Learner Autonomy and Selected Demographic Characteristics as They Relate to Life Satisfaction Among Older Adults in Malaysia

Malaysia currently has about three million senior citizens. United Nations statistics show that Malaysia is likely to reach aging nation status by the year 2035. It is important to address the issues that may have impact on the needs and concerns of this growing population. This study examined the relationships of life satisfaction, learner autonomy, and selected demographic variables of older adults in the state of Kelantan, Malaysia. A convenience sample of 111 adults, age 50 or older, participated in this survey. Statistical analyses assessed relationships of demographic variables to Learner Autonomy Profile and Life Satisfaction Scores. Findings reveal ethnicity, education level and living area correlate significantly with the learner autonomy scores. Only education level was found to significantly correlate with life satisfaction. Results indicate a significant relationship of learner autonomy scores and life satisfaction scores. Implications for practice and recommendations for further study and public policy emphases are discussed.     

Faculty Orientation to Off-Campus and International Campus Locations

Following in the same tradition of seamlessly providing access to library resources to our remote users, our campus has now taken the next logical step in also providing an orientation for new faculty teaching online as well as those teaching at our international campus locations. Without this type of orientation program, new faculty often feel isolated and left to navigate various systems, including library resources, the learning management system, student information systems, early alert tools, etc., completely on their own. Providing an orientation to this audience helps bring them together and allows them to acclimate to the various campus systems in an easier and much-less frustrating manner.     

A Partnership Approach to Information Technology in Initial Teacher Training

ABSTRACT

This paper describes the changes to the IT element of the secondary Post Graduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) course at the University of East Anglia, in the light of the government initiatives requiring a shift to a partnership approach to initial teacher training. This shift means that only one third of the 36 week course is now delivered at the University. The paper describes the recommendations of a joint working party representing partnership schools and university staff. The implementation of the group's suggestions involved a fundamental revision of the IT component for both university and school based elements and a re‐definition of the roles of all staff involved. This paper concludes with a discussion of the evaluation of the new scheme, including the results of a student questionnaire, after it had been implemented for one year. This found that our move to deal with IT as a subject specific issue was successful and highlighted the level of IT use in school subject departments as the single most important factor determining students’ use of IT in the classroom.     

Preparing for Leadership Turnover in Christian Higher Education: Best Practices in Succession Planning

In the face of unprecedented disruption and complexity, the higher education sector appears to be largely underprepared for the projected exodus of senior-level administrators due to retirements and briefer tenures in leadership roles. Given that religiously affiliated institutions account for more than one in five colleges and universities in the United States, it is concerning that relatively few studies have addressed succession planning in this sector, and in Christ-centered higher education in particular. This article provides a review of the literature that has addressed the topic of succession planning and discusses the findings from a single-institution ethnographic case study that explored the culture of succession planning and leader development at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee. The conceptual framework used in this study was developed through the dissertation research of C. L. Richards in 2009, and is referred to as the 5Cs Model: Strategies for Succession Planning in the Academy. Through a grounded theory study, Richards suggested five strategies leaders should consider as they approach succession planning in academic institutions: culture, champions, communication, competency-based, and continuous. The article then discusses succession planning as an effective process that presidents, boards, and senior leaders can use to intentionally develop a cadre of future leaders, highlighting the unique challenges and best practice opportunities of pursuing this strategy, and recommends several implications for practice in Christian higher education.