Risks and Risk‐Based Regulation in Higher Education Institutions

Risk‐based regulation is a relatively new mode of governance. Not only does it offer a way of controlling institutions from the outside but it also provides the possibility of making an organisation’s achievements visible/visualisable. This paper comments on a list of possible risks that higher education institutions have to face. In a second step, it is discussed that a higher education institution changes when a framework of risk‐based regulation is adopted. The paper then illustrates how governance changes when the risk‐based regulation approach is transferred from a UK context to an overall European one with differing traditions of higher education.     

The Prospects for E‐Learning Revolution in Education: A philosophical analysis

If I lose my key in Canada, for instance, and I search for it in the United Kingdom, how long will I take to find it?

This paper argues that problems in education are caused by non‐professional teachers who are employed when trained teachers move in search of promotion friendly activities or financially rewarding duties. This shift of focus means that policy makers in education act without adequate professional guidance. The problems in education, therefore, result from demands made on mainstream education based on misconceptions about what education can offer.

It is argued that the implementation of e‐learning in education faces the risk of developing on the basis of unproven theories. This scenario increasingly sees the replacement of formal education activities in institutions of learning with non‐formal and informal education practices. Given that the contents and influences of non‐formal and informal education are not under the control of the teacher, the experiences that learners bring to education settings are increasingly difficult to manage. The paper proposes that by integrating e‐learning in teacher education and rewarding ‘good teaching’, there is a potential for a successful e‐learning revolution in education.     

Philosophical and Socio‐Cognitive Foundations for Teaching in Higher Education through Collaborative Approaches to Student Learning

This paper considers the implications for higher education of recent work on narrative theory, distributed cognition and artificial intelligence. These perspectives are contrasted with the educational implications of Heidegger's ontological phenomenology [being‐there and being‐aware (Da‐sein)] and with the classic and classical foundations of education which Heidegger and Gadamer once criticised. The aim is to prompt discussion of what teaching might become if psychological insights (about collective minds let loose to learn) are associated with every realm of higher education (not just teacher training).     

Measuring Effectiveness of Health Education in a Web‐based Learning Environment: a preliminary report

Driven by claims of efficacy, flexibility and resource effectiveness, higher education is increasingly utilising the Web as an instructional tool. The claims for pedagogical effectiveness are often just that – claims — and appear not to have been proven in the reality of subject presentation and evaluation. Thus, it is necessary to examine assumptions regarding the benefits of Web‐based instruction in terms of effectiveness. This article discusses aspects of an investigation which examined and compared the effectiveness of HIV/AIDS related collaborative tutorial activities carried out in both a Web‐based learning environment and a face‐to‐face class situation within an undergraduate health education subject. Effectiveness of the pedagogical strategy and the different learning environments were measured in terms of observed learning outcomes and reported perceptions of the learners regarding their learning experience. Preliminary results based on measured learning outcomes related to the subject matter, HIV/AIDS, demonstrated that collaborative learning activities were significantly more effective in the Web‐based than in the class environment. Additionally, the vast majority of learners perceived the Web‐based environment to be as effective or more effective than the face‐to‐face, class environment in terms of facilitating their understanding of the issues explored in the subject.     

Community engagement by Higher Education Institutions – a practical model and guidelines

Abstract

This article analyses the definition and understanding of the concept community engagement as one of the focal areas of Higher Education Institutions in South Africa. It captures the importance of a proper approach towards community engagement and contributes towards a practical method to guide the reader through the complex interaction between academic societies and communities. The article included recent anthropological and management research results to construct the working environment in which community engagement take place. It also describes the detail processes and practical methods to direct academic role players who act as community engagement facilitators. The reader will establish a better understanding of the community, its traditions and its culture as a holistic platform for understanding African communities. The proposed guidelines should enable community engagement facilitators to plan and execute community engagement initiatives effectively.     

Community‐level Responses to Disability and Education in Rwanda

This article explores the meaning of community and perceptions of disability in Rwanda, as revealed through a community‐based ethnographic study. This study took place in Rwanda in an educational policy context driven by international rhetoric about human rights, inclusion and the arguably unachievable Education for All targets. We argue that the emphasis on the inclusion of marginalised groups in Rwanda’s current education policy is a reality on paper, but not in practice. However, we explore the potential for a deeper understanding of community responses to disability, and ways in which the rhetoric and reality gap can be bridged. We consider some of the attitudinal and infrastructural barriers in educational settings and argue that Rwandan communities are resourceful, and can be supported to respond appropriately to children with disabilities.     

Students’ Learning Performance and Transitions in Different Learning Pathways to Higher Vocational Education

To improve students’ transitions between successive educational levels, continuing learning pathways are being designed and implemented in many countries. This study was carried out to examine the effects of the Green Lycea (GL) as critical cases of continuing learning pathways in vocational education in The Netherlands. The GL were compared with a traditional pathway (pre-vocational secondary education and secondary vocational education offered as separate programmes) in terms of students’ learning performance and transitions. GL students and comparable students following the regular pathway yielded the same mean final exam scores for four core subjects in the first phase of their educational programmes, despite the fact that GL students took this exam one year earlier than regular students because of the acceleration of the learning trajectory in the GL programme. Regarding the students’ transitions, the GL and the traditional pathway yielded comparable percentages of students who either did or did not obtain a pre-vocational secondary education diploma; For the GL, however, the percentage of students who proceeded in secondary vocational education was higher. To conclude, it seems to be possible to improve students’ transitions between successive educational levels (with their learning performance being an important precondition) through continuing learning pathways such as the GL. In this regard, GL design characteristics as described and examined in this study can be valuable ingredients for continuing learning pathways internationally as well.     

On the Operationalisation of Conceptions of Learning in Higher Education and Their Association with Students’ Knowledge and Experiences of Their Learning

Conceptions of learning, as well as other associated aspects of prior knowledge, are theoretically important factors in influencing the manner in which the content and context of learning are engaged. The present study reports on: (a) the operationalisation of some of these factors aimed at isolating sources of explanatory variation that can be used for modelling purposes; and (b) a conservative exploration of the discriminatory power of, and exhibited patterns of association between, such sources of variation as have been isolated. Based on a conservative analytical approach, the results of the present study do not support a single clearly defined empirical model of conceptions of learning and associated constructs. Instead, there is consistent evidence that underlying empirical structures appear to be sensitive to the response context and other factors.     

The Interface between Secondary and Higher Education‐‐The Case of Slovenia: 1989‐1999

Slovenia has introduced the Matura, an external examination taken at the conclusion of higher secondary education. This examination has two distinct purposes: to certify completion of secondary education and to replace all entrance examinations that might be required for selection and matriculation. As Slovenia was the first country in central and eastern Europe to introduce an external examination at the interface of secondary and higher education, its experience might serve as an example to other countries in the region wishing to move in a similar direction. This article describes the new examination that has been successfully administered in Slovenia since 1995, its structure, and the impact it has had on the education system, particularly on higher education, Matura results determining admission to course programmes.     

The Self‐evaluation of Teachers: a Strategy for the Improvement of Teaching at Higher Education Level

Teaching assessment at higher education level is required in order to improve the quality of teaching in universities. As both teaching staff and students are equally involved in the teaching/learning process, the views of both must be taken into account when determining the quality of teaching. Basically, a self‐evaluation process has two aspects. On the one hand, there is the source of information, the teacher in this particular case. He or she has the opportunity to reflect upon the actual teaching situation by evoking his or her own point of view in regard to his or her vision of reality even if it might be judged as a complementary view as opposed to other views. On the other hand, the objective of the process might be one either of providing a means of checking (process evaluation) or of improving (result evaluation). A detailed analysis of the two characteristics will enable us to appreciate properly their inter‐connectedness. This analysis, as well as the prior experience of the authors in the domain of teaching assessment within their university, enables them to present a model of self‐evaluation applicable to the context in which they are working.     

Good or Bad? : Learning Globalization, Postmodernity and a Changing China Education System

Under the setting of globalization, in the late 1970s, China began to carry out ’the reform and opening-up policy’. During 30 years reform process, Chinese economy has a great growth. The ’market mechanism’ and its effectiveness were adopted by Chinese people. With the deep reform of health system, Chinese government delegates more decision-making power to the hospitals, thus ’in employment terms, as two of largest industries (health and education) in every country’ (Meadmore P. 1999 p.91), the reform of education has become a hot topic in social debate. In other words, in the field of education in China today, marketization of education is highly focused, causing concerns of various social classes: What are the reforms? What are the results reforms bring about? On exploring the effects of globalization on Chinese education in modernity and presenting advantages and disadvantages in the process of the ’market mechanism’ working in and through education to reconsider a market education system creates an external competition for public schools.     

The Changing Structure of British Higher Education: How diverse is it?

With the passage of the 1992 Further and Higher Education Act the British system of higher education formally moved from a binary to a unitary structure. However, ever since successive governments have argued for a diversified model of higher education within which institutions should pursue contrasting goals. This article offers an interpretation of the key ingredients of institutional diversification and constructs alternative structural models of higher education. It proceeds by exploring the changing structure of British higher education since the creation of the unitary model. The argument is that there has been a steady emergence of flexible sectors, which both converge and diversify. However, there is a danger that the 2011 White Paper, rather than sustaining flexible sectors, could intensify the nascent shift in the direction of stratification marked by increasing differentiation between sectors as they converge internally.

     

The Changing Structure of British Higher Education: How diverse is it?

With the passage of the 1992 Further and Higher Education Act the British system of higher education formally moved from a binary to a unitary structure. However, ever since successive governments have argued for a diversified model of higher education within which institutions should pursue contrasting goals. This article offers an interpretation of the key ingredients of institutional diversification and constructs alternative structural models of higher education. It proceeds by exploring the changing structure of British higher education since the creation of the unitary model. The argument is that there has been a steady emergence of flexible sectors, which both converge and diversify. However, there is a danger that the 2011 White Paper, rather than sustaining flexible sectors, could intensify the nascent shift in the direction of stratification marked by increasing differentiation between sectors as they converge internally.     

Justice in the Higher Education Classroom: Students’ Perceptions of Unfairness and Responses to Instructors

We investigated college students’ perceptions of instructor unfairness and their emotional and behavioral reactions to perceived injustice. Results obtained from 397 undergraduates from three universities in the United States indicate that anger and dissent were the strongest emotional and behavioral responses to injustice. Furthermore, disgust mediated the influence of injustice on student behaviors most damaging to professors—taking action, expressing verbal aggression, and dissenting to authority. Stress mediated the effect of injustice on the most constructive student behaviors—changing their approach and engaging in the class. We discuss the implications of the results of our study for the student-instructor relationship and learning in the contemporary higher education environment.     

The Interplay of the Classroom Learning Environment and Inquiry‐based Activities

This quasi‐experimental study investigates how the classroom learning environment changed after inquiry‐based activities were introduced and student questioning was encouraged. Three science teachers and three classes of fifth graders (n=92) participated in this study. The analysis of covariance reveals that although the experimental group students perceived that their teacher’s support was significantly lower than that for the comparison group did (p< 0.05), they were significantly more involved in learning (p< 0.05) than their counterparts. Classroom observations of student questioning and inquiry activities revealed that those students with high quality levels in asking or responding to questions outperformed their counterparts in the inquiry ability of designing experimental procedures.     

Rethinking Flexible Learning in a Distributed Learning Environment: A University‐Wide Initiative

This paper is a case study of the impact of ICT on the teaching and learning environment at Murdoch University in Perth, Western Australia, where the convergence of distance and campus‐based education is changing the teaching environment in ways impossible prior to the development of ICT. Specifically, the paper will explore issues which have arisen from the implementation of a new flexible unit model which focuses on student access to rather than delivery of unit materials. The issues identified in a pilot of the new approach include: rethinking how students access learning resources; streamlining print materials provided to students; implementing an online lecture recording and streaming solution; and providing assessment which is equivalent whether taken on‐campus or online. These issues are not unique to Murdoch, but the integrated approach to resolving them offers a financially attractive means to achieve both reform and improved quality.

Reconsidération de la formation flexible dans un environnement de formation décentralisée. Une initiative dans toute l'université Cet exposé représente une étude de cas sur l'impact du ICT de l'environnement d'enseignement et de formation à l'université Murdoch à Perth en Australie de l'Ouest, où la convergence de la formation par correspondance et de la formation sur le campus change l'environnement d'enseignement ce qui était impossible avant le développement du ICT. Specifiquement, l'exposé s'occupe de problèmes qui résultent de l'implémentation d'un nouveau modèle d'enseignement flexible qui se concentre sur l'accès des étudiants plutôt que sur la diffusion de matières d'enseignement. Les problèmes identifiés dans un premier approche comprennent: Reconsidération de l'accès aux ressources de formation pour les étudiants; Rationalisation des matières imprimées prévues pour les étudiants; Réalisation d'une consignation de cours en ligne et présentation de solutions réactualisées; Evaluation équivalente soit considérée sur le campus ou en ligne. Ces problèmes ne sont pas unique à Murdoch mais un essai intégré de les résoudre offre un moyen financier intéressant pour atteindre une réforme et une qualité améliorée.

Überdenken des flexiblen Lernens in einem dezentralisiertem Lernumfeld: Eine universitätsweite Initiative Es handelt sich bei diesem Bericht um eine Fallstudie über den Einfluss von ICT auf die Lehr- und Lernumgebung an der Murdoch Universität in Perth in West Australien, wo das Zusammentreffen von Fernstudium und klassischer Hochschulbildung das Unterrichtsumfeld in einer Weise verändert, wie sie vor der Entwicklung von ICT unmöglich erschien. Es werden insbesondere Fragen untersucht, die durch die Einführung eines neuen, flexiblen Unterrichtsmodells entstehen, welches sich eher auf die studentischen Zugriffsmöglichkeiten auf Unterrichtsmaterialien fokussiert als auf die Versorgung des Studenten mit diesen Materialien. Die Fragen, die in einem neuen Pilotansatz aufkommen, beinhalten folgende Punkte: Überdenken, wie Studenten an Lernressourcen gelangen; Rationalisierung der für die Studenten vorgesehenen Printmaterialien; Einführung einer Aufzeichnung von Online Vorlesungen und laufend aktualisierte Anwendungen; Anwendung von einheitlichen Bewertungsmaßstäben, gleichgültig ob online oder an der Hochschule. Diese Fragen stellen sich nicht nur an der Murdoch Universität, aber der integrierte Ansatz sie zu beantworten, stellt eine finanziell attraktives Mittel dar, sowohl eine Reform als auch eine verbesserte Qualität zu erreichen.