The economic impact of eight research universities on the Boston region

Abstract

The greater Boston region's eight research universities play a key role in the region's economic health and welfare. They are magnets for research and development talent and for billions of dollars in investment. These institutions contribute S7.4 billion dollars to the regional economy, jobs for about 50,000 university employees and 37,000 workers in related areas. They produce an annual talent pool of 31,000 graduates many of whom elect to remain in the region and contribute to the exploitation of university patents and licensed technology that sustain the regional economy, as well as its social and cultural institutions. Drawing on economic impact studies conducted for eight institutions in the Boston region we will describe the impact of these universities on the Boston region. We will review the implications of this large concentration of research activity on the region's economy, labour force, pre and post university educational structures, political leadership, funding sources and social and environmental quality. This paper will explore the issues facing these eight research institutions as they pursue their desire for sustained growth and development. Among these are changes in national research funding priorities, financial incentives for innovation, conflicts with non‐university sectors of the economy including competition for housing, manpower and economic resources.     

The social convoys of affordable senior housing residents: Fellow residents and “Time Left”

Living in an affordable senior housing site is a viable option for older adults who want to age in a community setting. Affordable senior housing is subsidized housing provided in the United States by the federal government’s Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Such housing is available to people 62-years-of-age and older whose income level is low enough to merit federal assistance. The current study assessed the social convoys of 32 residents of one affordable senior housing site, with interest in the number of co-residents included in participants’ social convoys, as well as participants’ levels of social isolation and loneliness. In the present study, family relationships made up the largest proportion of residents’ social convoys (38.6%); however, co-residents made up 26% of participants’ social convoys. There was a positive correlation between the number of years that participants had lived at the affordable senior housing site and the percent of co-residents in their social convoys r = .39, p = .03. These findings suggest that under certain conditions older adults are willing to invest in creating new relationships with co-residents in congregate settings. The implications of these findings are explored.     

Distance education copyright,intellectual property,and antitrust concerns

Abstract

An empirical examination of accredited American higher education institutions was conducted to obtain baseline data regarding distance education copyright, intellectual property, and antitrust concerns. Additionally, a multiple‐case study involving ten of the top thirty accredited distance education institutions in America was conducted. Policy approaches were examined for all institutions, and differences were discussed between public and private institutions as well as between the following Carnegie Classification institutions: Research I and II, Doctorate I and II, and Master's I and II. Data indicated that, out of the schools surveyed, 22% of the institutions in these Carnegie Classification categories published copyright and intellectual property policies on their institution's Web site. In the case study, it was found that 90% of the institutions centrally controlled their distance education program administration as well as the copyright and intellectual property policies related to it.     

The Withdrawal of Non-traditional Students: Developing an explanatory model

In the past decade there has been a dramatic growth in UK student numbers, with students from non-traditional and under-represented groups being encouraged to participate in higher education. However, levels of withdrawal in those higher education institutions that have a greater proportion of non-traditional students have also been increasing. Higher education institutions have introduced various strategies in an effort to cope with this problem, but unfortunately current models offer little in the way of explaining the causes of (and little justification for the strategies used to reduce) withdrawal. It is proposed that in attending to the explanations of withdrawal, consideration must be given to discovering the underlying characteristics of the teaching and learning environment and the manner in which a student's perceptions and expectations of that environment may impact on their decision to withdraw. An ethnographical study using grounded theory is used to capture these underlying characteristics. This study provides an explanation of the teaching and learning environment as it relates to the student's beliefs, the actions between the student and staff and the intentions of the institution. The results of this initial study are presented. These results represent a preliminary 'grounded' model of the teaching and learning environment of the Technology Faculty at Southampton Institute.     

Controlling Change: Teacher education in the UK

The staff of teacher education institutions in Scotland are under increasing pressure to ensure that teachers in training acquire a range of Information and Communications Technology skills. This paper reports a study of current skills and attitudes of some Scottish training institutions and students' related experiences. Ways of ensuring effective development of skills are discussed.     

Mission Creep and Teaching at the Master's University

Abstract

The accusation of mission creep at master's institutions is not erroneous. It has been occurring for decades. The imitation of the research universities by other institutions is not good for the institutions, for their faculty members, or for the cause of college teaching. Research and scholarship need to be differentiated so that scholarliness, not research activity, is seen as the foundation for good teaching. The model master's institution professor will engage in modest amounts of disciplinary research, as a complement to, not as a support or replacement for, scholarly teaching and scholarly engagement with the community.     

Towards a Slow scholarship of teaching and learning in the South

ABSTRACT

Although the concept of a scholarship of teaching and learning (SOTL) has emanated from the global North, it is a relevant and useful concept in the global South. The concept was initiated in the 1990s in the US. The original emphases in the seminal Boyer Report, on the integration of various forms of scholarship, the importance of intellectual thought and the collaborative nature of teaching have been subject to various distortions, in part due to the depredations of neoliberalism and performativity. We argue that Slow scholarship, which has resonances with Boyer's notions of the scholarship of teaching and learning provides much potential for reconceptualising SOTL in the South. These claims are explored via a case study set in South Africa, where academic developers at eleven higher education institutions covering the range of institutional types were interviewed.     

THE USE OF FACULTY RANK IN THE COMMUNITY‐JUNIOR COLLEGE SYSTEM OF FLORIDA

This investigation was undertaken to determine the extent to which academic ranking of faculty exists in the community‐junior college system of Florida and whether the use of academic rank is on the increase or decrease. A questionnaire was submitted to each of Florida's 28 two‐year colleges. Responses were received from all the institutions included in this study, which is a replication of an earlier study done in 1974. Eight of Florida's 28 community‐junior colleges use some form of academic rank. Most of these award the traditional rank of instructor, assistant professor, associate professor, and professor. In general, promotion is determined by degree, advanced graduate credit, experience, effective teaching, professional growth, and service. Six of the eight colleges have adopted a salary schedule related directly to the rank held.     

The Influence of Managed Care

ABSTRACT

During the past 15 years managed care has greatly influenced all forms of health services, including at colleges and universities which have long functioned like health maintenance organizations but without commercialism. This article discusses managed care's rise to power, the new forces countering it, and its influence on psychotherapy practice. The article suggests that preventive and developmental ideals are better served generally within institutions of higher education than by external, commercial managed care companies.     

United Arab Emirates University students’ attitudes towards the handicapped

ABSTRACT

The study aims to explore attitudes of the United Arab Emirates University students towards the handicapped. A sample of 313 students, conventionally drawn, took the College Students' Attitude Scale towards the Handicapped. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences in favour of females vs males, single vs married, residents vs non‐residents, families with handicapped children, previous contact with handicapped and urban vs rural groups. Several recommendations are suggested at the end of the study.     

Credit by CLEP: A Disconcerting Look at a Good Idea

Abstract

Virginia Western Community College (VWCC) reviewed its policy of awarding academic credit to students for successful completion of the General College Level Examination Program (CLEP), which many institutions use to determine whether students should be awarded credit for knowledge and skills acquired through off-campus programs, life experiences, or self-study. The review revealed several areas of concern about the use of CLEP at VWCC. The findings from this study should be of interest to all institutions that either now award CLEP credit or are considering the adoption of a CLEP credit policy: (1) Faculty review committees questioned the content validity of several of the examinations. (2) Administration of the examinations to VWCC students who successfully completed CLEP courses produced low correlations between CLEP scores and course grades. (3) CLEP policies vary considerably among Virginia's institutions of higher education and this creates serious transfer problems. (4) There are advantages to raising the CLEP cutoff point to the national 50th percentile.     

Promoting pro-environmental behaviour in a community in Singapore – from raising awareness to behavioural change

Abstract

Despite heightened awareness about climate change, individuals remain rather indifferent to the issue. The reasons being that many public education programmes rely essentially on information dissemination and do not help individuals understand the given information. The authors believe that there is potential of environmental education for understanding and promoting pro-environmental behaviour. The proposed transformative education for climate change (TrEC) programme focuses on three elements (knowledge, skills and values) to help individuals understand environmental issues and to empower them to take pro-environmental action. This mixed method study was conducted in collaboration with various government agencies and 173 residents in a housing estate in Singapore. The findings suggest that with better understanding (knowledge) about the climate change issue, individuals can make informed decisions (attitude) and be encouraged to adopt pro-environmental behaviour (action).     

Selection of Safety Patrol Members in Elementary Schools

Abstract

As experimental studies to compare a control group with an experimental group in new mathematics programs were introduced, experimenters became aware that many variables which could have an observable effect on test scores were not being measured. Among these was the student-subject's attiude toward his preparation for the course work under comparison. In order to ascertain a subject's attitude toward his mathematical preparation for college Calculus an attitude scale of the Thurstone type was developed. Students at two institutions in Oklahoma were used to obtain statements regarding their attitude toward their mathematical preparation, and to scale these statements. Two final scales were developed, one with a high face validity, and one with an abstract, research oriented base.     

Changing Teacher Education through Technology: a study of the Remote Area Teacher Education Project

ABSTRACT

Despite the overall proliferation of technology and its impact on people's everyday lives, tertiary education institutions generally have yet to utilise the educational potential of information technology. There is an enormous disparity between technology as an educational resource outside of these institutions and as a medium for learning inside. The same is generally true for teacher education programmes within institutes of higher education.     

CORRECTIONAL POST‐SECONDARY EDUCATION: THE EXPANDING ROLE OF COMMUNITY COLLEGES

More than 75 percent of post‐secondary institutions offering education programs in prisons are community and vocational/ technical colleges. The predominance of community colleges among correctional education providers is a major change from the early 1970's when two‐thirds of such programs were provided by four‐year institutions.

Over 260 community colleges provide programs and services to the 26,000 inmates participating in higher education. Results of a survey on correctional post‐secondary education indicate that these programs are in many ways different from those educational institutions provide on their own campuses. For example, they generally, have different admission standards, are administered by part‐time staff, and rely upon part‐time and adjunct faculty.

Community and junior college administrators are urged to closely examine the operation and quality of their correctional programs and the need for evaluative research on the long‐term effects of these programs is also stressed.     

Development of a Higher Educational Programme in China: The Hong Kong experience

The aim of this paper is to describe the authors' experiences in planning and developing construction-related postgraduate degree programmes for the China Mainland using guided distance learning as the mode of study. The Master/Postgraduate Diploma in Project Management offered by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University is presented as a case study. China has a large and expanding market for construction-related postgraduate degree programmes in the next decade because of the projected substantial economic development in the country. It is argued that factors such as cultural contexts, social settings and thresholds of affordability of local Chinese students must be carefully considered before educational programmes of any significance can be launched in the China Mainland. The paper draws upon the authors' experiences in planning and development of the postgraduate programme, to illustrate the major considerations which should be taken into account by the host academic institutions, particularly at the programme planning stage.