Vol. 15 No. 3 (2018)
Published:
1 April 2018
Articles
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An Academic’s Role? Supporting Student Wellbeing in Pre-university Enabling Programs
Student wellbeing and mental health are increasingly a concern of universities. Most universities provide central counselling services and, in recent years, some have introduced wellbeing programs. However, an unrecognised source of
Student wellbeing and mental health are increasingly a concern of universities. Most universities provide central counselling services and, in recent years, some have introduced wellbeing programs. However, an unrecognised source of support and pastoral care for students is academic staff. This pilot research project explored the experiences of academic staff in one university’s enabling programs in terms of the type of support academic staff provide (academic and/or non-academic), how equipped they perceive they are to support their students, and how this role impacts on them. The study is qualitative; interviews were conducted and a thematic analysis undertaken. It was found that academic staff viewed supporting their students as part of their role, particularly due to the diverse and complex nature of the cohort, and noted that students sought support from them for academic and non-academic issues because they had a rapport with them, trust and regular contact. A positive finding was that the academic staff had clear boundaries and lines of referral, which means they were not taking on pseudo-counselling roles. How equipped staff perceived they were and how the support role impacted on them varied depending on their teaching role. The findings in this exploratory study prompt a re-conceptualisation of the academic role. The article proposes a model of support that is holistic, student and course centred, and that integrates the centrally-located university counsellors. Furthermore, it posits that at the core of the enabling programs is a philosophy of care.
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The flipped classroom with tutor support: an experience in a level one statistics unit
The flipped classroom aims to improve learning by engaging students in educational activities outside of traditional lessons. Flipped classrooms have steadily gained popularity in the last decade and are a topic of discussion in teaching
The flipped classroom aims to improve learning by engaging students in educational activities outside of traditional lessons. Flipped classrooms have steadily gained popularity in the last decade and are a topic of discussion in teaching and learning forums. However, its adoption in mathematics and statistics has been subdued. Most higher education mathematics and statistics are still delivered through traditional lectures where students are passive participants. In this study, experiences of flipping a large first-level statistics class are presented. The implementation included a combination of peer learning and tutor-assistance in lectures. Student performance, in the form of final examination and overall marks over four semesters (two with traditional delivery and two flipped), were analysed for differences with respect to the two teaching modes after adjusting for demographic differences. In addition, student survey data were analysed with a view to revealing any relationship between attitude towards a flipped classroom and performance. The results showed that students' performance improved and an increased understanding of concepts was achieved through the flipped classroom approach. Evidence also indicated an increase in learner engagement. Student feedback indicated a higher preference for a flipped mode overall and in particular for ages 20 and below.
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The Combined Impact of the Flipped Classroom, Collaborative Learning, on Students’ Learning of key Marketing Concepts
Purpose of the Study: The overall purpose of this study was to investigate whether or not the incorporation of combined flipped classroom, and collaborative learning pedagogical schemes in two restructured sections of principles of
Purpose of the Study: The overall purpose of this study was to investigate whether or not the incorporation of combined flipped classroom, and collaborative learning pedagogical schemes in two restructured sections of principles of marketing course, had any positive impact on students’ learning of 100 key marketing concepts, processes, and strategies. Results: By comparing the students’ total assessment scores in Experimental and Control Group groups, it was concluded that the re-structured course had significantly improved students’ learning of key marketing concepts, processes, and strategies.
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Undergraduate health science students’ development of reflective practice on communication skills via e-Portfolios
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Applying Holistic Adult Learning Theory to the Study of Calculus
This exploratory, comparative case study of an urban community college calculus classroom examines adult learning from Yang’s Holistic Learning Theory and provides concrete pedagogical suggestions for how adult learning practitioners can
This exploratory, comparative case study of an urban community college calculus classroom examines adult learning from Yang’s Holistic Learning Theory and provides concrete pedagogical suggestions for how adult learning practitioners can engage adult learners in transformative learning. Data collection was from a selective sampling of student reflective survey writing throughout the span of one calculus course. Data content analysis was both manual and with the aid of NVivo qualitative software by two separate coders. Findings indicate that students exhibit strong explicit and in some instances implicit learning modes but seldom engage in transformative or emancipatory modes of learning as it relates to math. The study, although a pilot, suggests avenues for further research in math learning as well as ideas for eclectic teaching approaches in adult math classrooms. Implications for professors and administrators are discussed.
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The transformative power of digital humanities in teaching family history online
This paper explores the transformative power of digital humanities in teaching family history online to large cohorts of Australian domestic students. It takes as a case study a unit developed specifically for students to learn about how
This paper explores the transformative power of digital humanities in teaching family history online to large cohorts of Australian domestic students. It takes as a case study a unit developed specifically for students to learn about how to research their convict ancestors’ lives and how to situate their ancestors’ lived experiences within relevant wider contexts. Its focus is twofold. The convergence of rapidly expanding digital repositories and databases of family history-related information and increasingly sophisticated online teaching platforms and how this has facilitated a shift from face-to-face to fully online learning and teaching is examined. The ways in which this transformative change was engineered through the unit design, delivery, and evaluative processes are then canvassed. The case study demonstrates how, with thoughtful, well-structured, and innovative approaches to design and by adopting a bespoke delivery model for online delivery, students can readily learn to access and engage critically with extensive online resources and can be equipped with the digital tools to use these optimally and to their satisfaction.
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An Integrated Evaluation Model of Teaching and Learning
Knowledge transmission and knowledge construction are two common approaches adopted for teaching and learning in higher education. Applying the two different approaches, this paper developed an evaluation model of teaching and learning
Knowledge transmission and knowledge construction are two common approaches adopted for teaching and learning in higher education. Applying the two different approaches, this paper developed an evaluation model of teaching and learning, which comprises three main conceptual blocks: teaching, learning and learning assistance. A quantitative survey was utilised, collecting data from the Student Assessment of Learning Gains (SALG) along with the Student Evaluation of Teaching (SET) from 108 randomly selected courses at a university in Taiwan. The results demonstrated an R² value of 0.794. The route between teaching and learning was not statistically significant (t=0.0359), indicating that knowledge is constructed in the mind of the student with learning assistance as the mediator.