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Vol. 20 No. 6 (2023)

Published: 3 August 2023

Articles

  • What Student Voice is and is Not: Connecting Dialogue to Evidence-Based Practice and Inclusive Mindsets

    Sally Ashton-Hay, Dylan Williams

    Traditional attitudes to student voice are changing which is highlighted in the recent proliferation of student voice manuscripts the Journal is receiving. Student voice literature currently positions students as active dialogue partners in higher education with much to contribute rather than passive consumers or evaluators. As Editors of the Student Experience section, we view this development in higher education as a significant and emerging trend which has the potential to positively impact practice in higher education and also contribute toward meaningful relational changes for the student experience. We offer some guidelines and recommendations for potential authors on what student voice is and what it is not. We welcome manuscripts that leverage student voice by connecting genuine student-teacher dialogue and articulating how student voice has contributed toward collaboration, change, and empowerment. Manuscripts that articulate how an authentic student voice connects to evidence-based practice and creates inclusive mindsets are also welcome.

    Read article: What Student Voice is and is Not: Connecting Dialogue to Evidence-Based Practice and Inclusive Mindsets 1,568 views. Recorded article-page views through the previous day; not unique readers or PDF downloads.

  • Practising Student Voice in University Teaching and Learning: Three Anchoring Principles

    Alison Cook-Sather, Kelly E Matthews

    In this invited commentary, we offer three principles to anchor understanding of student voice in university teaching and learning. Encompassing related concepts and practices, the principles we offer support a shift in (1) attitude toward, (2) structures for, and (3) goals of teaching and learning. In our introduction, we provide a short history of the concept of student voice and our reason for using the notion of anchoring to argue for embracing its practice. In the main body of our commentary, we share expanded reflections on what each of the three principles might look like in practice, grounded in examples and selected scholarship. We conclude with an invitation to continued dialogue about this work.

    Read article: Practising Student Voice in University Teaching and Learning: Three Anchoring Principles 1,719 views. Recorded article-page views through the previous day; not unique readers or PDF downloads.

  • Teaching Social Dilemma through Simulating Cooperation: A Classroom Experiment

    Jae-woo Kim, Robert Hanneman

    Despite an increased number of case studies simulating social problems in the classroom, due attention has been rarely paid to social dilemma games in light of teaching the key concepts of sociology. We propose a paper-and-pencil experiment designed for sizeable students to simultaneously explore various conditions of sustainable cooperation in a Prisoner’s Dilemma game, with five steps of in-class activities presented in details. We evaluate experimental results quantitatively and the usefulness of game-based learning on the basis of debriefing interviews. Beside positive effects of repeated dyadic interaction and direct communications on cooperation, it is shown that sharing a common goal with group members in the presence of intergroup competition tends to strengthen reputation-based indirect reciprocity. Students seem to learn more deeply and see wider relevance as a product of engaging in the experiment, generating findings from the simulated data, and associating them with real-world examples of reciprocity. Our case study on teaching social dilemma through a simple but novel classroom experiment may provide valuable information to educators and practitioners interested in the effective use of economic games as an interactive teaching method for undergraduates in the setting of higher education.

    Read article: Teaching Social Dilemma through Simulating Cooperation: A Classroom Experiment 905 views. Recorded article-page views through the previous day; not unique readers or PDF downloads.

  • Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Plagiarism by Undergraduate Healthcare Science in Gauteng

    Nontembiso Magida, Kyla Cross, Khanyisa Penelope Baloyi, Tatum Skye Mitrovich, Lavender Rutendo Muyengwa, Perseverence Tendai Mupambirei, Marizaan Van der Mescht, Marien Graham

    Plagiarism is a growing concern in Healthcare Sciences in the current digital era. Plagiarism threatens institutions’ integrity and academic reputation; therefore, it is essential to understand all contributing factors to eradicate unethical practices effectively. The study aimed to establish the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of plagiarism among Healthcare Science students at a selected higher education institution in Gauteng. A cross-sectional study was used, with a total population of 803 second to fourth-year students from the School of Healthcare Sciences, and 83 students completing the survey. Ethical clearance and approval (617/2021) were obtained from the ethics and research committee of a selected higher educational institution in Gauteng. An adapted Likert scale self-reported questionnaire was sent via a Google form link to the teaching platform with the consent form embedded. The statistical Package for Social Science was used to analyse demographic data descriptively, and Spearman’s rho test determined the correlation between study variables. Most students were female (94.0%) and non-native English speakers (71.1%). The majority (83.1%) of the students reported understanding the instances of plagiarism; however, approximately one-third (36.1%) were unable to identify specific instances correctly. Just over half (56.6%) of the students felt self-plagiarism should not be punishable. The correlation between the knowledge of plagiarism and negative attitudes towards plagiarism was found to be statistically significant (p=0.009). The results demonstrated low practice of plagiarism, possibly due to a lack of self-awareness. Therefore, continuous in-depth education on plagiarism and improved policies should be fostered to promote the integrity of future healthcare professionals.

    Read article: Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Plagiarism by Undergraduate Healthcare Science in Gauteng 861 views. Recorded article-page views through the previous day; not unique readers or PDF downloads.

  • An Investigation of the Students’ Perceptions of Motivating Teaching Strategies in English for Specific Purposes Classes

    Lutfi A Mauludin, Linda Riski Sefrina, Triubaida Maya Ardianti, Gatot Prasetyo, Sidarta Prassetyo, Celya Intan Kharisma Putri

    While studies on motivational strategies abound in the English as a foreign language acquisition literature, few studies have investigated their role in English for Specific Purposes classes in vocational higher education settings. This study examines the students’ perception of motivational teaching strategies and the influence of social variables (age, gender) toward their perceptions. Students (n = 134) from a Faculty of Vocational Studies in a (country) Public University completed a questionnaire that reflected their perception of motivating teaching practices. The results show that students considered several teaching strategies that focus on assisting them master the skills in the practicum activity as the most motivating ones (providing clear instructions, assisting students in completing the tasks, providing constructive criticism and praise, building a positive relationship, and constantly encouraging students). Students’ age had no significant relation with their perceptions. Although most of the teaching practices were considered motivating for both male and female students, two particular strategies (leading by example by being focused and driven, managing a variety of activities) were considered more motivating for female students than for male students. Findings suggest that teachers should recognize the students’ individual needs for motivational strategies to assist them master the target language.

    Read article: An Investigation of the Students’ Perceptions of Motivating Teaching Strategies in English for Specific Purposes Classes 1,751 views. Recorded article-page views through the previous day; not unique readers or PDF downloads.

  • Academic Excellence Framework: Towards Sustainable Growth

    Manal AlMarwani

    In response to the ongoing calls for excellence across all sectors in Saudi Arabia, higher education institutions are pressured to rethink their practices. However, with all the governmental strategic, focused planning in Saudi higher education to achieve excellence and compete globally, there is a gap between what is expected and what is happening regarding academic excellence’s pedagogical and practical aspects. Hence, this study is an attempt to bridge that gap. The main purpose of this study is to propose an educational excellence framework by exploring the perceptions of academics. Data was collected through semi-structured one-on-one interviews. The proposed framework will provide a roadmap to produce better and more relevant outcomes and raise the standards to complement the broader reform in higher education. The key strength of the study is that it orients the reader to understand how to acquire academic excellence to enhance institutional distinctiveness and student success.

    Read article: Academic Excellence Framework: Towards Sustainable Growth 1,227 views. Recorded article-page views through the previous day; not unique readers or PDF downloads.

  • Inclusion and Social Integration of Students with Educational Challenges: Perspectives of In-Service and Pre-Service Teachers and College Students

    Sophie Shauli, Tali Heiman, Dorit Olenik Shemesh

    The increasing trend to mainstream students with educational challenges (SEC) has obligated mainstream teachers to develop different approaches to deal with heterogeneous classes. Previous research on in-service and pre-service teachers has shown that successful inclusion is correlated with positive attitudes towards inclusion, a high sense of self-efficacy, and minimal stigmatization of SEC. However, it remains unclear whether training programs for in-service and pre-service teachers can impact initial attitudes towards inclusive education. This study examined the different components of attitudes towards inclusion in three groups: in-service teachers, pre-service teachers, and college students enrolled in non-education majors. An online questionnaire was administered by a survey company to 489 participants: in-service teachers who had at least one SEC in their classes (n=196), pre-service teachers (n=143), and college students (n=150). The results showed that pre-service teachers had the most positive attitude towards inclusion of SEC, whereas in-service teachers had the most negative attitude. Attitudes towards inclusion were predicted by stigmatizing attitudes and self-efficacy. Stigmatizing attitudes were predicted by gender, religion, education, and self-efficacy. Thus, the main route to more inclusive and less prejudiced teachers may lie in strengthening teachers' self-efficacy. These results have implications for training programs, which should focus on eliminating myths, strengthening the concept of inclusion throughout the entire program, and enhancing the expertise of in-service teachers.

    Read article: Inclusion and Social Integration of Students with Educational Challenges: Perspectives of In-Service and Pre-Service Teachers and College Students 1,215 views. Recorded article-page views through the previous day; not unique readers or PDF downloads.

  • "Appreciate we are individual humans with previous experience": An exploration of sessional marker experiences

    Kay M Hammond, Meenal Rai, Amira Hassouna, Sue Raleigh

    Continuous increase of global reliance on sessional staff in higher education has not been accompanied by the development of strategies to enhance quality learning and teaching or understanding the experiences of these staff. This has resulted in a general discontent among this category of academics. The growing importance of building respectful working environments that integrate inclusive care and performance quality leads to the emergence of standards frameworks. Explorations of sessional staff lived experiences are vital to inform policy and practice. This study examined sessional staff predominantly in a marking role in a local context of an Aotearoa/New Zealand University. We explored our markers’ agreement with selected principles of an Australian national framework. Based on an anonymous Qualtrics survey, the quantitative data showed our markers agreed with most of the selected Australian framework principles at the individual and department levels. An appreciative inquiry of the qualitative data identified markers’ desires for increased professional development, infrastructure and resources, and personal motivation. Considering our markers’ experiences, we propose several actions in a workshop format to provide insights for developing better structures and policies for retaining, training, and engaging with sessional staff.

    Read article: "Appreciate we are individual humans with previous experience": An exploration of sessional marker experiences 549 views. Recorded article-page views through the previous day; not unique readers or PDF downloads.

  • Reflective Minds, Brighter Futures: Empowering Critical Reflection with a Guided Instructional Model

    Trixie James, Hayley Griffin, Katrina S Johnston, Frank Armstrong

    Critical thinking is recognised as instrumental for positive, personal and professional, long-term outlooks. It is also widely accepted that the development of students’ critical thinking skills can be achieved through explicit interventions. This paper documents the outcomes of a pilot study that investigated the value and impact of an instructional model for guiding critical thinking skills. The model was implemented as an explicit framework, with pre-tertiary students, at a regional campus of an Australian university. Student participants were tasked with using the Review, Connect, Extend, Apply (RCEA) Framework (James, 2015) to support their analysis and critical reflection on the concepts explored in a unit of study. Data revealed that students exhibited limited critical thinking skills prior to participation in the pilot program and evidenced improvement after engaging with the RCEA framework. However, some students struggled with expressing their reflections, evaluations, and applications of knowledge, which resulted in considerations about the importance of vocabulary. The findings directed the authors to note the importance of qualifying the notion of explicit interventions for teaching critical thinking. Accordingly, they propose the use of an explicit teaching model for enabling students’ critical thinking, which encompasses a structured format, a thinking framework, and pedagogy that incorporates the modelling of metacognition and metalanguage for critical thinking.

    Read article: Reflective Minds, Brighter Futures: Empowering Critical Reflection with a Guided Instructional Model 1,226 views. Recorded article-page views through the previous day; not unique readers or PDF downloads.

  • Effect of COVID-19 on digitalisation of higher education. A tale of one business school

    Marina Glushenkova, Margherita Zagato

    The COVID-19 pandemic pushed higher education institutions across the globe to switch from face-to-face teaching to remote teaching. This study explores how emergency remote teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic affected university teachers’ perception of online teaching and discusses the future of e-learning after the pandemic. The analysis is based on the interview responses collected from twelve business school teachers at one Sino-foreign university in China. The results show that the perception of e-learning improved after a semester of involuntary remote teaching. We also discuss the factors that may act as barriers to the adoption of e-learning, such as poor quality of the Internet, high workload, and lack of proper online pedagogy training, and show that teachers tend to implement elements of online teaching even despite these barriers as long as they find the usage of the online contents beneficial for their practice. Finally, our findings suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to the digitalisation of higher education and created new opportunities for the provision of online education.

    Read article: Effect of COVID-19 on digitalisation of higher education. A tale of one business school 889 views. Recorded article-page views through the previous day; not unique readers or PDF downloads.

  • Teaching Chemistry in Universities: A Modern Approach

    Dana B. Almesh, Aimankul A. Meirmanova

    The relevance of the study is to explore how visual modelling in education can enhance the process of understanding and retention of information in the context of globalization and increasing feasibility of multimedia content. The purpose of the study was to find ways to improve the methods of teaching chemistry to students using modern educational technologies implemented on the basis of multimedia and the Internet. The study conducted at Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University aimed to improve the teaching methods of chemistry to undergraduate students using multimedia and internet-based educational technologies. The study involved 50 students over a period of six months and was divided into several stages. The results of the study showed that the use of these technologies had a positive impact on the cognitive, behavioral, and affective development of the students. The study provides strong evidence in support of the integration of multimedia and internet-based educational technologies in chemistry education, which can enhance students' interest, motivation, and understanding of the subject. Therefore, the implementation of educational technology is a scientifically grounded choice of teaching methods that maximizes the development of the personality as a subject of the surrounding reality. The practical significance is due to the fact that the most effective innovative teaching technologies identified in the course of the study can be applied by introducing them into the educational system not only of the Republic of Kazakhstan, but also of the leading countries in medical education.

    Read article: Teaching Chemistry in Universities: A Modern Approach 1,581 views. Recorded article-page views through the previous day; not unique readers or PDF downloads.

  • Generative artificial intelligence: University student awareness, experience, and confidence in use across disciplines

    Andrew Kelly, Miriam Sullivan, Katrina Strampel

    The global higher education sector has been significantly disrupted by the proliferation of generative artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT, especially in relation to its implications for assessment. However, few studies to date have explored student perspectives on these tools. This article reports on one of the first large-scale quantitative studies of student views on generative artificial intelligence at an Australian university (n = 1,135). When the survey was conducted, most students had low knowledge, experience, and confidence in using these tools. These results varied across disciplines and across some student sub-groups, such as mature-age students and international students. Confidence appeared to increase with experience, although the data also revealed a portion of students that have never used these tools yet still felt confident in using them. In exploring these results, this article aims to shed new light on this fast-evolving landscape and inform the future direction of supporting students to engage with generative artificial intelligence tools appropriately.

    Read article: Generative artificial intelligence: University student awareness, experience, and confidence in use across disciplines 9,823 views. Recorded article-page views through the previous day; not unique readers or PDF downloads.

  • Whither the LMS: Is the LMS Still Fit for Purpose?

    Julie Willems, Henk Huijser, Iain Doherty, Alan Soong

    Learning management systems (LMSs) have long been adopted by tertiary education providers to be the conduit through which courses are delivered. However, debates about the capacity of the LMS to meet all the required current and future needs of both students and educators have become more pronounced over the past few years, particularly given the rapid shift to online learning during Covid-19. This qualitative study aimed to examine practitioners’ current experiences in using the LMS for formal teaching and learning in tertiary environments. To discern the possibilities and issues, a focus group was held with fourteen practitioners from Australasia (Australia and Singapore), Canada, and the UK (England and Scotland) attending virtually. Adopting a novel and recognised approach to thematic analysis, a Delphi process was adopted on the de-identified webinar and chat transcripts. Analysis revealed several key themes ranging across pedagogical, technological, and managerial issues with the LMS. The findings in this paper have become even more pertinent as a result of Covid-19 with institutions urgently reviewing standards for teaching in the LMS whilst also reviewing their overall technology ecosystems to ensure a suite of complementary teaching and learning tools to enable best teaching and learning practices. It appears the LMS still has a key role to play in contemporary learning ecosystems.

    Read article: Whither the LMS: Is the LMS Still Fit for Purpose? 713 views. Recorded article-page views through the previous day; not unique readers or PDF downloads.

Showing 1–13 of 23 articles