The role of hybrid learning spaces in enhancing higher education students’ employability

Graduate employment rates and self-reported employability are increasingly a feature of higher education funding measures. However, graduate outcomes do not denote the whole learning experience of the student nor is the student experience reducible to a single statistic. This paper discusses a design-centric approach to employability development which was enacted within a hybrid learning space. The study engaged 52 final-year speech pathology students, their lecturer, the lead researcher and a career practitioner (advisor) at an Australian university. Students first created personalized employability profiles using an established online self-reflection tool. The online tool produced a personalized report and enabled students to access developmental resources relating to employability and student success. The project team used anonymized student data to transform a previously generic “careers” workshop into a targeted workshop in which students explored individual and cohort findings and participated in developmental activities informed by the data. The initiative’s contribution to learning space research is in its composition as a hybrid learning space in which educators and students engaged as learners and developers of their online learning spaces, and educators collaborated to analyze student data and inform learning and teaching enhancements within the same study period. It is anticipated that the data from subsequent years will inform the curricular review, particularly if subsequent student cohorts express similar concerns. Implications for higher education policy and practice are discussed.     

Contribution of the doctoral education environment to PhD candidates’ mental health problems: a scoping review

ABSTRACT

Recent research into the mental health of PhD candidates suggests that their high levels of stress could be caused in part or exacerbated by aspects of the doctoral education environment. However, the particulars of this environment have not been explored in consistent enough ways to provide a clear way forward for universities to respond to this issue. This article presents a systematic scoping review of the recent literature on this topic with the aims of collecting and consolidating the heterogeneous range of findings therein and providing a framework to coordinate further research and inform intervention design. Factors shown by the literature to contribute to stress in doctoral settings are presented, including problems in the supervisory relationship, lack of transparency of university processes, workload, role conflict, financial insecurity and uncertain career prospects. Analysis of the review sample indicates four main themes in this body of literature: shifting ideas about the range of environmental stressors and the relationships between them, a paucity of trialled interventions that target the range of known stressors, a lack of standardisation in instruments used for capturing the effects of stressors and evaluating interventions and finally, a need for comprehensive, agreed upon typologies – to integrate what is known about the issue and prioritise interventions. This article proposes guidelines to address these deficiencies, based on an ecological understanding of the doctoral research setting.     

Intersectionality in higher education research: a systematic literature review

ABSTRACT

This paper presents a systematic structured review of recent research that explicitly adopts intersectionality as a theoretical framework to interrogate how tertiary institutions manage, cater for, include, exclude and are experienced in ways that produce advantage and disadvantage. The analysis addresses the following questions: Within research that uses intersectionality, what aspects of the HE context are the focus? What methodologies are employed and how do these contribute to the production of knowledge? What vectors of identity are included? We find that gender appeared as the primary identity with which other dimensions of difference were combined to produce intersectional positions. Furthermore, case study and auto-ethnographic designs were primary approaches. This systematic literature review of 50 papers demonstrates that, when considering the workings of multiple systems of (dis)advantage, academic participation is intertwined with social and personal aspects of the HE experience. While intersectionality challenges the dominant instrumental view of HE, our review concludes that there is considerable work to be done to actively address the workings of intersecting systems of inequity impacting on participation and outcomes of students and faculty.     

Exceptional Female Students of Color: Academic Resilience and Gender in Higher Education

In researching the exceptional academic performance of 31 female and 19 male low socioeconomic college students of color, three distinctly female approaches to exceptional achievement arose from the data. These included the inordinate degree of familial resistance faced by the females and their approaches to that resistance, the value and importance of post-college goals and ambition, and the presence of effective cross-gender mentoring relationships. The impact of racial, ethnic, class and gender-based identities in relation to academic performance is also explored. Erik E. Morales  earned his B.S. and Ph.D. from New York University and his M.Ed. From William Paterson University. He is currently an assistant professor at New Jersey City University in the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. His research interests are academic resilience and the retention of college students of color.     

The effectiveness of learning analytics for identifying at-risk students in higher education

Abstract

In this article we investigate the effectiveness of learning analytics for identifying at-risk students in higher education institutions using data output from an in-situ learning analytics platform. Amongst other things, the platform generates ‘no-engagement’ alerts if students have not engaged with any of the data sources measured for 14 consecutive days. We tested the relationship between these alerts and student outcomes for two cohorts of first-year undergraduate students. We also compared the efficiency of using these alerts to identify students at risk of poorer outcomes with the efficiency of using demographic data, using widening participation status as a case study example. The no-engagement alerts were found to be more efficient at spotting students not progressing and not attaining than demographic data. In order to investigate the efficacy of learning analytics for addressing differential student outcomes for disadvantaged groups, the team also analysed the likelihood of students with widening participation status generating alerts compared with their non-widening participation counterparts. The odds of students with widening participation status generating an alert were on average 43% higher, demonstrating the potential of such a system to preferentially target support at disadvantaged groups without needing to target directly based on immutable factors such as their socio-economic background.     

Advantages of authentic assessment for improving the learning experience and employability skills of higher education students: A systematic literature review

This study is a systematic review of literature that investigates the advantages of implementing authentic assessment for improving two major categories that are relevant to academic and professional success of higher education students: learning experience and employability skills. Authentic assessment involves students in challenging tasks that closely resemble those of the workplace settings. 26 papers from 2010 to 2019 that were relevant to the topic of this paper were selected for the review process. Findings of this review indicate that authentic assessment can play a role in improving the learning experience of higher education students through enhancing their engagement in learning and improving their satisfaction as well as positively influencing their efforts to achieve educational goals. We also discuss the benefits of authentic assessment for equipping students with essential skills for their future professional life, such as communication skills, collaboration skills, critical-thinking and problem-solving skills, self-awareness, and self-confidence.     

Pre-university prepared students: a programme for facilitating the transition from secondary to tertiary education

The expectations of first-year students are becoming more widely researched and understood. How to realign perceptions and prepare students for the transition from secondary school to tertiary education is less well considered. This paper presents an account of a pre-university preparation programme embedded in the senior years of secondary education (10–12), launched initially in 16 Queensland schools, and expanding to over 50 schools with 447 students. The programme provides students with a scaffolded experience, introducing them to the realities of university life while building a connection to the university as an institution and developing relationships with transitioning peers. Qualitative data collected from 198 pre-university prepared students (PUPS) suggest that they have more realistic expectations of what university life is like, and feel better prepared to make the transition from secondary school to the tertiary environment. Further research ideas are considered to address attrition during/after the first year of university studies.     

Universal design for learning in anatomy education of healthcare students: A scoping review

There are concerns among healthcare practitioners about poor anatomical knowledge among recent healthcare graduates. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework developed to enhance students' experience of learning and help students to become motivated learners. This scoping review identified whether UDL has been utilized in third level healthcare education and if so, whether it had been used to enhance student motivation to study anatomy. Seven online databases were searched for studies reporting the use of UDL in the curricula of medical, dental, occupational therapy (OT) or speech and language therapy (SLT) programs. Studies were screened for eligibility with set inclusion criteria. Data were extracted and analyzed. Analysis revealed that UDL was not specifically mentioned in any of the studies thus there are no published studies on UDL being formally applied in healthcare education. However, the authors identified 33 publications that described teaching methods which aligned with UDL in anatomy curricula and a thematic analysis yielded four main themes relating to teaching strategies being employed. Universal design for learning was not mentioned specifically, indicating that educators may not be aware of the educational framework, although they appeared to be utilizing aspects of it in their teaching. The review revealed that there is a lack of research concerning the anatomy education of OT and SLT students. The role of UDL in enhancing motivation to learn anatomy in medical, dental, OT and SLT programs has yet to be explored.     

RETRACTED ARTICLE: Transnational higher education in Uzbekistan

ABSTRACT

As marketisation, stratification and performance measurement besiege Higher Education, managing change becomes a critical leadership and administrative skill. Managing the student experience and organisational reputation take on renewed significance. Yet whilst much attention is paid to quality assurance and validation processes as Higher Education seeks to develop programmes that address stakeholder demands, little work has been done that looks at course closure. It is suggested that fresh perspectives drawn from change communications scholarship, can provide practical value to university leadership teams. In particular, by recognising course closure as a form of trauma, then universities might be better placed to communicate with and support students on closing courses.     

Health-inclusive higher education: listening to students with disabilities or chronic illnesses

This paper reports on a small-scale project undertaken with tertiary students who identified as having an impairment either at enrolment or by registering with the university's Disability Support Unit (DSU). The aim of the study was to explore with these students ways in which the university was currently meeting their academic support needs and the ways in which these needs might be better met. Consistent with the definition of disability within the Australian Disability Discrimination Act, it became apparent that a significant number of students who identified with that definition, or sought help from disability services, also presented with needs arising from chronic illness. The majority of participants cited an emotional or psychological illness, rather than a physical, intellectual or sensory one, as a possible precursor to difficulties in engagement with the university. We conclude by considering whether commonly used institutional categories are apposite to an understanding of the ways in which students perceive themselves and, importantly, their engagement with the university and success within it.     

抗逆力研究及对我国学校心理健康教育的启示

抗逆力是近二三十年来欧美国家青少年研究领域的一个热点问题。抗逆力的发现推进了心理健康教育的范式变革。抗逆力是能力、过程与结果的统一。学校心理健康教育的工作要点是激活抗逆力。借鉴抗逆力的研究成果,我国学校心理健康教育的重点应由“关注问题”转向“关注优势”;坚持发展性辅导为主,障碍性治疗为辅的价值取向;把挖掘学生抗逆力作为心理健康教育的核心内容。     

Insights gained from a comparison of South African and Canadian first-generation students: the impact of resilience and resourcefulness on higher education success

ABSTRACT

First-generation students are often described as disadvantaged in university adjustment, self-efficacy and grades. Yet this deficit model of understanding first-generation students ignores their cultural capital, which could increase resilience and resourcefulness. Here, 844 students (31% first-generation) in South Africa and Canada completed measures of resilience, resourcefulness, university adjustment, academic self-efficacy and self-reported grades. Overall, the results reveal that the characterisation of first-generation students is culturally specific and, in some ways, differs between Canada and South Africa. That is, the deficit model may better describe Canadian than South African first-generation students. Yet, in many ways first-generation students are like their peers and their academic outcomes are predicted by their culturally specific levels of resourcefulness and resilience. This study support the notion that the positives students bring to university should be considered and that students would benefit from being taught the requisite skills involved in increasing resourcefulness and resilience.     

积极心理学视角下高校建档立卡家庭学生心理复原力提升的实践与效果

为了有效帮助高校建档立卡家庭学生心理复原力提升,在积极心理学理论的指导下,制定并实施的长达一学期的心理健康干预方案。     

科学发展观视野下高职贫困生精神救助体系构建

分析高职贫困生人生理想普遍比较模糊、心理障碍普遍比较严重、道德人格普遍有待健全等精神贫困问题及其原因,提出在科学发展观视野下构建发挥＂三个＂主体作用、建立＂四级＂教育管理机制、搭建＂五个＂教育解困平台的高职贫困生救助体系。     

Pathways and Partnerships: Widening access to higher education

In response to a Scottish Office call for a briefing paper on widening access to higher education the authors conducted a 'snapshot' study of the field including not only desk-based research but a questionnaire survey and interviews with approximately 70 practitioners in the field of access across the UK. The survey asked the opinions of practitioners on the areas of their greatest concern in the field of widening access to include marginal socioeconomic groups. This article gives an account of the concerns expressed in this survey and finds that the primary concerns fall under six headings: pre-entry guidance, qualifications frameworks and transfers, structural barriers and flexibility, attitudinal barriers, student finance and institutional finance. Solutions were also sought in relation to policy and practice in Scotland and included suggestions for more emphasis on partnerships, better communication between institutions and the community, and a shared system of financial support for institutions and for students alike.     

积极心理学视角下的心理弹性研究

心理弹性是指个体的心理功能并未受到严重压力(逆境损伤性影响)的发展现象。心理弹性通过保护性因素,使有弹性的个体在面对逆境时积极应对。积极心理学作为一股新的心理学思潮,主张心理学应该对人类自身拥有的积极品质进行研究。积极心理学理念与心理弹性相结合,进一步增进个体积极的情绪体验、增强心理弹性、培养个体积极的人格品质;进而促进个体身心健康,更快、更好成长;它具有现实意义。     

精细化管理在高校学生工作中的应用

当前高校学生工作中存在着全员参与意识淡薄、工作管理人员执行力匮乏、现代化管理技术支持缺失等问题。高校学生工作精细化是一个长期、持久的工程,在实际管理工作中,应该结合高校学生工作的内在需求,不断地去完善和创新高校学生工作精细化管理理论,以发挥其更大的作用。高校学生工作精细化管理系统构建势在必行．要树立高校学生工作精细化管理理念,架构高校学生工作精细化管理组织,切实构建起学生工作精细化管理平台。     

关于高职学生心理健康问题的调查分析及教育对策

文章运用SCL-90临床症状自评量表对五年制和三年制高职的机电、计算机、财会、英语等各专业学生的心理健康状况进行了调查和测试,并在“SCL-90症状自评测量”结果评析的基础上对高职生心理健康教育工作提出了相应的对策与措施。     

Professional staff contributions to student retention and success in higher education

ABSTRACT

Student attrition remains a persistent problem within the Australian higher education sector. Contributing factors include financial, reputational and quality issues, which can pose significant risks for a university’s sustainability. Institutional culture is fundamental to decisions student make about withdrawing or remaining in higher education. Therefore, student retention requires a sustained, deeply embedded commitment from all parts of the institution, placing student experience at the forefront of all activities in the student lifecycle. Applying a lifecycle approach to the way in which institutions think about student retention benefits students by providing comprehensive and consistent support. Given that less is known about how professional staff contribute to student academic learning journeys as part of whole of institution responses to student retention, this paper focusses on the contributions that professional staff make within the student lifecycle and how they can most readily map their contributions to student retention and success.     

Finding common ground: enhancing interaction between domestic and international students in higher education

A feature of Australian Higher Education over the last 10 years has been the increased numbers of international students. This feature has been perceived to have great potential for enhanced learning for all students – both international and domestic. Yet, student surveys and research clearly indicate that there is very little interaction occurring between domestic and international students. This article reports on a study that investigated the extent to which university teaching can promote interaction between students from diverse cultural and linguistic background. Using an innovative video-analysis methodology, the research found that academics engage in a variety of activities to encourage interaction between student groups. In order to assist academics in planning interaction, one of the main findings of the study was the development of ‘The Interaction for Learning Framework (ILF)’, that identifies key dimensions for curriculum design that can be used by academics to inform ways that they can enhance interaction between diverse student groups within teaching and learning contexts.