HLRC - Higher Learning Research Communications (E-Journal)
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Engaging disenfranchised urban youth in science learning
Get PDFThe purpose of this work was to elicit the perceptions of science educators regarding enhancing opportunities to retain disenfranchised students in secondary schools. The article shows selective international perspectives on how teachers, university professors, and researchers in teacher education programs strive to support school completion for disenfranchised students. Interviews were conducted in Canada and Spain. Selective sampling was used in order to focus interviews on individuals with particular expertise on the topic and individuals who work in cooperation with colleagues engaged in similar work. Anecdotes, comments, and opinions from the interviews support the basic contentions in the article. The authors strive to bring insight and awareness into the importance of training science educators in the adequate pedagogy and in their engagement in high school programs that prepare students for college. The researchers conclude planning and delivering of a science program needs to start from the students’ experiences with the phenomena, and from their own connections to the subject and with the laboratory material. They also stress the importance of the role that higher education professionals play not only in educating high school science teachers in the adequate pedagogy for at-risk student retention, but also in engaging themselves in programs that prepare students for college. DOI: 10.18870/hlrc.v4i1.10
Education for sustainable development in higher education: State-of-the-art, barriers, and challenges
Get PDFEducation for Sustainable Development (ESD) is a new educational paradigm that allows Universities to lead and respond to social needs towards a more sustainable life. The ESD is a global preparedness and complex phenomena in relation to the effects of human activity on the environment, society and economy in spatial (global, regional and local) and temporal dimensions (learn from the past, act in the present and anticipate the future). This essay provides an important synthesis of the vast literature in recent years in relation to ESD. It analyzes the areas and elements to be integrated into the application and integration of Sustainability in Higher Education (SHE), the importance of sustainability curricula and changing the teaching and learning methods into more participative and active techniques. The essay ends with a proposal of steps to follow to implement a sustainability plan, the various existing integration strategies, and the identification of barriers and remaining challenges into ESD.DOI: 10.18870/hlrc.v4i3.157
Becoming a scholar: Everything I needed to know I learned on sabbatical
Get PDFThe essence of being a faculty member is to be a scholar. And, the work of a scholar is to think. However, the demands of academic life correlated with mid-career concerns can form a distraction away from this essential activity. As such, the goal of this essay is to discuss matters of professional development for tenured business professors at teaching-oriented universities. These faculty members are at particular risk of a career plateau accompanied by diminished productivity and satisfaction. Employing autoethnographic methods, the author reflects on his personal experience and posits initiatives for career revitalization, positing that professional development is vital at this career stage. The essay postulates that professional development begins with the creation of a thinking agenda that defines the scholar’s field of study and the particular projects to be studied. The author concludes by stating that neither teaching nor publishing is the essence of a self-actualized faculty member; rather, teaching and publishing are channels for the knowledge work of the scholar.DOI: 10.18870/hlrc.v4i1.16
Best practices in doctoral retention: Mentoring
Get PDF The aim of this critical literature review is to outline best practices in doctoral retention and the successful approach of one university to improve graduation success by providing effective mentorship for faculty and students alike. The focus of this literature review is on distance learning relationships between faculty and doctoral students, regarding retention, persistence, and mentoring models. Key phrases and words used in the search and focusing on mentoring resulted in over 20,000 sources. The search was narrowed to include only doctoral study and mentoring. Research questions of interest were: Why do high attrition rates exist for doctoral students? What are the barriers to retention? What are the benefits of doctoral mentoring? What programs do institutions have in place to reduce attrition? The researchers found a key factor influencing doctoral student retention and success is effective faculty mentorship. In particular, the design of a mentoring and faculty training program to increase retention and provide for success after graduation is important. This research represents a key area of interest in the retention literature, as institutions continue to search for ways to better support students during their doctoral programs and post-graduation.DOI: 10.18870/hlrc.v4i2.18
Qualitative study of college tutoring through the expert panel method
No full textThe implementation of a quality Tutorial Action Plan (TAP), in which the integral formation of students is the main objective, is a topical issue in the Spanish university environment . This paper aims to identify the actions contemplated in the TAPs of different Spanish universities and catalog the different types of activities performed by the teachers-tutors in the context of tutorial action. To achieve this, the authors conducted a qualitative analysis based on expert panels. As a result, three main vectors were extracted: Standard elements in a college TAP, critical aspects from tutors and managers of tutorial actions, and tutorial actions with a seal of quality. From the analysis it was concluded that quality tutorial action is the basis for academic excellence. Its achievement requires to clarify and recognize the role of the tutor, adjust appropriately the ratio of students allocated per tutor, and promote the development of transversal skills in students. For this, the authors propose a cross-coordination among teachers, as well as counseling and support; tutor training and professionalism; and the application of working methods that allow proper guidance and monitoring of students.-----------------------------Estudio Cualitativo sobre Tutoría Universitaria a Través del Método de Panel de ExpertosResumenLa implantación de un plan de acción tutorial (PAT) de calidad, en el cual la formación integral del alumnado sea lo principal, es un tema de actualidad en el entorno universitario español. El presente trabajo persigue identificar las acciones contempladas en los PAT de diferentes universidades españolas, así como catalogar los diferentes tipos de actividades realizadas por los profesores-tutores en el contexto de la acción tutorial. Para ello se realizó un análisis cualitativo basado en paneles de expertos. Como resultado, se extrajeron tres vectores principales: Elementos habituales en un PAT universitario; Aspectos críticos desde los tutores y gestores de la acción tutorial; y Acciones en tutoría con sello de calidad. Del análisis realizado se concluyó que la acción tutorial de calidad es la base de la excelencia académica. Su consecución requiere clarificar y reconocer el papel del tutor, ajustar las proporciones de tutelados asignados de manera adecuada y potenciar el desarrollo de competencias transversales en el alumno. Para ello, se propone la coordinación transversal entre el profesorado, así como con servicios de orientación y apoyo; la formación y profesionalización de los tutores; y la aplicación de métodos de trabajo que permitan la adecuada orientación y seguimiento del alumnado. DOI: 10.18870/hlrc.v4i1.197PDF document contains both the original in Spanish and an English translation
Enhancing faculty performance through coaching: Targeted, individualized support
Get PDFCoaching in higher education is a relatively new field; although, it has been taking place in educational institutions for some time, even if it was not labeled as such. This paper describes the faculty development filosophies of a US-based higher education institution with a strong culture of supporting faculty and promoting social change. A coaching model was implemented as a means for professional development. It was designed to be facilitated through a peer relationship and it offers problem-focused, contextualized opportunities for faculty to collaborate, thus making the experience and outcome more meaningful. The coaching model is individualized, confidential, non-evaluative, and incorporates three pathways to support the professional development needs of faculty: self-assigned, a request from college leadership as a means to support faculty in an identified area of need, or the New Faculty Orientation (NFO) instructor may recommend a faculty member for coaching as a way to further engage in topics not discussed in-depth in NFO.DOI: 10.18870/hlrc.v4i4.22
Blogs, webinars and significant learning: A case report on a teacher training program for college teachers
Get PDFThis case study reports on a teacher training experience for college professors in which participants were trained, taking advantage of technological tools, in two main teaching competences. First, professors were trained to use technology to enrich students’ learning outcomes. Second, they applied strategies of significant learning in the design of students’ learning experiences. The learning experience consisted in an International Certificate on Significant Learning integrated by six modules, 20 hours each. Every module of the program consisted of two consecutive webinars with online activities in between. The results showed the positive impact of the program on participants’ perceptions about the quality of the contents, evidence of learning and products (E-portfolios) that served as content mastery evidences, as well as learning products produced by their students.DOI: 10.18870/hlrc.v3i1.7
Editorial
Get PDFIn this issue of Higher Learning Research Communications (HLRC), our guest author, Dr. Ned Strong, explains why Harvard University opened the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies in Santiago, Chile and how this center contributes positively to Harvard’s goal for international engagement. Strong illustrates how the center has established collaborations with universities and other organizations in the region (which includes Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, and Uruguay) expanding academic and research opportunities for faculty and students through the establishment of programs and funding opportunities.Also, in this issue, we have the great pleasure of introducing research conducted by international faculty, university administrators, and others in the field of higher education. The common goal of all the research presented here is the improvement of the teaching-learning process and the enhancement of the student learning experience. Relevant topics in higher education such as program evaluation and development, curriculum assessment and improvement, among others, are discussed.Transformation of tourism and hospitality education means the application of new educational approaches. In the first article, Goh proposes an integration of two educational models with the objective of promoting scholarship among tourism and hospitality institutions in Australia. Through a description of the current model of teaching, and the introduction of an integrated alternative model in tourism and hospitality, the author provides tools and activities that can be incorporated by educators into their teaching protocols and the curriculum.Harris, Martin and Martin studied a topic of much importance for counselor education programs: how to improve the wellbeing of counseling students in training to enhance professional competence. The participants of the study rated themselves in areas related to psychological well-being, personal growth, self-acceptance, among others. The authors analyzed the results of the self- evaluations and provide recommendations on how educators and program administrators could evaluate and improve wellness in counseling students and the implications of psychological wellness in the professional practice of counselors.In a study aimed at determining readiness and potential for program accreditation, Loushine tested a curriculum assessment method to assess the curricula of two safety degree programs, specifically, if the components of the curricula align with the knowledge requirements for the professional practice of occupational safety. The author explains how the exercise of evaluating the curricula, including obtaining feedback from faculty and students, proved to be an effective tool to identify strengths and weaknesses in the programs and an outstanding resource for program improvement. Kam and Hoop evaluated an interaction-guided approach in science courses offered entirely online to elementary and middle school teachers in a Master’s degree program. The researchers studied how an inquiry-based, hands-on model encourages interaction among learners in science courses and how that ultimately results in collaborative learning in the online environment and development of tools and skills that could be useful for educators.The Editor
Students’ perception of diversity in an international classroom
Get PDFThis paper presents students’ perception of diversity in an international classroom in one international university in Thailand. The aim of this exploratory study is to better understand students’ perception of diversity to better meet their learning needs. By conducting a survey among students enrolled in bachelor’s and master’s international programs, this study explores how students perceive their classmates’ diversity, such as, but not limited to, cultural, language, and knowledge differences. How does diversity affect students’ learning in an international setting? What kind of diversity is the most disturbing for learners? Some recommendations grounded in the conceptual framework of cultural responsive teaching are derived from the results.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18870/hlrc.v3i4.16
Share your voice: Online community building during reaffirmation of accreditation
Get PDFGeneric University recently underwent a successful reaffirmation of accreditation process with The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. As part of the 3-year process, a committee, named the Education and Communication working group, was formed to inform and engage with the entire Generic community. The aim of this report is to describe the process and strategies this working group employed to achieve those goals in a distance learning environment. The primary charges of the Education and Communication working group were to (1) educate stakeholders about the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), the importance of accreditation, and their role in the accreditation process; (2) provide consistent and quality communication to ensure stakeholders are appropriately informed about HLC and the self-study process; and (3) create and execute an appropriate and supportive communication and education plan during the HLC self-study process. The Education and Communication working group primarily focused on internal stakeholders, including students, faculty, and staff. Additional outreach specifically addressed associated individuals, such as alumni and field site supervisors. Other institutions may define their constituencies differently but will find that the goals, plans, and strategies described here will help them to achieve involvement by their stakeholders in accreditation processes.DOI: 10.18870/hlrc.v3i3.11