Student and teacher co-navigation of a course: following the natural lines of academic enquiry

Using the mountaineering metaphor of ‘natural lines’ this article describes the co-navigation of an honours course by students and teachers. It suggests the benefits and possibilities of going beyond the confines of conventional teaching and learning wisdom (as canonised in the notion of constructive alignment) and offering just and joyful ways for students to explore disciplinary knowledge. We openly explore issues of power between students and teachers in the construction of so-called partnerships, recognising the inherent challenges in moving beyond the prevailing mainstream. We suggest that a natural lines approach enables students to act as genuine co-navigators and to experience disciplinary knowledge in authentic ways and provides rich opportunities for personal reflection and development.     

Identifying threshold concepts: case study of an open catchment hydraulics course

The Threshold Concept Framework is used to initiate a dialogue on an empirically supported pedagogy that focuses on students’ conceptual understanding required for solving application-based problems. The present paper uses a triangulation approach to identify the threshold concept in a third-year undergraduate civil engineering course on open channel hydraulics. Evidence from teachers, students, and assessment data point to ‘critical flow’ as the threshold concept – a concept that is transformative, integrative, and troublesome. Identifying the threshold concept by engaging various course stakeholders in a dialogue about conceptual understanding and capabilities makes learning visible for all participants in the process. Implementing this approach can result in an empirically driven rationale for adjusting pedagogies and assessments to foster enhanced student learning outcomes.     

英国开放大学学生支持服务概况及特点

英国开放大学在远程教育领域享有盛誉,这得益于其全程、全方位的学生支持服务模式。英开在实践中形成了持续关注的支持服务流程、专业协作的支持服务主体和优质全面的支持服务资源,在具体的支持行动上坚持以学习者为中心,兼顾学术性支持和非学术性支持,并致力于为学习者中的特殊群体提供额外支持。通过探讨英国开放大学的发展经验,可以为我国开放大学的建设提供借鉴:落实关键节点,完善整合支持服务流程;利用技术优势,优化完善支持服务模式;坚持开放包容,扩大延伸支持服务范围。     

Student perception of Moodle learning management system: a satisfaction and significance analysis

This research study addresses differences in student perception of the significance of Moodle learning management system (LMS) quality characteristics and differences in student satisfaction in regard to such characteristics. Therein, it has been proven in this study that male and female students are equally satisfied with Moodle LMS quality characteristics and that there is a difference in the significance that students give to these characteristics. When students were observed in regard to their age and year of study, it was found that these groups assigned different significance levels to quality characteristics and were not equally satisfied with them. It was also found that there is a substantial statistical difference in the significance students gave to quality characteristics and in student satisfaction itself, according to how much time they spent using the Moodle application, which is also noted as one of the most important aspects of the research conducted. A further analysis of the variables demonstrated that the following components of quality characteristics were more important to female students: average waiting time for a response, feedback quality, material thoroughness, material clarity, website user-friendliness, cooperation diversity, and material quantity.     

Student Expectations of Tertiary Institutions: A case study of the Fiji National University (FNU)

Education is a human right and Fiji’s tertiary education board recently declared that all tertiary institutions in Fiji must abide by the framework in order to meet student–customers’ needs. The Fiji National University’s (FNU’s) destiny to be Fiji’s leading higher education provider could be a reality if students and staff’s expectations are considered in all decision-making processes and at all levels of management. Preliminary research was conducted on a newly proclaimed government university: the FNU. The results revealed negative quality gaps whereupon there is a high intensity of student dissatisfaction with the services provided by the FNU. FNU as a community of social and education providers needs an atmosphere to provide social and educational development at all levels to meet the social and education needs of every staff and student in order to protect the basic human rights of its staff and students, and to qualify as an education provider that is internationally acceptable.     

Student resistance and teacher authority: the demands and dynamics of collaborative learning

The intersection among discourses of curriculum, pedagogy, and power are increasingly becoming the focus of research and analysis in southern African classrooms as the effects of apartheid, colonialism, and patriarchalism are critiqued for their influences on epistemic and pedagogic policies and practices. This article draws on feminist research on pedagogy to examine the dynamics of teacher and student relations in southern African university classrooms. In particular, it focuses on student resistance to engaging in collaborative work and with radical ideologies in course content. Drawing on case studies it shows that, despite feminist teachers subscribing to egalitarian ideals, when they encounter student resistance to democratic pedagogic strategies and radical course content they resort to normalizing and regulatory postures that reinstate teacher authority in the classroom.     

Learning needs time and effort: a time-use study of engineering students

Several time-use studies in engineering education have shown that students use less time studying than has been allocated in the curricula. It is questionable whether a scarce use of time can lead to deeper understanding and the ability to apply knowledge in problem-solving. The alarming results from earlier time-use studies led to a search for answers to the following questions: How much time do first-year engineering students use for their studies and other activities? Do they spend enough time on studying and other learning activities? Is their time use in agreement with the curriculum? What learning outcomes and grades do students achieve from their studying efforts? Factors that influence student time use and approaches to learning are discussed. A deep approach to learning is desirable and is seen to support comprehension and lead to better learning outcomes. Learning approaches that students choose are both student-related and influenced by the learning environment. How can the learning environment be designed so that students are motivated to assume a deep approach to learning and devote more time and effort to out-of-class studying? Answers to these questions will be helpful for teachers, tutors, teacher educators and designers of curricula, as well as students themselves.     

Conditions,processes and consequences of technology use: a case study

Abstract

The conditions, processes and consequences of technology implementation were explored in order to develop a holistic view of technology use in a typical elementary school (ages 6-11 years). This qualitative case study employed a symbolic interactionist conceptual framework, an interpretivist research paradigm and analytic induction strategies. Assertions generated from the process of analytic induction suggest that even when conditions appear ripe for transformational uses of technology, these uses often do not occur. The study raises questions about whether school-wide transformational uses of technology can occur without an organized reform effort and whether the conditions for transformational use of technology advocated in the literature are sufficient to facilitate such use. The study also supports the need to consider stages of adoption when planning for technology integration within a school and adds another dimension to the question of whether constructivist teaching strategies enable transformative uses of technology or whether the transformational uses of technology lead to more constructivist tendencies.     

The direct and indirect effect of motivation for learning on students' approaches to learning through the perceptions of workload and task complexity

The present study investigates the direct and indirect influence of motivation for learning, as understood by the self‐determination theory, on students' approaches to learning. Concerning the direct influence of motivation, results show that autonomous motivation is positively related to a deep approach to learning and negatively to a surface approach. Motivation also has an indirect effect on students' approaches to learning through the perceptions of workload and task complexity, in particular through the perception of a lack of information. The greater the extent to which students are autonomously motivated, the less they perceive that they have a lack of information and the less they are inclined to adopt a surface approach to learning.     

Personality,Gender and Student Performance at a South African University

Abstract

This article reports on a study that tested theory predicting differences in personality endowments between first-year and second-year accounting students, as well as the potential influence of personality on academic performance in the context of a large South African university. Data from 1 380 first-year and second-year accounting students was used to test theory predicting gendered differences in the relationships between personality and both throughput and performance. Multiple linear regression and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) estimations were applied. The findings suggested that fewer students with openness and agreeableness continue to second-year accounting studies. While conscientiousness might not be a primary differentiator of performance at first year, at second year it dominates as a predictor of performance. The findings are expected to generalise to other contexts to the extent that such contexts share characteristics with the context under study.     

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.     

Exploring the utility of workload models in academe: a pilot study

The workload of academics in Australia is increasing. Among the potential ramifications of this are work-related stress and burnout. Unions have negotiated workload models in employment agreements as a means of distributing workload in a fair and transparent manner. This qualitative pilot study aimed to explore how academics perceive their current workload and the utility of workload formulas within their workplace. The findings revealed five themes: scepticism, anger, vindication, justice and balance. Workload models appear to have utility within academia as a means of balancing role expectations in an equitable and transparent manner. They are also useful for demonstrating workloads to management objectively and identifying staff at increased risk of burnout because of inappropriately high workloads. Problematic issues identified were perceptions that workload models are management tools to control and monitor the workplace, and their implementation would not result in change.     

Managing change successfully: a case study at Brunel University London

ABSTRACT

The aim of this paper is to share a case study from Brunel University London’s Department of Life Sciences, where a change project was established to manage a significant increase in undergraduate student numbers. It gives an insight into the key factors behind the successful implementation of change, in particular focusing on how the project empowered academic and professional services staff to work together to develop shared solutions. It also emphasises the importance of adopting a project management approach, and the benefits a structured project framework can offer when managing change. Examples of specific solutions developed by the project’s work streams are reviewed, along with an analysis of the overall impact of these. These solutions enabled the Department to transition smoothly to a significantly increased student intake without negatively affecting staff workload or the student experience. It is hoped the lessons from this case study will be helpful to those seeking to embrace the challenges of the shifting higher education landscape, by demonstrating a way to successfully manage and implement change which is both positive and effective.     

Student performance in teacher education in Norway: the impact of student,institutional and structural factors

Many education systems face a challenge in recruiting graduates as teachers. This is also the situation in Norway and the newest estimates tell us that we will lack 9000 teachers in 2020. The situation is made even worse by the high number of dropouts and low performance rates in teacher education. There are many factors which have an impact on study performance and progress. Some factors are at student level, some at institutional or programme level and others at structural level. In the present article, we will discuss how students attending two different teacher education programmes at a university college in Norway negotiate between their studies and the need to earn money and the consequences this has for their study performance. We focus on student-level factors and how the university college organises its campus programmes. The findings are based on a quantitative study among 401 student teachers.     

The rhetoric and reality of good teaching: A case study across three faculties at the Queensland University of Technology

Universities now have a lot to say abouttertiary teaching. University policy, teachingunits, and promotion criteria have a veryspecific understanding of good teaching withinthe academy. This case study of QueenslandUniversity of Technology (QUT) found that goodteaching has two central features: it isnecessarily student centred, and it is`innovative, a characteristic that, at QUT atleast, is increasingly equated with the use oftechnology. This paper – based upon interviewswith twenty-four QUT academics across threefaculties (Education, Science, and Law), ananalysis of QUT's teaching and learningpolicies, and some additional historicalresearch – will suggest four things. First,that the concept of student centred learning,based on ideals of progressive education, isneither an historical inevitability northeoretically unproblematic. Second, thatirrespective of discipline, all lecturersespouse an underpinning `progressive' teachingphilosophy, even though, in practice, teachingstyle appears to be determined primarily bysubject-matter. Third, given that, in practice,the progressive model seems to suit somefaculties and subject areas better than others(i.e. Education, as opposed to Science and Law)this has significant professional implicationsfor the lecturers concerned. Finally, thatrather than promoting a `progressive' pedagogy,the use of technology in teaching actuallyappears to reinforce traditional teachingtechniques. Consequently, it is suggested thatmonolithic understandings of good teaching,when applied across the academy irrespective ofcontext, are often inappropriate, ineffectiveand inequitous, and that universities need tothink through their teaching policies andprogrammes more thoroughly.     

Student access of online feedback is modified by the availability of assessment marks,gender and academic performance

We used educational data mining to quantify student access of online feedback files and explore the underlying drivers of feedback file access in a learning management system (LMS). We collated LMS access logs for 32 individual pieces of assessment representing 1462 feedback files for 484 students (males = 45%, females = 55%) that originated across three undergraduate years, from 20 different degree pathways. Over a third of assessment feedback files (38%, 553 files) were never accessed by students. When students could obtain their assessment mark without opening the associated feedback file, 42% of feedback files were not accessed by students (513 of 1224 files). When assessment marks were integrated into the feedback file (and not reported within the LMS), the proportion of unopened feedback dropped significantly to only 17% of files (40 of 238 files). We uncovered strong gender-specific differences in how students accessed feedback within the LMS that were dependent upon academic performance and the integration of marks within the feedback file. Poorly performing males were less likely to access feedback; however, integrating marks into the feedback files meant that males were over 27 times more likely to access the feedback file. In contrast, females exhibited a much weaker and more variable response to marks being reported within feedback files. Assessments with deadlines earlier in the semester were also viewed more often than those later in the semester.     

Quantifying the assessment loads of students and staff: the challenge of selecting appropriate metrics

Assessment is central to learning. It is also central to the cost of providing higher education. Choosing how much and what forms of assessment are questions not only of good teaching but of good policy. Measuring the amount of assessment set in each course provides a basis on which to determine equitable and appropriate workloads for students and staff across disciplines and institutions and to use institutional budgets and staff time to best effect. It is, however, more difficult than it might at first appear to select metrics appropriate to this task. This article considers the advantages and disadvantages of four options. It also suggests the potential value of ratios and proposes that further consideration be given to removing the distinction commonly found in student workload formulae between time spent on learning out of class and that spent on assessment.     

Evaluating electronic resources: Personal Development Planning resources at the Open University,a case study

This paper discusses the evaluation of Web‐based tools to support Personal Development Planning (PDP) in order to illustrate issues associated with the introduction and assessment of the effectiveness of online resources. The aims of the evaluation were based on concerns about the very complex situation that offering online resources including PDP poses for part‐time off‐campus students. In this paper the authors utilize a modified RUFDATA framework (Saunders, 2000 Saunders, M. 2000. Beginning an evaluation with RUFDATA: theorising a practical approach to evaluation planning. Evaluation, 1: 7–21.  [Google Scholar]) and consider the benefits a range of methods, including surveys and observational studies, can offer evaluations of electronic resources. They found that students used and valued some aspects of the provision but that even with best efforts of instructional designers, and user testing at the draft stage, students do not always behave as intended. This evaluation highlighted the need for a range of strategies for evaluating online resources and that regardless of student attitude there are real worries about eLearning imposing extra workload burdens on ‘time poor’ adults.     

Similarity and difference in fee-paying and no-fee learner expectations,interaction and reaction to learning in a massive open online course

The new pedagogical opportunities that massive open online course (MOOC) learning environments offer for the teaching of fee-paying students on university-accredited courses are of growing interest to educators. This paper presents a case study from a postgraduate-taught course at the Open University, UK, where a MOOC performed the dual role of a core teaching vehicle for fee-paying students and also as a “free-to-join” course for open learners. An analysis of survey data revealed differences between the two groups in respect to prior experience, knowledge, expectations and planned time commitment. The nature and experience of interaction was also examined. Fee-paying student feedback revealed four conditions in which MOOCs could be considered a pedagogic option for taught-course designers. These are: when there is a subject need; when used to achieve learning outcomes; when there is acknowledgement or compensation for the financial disparity; and when issues of transition and interaction are supported.     

Student satisfaction,teacher internships,and the case for a critical approach to international education

In recent times distinctions between the economic and political imperatives of international education and its cultural and educational aspects have become conveniently aligned. This alignment is troubling because it allows the pursuit of profit to fit neatly and without apparent controversy into the pursuit of more lofty political cultural and educational goals. Measures of student satisfaction with international education do little to challenge this comfortable affiliation. Indeed, they appear to reinforce the view that international education as currently pursued is travelling well and yielding maximum profits and benefits for all. The discussion in this article is based on the results of a pilot study that examined international student satisfaction with a teacher education internship program in Australia. Our findings showed that students were satisfied with their international education experience and that the internship/work integrated learning experience enhanced their satisfaction. Importantly however, our pre-departure study showed that students expected study abroad to make a difference to their lives even before they left home. The study led us to consider the meaning of student satisfaction and whether assessments of satisfaction might simply confirm what students already expect. If this is the case, it is not altogether clear what student satisfaction with international education means or measures.