Student perceptions of teaching excellence: an analysis of student-led teaching award nomination data

This research explores student voice and student perceptions of teaching excellence in higher education, and authors suggest implications for student engagement and student/staff partnerships in teaching and learning. Edinburgh University Students’ Association facilitates the longest-running student-led teaching awards in the UK, receiving 2000–3000 open-ended student nominations annually which raise the profile of teaching and reward strong teachers. These extensive qualitative data were analysed using aspects of a grounded theory approach to investigate student perceptions of teaching excellence. This research identified four key themes of teaching excellence: (1) concerted, visible effort; (2) commitment to engaging students; (3) breaking down student-teacher barriers; (4) stability of support. This paper explores these themes with respect to theoretical work on teaching excellence and suggests that students’ perceptions of excellence in teaching and student support advance notions of ‘critical excellence’ and ‘moral excellence’.     

Building a Learning Organization in a Public Library

Libraries are discovering that building an effective learning culture can be a strategic component of success in the workplace. This case study outlines how a public library system in Canada built a strong learning culture as a change initiative. Multiple methodologies were used including a single group pre-test/post-test intervention, surveys, and focus groups combined with elements of participatory action research and appreciative inquiry. Study findings suggest that employees' perceptions of the workplace became more positive as learning organization principles were implemented. This study offers best practices for leaders who wish to build effective learning cultures in the library.     

Reimagining the place of students in academic development

ABSTRACT

As calls for student-staff partnership proliferate across higher education, academic development must re-examine and reimagine its relationship to students. Students generally occupy roles with limited agency in academic development. We argue that this needs to change. We propose re-articulating the purpose of academic development toward the creation of conditions that liberate everyone involved in teaching and learning in higher education. We offer four vignettes that illustrate what is possible when students have the opportunity to embrace their essential roles. We conclude by reflecting on the human implications of student agency in academic development and higher education more broadly.     

An Absent Presence: Women Professors at the University of New Zealand 1911–1961

The historiography of women’s higher education has almost exclusively charted women’s admission to universities, institutional responses to increasing numbers of women students and women’s struggles to claim a presence as academics and administrators. Less attention has however been paid to the history and agency of women professors who were invariably positioned at the margins of the Academy. For example, at the University of New Zealand (1871–1961) only four women were appointed as professors and all served in the Faculty of Home Science. This article sketches a collective portrait of Winifred Boys Smith (1911–1921), Helen Rawson (1921–1924), Ann Strong (1921–1941) and Elizabeth Gregory (1941–1961) and theorises women’s presence at the margins of men’s scholarly worlds.     

Hows and whys of parental involvement in a national ‘neoliberal laboratory’: aspirations,values and beliefs in relation to children’s education among Chilean urban lower-middle-class parents

Abstract

This paper sought to shed light on the beliefs, aspirations and values in relation to education that shape parental ways of involvement among Chilean urban lower-middle-class parents. Using the capability approach as the main theoretical framework and a critical epistemology, the discussion focuses on the way in which the pre-eminence of instrumental and positional dimensions of education arguably places limitations on how education is understood and valued; sets boundaries for parental involvement and overloads families. This situation ultimately diminishes the power of education to disrupt intergenerational cycles of disadvantage among Chilean urban lower-middle-class families.     

Physics Textbooks Presentation of the Energy-Conservation Principle in Hydrodynamics

The purpose of this study is to determine how energy-conservation principle is exposed in hydrodynamics chapters of university physics textbooks. Ten physics textbooks analyzed show considerable deficiencies in the use of energy concepts related to uncompressible fluid dynamics. The following problems have been extensively found: The pressure energy concept is ambiguously introduced, the examples of Bernoulli equation are limited, the effect of pumps and turbines in Bernoulli equation is not presented, none of the textbooks cited the energy-conservation principle after viscosity and viscous fluids are exposed, the term head loss is not introduced, the meaning of pressure drop in Poiseuille formula and the difference of pressures in Bernoulli equation for nonviscous fluids are not clearly distinguished, and the lack of the energy-conservation principle in viscous fluids (extended Bernoulli equation) is dramatic. Difficulties to link fluid dynamics and energy concepts are well known in the history of physics during past centuries. From the analysis results, it seems worth to make a revision of hydrodynamics in university physics textbooks. The inclusion of the extended Bernoulli equation and concepts like pressure energy, head loss, and heat dissipated in the fluid are recommended.     

The role of the student support specialist: the possibilities and challenges of a long-term,proactive, and scaffolded relationship

In the Urban Teacher Fellows (UTF) program, Student Support Specialists are responsible for recruiting, advising, and supporting students on the teacher pathway, beginning at the community college and continuing through the four-year university degree and credential programs. This is a program designed specifically to address serious concerns about the success of community college students in transferring to universities and completing teaching credential programs. The California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office (2013) reports that only 25.4% of the 2007–2008 statewide cohort transferred to a university after four years. This qualitative study, conducted by us as participant-observers of the UTF program, describes one of the strategies currently in use that may increase opportunities for community college students to successfully navigate this challenging transition. In particular, it presents findings on the role of the UTF Support Specialist based on interviews with the first two Support Specialists in the UTF program and a survey of the first cohort of students to work with them. Our study shows that this long-term scaffolded relationship evolved throughout the pathway program in response to students’ needs. Starting as a mostly technical role, it became a family-like role; and finally, it became a smaller role as students themselves took on those support activities for each other. Based on these findings, our recommendations are to identify and select Support Specialists who are reflective and caring and to carefully plan for the challenges of long-term, cross-institutional student support.     

Policy reform: testing times for teacher education in Australia

In Australia as well as elsewhere, initial teacher education has become centre stage to a political agenda that calls for global competitiveness in the knowledge economy. The common problem cited has been declining educational standards linked with the quality of teaching and teacher education. The avalanche of review and policy reform has exposed teacher education to neoliberal demands as well as political and public scrutiny. A policy web of interconnected concerns related to selection, curriculum, professional practice, graduation as well as employment fuels current reforms.     

Transition to Kindergarten: Family Experiences and Involvement

The transition to kindergarten is an important developmental milestone for young children, their families, and teachers. Preparing students for successful kindergarten transition has been identified as a national priority, yet the degree to which parents are involved in kindergarten preparation is rarely considered. This study investigated the family experiences and involvement in kindergarten transition in 132 families whose children had completed early education programs and were beginning kindergarten. Results suggest that the majority of families wanted more involvement in the transition to kindergarten planning and wanted information about kindergarten readiness, including academic and behavioral expectations. The top concerns expressed by families were attending a new school and difficulties with following directions or other behavior problems. Families with fewer financial resources reported less involvement in transition activities than families with more resources. Implications for early childhood education are discussed, in light of the growing emphasis on parent involvement and kindergarten readiness. The present work was supported, in part, by a Science of Learning Center Catalyst grant (0350341) from the National Science Foundation awarded to the second and third authors.     

Religious education and social literacy: the ‘white elephant’ of Australian public education

As a result of globalisation, the boundaries that once limited the trade of ideas and culture have largely dissolved. In Australia, the fruits of intercultural exchange have largely been enjoyed, yet this expansion of Australian interaction with diverse Others has posed a perceived threat to some. This parallel expansion and contraction of cultural engagement demonstrates the need for Australia to represent diversity more adequately as a part of our society. A central point of tension in this discussion is religion. This paper reports on a study that explored the question: Why is it so hard to talk about religion in public classrooms? This narrative inquiry attempts to unpack some of the challenges facing Australian educators at present. This study brings out the conflicting priorities and pressures of the secular system against student needs and puts forward an argument for the development of social literacy education that addresses education about religion in Victorian public schools.