assess the quality of OBL and can support institutions to implement improvement actions to ensure that the needs of students are met.     

Is students’ qualitative feedback changing,now it is online?

Student feedback can be used to enable institutions to achieve the best possible outcomes for students through informing changes which enhance the quality of teaching and learning. Following the introduction of an online survey platform to gather student feedback at a top-performing UK university, anecdotal concerns raised by academics suggested students were being more critical. This exploratory study investigated the effects of switching from a paper to an online survey by comparing the open-ended responses between the two methods of collection. The main contribution of this study is the development of an analytical framework which can be used by other institutions to evaluate student comments, in order to understand and improve the student experience. Three key findings in this study were uncovered. Firstly, the quality of student feedback is not undermined by a switch to a more efficient online collection. Secondly, student comments via both methods of collection predominantly continue to focus on fulfilling basic needs, such as study resources. Finally, a small number of comments online revealed a lack of behavioural constraint and were considered to be inappropriate. These findings have important policy implications for the global higher education sector, highlighting the need for students to be given guidance on providing constructive feedback.     

Shifting the blame in higher education – social inclusion and deficit discourses

The principles of social inclusion have been embraced by institutions across the higher education sector but their translation into practice through pedagogy is not readily apparent. This paper examines perceptions of social inclusion and inclusive pedagogies held by academic staff at an Australian university. Of specific interest were the perceptions of teaching staff with regard to diverse student populations, particularly students from low socio-economic (LSES) backgrounds, given the institution's reasonably high proportion of LSES student enrolment (14%). A mixed-method approach was utilised: (i) in-depth interviews with a representative sample of academic staff and (ii) an online survey targeting all academic staff across the institution. The results point to the dual responsibilities of students and institutions in enacting inclusivity in order to move beyond reductive standpoints that simply apportion blame.     

在线学习环境中课程完成原因探析(英文)

很多提供在线课程的教育机构所面临的一大挑战就是开发能够提高学生动机的教学策略,从而提高课程和项目的完成率.本研究利用Eastmond(1994)开发的"基于计算机会议的成人远程学习框架"(Adult Distance Study through Computer Conferencing,简称ADSCC),探讨了学习者的准备情况、在线特征、与计算机媒介传播(Computer Mediated Communication,tuj tq CMC)相关的学习方法等因素是否会影响虚拟学习环境中学生自备课程完成情况.研究结果表明,以上因素与课程完成情况有着显著的正相关.同时研究还发现,自我动机、对技术的信任,以及技术的易用等是在线学习环境中课程完成的主要原因.     

Social-Economic Factors,Student Factors,Student Academic Goals and Performance of Students in Institutions of Higher Learning in Uganda

This article evaluates the relationship between social-economic factors, students’ factors, student academic goals and performance of students. The study adopts a cross-sectional survey, with largely quantitative approaches. A sample of 950 students was randomly and proportionately drawn from undergraduates in four institutions of higher learning. A response rate of 61% was recorded. We observed significant positive relationships between student factors (except competence in quantitative subjects and grades earned in high school) and student performance, as well as student learning goals and student academic performance. We did not observe a significant relationship between socio-economic factors and student performance at higher institutions. The model was significant, and explained 47% of the variation in student performance. The study recommends that higher institutions should place considerable emphasis on inculcating a reading/preparation culture among students, enforce attendance at lectures and encourage students to set learning goals, if they are to improve the performance of their students.     

One Goal,Two Institutions: How a Community College and 4-Year University Partner to Bridge Student College Readiness Gaps

ABSTRACT

Recent national attention on college completion poses unique challenges and opportunities for community colleges. Moving underprepared students through basic skills educational courses to degree attainment represents an ongoing challenge. With more than 60% of community college students enrolled in remedial education, 2-year institutions must explore innovative approaches aimed at underprepared student completion. One community college did just that and partnered with a 4-year institution to expand postsecondary pathway options for underprepared first-year students. By establishing the Tiger Gateway Program, these two institutions collaborated to address student college readiness gaps using a summer bridge model. Seventy-five percent of participants self-reported as Hispanic/Latino with the remaining 25% identifying as African American or Black. Outcomes indicate participants who completed the program, 23 of 26, made gains in intellectual, academic, and social development. Findings support scholarship attesting that highly structured, meaningful, well-defined collaboration particularly benefits students from low-socio-status and underserved populations.     

Creating high challenge/high support academic environments through constructive alignment: student outcomes

Higher education needs to provide challenging yet supportive learning environments catering for students with diverse academic needs. There is also an emphasis on using student-driven outcome measures to determine teaching effectiveness. How can these measures be used to reflect upon and evaluate teaching initiatives? Using an undergraduate occupational therapy programme as the site for exploration, this article reports on an application of constructive alignment principles and describes how available empirical data were used to explore student outcomes. A comparison was made between student evaluations and academic grades prior to, and after the implementation of the initiative. Results provide evidence of improvement in student satisfaction and academic grades as a result of implementing constructive alignment. Whilst it is acknowledged that changes in academic grades and student evaluations can be attributed to a number of factors, findings of this study support a view that constructive alignment facilitates students' learning and experiences.     

Transitioning From On-Campus to Online in a Master of Science Nursing Program: a Comparative Study of Academic Success

This comparative study examined the academic success rates of online graduate nursing students by comparing final grades to the on-campus cohort of graduate nursing students prior to the program transitioning online. Analysis was conducted by identifying and comparing final course grades in 4 required Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) courses over a period of 6 years. Five key themes related to online student success are discussed, including the need for graduate nursing MSN programs to transition to an online format, barriers to online learning, comprehensive program evaluation of an online degree program, online student retention approaches, and exploration of whether online students have been shown to be as academically successful as on-campus students. Results reveal that both cohorts of course delivery modes yield academically successful MSN students and both course delivery modes are providing the MSN program with almost equal pass rates by the students taking the required core courses.     

Current Developments in Patterns of Graduate Study

During recent years considerable attention has been given to an analysis of the changing patterns of graduate study in engineering. Reviews by the American Society for Engineering Education, the University of Chicago under a Carnegie Grant, and the Ford Foundation have been directed to the problem. A primary observation has indicated a trend towards greater diversity in patterns and a closer correlation with current requirements of research and development in industry and government. These patterns, including evening and various forms of off-campus training, are described and their effect on the nature of the graduate program is examined. The effect of direct and indirect industry support is analyzed, and the changing role of the faculty in cases where close coordination with industry exists is examined. Current trends are evidently enriching and strengthening the value of the graduate program, particularly through immediate contact by both student and faculty with research and development applications. There exist, however, a consequent overemphasis on immediate needs, and an ambiguity of long-range academic objectives. The critical financial needs of students, faculty, and engineering educational institutions are emphasized by the demands of new patterns and current high standards of academic endeavor.     

Partnered Research Experiences for Junior Faculty at Minority-Serving Institutions Enhance Professional Success

Scientific workforce diversity is critical to ensuring the realization of our national research goals and minority-serving institutions play a vital role in preparing undergraduate students for science careers. This paper summarizes the outcomes of supporting career training and research practices by faculty from teaching-intensive, minority-serving institutions. Support of these faculty members is predicted to lead to: 1) increases in the numbers of refereed publications, 2) increases in federal grant funding, and 3) a positive impact on professional activities and curricular practices at their home institutions that support student training. The results presented show increased productivity is evident as early as 1 yr following completion of the program, with participants being more independently productive than their matched peers in key areas that serve as measures of academic success. These outcomes are consistent with the goals of the Visiting Professorship Program to enhance scientific practices impacting undergraduate student training. Furthermore, the outcomes demonstrate the benefits of training support for research activities at minority-serving institutions that can lead to increased engagement of students from diverse backgrounds. The practices and results presented demonstrate a successful generalizable approach for stimulating junior faculty development and can serve as a basis for long-term faculty career development strategies that support scientific workforce diversity.