Vol. 21 No. 09 (2024): Quarterly Issue 3

This study reports on a school-wide project conducted in a UK higher education institution with the aim of informing enhancements to assessment feedback processes within the institution. Data were collected using online questionnaires

This study reports on a school-wide project conducted in a UK higher education institution with the aim of informing enhancements to assessment feedback processes within the institution. Data were collected using online questionnaires (n=127) and semi-structured interviews (n=20). Participants were undergraduate students (from 9 programmes) and postgraduate students (from 21 programmes) from the Education Faculty. Qualitative data were coded and analysed using thematic analysis, while quantitative data were processed by frequency analysis. Findings indicate that students valued written feedback more than other forms of feedback. Regarding effective feedback, students attached considerable importance to specificity, consistency, and developmental orientation of assessment feedback. The findings also contribute to a discussion of feedback literacy by offering some potential approaches to improving students’ strategies for understanding and capitalising on feedback, including offering chances for students to have collective and live communication about the given feedback. Findings also reveal the tension between students’ high expectations of assessment feedback and the time allocated by institutions to marking within the staff workload tariff, and the sufficiency of this time for the creation of high-quality feedback.

Feedback is a central part of learning and teaching in all University courses, including for medical students. But can we improve the impact of feedback by using a consistent model across different types of feedback delivery? This project

Feedback is a central part of learning and teaching in all University courses, including for medical students. But can we improve the impact of feedback by using a consistent model across different types of feedback delivery? This project was designed to see if, by using a consistent model of feedback, delivered in multiple modes, students would be better able to adjust and improve their skill and knowledge development throughout the year, especially after two years of predominantly online learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We also explored whether clinical educators would be more confident to give targeted feedback to students in a way that yields positive change if they were provided with a model that can be used in different modes and for different activities. What we found was that the consistency and intentionality of the feedback was highly impactful, with face to face in real time feedback being more effective that video feedback. Having a feedback model improved feedback literacy and confidence for both students and educators.

Health graduates must competently apply theory in their practice, but this is challenging for students to learn. This study explored student experiences of a program-level curriculum design aimed at supporting theory-to-practice

Health graduates must competently apply theory in their practice, but this is challenging for students to learn. This study explored student experiences of a program-level curriculum design aimed at supporting theory-to-practice translation in occupational therapy. Annual ‘Transition Workshops’ targeted theoretical tenants of the program and supported students to transition their learning from one year to the next. The Transition Workshops were evaluated using pre- and post-workshop surveys and focus groups. There were 223 post-workshop surveys completed by student participants and four focus groups with 18 student participants. The quantitative survey data were analysed using Wilcoxon signed rank tests. Qualitative survey data were analysed using content analysis and group interview transcripts were inductively analysed using thematic analysis. Students conveyed that the Transition Workshops were beneficial and their perceived levels of theoretical knowledge, and confidence in applying that knowledge, increased after engaging in them. The workshops assisted students to transition their learning across the degree by providing opportunities to revise and prime for their next stage of learning, learn how to apply theory-into-practice, and build self-confidence for practice education learning within their degree. Transition Workshops, designed at a program-level, can be incorporated into curriculum to assist occupational therapy students to develop their theoretical knowledge and support theory-into-practice. This approach may be of value within other clinical and professional programs and that inclusion in university policy is required to guide academic practices.

The combined impacts of dramatic social, industrial, environmental, and technological changes on higher education demand continuous adaptation and reinvention of teaching approaches. We evaluate collaborative autoethnography as a

The combined impacts of dramatic social, industrial, environmental, and technological changes on higher education demand continuous adaptation and reinvention of teaching approaches. We evaluate collaborative autoethnography as a methodology that permits educators to share and interrogate their practices, activating critical reflection, experimentation, and just-in-time teaching innovation, while also cultivating a community of learning. As four education-focused academics teaching into a senior undergraduate experiential learning program, we experimented with collaborative autoethnography to cooperatively assess and develop our teaching practice during the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our experiences suggest collaborative autoethnography's strong potential to amplify teachers’ critical reflection and formally support professional development, including through the formation of productive collegial networks. However, we also encountered methodological challenges. These include ethical dilemmas with collaborative autoethnography research conducted in emergency contexts, as well as concerns over the integrity of the reflection process, both in terms of reaching consensus in the interpretation of different narratives and the sufficiency of voices included and excluded in authorship. Ultimately, the strengths and challenges of collaborative autoethnography represent a critical opportunity for teachers in higher education to contribute to further developing this tool not only as a research methodology, but also as a professional development process.

Teaching excellence (TE) at the tertiary level has been extensively researched, with student perceptions of its frequency and the educator attributes that comprise it, increasingly important for student retention and learning, and

Teaching excellence (TE) at the tertiary level has been extensively researched, with student perceptions of its frequency and the educator attributes that comprise it, increasingly important for student retention and learning, and institutional quality and benchmarking purposes. Despite its myriad of issues, student evaluation of teaching instruments (SETs) are the most commonly used proxies for TE. University students enrolled in medicine, nursing and health science courses were surveyed about TE-associated educator attributes before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Students were also surveyed about the frequency of TE they experienced, and this was compared with metrics for associated unit SETs. Students’ 2022 perceptions of the frequency of TE were significantly lower than those for 2017, both overall and based on years of university study. Conversely, the mean 2022 SET was significantly higher than that of 2017, indicating a discordance between the perceived frequency of TE and SETs. Applying a framework with validated TE ‘themes’, we found a significant difference between pre- and post-pandemic values for the overall cohorts and non-first year students’ weightings of educator attributes that best describe TE. No such difference was found for first year students. These results strengthen calls for tertiary institutions to develop more authentic TE criteria, bespoke and dynamic SETs that more accurately reflect TE, and relevant educator professional development that will enhance students’ learning gain and overall university experience. The implementation of such initiatives will be increasingly important in a rapidly changing and more disrupted tertiary environment.

Using a collaborative autoethnographic approach, this paper draws on the experiences of four multi-disciplinary Australian academics who engaged in home-schooling during the 2020 and 2021 COVID-19 lockdowns to answer the research question

Using a collaborative autoethnographic approach, this paper draws on the experiences of four multi-disciplinary Australian academics who engaged in home-schooling during the 2020 and 2021 COVID-19 lockdowns to answer the research question, ‘how might our experiences of engaging in home learning inform our practice in higher education?’ The reflections encompassed our experiences in engaging with unfamiliar technology, equity issues, pedagogical aspects of online delivery, teacher presence, communication, well-being and our own cognitive and emotional responses. We considered the implications of this rich learning experience for our own learning and teaching practice as university academics. Our key findings are the need for a consistent, scaffolded, and supported approach to delivery of technology, consideration of its affordances, a flexible approach to student engagement that considers equity and contextual issues, and a focus on well-being and support. Limitations of this study include the single institution focus and the limited generalisability of auto-ethnographical research.

In 2021, recognising the perceived strengths and risks, along with the tumult experienced by students in a COVID-19 university context, a coaching program was wrapped around the Global Enterprise Experience (GEE) to support student

In 2021, recognising the perceived strengths and risks, along with the tumult experienced by students in a COVID-19 university context, a coaching program was wrapped around the Global Enterprise Experience (GEE) to support student learning. This program involved the training, development and support of a 59 strong volunteer coach team. This paper reports the experiences of these coaches and the perceived impact of the coaching program from the perspective of coaches. At the conclusion of the GEE contest, coaches participated in a debriefing interview comprising open-ended questioning. Each coach was asked the same question set pertaining to their sense of did they have impact? Narrative responses were transcribed, collated within NVivo and analysed using thematic analysis and concept mapping techniques (Braun & Clarke, 2006; Terry et al., 2017). Clear emergent themes support the coaches’ belief that they had impact upon student learning. Impact was described in numerous ways. That the program was valuable to coaches and team leaders alike is noteworthy. Most especially that as an offering the program has impact and is scalable and sustainable. This finding is noteworthy as scalability and sustainability in the mix of offering students support within experiential learning contexts are tipping points. It also offers qualitative support for coaching program impact, revealing the unanticipated positive experiences of the coaches themselves suggesting a potent sustainability factor. This study contributes to understanding of coaching undergraduates engaging in experiential GVT coaches and with practical implications of structuring support.

The aims of this research are to describe recent, global, empirical understandings of the recognition of prior learning (RPL) and to synthesise and extant knowledge in a way that assists stakeholders in uplifting the transitions to

The aims of this research are to describe recent, global, empirical understandings of the recognition of prior learning (RPL) and to synthesise and extant knowledge in a way that assists stakeholders in uplifting the transitions to education, employment, or training. RPL matters are particularly important to current sector policy initiatives as reforms to the Australian government’s approach to widening participation in higher education have helped in the development of the 2021 National Microcredentials Framework to define, standardise and consolidate RPL for Australian citizens. Furthermore, the recent 2024 Australian Universities Accord Final Report highlights the importance of RPL to facilitate lifelong learning. A systematic review guided by the PRISMA and PICO frameworks identified 65 articles published between 2013-2023, that empirically examined RPL. Using manual thematic analysis, 17 core themes were organised into five meta-themes: 1) the benefits of RPL; 2) the challenges of RPL; 3) RPL processes; 4) institutional processes; and 5) national RPL policy. This article provides timely insights to shape the future RPL research agenda as well as RPL practice and policy in Australia and beyond.

The study examined students’ perceptions of their instructors’ interpersonal characteristics. I used a sample of 593 final-year students who completed the questionnaire. The study aimed to (i) establish the level of instructors'

The study examined students’ perceptions of their instructors’ interpersonal characteristics. I used a sample of 593 final-year students who completed the questionnaire. The study aimed to (i) establish the level of instructors' interpersonal interactions with final-year students, (ii) examine the relationships that exist among instructors’ interpersonal characteristics, and (iii) examine how students’ GPAs influence their perceptions of instructors’ interpersonal characteristics. Results indicated that students scored relatively higher in the Leadership and Understanding aspects. On the contrary, students scored below the mean average in Uncertain, Admonishing, Dissatisfied, and Strict aspects. Mixed results were observed in the correlation among aspects of instructors’ interpersonal characteristics. While some aspects had a positive and large correlation, as the model for instructors’ interpersonal behaviour suggests, others indicated a positive correlation when the model advocates that such aspects hardly portray similar instructors’ interpersonal behaviour. Regarding students’ GPAs, findings indicated that students’ GPAs have a significant relationship with their perceptions of instructors’ interpersonal characteristics in all aspects of the influence sector, implying that students with low GPAs perceived their instructors to possess negative interpersonal characteristics. The study concludes that as instructors interact with students, it is important to advise, encourage, and warn students politely rather than criticising, reprimanding, or correcting them in an unfriendly manner and by being harsh.

This study used a corpus-informed approach to identify students’ key concerns regarding their English language education. To address the complexity of key elements in student evaluations, the data collection involved students’ comments

This study used a corpus-informed approach to identify students’ key concerns regarding their English language education. To address the complexity of key elements in student evaluations, the data collection involved students’ comments from 2012 to 2022, regarding their English language professors across different English-related departments at several institutions on Ratemyprofessors.com. These comments were treated as a corpus which covered more than 1,200 comments with over 7,000 words. The data analyses involved two stages. First, using the KeyBNC software, keyword analysis was performed to identify keywords which suggests the students’ areas of concern regarding their English language education. Second, through the USAS tagging system, Wmatrix was implemented to indicate the areas of concern through semantic domains. The findings in both analyses clearly indicated that the students’ concerns involved a wide range of areas, with an emphasis placed on grading and course evaluation issues. Overall, this study argued that, despite some comments which appeared superficial, it is important for professors to critically and judiciously consider all aspects of the evaluations as they can be valuable for improving teaching practices.