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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

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • "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

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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?

  • Indian and Australian University Students’ Acceptance of Using Accessible, Web-Based, and Smartphone-Delivered Augmented Reality in Tertiary Learning: A Cross-Country Analysis

    Christian Moro, Kaushal Khumar Bhagat, Vineesha Veer, Gadiraju Chinmay Varma, Aishika Das, James Birt

    Accessible and equitable education is a national priority recently highlighted by the Indian and Australian Governments. New developments in web-based architecture allow augmented reality (AR) lessons to be delivered via smartphone. Although educational technology is commonplace in the Australian curriculum, it is unclear if Indian tertiary students would be welcoming towards web-based mobile learning due to a historically slower uptake and only recent availability of connected devices in their educational system. This study evaluated feedback after using a web-deployed AR smartphone-based application across both Australia (70 participants) and India (100 participants) to see if this technology can assist in capacity building on a global scale. From thematic analyses on the provided feedback, it was identified that Australian students were more focused on the benefits received from the educational technology. In contrast, Indian students were far less critical of the embedded lesson, and more interested in the prospect of introducing the specific technology into their curricula. The data suggests that a rollout of web-based mobile AR for learning in countries more digitally-native should likely prioritise the content within it. Alternatively, for countries recently-introduced to educational technology, such as India, a rollout should focus on embedding the technology itself first. Although there is a risk of learners being distracted by the technology, smartphone web-based AR presents an excellent option to equitably provide a modern, innovative intervention, regardless of wealth, location, or status.

    Read article: Indian and Australian University Students’ Acceptance of Using Accessible, Web-Based, and Smartphone-Delivered Augmented Reality in Tertiary Learning: A Cross-Country Analysis

  • Blended learning as a site of struggle: A critical realist analysis of students’ perceptions of blended learning and its impact on their sense of belonging

    Alicja Syska, Christie Pritchard

    This study explores students’ perceptions of blended learning and its impact on their sense of belonging at a post-92 UK university. A critical realist framework that considers the interlocking domains of subjective experience, objective events and observations, and the mechanisms and structures that underpin them is used to situate these perceptions, while a mixed methods approach enables a multi-layered insight into the captured diversity of student experience. The quantitative and qualitative results demonstrate that while the student self-reported experience of blended delivery is mixed, its perceived impact on academic performance is negligible. The effects of blended and remote learning on students’ sense of belonging, however, are profound and require a change in current practices to accommodate the affective aspects of learning and university experience. The study responds to the calls within the literature for more in-depth investigations of student experience, especially as regards student perceptions of that experience.

    Read article: Blended learning as a site of struggle: A critical realist analysis of students’ perceptions of blended learning and its impact on their sense of belonging

  • Widening participation between 2001 and 2021: A systematic literature review and research agenda

    Aaron Tham, Maria Raciti, Joshua Dale

    Widening participation has been a vehicle to facilitate access and support towards the successful completion of university studies for underrepresented groups who are less likely to pursue higher education. Yet, despite its widely accepted importance and adoption across countries such as Australia and the United Kingdom, studies to date remain largely fragmented – often employed through the lens of a single institution, or a particular priority group. Amidst this backdrop, universities and other higher education providers are increasingly probed as to their role in supporting social capital mobility, of which widening participation plays a vital component in delivering wider societal imperatives. In addition, the COVID-19 effect has worsened university participation and completion rates, as the global pandemic has placed vulnerable students (often those involved in widening participation initiatives) in more precocious conditions than ever before. Nevertheless, the purpose of this paper is to conduct a systematic literature review comprising 102 journal articles that derive 15 meta-themes to provide a timely introspection of widening participation, show key trends over time, and chart future areas of investigation for scholars and practitioners in this space.

    Read article: Widening participation between 2001 and 2021: A systematic literature review and research agenda

  • Understanding Diversity in Undergraduate Learning of Cost-Benefit Analysis

    Sarah Yu

    This paper presents a case study that reflects on teaching an economic unit, Cost-benefit analysis (CBA), to a diverse undergraduate student body at the researcher’s institution. CBA is an applied economic technique that attempts to assess the economic efficiency of proposed public policies through the systematic prediction of social costs and social benefits. Students in this CBA unit are required to complete an online test, CBA report and a final examination. In the CBA Report, the students perform analytical work to explain the relationships among events, identify options, evaluate choices, and predict the effects of actions. This paper investigates the performance of four different student cohorts from 2019 to 2022. This paper aims to understand the differences in undergraduate students’ learning of CBA based on the diversity among students, and in particular whether any specific student demographic (defined by gender, age, course progress level, study load and domestic vs international students) experienced a disproportional impact. The findings are then used to contribute improvement in the teaching and learning of the unit in higher education.

    Read article: Understanding Diversity in Undergraduate Learning of Cost-Benefit Analysis

  • Supporting student wellbeing as an academic language and learning advisor: Challenges and opportunities

    Laura Gurney, Vittoria Grossi

    The provision of academic language and learning (ALL) support to undergraduate and postgraduate students has been a staple across higher education institutions in Australia and New Zealand for some time. However, research has established that there are multiple challenges inherent to working across institutional spaces in the ways that ALL staff do. This has included ambiguity about the parameters of their roles and how they connect with staff and students as support professionals. Furthermore, how advisors respond to student wellbeing as part of the support they offer, and how their own wellbeing is accounted for at work, are not well understood. We draw on data from two recent surveys to explore how ALL advisors in Australia and New Zealand understand and respond to student wellbeing within their practice, how ALL work has been affected by COVID-19, advisors’ needs for support, and the views of managers in relation to these matters. The participants highlighted tensions related to student wellbeing, staff wellbeing, and academic support, which have either been brought about or intensified by the pandemic. As we move towards living with the pandemic, these tensions will need to be addressed by higher education institutions.

    Read article: Supporting student wellbeing as an academic language and learning advisor: Challenges and opportunities

  • Avoiding stuck places: University educators’ views on supporting migrant and refugee students with transitioning through and out of higher education

    Sally Baker, Megan Rose, Clemence Due, Prasheela Karan

    University student equity cohorts experience inequitable graduate/ employment outcomes. These challenges are magnified for Culturally and Linguistically Marginalised Migrant and/or Refugee students (CALMMR). Consequently, this study aimed to investigate the views of Australian university educators on the transitioning of CALMMR students from higher education into employment. Employing mixed methods, this study commenced with a survey of university educators (n=40) followed by semi-structured interviews (n=13). Findings highlighted that specialised, diverse support is needed for CALMMR students across studies and into careers. Specifically, students faced additional challenges, which are not being met in a fragmented university system. Universities need to provide support that is more holistic, targeted, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive, to address the inequity in graduate/employment outcomes experienced by CALMMR students.

    Read article: Avoiding stuck places: University educators’ views on supporting migrant and refugee students with transitioning through and out of higher education

  • Insights and experiences of students about the factors that enhance relational pedagogy in higher education

    Yaw Owusu-Agyeman, Semira Pillay

    This study examines the insights and experiences of students about the factors that enhance relational pedagogy in a South African university. To provide empirical explanations as to how these insights could be prioritised to enhance effective teaching and learning, quantitative and qualitative data were collected from 1087 participants using a survey that also required them to complete an open-ended section. The quantitative data was analysed using Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process, while the qualitative data was evaluated using thematic analysis. An analysis of the quantitative data revealed that the most significant factors that enhance relational pedagogy were, ethical care, interpersonal communication, natural care, respect, and mattering. Conversely, factors such as academic achievement support, trust, and teacher responsiveness showed comparatively weak effects on students’ perceptions of relational pedagogy. Similarly, the qualitative data analysed revealed that participants perceived teacher-student interaction and communication, mattering and teacher immediacy, and the ethics of care as the most significant themes that serve to enhance relational pedagogy in the learning environment. The study concludes by highlighting the implications of using relational pedagogy as a tool to address the social, cognitive, and cultural gaps in the teaching and learning processes.

    Read article: Insights and experiences of students about the factors that enhance relational pedagogy in higher education

  • Is work from home (WFH) feasible for university language educators in the post COVID-19 era?

    Hou-Keat Khong, Kee-Man Chuah, Siti Nabilah Ahmad Sanusi

    This study investigated the effects of work from home (WFH) on language educators in Malaysian universities gauging specifically their perceptions on its advantages and disadvantages during the COVID-19 pandemic. A mixed-methods research design was employed involving 152 language educators. The results revealed that although the overall mean scores were rather neutral, language educators were more inclined toward positive effects of WFH, most notably in terms of saving communing time and being closer to family. However, the negative effects were missing colleagues and feeling glued to the computer. The results also shed interesting insights into Malaysian language educators’ high confidence in focusing on their tasks and using tools to fulfill their teaching and work-related responsibilities. The outcome from this study is a guiding model that not only informs the literature on the feasibility of WFH in the higher education context but also highlights pertinent areas of concern for its future planning and implementation.

    Read article: Is work from home (WFH) feasible for university language educators in the post COVID-19 era?

  • Book review: Relational pedagogies: Connections and mattering in higher education

    Ameena L. Payne, Taylor Payne

    This book review of Relational Pedagogies: Connections and Mattering in Higher Education by Karen Gravett aims to offer a compelling analysis that enhances the scholarly conversations around the importance of building relationships and connections in higher education, particularly in complex and uncertain times. By situating the book's arguments within the wider academic discourse, the review strives to provide valuable insights, meaningful connections and an assessment of the book's impact on advancing relational pedagogies in higher education. By centering the perspectives of Black women and other marginalised groups, the review offers an intersectional critique that strives to expand the discourse on posthumanism and sociomateriality. This critical review of the book may serve as a valuable resource for scholars, educators, administrators and activists interested in advancing intersectional approaches to post-anthropocentric teaching and learning. Relational Pedagogies provides a means for resurfacing often forgotten questions, thinking with different theories and encouraging us to engage various others as we work to address issues of relationality, connection and mattering in contemporary and meaningful ways.

    Read article: Book review: Relational pedagogies: Connections and mattering in higher education

  • Socio-emotional support in Higher Education: Evidence from First Year Learning Communities

    Jet P. van der Zijden, Theo Wubbels

    First-year learning communities (FLCs) are known to improve student integration during the first year at university. The FLC classroom social climate and its potential role in contributing to this positive effect of FLCs have not been studied. The current study wants to elucidate students’ perceptions of the social climate within the Utrecht Undergraduate Pharmacy FLCs by exploring students’ perceptions and perceived value of peer and student-teacher interactions within these FLCs, relate these perceptions to the dimensions of the classroom social climate and clarify which factors help or hinder a positive perceived value. Fourteen first-year students from the cohort 2020-2021 (n=208) participated in semi-structured individual interviews in the first, second, and fourth period of the first year. At year’s end, first year students completed an online questionnaire on the quality of peer and student-teacher interactions. Our results show that FLC interactions are positively valued when students experience academic support from peers and teacher, socio-emotional support from peers and teacher, and active participation in class activities which corresponds to the classroom social climate dimensions student cohesiveness, student involvement and personalisation. Students’ perceived value of interactions was influenced by a variety of factors of which online classes hampered all valued classroom social climate dimensions. Socio-emotional support from peers and teacher was not only one of the most valued classroom climate elements, it also indirectly promoted academic support and active participation. This highlights the importance of socio-emotional support in the classroom, which should receive an increased amount of attention in higher education.

    Read article: Socio-emotional support in Higher Education: Evidence from First Year Learning Communities