The Development and Validation of an Instrument to Assess Institutional-Level Environment in Universities

This study reports the development and validation of an instrument to assess institutional or university-level environment in universities. Using a sample of 489 academics from 52 departments in 28 Australian universities, an instrument called the University-Level Environment Questionnaire (ULEQ) was field-tested and validated. The final form of the ULEQ consists of 42 items assigned to seven scales: Academic Freedom, Concern for Undergraduate Learning, Concern for Research and Scholarship, Empowerment, Affiliation, Mission Consensus, and Work Pressure. Validation data showed that the ULEQ has sound structural characteristics, thus suggesting that it should prove to be an important research tool for individual academics, departments, and universities interested in improving their learning environments. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Using Academics' Perceptions of University Environment to Distinguish between Australian Universities

This paper reports a discriminant analysis of Australian universities using academics' perceptions of their university-level environment. A sample of 514 academics from 52 departments in 26 publicly funded universities responded to the University-Level Environment Questionnaire, which assesses academic's perceptions of seven dimensions of institutional environment (viz. Academic Freedom, Concern for Undergraduate Learning, Concern for Research and Scholarship, Empowerment, Affiliation, Mission Consensus and Work Pressure). Discriminant analysis revealed that the four university types were separated by the first discriminant function, with long-established universities separated widely from new universities. Concern for Research and Scholarship was the major discriminating variable, with Academic Freedom a minor discriminating variable. The study suggests that new universities must improve their level of research and scholarship if they are to become more like other Australian universities.     

Table of Contents

A False Prophet? The Secularization of Scholarship in American Higher Education The Secularization of American Higher Education Is the Secularization of Higher Education Inevitable? Deconstructing the Secularization Narrative Faith-Informed Traditions of Practical Rationality: Contemporary Approaches of Three Religious Traditions to Knowledge The Roman Catholic Tradition The Reformed Worldview The Anabaptist Narrative Traditions, Worldviews, Narratives, and Practices: How Faith Shapes Reason Faith-Informed Scholarship Across the Disciplines The Influence of Background Beliefs on Scholarship Specific Examples Faith-Informed Scholarship and the Practices of Networks and Institutions Old and New Networks of Religious Colleges and Universities Religious Faith and Scholarship: Institutional Practices Religion and Scholarship: Networks of Scholars and Professional Associations Faith-Informed Scholarship and the Practice of Academic Freedom Defining Academic Freedom A Brief Comparative History of Faith-Informed Scholarship and Academic Freedom Comparing Individual Perspectives of Faith-Informed Scholarship and Academic Freedom Institutional Examples of Faith-Informed Scholarship and Academic Freedom Faith-Informed Scholarship and the Larger Tournament of Narratives Expounders of Decline or Decay in the Academy Narratives of Hope? The Postmodern, Postliberal, Postsecular University The Hope of Faith-Informed Narratives, Scholarship, and Universities References Name Index Subject Index About the Authors     

Table of Contents

Defining Institutional Diversity Aspects of Institutional Diversity Diversity Versus Diversification Versus Differentiation Interactions With the Environment Overview of the Monograph Historical Context of Institutional Diversity Growth During the Colonial Period Establishing American Higher Education Failure of the National University Idea Institution Building The Changing Curriculum Rise of the Research University Transition From Elite to Mass Higher Education The Postwar Period Conclusion Theoretical Contexts Population Ecology Resource Dependency Theory Institutional Theory Conclusion Benefits of Institutional Diversity Meeting the Needs of All Types of Students Increased Institutional Effectiveness Provide Models Support Reform Through Competition Serve the Political Needs of Interest Groups Protecting Academic Freedom and Autonomy Support Elite and Mass Higher Education Improve Social Mobility Minority-Serving Institutions Conclusion Causes of Homogenization Academic Drift Prestige-Maximizing Activities Statewide Coordination Conclusion The Future of Institutional Diversity Research and Practice Market Smart and Mission Centered Policymakers Campus Leaders and Administrators Faculty Students Conclusion References Name Index Subject Index About the Author     

Associations between school-level environment and science classroom environment in secondary schools

This article describes a study of links between school environment and science classroom environment. Instruments to assess seven dimensions of school environment (viz., Empowerment, Student Support, Affiliation, Professional Interest, Mission Consensus, Resource Adequacy and Work Pressure) and seven dimensions of classroom environment (viz., Student Affiliation, Interactions, Cooperation, Task Orientation, Order & Organisation, Individualisati n and Teacher Control) in secondary school science classrooms were developed and validated. The study involved a sample of 1,318 students in 64 year 9 and year 12 science classes and 128 teachers of science in Australian secondary schools. Using the class mean as the unit of analysis for student data, associations between school and classroom environment were investigated using simple, multiple and canonical correlational analyses. In general, results indicated weak relationships between school and classroom environments and they reinforced the view that characteristics of the school environment are not transmitted automatically into science classrooms.     

Environments for learning in a Dutch University

Learning environments have been studied less thoroughly in European universities than they have in American colleges and universities. Several research strategies which have been developed in the United States are discussed. One strategy, adapted to analyze the special conditions found in European universities, and an instrument which provides evidence about student perceptions of their environments, are described. The results of a study of one university in the Netherlands indicate that there are distinctive atmospheres found in various departments; departments differ from one another in understandable ways, and each department has its own kind of educational problems. It is argued that systematic analyses of learning environments might identify problems in universities and permit solutions to be found so that more effective educational contexts may be created.This paper is based on a study conducted at the Educational Research Center, University of Leyden, The Netherlands. Dr. Gaff was invited to spend a year at the Center, Dr. Crombag is the Director of the Center, and Dr. Chang is a member of the Center staff. A full report of the study, The university as a learning environment: An empirical analysis, Report No. 13, January, 1973, may be obtained from the Educational Research Center, University of Leyden, Leyden, The Netherlands.     

Are big university departments better than small ones?

The aim of this article is to examine whether large university departments create better opportunities for research than small ones. The data are drawn from a questionnaire study among all faculty members of the rank of assistant professor or higher at Norway's four universities. There is no significant relationship between department size and productivity in scientific publishing. Furthermore, there is a tendency that faculty in the smallest departments are more content with the research environment than their colleagues in the largest departments. There are, however, large differences between fields of learning in this respect.     

学习自由的实现及其制度建构——兼论创新人才的培养

学习自由不仅是大学生的基本权利,也是大学培养创新人才的基本制度环境。从实践层面而言,学习自由也是有限度的,学习过程离不开必要的制度保障和制度规约,学习自由与学习制度之间需要保持必要的张力。当前,我国大学生学习自由权利相对虚弱,学习过程受到过多外部控制。当务之急是重构大学生学习的权利与责任体系、整合教学资源、创新学习管理体系,为学习自由的实现创设和谐的制度环境。     

学术自由理念：一流大学的精神气质

从学术自由理念的发展历程中考察德国、美国等一大批世界一流大学的形成与发展,可以得出高品住的办学理念、一流的大师云集、高素质的学生汇聚、卓越的科研成果和追求学术的超然与自由精神是一流大学的主要特征,其中以学术自由理念为一流大学的根本气质所在。目前我国高校中出现的一系列有违学术自由的现象发人深省。在理性主义与功利主义之间应该保持怎样的平衡、学术权力与行政权力二者之间是一种怎样的关系、学术自由与学术道德之间存在怎样的联系,这一系列问题的厘清将有助于中国大学实现创建世界一流大学这一目标。     

Student perceptions of learning environment: disciplinary program versus general education classrooms

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine student perceptions of the learning environment in their program major and general education classrooms. The participants were 870 undergraduate students majoring in engineering, fine arts, education, economics and nursing programs at a university in Thailand. We found significant differences in the perceptions of the classroom learning environment across various disciplines. Engineering and economics students perceived the learning environment in general education classrooms as more cooperative than the learning environment in program major classrooms. Fine arts and nursing students perceived greater involvement among students in the program major classrooms than in the general education classrooms. Our findings contribute to the body of research on inter-disciplinary differences in classroom learning environments in universities and the ways in which these differences may impact student learning outcomes.     

Effect of the Science Learning Environment on Science Achievement: A Comparison of 12 Countries from the IEA Second International Science Study

ABSTRACT

The International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) Second International Science Study (SISS) was conducted in 1984, resulting in a vast amount of educational data collected from 23 countries and educational systems. This research study reports on the analyses of 12 of those countries using multilevel modeling, investigating the relationships between the students’ reported perceptions of the science learning environment and their science achievement when controlling for student background variables. The three science learning environment scales which were collected in the SISS and analysed here were Student Participation, Teacher Directed Learning and Practical Work. Additionally, this research reports on the effect of these science learning environment scales on gender and socioeconomic differences in science achievement.     

Accelerating the introduction of the case method into Chinese business schools: an action research approach

ABSTRACT

This paper is unique in that it demonstrates how a national education department used action research to stimulate the use of the case method of teaching in business schools and other departments in universities in China. It illustrates how four different players; a teacher, her students, a government department in charge of setting education policy and selected faculty in Chinese universities were involved in the research. The research suggests that, contrary to widely held beliefs, given a well-trained and motivated Chinese instructor and careful course design Chinese students will readily accept the case method of teaching. Methods used in influencing potential adopters of the case method are discussed. Current faculty and institutional related barriers to the introduction of the case method are noted along with a proposal to institute the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning as a potential solution. The paper also illustrates how videotapes of classroom processes can be used in multiple ways within an action research project.     

Research on academic writing in the teaching-learning processes in the Spanish university context / La investigación sobre escritura académica en los procesos de enseñanza-aprendizaje en la universidad española

Abstract

This introductory article of the special issue has a threefold aim. First, it presents the objectives and background of the Research Network on Academic Writing in Teaching and Learning Processes (Red para la Investigación de la Escritura Académica en los procesos de Enseñanza y Aprendizaje; RIEA-EA); secondly, it points out the more urgent challenges that research on academic writing is currently facing at Spanish universities. These challenges are the underpinning of the studies presented in this special issue, which focus on faculty and student representations about the characteristics and role of writing within teaching and learning processes. Finally, it explains the organisation and characteristics of the articles included in this special issue.     

Improving teaching quality and the learning organisation

Abstract

This study applied a learning organisation framework to understand academic departments’ efforts to improve teaching quality. The theoretical framework was generated from literature on learning organisations, organisations devoted to continuous improvement through continuous learning. Research questions addressed relationships among departments’ vision, leadership, knowledge management, communication, learning culture, and teaching improvement. Using survey data collected from department chairs, this study found a positive association between learning organisation behaviours and the improvement of teaching.     

Understanding research strategies to improve ERA performance in Australian universities: circumventing secrecy to achieve success

ABSTRACT

Many Australian universities have prioritised improving discipline performance on the national research assessment – Excellence for Research in Australia. However, a culture of secrecy pervades Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA). There are no specified criteria for the assignment of ratings on a 5-point scale ranging from ‘well above world standard’ (5) to ‘well below world standard’ (1). No rationale is provided to institutions for their discipline ratings and university staff on the ERA panels sign confidentiality agreements. However, what is available to universities are the research strategies that each university documents to improve its ERA performance in its Mission-based Compact, a government funding agreement. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the similarities and differences in the research strategies that universities with different performance profiles employ. Following an analysis of the strategies, substantial commonality was identified in strategy use. However, what was different was how universities employed these strategies and the associated contexts.     

Increasing Student Involvement in Cognitive Aging Research

The involvement of undergraduates in research on aging has benefits for the students and for the faculty mentors, as well as for their departments, their universities, and the field of gerontology at large. This article reports on the application of a 3-year Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) by the National Institute on Aging awarded to Fairfield University—a selective, midsize private Jesuit institution—to increase undergraduate involvement in cognitive aging research. The series of studies examines age-related differences in veridical and false memories arising from repeated attempts to remember information. The grant has greatly expanded the research opportunities available for undergraduates, and has provided research training to a greater number and broader range of students than was previously possible (over the 3-year period, over 30 students gained hands-on, in depth research training). Specific student research activities on the Fairfield Cognitive Aging Project are discussed, and the development of a course on supervised research, its place in the curriculum, and the immediate and long-term benefits to students are described.     

Conceptual framework for structuring future agricultural colleges and universities in industrial countries

Abstract

Agricultural colleges and universities in industrial countries are faced with declining numbers of students and the need to carefully evaluate alternative structures and functions to meet the challenges of a sustainable food supply. Current education and research are compartmentalized into classical departments and disciplines that often ignore the complex realities of natural, agricultural, and other human-designed systems. Communication with the agricultural industry likewise is confined to answers to specific questions that are perceived to be within the domain of specialized research and expertise. There is relative isolation from the natural resource environment and the urban society context. We propose two models for greater integration of learning activities among departments as well as moving more research and education into the field and food system. These alternative strategies broaden the concept of ‘faculty’ to include educators from farming, business, government, and non-profit groups, and promote team research and education within the context of the natural environment and with urban society. This type of action research and action learning can provide answers to immediate questions as well as contribute to a long-term, sustainable, locally-based food system through students who are prepared to deal with complex issues in the future.     

Lecturers learning to teach: the role of agency

ABSTRACT

Lecturers may be exposed to the same Academic Development Programme but their course of action at personal and professional level vary. In this paper, I analyze the lecturers’ contribution in shaping their learning to teach. I interviewed twenty-five lecturers in four private universities in Kenya using semi-structured interviews. The analysis showed that the onus to learn how to teach lies with the individual lecturer (agency) especially in contexts that lack a systematic approach to lecturers’ learning. Academic developers may be interested in understanding how the exercise of agency in learning how to teach leads to variations in lecturers’ actions.     

Evaluation of a K–5 Mathematics Program Which Integrates Children’s Literature: Classroom Environment and Attitudes

This article describes a one-year study of 120 fifth grade students whose teachers participated in a program entitled Project SMILE (Science and Mathematics Integrated with Literary Experiences). The purpose of the study was to determine the extent to which the classroom implementation of Project SMILE positively influenced the classroom environment and student attitudes toward reading, writing and mathematics. This was accomplished by, first, facilitating a series of professional development workshops with the teachers and, subsequently, asking these teachers to use the strategies with their students in their elementary school classrooms. The research represents one of the relatively few studies that have employed learning environment dimensions as criteria of effectiveness in the evaluation of educational innovations. Methodologically, our study supported previous research that successfully combined qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection. The learning environment and attitude scales exhibited satisfactory internal consistency reliability and discriminant validity and, additionally, the actual form of most learning environment scales was capable of differentiating between the perceptions of students in different classrooms. The implementation of SMILE was found to have a positive impact on the students of the teachers who participated in the inservice program in that students attitudes to mathematics and reading improved and there was congruence between students actual and preferred classroom environment on the scales of satisfaction and difficulty. As well, prior research was replicated in that students satisfaction was greater in classrooms with a more positive learning environment, especially in terms of student cohesiveness. Finally, qualitative data-gathering methods were used to construct a case study of the mathematics classes of a teacher who attended the SMILE professional development. This case study supported and illuminated the results from the questionnaire survey concerning the effectiveness of Project SMILE in terms of student attitudes and classroom environment.