The impact on career direction of a tertiary management programme for mid‐career ICT professionals

The motivation of mid‐career students can be expected to be more considered and intense than students whose studies continue from undergraduate programmes. How students perceive their personal circumstances and their career when they first make the decision to enrol and what happens as a result of their studies can reveal how mid‐career management programmes can be structured to ensure greater alignment with student needs and therefore greater student satisfaction. It can also inform curriculum development and marketing strategy. This investigation indicates that the motivators that triggered the enrolment decision often evolve into intrinsic motivators as a result of the study experience and this can lead on to deeper learning and greater satisfaction with learning outcomes. Self‐determination theory posits the need for autonomy as an antecedent of intrinsic motivation. Providing autonomy support in course content and curriculum design as well as competence support and relatedness in assignments and assessment can be expected to result in greater intrinsic motivation and deeper learning.     

Community college faculty job satisfaction

The Herzberg two-factor theory separates job satisfaction and dissatisfaction by postulating that satisfaction is related to intrinsic factors or motivators, while dissatisfaction results from extrinsic factors or hygienes. Using the critical incident method, 222 community college instructors from twelve colleges were asked to relate aspects of their work that led them to feel satisfied and aspects that led them toward feelings of dissatisfaction. More than two-thirds of the group indicated that they gained satisfaction from student learning or from interaction with students, and nearly two-thirds related administrative, collegial, and/or organizational difficulties as leading to dissatisfaction. The two-factor theory was supported. Implications for collective bargaining, administrative action, and faculty professionalism are noted.     

大学生职业生涯规划课程指导与实践

大学生是从学校进入社会工作的最后阶段,及早作好职业生涯规划对提高毕业选择的满意度和未来的发展都具有十分重要的意义。大学生职业生涯规划应在学校课程的指导与实践中进行,其课程指导与实践有四个方面：一是向大学生讲明及早做出职业生涯规划的重要性;二是根据大学生的不同兴趣和爱好确定课程目标;三是根据不同年级设置规划课程;四是重视大学综合能力课程的指导与实践。     

What Motivates Today’s Criminal Justice Student to Become an Engaged Learner?

The use of student-centered High Impact Practices (HIPs) has become increasingly popular across university and college faculty. HIPs increase student development of critical thinking, problem solving, and communication skills. HIPs also provide students the opportunity to engage in real-world application of course knowledge. While HIPs increase student engagement and intrinsic motivation, little research has explored student perception of these concepts. This article describes a pilot course offered to upper level criminal justice students that incorporated three HIPs: undergraduate research, collaborative assignments, and service/community-based learning. Semi-structured interviews were used to facilitate individual student discussion regarding their perceptions and experiences of the course related to their level of motivation and engagement as compared to traditional classes. Results indicated student expectations for the course were exceeded; students believed the course would positively impact their future career/education plans; and the HIPs motivated the students to engage more than their traditional lecture-oriented courses.     

The effect of authentic project-based learning on attitudes and career aspirations in STEM

Can engaging college students in client-centered projects in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) coursework increase interest in STEM professions? The current study explored the effectiveness of project-based learning (PjBL) courses on student attitudes, major choice, and career aspirations in STEM. Framed in expectancy-value and social cognitive career choice models, we examined the effect of engaging in at least one authentic, project-based course during the first four semesters of college on student STEM attitudes and career aspirations in a quasi-experimental study with a sample of (N = 492) natural science and engineering students. STEM self-efficacy and subjective task value variables (STEM attainment, intrinsic and utility value of STEM courses, and relative cost associated with engaging in STEM courses) were examined as mediators of the relationship between classroom project-based experiences and STEM career aspirations. Gender and underrepresented minority status were also examined. We found that engaging in at least one project-based course during the first four semesters affected student perceptions of STEM skills, perceptions of the utility value of participating in STEM courses, and STEM career aspirations. Furthermore, we found that the effect of project-based courses on STEM career aspirations was mediated by STEM skills and perceptions of course utility. The effect of PjBL was not moderated by race or gender. We highlight areas of future research and the promise of PjBL for engaging students in STEM professions.     

Flipping Online Analytics Classes: Achieving Parity with Their Face‐To‐Face Counterparts

We show how the principles of flipped learning that have been successfully applied to analytics classes taught face‐to‐face (F2F) at the undergraduate and graduate levels were emulated in corresponding online classes. Student satisfaction in the online flipped analytics classes was compared to student satisfaction in the F2F flipped analytics classes. Data were collected between the Spring 2016 and Fall 2018 semesters and involved two instructors with a sample of 726 students. The results of an independent samples t‐test showed that there was no significant difference in satisfaction between the online and F2F offerings. A binary logistics regression analysis on the data revealed that whether the flipped course was taught F2F or online had no significant effect on students recommending the course to their peers. The results suggest that flipped learning is transferrable to online analytics courses and yields student satisfaction at par with equivalent F2F flipped courses.     

Producing PhD Graduates in Australia for the Knowledge Economy

Using survey and interview data on PhD student course experience, career plans and views on university-industry research links, this paper evaluates the success of Australian research-intensive universities in producing PhD graduates for the knowledge economy. Student satisfaction with their course experience is surprisingly low and this appears to be strongly linked with the quality and effectiveness of thesis supervision. Although the PhD degree is meant to provide high level research career training, only slightly more than half the respondents expect to follow research careers. Many PhD students have negative views about academic careers based particularly on their perceptions of the impact of reduced government funding levels on universities and the increased workload pressures on supervisors. On the other hand, a high proportion of students hold positive views about university-industry research links, with students with industry research funding showing higher levels of course satisfaction than other students.     

‘Not only satisfied and responsible,but also hopeful’: prospective teachers’ career choice satisfaction,hope, and personal responsibility

The present study aimed to examine the relationships between prospective teachers’ career choice satisfaction, hope, and sense of personal responsibility, with the intention of exploring the mediating role of hope in the relationship between career choice satisfaction and sense of personal responsibility. A total of 563 prospective teachers voluntarily participated in the study. Results showed that the prospective teachers’ career choice satisfaction, hope, and sense of personal responsibility for student motivation, achievement, relationships with students, and teaching were positively and significantly related to each other. Results also showed that the mediating roles of hope in the relationships between career choice satisfaction and four aspects of personal responsibility were reasonably important. Overall, results of the present study suggest that the prospective teachers’ sense of personal responsibility should be considered together with their career choice satisfaction and hope during teacher education.     

Doctoral Advising or Mentoring? Effects on Student Outcomes

This study investigated the extent to which doctoral advisors provided mentoring to their students and if mentor support influenced doctoral student outcomes. Survey results from 477 respondents, across disciplines at two universities, indicated that most students believed mentoring was important and over half of them received mentoring support from their advisor. Regression results showed advisor mentoring was related to student outcomes, but the pattern varied by type of mentoring (psychosocial or career), student outcome (satisfaction, number of presentations, and number of publications), and discipline. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.     

Flipping Quantitative Classes: A Triple Win

In the “flipped” class, students use online materials to learn what is traditionally learned by attending lectures, and class time is used for interactive group learning. A required quantitative business class was taught as a flipped classroom in an attempt to improve student satisfaction in the course and reduce the “transactional distance” (perceived barriers to engaging with the instructor, other students, technology, and course content) and increase satisfaction. Analysis indicated improvements to both transactional distance and student satisfaction in the flipped classroom. Multiple regression analysis quantified the extent of which each transactional distance was a predictor of student satisfaction. The improved satisfaction in the flipped classroom was predicted by the improvement in transactional distances between students, students and the instructor, and students and the instructional technology used in the class. The conclusions from this study suggest that the flipped classroom is a particularly good pedagogical strategy for quantitative classes. It allows the instructor to increase student satisfaction (a win for the students) in a course in which it is usually low without compromising academic standards (a win for the teachers). Finally, increased satisfaction leads to increased retention and hence increased revenues for the institution, which is a win for the administration.     

Using personalized learning as an instructional approach to motivate learners in online higher education: Learner self-determination and intrinsic motivation

Abstract

In this qualitative comparison study, we examine the perceived efficacy of using personalized learning (PL) activities based on PL principles to support students’ psychological need satisfaction and intrinsic motivation in an online course using a traditional one-size-fits-all model. We apply self-determination theory as a framework to investigate students’ perceptions of their psychological need satisfaction (e.g., competence, autonomy, and relatedness) and relation to students’ intrinsic motivation when enrolled in an online course implementing PL principles. Overall, the study results showed the potential of implementing personalized learning principles in online courses to support students’ psychological need satisfaction (e.g., autonomy and competence) and intrinsic motivation. Furthermore, students perceived the PL interventions as engaging and effective in meeting their learning needs and interests.     

Teacher support,student motivation,student need satisfaction,and college teacher course evaluations: testing a sequential path model

Self‐determination theory posits that individuals who have basic psychological needs satisfied while engaging in an activity will be more likely to value and persist in that activity. Scholars in this area have also posited that autonomy‐supportive social contexts are top‐down determinants of individual need satisfaction. To understand better the progression from social to motivational to outcome variables, we tested a four‐step path model within a classroom setting. Data were collected from 220 students in an introductory journalism course, which was subdivided into 14 lab sections. Students were surveyed regarding their feelings about the course, the autonomy support of the instructor, the motivation they felt to engage in the course, and the levels of need satisfaction they experienced. Theoretically‐guided structural equation modeling produced a best‐fitting model in which teacher autonomy support predicted more self‐determined student motivation, which along with teacher autonomy support predicted greater student psychological need satisfaction, which led finally to higher predicted course grades and higher teacher‐course evaluations. Overall, the results replicate and significantly extend previous findings regarding need satisfaction and teacher‐course evaluations. Implications for pedagogy and educational interventions are discussed.     

Student satisfaction with short learning programmes at a distance learning institution

Abstract

The relevance of short learning programmes as an alternative to full time tertiary degree courses at open and distance learning institutions forms the primary focus of this article. A new kind of student is on the increase in higher education: the mature student who prefers to study part-time in order to combine his or her studies with the advancement of his or her professional life. This kind of student is often interested in short duration, non-degree courses, such as short learning programmes, which have a high degree of specificity in order to update or expand the knowledge needed to enhance their occupational lives. Course applicability and effectiveness, evaluated as student satisfaction with these programmes, are vital in terms of the strategic planning of institutions. This article reports on an analysis of the dimensions that determine satisfaction with short learning programmes at a distance learning institution. Data was obtained by an electronic survey of students who had completed short learning programmes. Findings indicate that teaching staff, teaching methods and course administration are key elements to achieving satisfaction, and students’ loyalty to the institution is expressed in their intention to continue with their studies and to recommend the programmes to other prospective students.     

Examining the relationship among student perception of support, course satisfaction, and learning outcomes in online learning

Support for student learning is a key element in optimizing student learning experiences in any learning environment and its importance has been widely discussed. This study looked at student support, particularly in the course context, focusing mainly on guidance provided to students within a course. Three categories of support were identified and used for the purpose of this study: instructional, peer, and technical support. A total of 110 students completed an online survey on students' perceptions of support and course satisfaction in an undergraduate online course at a large southeastern university. The results showed perceived support was significantly related to their overall satisfaction of the online course. The findings of this study suggest that teachers should communicate what types of support are available to students and provide an easy way of accessing and taking advantage of the support.     

Measuring the research experience of research postgraduate students in Hong Kong

To date, there has been little research in non-Western contexts exploring the research experience of research higher degree (RHD) students and the effect of research experience on student outcomes. The purposes of this study were to validate the Student Research Experience Questionnaire (SREQ) developed in Australia in the Hong Kong context and to explore the relationships between student research experiences and their perceived skill development and overall satisfaction with their research degree experiences. Data were collected from 599 RHD students. The results supported the construct validity of four SREQ scales (supervision, infrastructure, intellectual climate and skill development). The results of the structural equation modelling suggested that supervision related to students' perceived skill development and overall satisfaction, while intellectual climate and infrastructure were related to overall satisfaction only. The data provide a better understanding of how we can promote positive learning outcomes of RHD students.     

K-12 teachers’ perceptions of and their satisfaction with interaction type in blended learning environments

Blended learning is an effective approach to instruction that combines features of face-to-face learning and computer-mediated learning. This study investigated the relationship between student perceptions of three types of interaction and blended learning course satisfaction. The participants included K-12 teachers enrolled in a graduate-level course. Results indicate that students (a) perceived interaction as important to their learning experiences and (b) were moderately satisfied in their blended learning course. The predictive model of student satisfaction including three types of interaction was reliable. Of the three types of interaction, learner–content interaction was the strongest predictor of student satisfaction when the course design involved a low amount of collaborative activities. Additionally, student personality was found to be a vital factor for interaction and satisfaction in this type of course design. Students who reported having an extroverted personality noted more interaction and a higher level of student satisfaction than those who self-reported as introverted.     

Initial Evidence on the Influence of College Student Engagement on Early Career Earnings

Using data from three waves of longitudinal surveys of the 2001 freshman cohort of the Gates Millennium Scholars (GMS) program, this study examined linkages between student engagement in college activities and early career earnings in the labor market. The results indicated that social engagement was positively related to early career earnings of college graduates while academic engagement was not. When considering students who majored in STEM fields versus those in non-STEM fields, results showed academic engagement to be positively related to early career earnings for non-STEM students but slightly negatively related to earnings in the labor market for STEM students. Social engagement was positive for graduates in the STEM fields but not significant for non-STEM students. Altogether, results show a complex relationship between student engagement and early career earnings. Implications for research and institutional policy are discussed.     

Predicting teachers’ instructional behaviors: The interplay between self-efficacy and intrinsic needs

This study was conducted to extend previous research by examining the specificity of teachers’ intrinsic needs and self-efficacy, and how they interact to predict instructional behaviors. Self-reporting measures were applied to assess teachers’ self-efficacy and intrinsic need satisfaction and students rated the teachers’ instructional behaviors (cognitive activation, teacher–student relationship and classroom management). The latent moderated structural (LMS) equation analyses conducted on data collected from 155 mathematics teachers and 3483 grade 10 students in secondary schools in Germany revealed that separately both self-efficacy and intrinsic needs predicted instructional behaviors. Moreover, a significant interaction effect between intrinsic need satisfaction and self-efficacy emphasized that when need satisfaction is not provided by the school environment, a high level of self-efficacy has a negative effect on the teacher–student relationship. Our findings underline that self-efficacy and intrinsic needs have commonalities when predicting instructional behavior and the importance of addressing the interaction between personal and environmental characteristics within the learning environment. Future research on teachers’ instructional behaviors should take aspects of teacher competence beyond self-efficacy into considerations and should examine how intrinsic need satisfaction can be enhanced.     

Student Learning and Performance in Information Systems Courses: The Role of Academic Motivation

Despite the need for information technology knowledge in the business world today, enrollments in information systems (IS) courses have been consistently declining. Student performance in lower level IS courses and student assumptions about the level of difficulty of the courses seem to be reasons for lower enrollments. To understand how student motivation may explain learning outcomes in introductory IS courses, this study investigates the impact of intrinsic and extrinsic academic motivations as framed by self‐determination theory on two measures of learning outcomes: (1) student self‐reported measures of learning and (2) actual grades obtained in courses and course components. Using 269 student responses collected in a second‐year undergraduate core course and a first‐year MBA core course, both of which are offered in a traditional face‐to‐face classroom environment, study hypotheses are analyzed. Results indicate that the motivational model explains both the affective and cognitive perceptions of learning held by students. In examining overall grades and grades in course components, the motivational model, however, was unable to sufficiently explain student performance. Data also indicate that there are significant differences between undergraduate and graduate students in terms of their motivation and learning outcomes.