Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Education Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Articles 61 - 90 of 172

Full-Text Articles in Education

Towards A New Critical Literacy: Literature, Community Engagement And The Global Public Good, Bidhan Roy Oct 2011

Towards A New Critical Literacy: Literature, Community Engagement And The Global Public Good, Bidhan Roy

Higher Learning Research Communications

What does it mean for a student to be critically literate in the Twenty First Century? How do we teach critical literacy within university humanities programs in the United States? And what are the implications of critical literacy for the conception and praxis of the global good? Using Richard Hoggart and Raymond Williams’ conceptions of critical literacy, I outline a pedagogical approach to literature and cultural studies that offers a conceptual space for students to imagine and engage with ideas of the global good. From the perspective of student learning, this approach to community engagement offers students opportunities to “read” …


Editorial, Gary J. Burkholder Oct 2011

Editorial, Gary J. Burkholder

Higher Learning Research Communications

In 2016, Higher Learning Research Communication (HLRC) celebrates its 6-year anniversary. The journal is a collaborative effort amongst Universidad Andrés Bello (Chile), Universidad Europea de Madrid (Spain), Istanbul Bilgi University (Turkey), and Walden University (United States). These four institutions started this journal to provide scholarly focus on international research in higher education, teaching and learning, education policy and practice, and internationalization. It was important that the journal be open access, so that everyone could have immediate and unrestricted access to the latest research. It was also important that the journal be multilingual; we have accepted manuscripts for review in Brazilian …


A Course In Critical Thinking For Phd Students In Biomolecular Sciences And Biotechnology: Classical Experiments In Biochemistry, Carlos B. Hirschberg Oct 2011

A Course In Critical Thinking For Phd Students In Biomolecular Sciences And Biotechnology: Classical Experiments In Biochemistry, Carlos B. Hirschberg

Higher Learning Research Communications

This essay presents and discusses an eight-session seminar course designed to develop critical thinking skills in doctoral biochemistry students by exposing them to classical experiments in biochemistry. During each 2.5 session, different key topics of the discovery and development of biochemical concepts are discussed. Before each session, students are required to read the one or two classical papers. The size of the seminar course and the seating of the students are critical to make this a highly interactive environment for all students to participate in the critique and re-designing of key experiments, including control experiments, which helped formulate these classical …


The First Year: A Cultural Shift Towards Improving Student Progress, Becky Jobe Oct 2011

The First Year: A Cultural Shift Towards Improving Student Progress, Becky Jobe

Higher Learning Research Communications

Student attrition has been a primary focus among higher education institutions for nearly 50 years, yet overall retention and graduation rates continue to be of significant concern. Despite increased attention, ongoing struggles of colleges and universities to effectively address potential barriers to student progress are well-documented. Part of the challenge lies in garnering widespread organizational commitment that establishes student progress as an institutional priority. Along with leadership commitment, broad institutional involvement and adherence to a systematic approach to testing new, innovative solutions are necessary to better position the institution to make clear, evidence-based decisions that improve the student experience. The …


Connecting Leadership And Learning: Do Versatile Learners Make Connective Leaders?, Jill L. Robinson Oct 2011

Connecting Leadership And Learning: Do Versatile Learners Make Connective Leaders?, Jill L. Robinson

Higher Learning Research Communications

AbstractRecent failures in leadership, suggest that creating better-quality leadership development programs is critical. In moving from theory to practice, this paper examined the relationship between learning style and leadership style which may enable us to move away from one-size-fits-all leadership development programs. Utilizing Kolb’s Experiential Learning Model and Connective Leadership theory, approximately 3600 college students were analyzed to discover whether versatility in learning styles translates into versatility in leadership styles. One group of versatile learners reported using a wider range of leadership styles suggesting that learning flexibility may transfer to leadership flexibility. Surprisingly, learners of all types reported utilizing Power …


College Radio As A Mechanism For Participatory Learning: Exploring The Scope For Online Radio Based Learning Among Undergraduates, Naveen Mishra, Bahaeldin Ibrahim Oct 2011

College Radio As A Mechanism For Participatory Learning: Exploring The Scope For Online Radio Based Learning Among Undergraduates, Naveen Mishra, Bahaeldin Ibrahim

Higher Learning Research Communications

This paper explores the prospects of online college radio at Sur College of Applied Sciences, its need among students and the possible scope of its contributions to student learning, engagement and community service. It explores the method of developing a holistic mechanism to capture the possibilities of maximizing learning experience by employing college radio as an educational tool to understand the micro-dynamics and localized necessities that deem it necessary or unnecessary. Through this, it attempts to locate an appropriate mechanism, and targeted use of the college radio in contributing to the learning outcomes and educational experience of the students. The …


Editorial, The Editor Oct 2011

Editorial, The Editor

Higher Learning Research Communications

This edition of Higher Learning Research Communications (HLRC) features research from Chile, Spain, and the United States focused on the development of career skills and the different competencies promoted in tertiary education institutions. Since the signing of the Bologna declaration in 1999, a special emphasis has been given to the development of key competencies in higher education in Europe, and around the world. As the research published in this edition portrays, from the adoption of competency-based models in English teaching and assessment to the development of core competencies to promote alumni employability, and even promoting military cultural competency among higher …


Editorial, The Editors Oct 2011

Editorial, The Editors

Higher Learning Research Communications

This issue of Higher Learning Research Communications (HLRC) marks the beginning of our third year of publication.We are very excited about the continued opportunity of publishing high quality academic research in the area of higher education policies and practices.During this third year, several new initiatives will be launched, including the publication of selected conference proceedings (Volume 3, No 4) and the launch of a new series (coming in 2014) highlighting the people that have dedicated their life to Higher Education.Please look for additional information in our social media pages through Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.On this issue, our authors focus on …


The Relationship Between Listening Proficiency And Speaking Improvement In Higher Education: Considerations In Assessing Speaking And Listening, Erickzon Dany Astorga Oct 2011

The Relationship Between Listening Proficiency And Speaking Improvement In Higher Education: Considerations In Assessing Speaking And Listening, Erickzon Dany Astorga

Higher Learning Research Communications

This study examines the outcomes of having recourse to listening skills as support to improve oral skills in English language teaching. In this context, data from 120 students at a specific higher education institution was analyzed; 60 of whom were provided with totally listening-focused instruction and activities, while a separate group of 60 students receiving normal institutional English teaching. A comparative analysis of pre- and post-test rubric labels and scores indicated a close link between listening proficiency and a slight improvement in functional and interactive oral sub-skills. The results of this study have implications for defining the foundations of future …


Cathedrals, Casinos, Colleges And Classrooms: Questions For The Architects Of Digital Campuses, Frank Mccluskey, Melanie Winter Oct 2011

Cathedrals, Casinos, Colleges And Classrooms: Questions For The Architects Of Digital Campuses, Frank Mccluskey, Melanie Winter

Higher Learning Research Communications

The bricks and mortar classroom has a long and storied history. The digital classroom is so new and different it may be wrong to even call it a “classroom”.The authors argue that architecture influences behavior.So in constructing our new digital classrooms we must pay attention to the architecture and what job we want that architecture to do.In thinking about the relation between instructional design and our pedagogical aims we must keep in mind that this new type of “space” may require us to rethink our views of both teaching and learning.DOI: 10.18870/hlrc.v3i3.154


Military Cultural Competency: Understanding How To Serve Those Who Serve, Kimberlee Bethany Bonura, Nicole Lovald Oct 2011

Military Cultural Competency: Understanding How To Serve Those Who Serve, Kimberlee Bethany Bonura, Nicole Lovald

Higher Learning Research Communications

The aim of this essay is to define and describe the different constituents of the military population, and present the challenges this demographic faces when pursuing higher education. The essay also discusses key aspects higher education professionals must understand in order to better serve military populations, such as federal regulations and military structures. After reviewing several reports from the government and organizations that support military populations, the authors found more research is needed in order to better understand the unique challenges of civilian male spouses of active duty service members, and both male and female spouses of disabled veterans and …


Scielo, Scientific Electronic Library Online, A Database Of Open Access Journals, Rogerio Meneghini Oct 2011

Scielo, Scientific Electronic Library Online, A Database Of Open Access Journals, Rogerio Meneghini

Higher Learning Research Communications

This essay discusses SciELO, a scientific journal database operating in 14 countries. It covers over 1000 journals providing open access to full text and table sets of scientometrics data. In Brazil it is responsible for a collection of nearly 300 journals, selected along 15 years as the best Brazilian periodicals in natural and social sciences. Nonetheless, they still are national journal in the sense that over 80% of the articles are published by Brazilian scientists. Important initiatives focused on professionalization and internationalization are considered to bring these journals to a higher level of quality and visibility.DOI: 10.18870/hlrc.v3i3.153


Competence-Based Profile Of Undergraduate Students In Madrid’S Universities: Differences In Terms Of The Gender And Age, Oscar García, Sara Redondo, Gema Santiago, Francisco López, Ana Cruz Oct 2011

Competence-Based Profile Of Undergraduate Students In Madrid’S Universities: Differences In Terms Of The Gender And Age, Oscar García, Sara Redondo, Gema Santiago, Francisco López, Ana Cruz

Higher Learning Research Communications

The aim of this study is to corroborate whether the development of academic excellence is affected by the gender and age of students. A sample of 364 students from different universities in the Community of Madrid were administered COMPEUEM, a test that assesses the extent to which students possess eight academic competencies: communication, leadership, team work, adaptation to the changes, initiative, problem solving, decision making, organization, and planning. All students took the test on site, in the classrooms of the participating universities. The results show that older subjects score higher in the acquisition of skills than younger ones. On the …


An Institutional Approach To Developing A Culture Of Student Persistence, Gary J Burkholder, Jim Lenio, Nicole Holland, Rebecca Jobe, Alan Seidman, Diane Seidman Neal, Jimmy Seidman Middlebrook Oct 2011

An Institutional Approach To Developing A Culture Of Student Persistence, Gary J Burkholder, Jim Lenio, Nicole Holland, Rebecca Jobe, Alan Seidman, Diane Seidman Neal, Jimmy Seidman Middlebrook

Higher Learning Research Communications

There continues to be increasing focus on college student retention and persistence. This focus is coming from the United States federal government, accrediting organizations, and from students, parents, and the public. Given the spiraling costs of education and the fact that retention rates have not improved over time, various stakeholders are concerned about the value of a higher education credential. The purpose of this manuscript is to describe the efforts of a for-profit, distance education institution to focus its resources, in an evidence-based manner, on retention and to develop a culture of retention and persistence throughout the institution. The literature …


Motivation And Career-Development Training Programs: Use Of Regulatory Focus To Determine Program Effectiveness, Peter John Anthony, Jeffrey Weide Oct 2011

Motivation And Career-Development Training Programs: Use Of Regulatory Focus To Determine Program Effectiveness, Peter John Anthony, Jeffrey Weide

Higher Learning Research Communications

The purpose of this study was to focus on the relationship between career-development training programs and the motivation of employees. The study used a qualitative method and a phenomenological design using semistructured interviews conducted with a script of open-ended questions. Two main components of the research design were the modified van Kaam method for exploration of experiences and the purposive selection of the participants. The 20 participants in the sample were project managers and consultants from south-central Texas, all of whom had experience with governmental projects. Based on interview responses, the findings of this study highlighted a concern from the …


Share Your Voice: Online Community Building During Reaffirmation Of Accreditation, Brenda Kruse, Kimberlee Bethany Bonura, Suzanne G. James, Shelley Potler Oct 2011

Share Your Voice: Online Community Building During Reaffirmation Of Accreditation, Brenda Kruse, Kimberlee Bethany Bonura, Suzanne G. James, Shelley Potler

Higher Learning Research Communications

Generic 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, …


Undergraduate Students’ Perceptions Of Their Advisors: Sociocommunicative Style And Perceptions Of Relational Satisfaction, Narissra Punyanunt-Carter, Stacy Carter Oct 2011

Undergraduate Students’ Perceptions Of Their Advisors: Sociocommunicative Style And Perceptions Of Relational Satisfaction, Narissra Punyanunt-Carter, Stacy Carter

Higher Learning Research Communications

This study examined the specific interpersonal communication styles and behaviors of advisors and the expectations they have on their advisee’s level of satisfaction, as well as what characteristics lead to higher relational satisfaction in the advisor-advisee relationship. A combination of convenience and snowball sampling were utilized to obtain participants for this study. Three hundred and ninety-seven college students voluntarily completed a survey on their current advisor. The instruments used relied on the Sociocommunicative Style Scale created by Richmond and McCroskey (1985), and on the Relational Satisfaction Scale created by Beatty and Dobos (1992). Results revealed that there is a significant …


Student Perception Of Content Master And Engagement In Using An E-Authoring Tool, Lin Carver, Carol Todd Oct 2011

Student Perception Of Content Master And Engagement In Using An E-Authoring Tool, Lin Carver, Carol Todd

Higher Learning Research Communications

Examination of student comments and end of course surveys from previous courses revealed two content design themes: request for additional graphics and visuals to support content and improved quality and opportunities to master content. Researchers wanted to investigate if incorporating SoftChalk, an e-authoring tool, would effectively address these expressed design concerns. As such, the purpose of the study was to explore the students’ perceptions of the effectiveness of the newly implemented e-authoring tool. A mixed-method survey design, which included Likert scales and qualitative responses, was utilized. All students enrolled in five sections of the three online graduate education courses (N=81) …


Dinámicas Tic En Educación Biomédica Y Odontológica, Gleyvis Coro Montanet, Margarita Gómez Sánchez, Ana Suárez García Oct 2011

Dinámicas Tic En Educación Biomédica Y Odontológica, Gleyvis Coro Montanet, Margarita Gómez Sánchez, Ana Suárez García

Higher Learning Research Communications

Ensayo que aborda un espectro de propuestas de nuevas tecnológicas aplicables en el ámbito de la enseñanza biomédica de mayor implicación operatoria, con especificidad en la rama odontológica. Después de un breve repaso de los elementos que han dificultado la inserción de las TIC en las academias médicas, el trabajo ofrece variedad de estrategias para gestionar el cambio y la mejora a través de la aplicación de tecnologías, con apoyo en evidencias de éxito y dependientes de la estrecha relación de lo tecnológico con un modelo educativo -de simulación preclínica y ejercitación teórico/práctica- dinámico y flexible. Todo refrendado por un …


Online College Laboratory Courses: Can They Be Done And Will They Affect Graduation And Retention Rates?, Eddy Van Hunnik Sep 2011

Online College Laboratory Courses: Can They Be Done And Will They Affect Graduation And Retention Rates?, Eddy Van Hunnik

Higher Learning Research Communications

Online education has been steadily growing during the last decade. This growth has mainly taken place in the non-laboratory science fields. This essay describes some of the best practices to increase and maintain student retention, increase student engagement and increase graduation rates for college running online laboratory science courses. This article further discusses how to run successful, hands-on laboratory courses for your online students. The most common issues are being discussed and what can be done to provide the students with the same hands-on experience online as what they would experience in a more traditional classroom setting.DOI: 10.18870/hlrc.v5i4.289


The Role Of Business Agreements In Defining Textbook Affordability And Digital Materials: A Document Analysis, John Raible, Aimee Denoyelles Sep 2011

The Role Of Business Agreements In Defining Textbook Affordability And Digital Materials: A Document Analysis, John Raible, Aimee Denoyelles

Higher Learning Research Communications

Adopting digital materials such as eTextbooks and e-coursepacks is a potential strategy to address textbook affordability in the United States. However, university business relationships with bookstore vendors implicitly structure which instructional resources are available and in what manner. In this study, a document analysis was conducted on the bookstore contracts for the universities included in the State University System of Florida. Namely, issues of textbook affordability, digital material terminology and seller exclusivity were investigated. It was found that textbook affordability was generally conceived in terms of print rental textbooks and buyback programs, and that eTextbooks were priced higher than print …


Quality Assurance In Higher Education: A Review Of Literature, Tricia Ryan Sep 2011

Quality Assurance In Higher Education: A Review Of Literature, Tricia Ryan

Higher Learning Research Communications

The aim of this paper is to present a general view and a brief literature review of the main aspects related to quality assurance in global higher education. It provides an overview of accreditation as a mechanism to ensure quality in higher education, examines models of QA, and explores the concept of quality. In addition, this paper provides a review of research on the effectiveness of quality assurance practices, with a particular focus on student involvement with quality assurance. In reviewing the concept of quality assurance itself, the author noted there is a need for a common framework for a …


Editorial, The Editor Sep 2011

Editorial, The Editor

Higher Learning Research Communications

In this edition of Higher Learning Research Communications (HLRC), our authors present research on quality in the context of higher education, using e-portfolios to encourage responsible feedback, and student gender bias in teaching evaluations.Authors Laura Schindler, Sarah Puls-Elvidge, Heather Welzant, and Linda Crawford present their literature review findings concerning quality and higher education. The authors focus on the difficulties of defining quality, revealing there seem to be four broad manners to conceptualize quality: purposeful, exceptional, transformative, and accountable. They also identified four distinct categories regarding quality indicators in higher education: administrative, student support, instructional, and student performance. One of the …


Using Eportfolios To Encourage Responsible Feedback, Lucia Morales, Amparo Soler Dominguez Sep 2011

Using Eportfolios To Encourage Responsible Feedback, Lucia Morales, Amparo Soler Dominguez

Higher Learning Research Communications

This article aims to look at the value that ePortfolios can add to business studies, specifically in the financial field. In order to answer the question, Do ePortfolios contribute to the development and enhancement of responsible feedback in the classroom?, the study analyzed the work done by postgraduate students pursuing a Master’s degree in finance. A total of 151 ePortfolios were reviewed and analyzed, and a selection of comments from students is presented in order to support the main findings of the literature review. The authors considered this approach to be appropriate in order to offer an objective analysis on …


Definitions Of Quality In Higher Education: A Synthesis Of The Literature, Heather Welzant, Laura Schindler, Sarah Puls-Elvidge, Linda Crawford Sep 2011

Definitions Of Quality In Higher Education: A Synthesis Of The Literature, Heather Welzant, Laura Schindler, Sarah Puls-Elvidge, Linda Crawford

Higher Learning Research Communications

The aim of this paper is to provide a synthesis of the literature on defining quality in the context of higher education. During a search for relevant literature, the authors intentionally cast a wide net, beginning with a broad search in Google Scholar and followed by a narrower search in educational databases, including Academic Search Complete, Education Research Complete, Education Resources Information Center (ERIC), and SAGE Premier. The authors identified both peer-reviewed journal articles and publications from professional organizations, such as the International Organization for Standardization. The paper begins with a discussion of the existing challenges and strategies for defining …


Students' Gender Bias In Teaching Evaluations, Narissra Punyanunt-Carter, Stacy L Carter Sep 2011

Students' Gender Bias In Teaching Evaluations, Narissra Punyanunt-Carter, Stacy L Carter

Higher Learning Research Communications

The goal of this study was to investigate if there is gender bias in student evaluations. Researchers administered a modified version of the teacher evaluation forms to 58 students (male=30; female=28) in a basic introductory communications class. Half the class was instructed to fill out the survey about a male professor, and the other half a female professor. Researchers broke down the evaluation results question by question in order to give a detailed account of the findings. Results revealed that there is certainly some gender bias at work when students evaluate their instructors. It was also found that gender bias …


Editorial, The Editors Sep 2011

Editorial, The Editors

Higher Learning Research Communications

This Special Issue of Higher Learning Research Communications (HLRC) is dedicated to research in content language integrated learning (CLIL) and English-medium instruction (EMI). A we make our way in the 21st century, higher education institutions are faced with multiple challenges as they try to prepare future professionals. Issues such as globalization and internationalization, technology, access to information, interculturality, and the like pose challenges for future generations. And, higher education institutions play a fundamental role in shaping how that future will look like. In the face of multiculturalism and the communication barriers that are bound to happen, many countries and educational …


Introduction To The Special Issue On English Medium Instruction As A Major Driver In The Internationalization Of Higher Education, Victoria Bamond, Birgit Strotmann Sep 2011

Introduction To The Special Issue On English Medium Instruction As A Major Driver In The Internationalization Of Higher Education, Victoria Bamond, Birgit Strotmann

Higher Learning Research Communications

This volume of HLRC is dedicated to the emergent and rapidly growing interest in English Medium Instruction as a major driver in the internationalization of higher education. It focuses on sharing knowledge and experience in CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) and EMI (English Medium Instruction) from different universities in Eastern and European countries as a means to reflect and improve upon teaching and learning.As editors, we would like to kick this volume off with a review of one of the most comprehensive and relevant publications on the topic in recent times, The Higher Education Language Landscape: Ensuring Quality in …


Book Overview And Q&A With David Marsh, Victor Pavón-Vázquez, And María Jesús Frigols-Martín: Review Of The Book 'The Higher Education Language Landscape: Ensuring Quality In English Language Degree Programmes', Victoria Bamond, Birgit Strotmann Sep 2011

Book Overview And Q&A With David Marsh, Victor Pavón-Vázquez, And María Jesús Frigols-Martín: Review Of The Book 'The Higher Education Language Landscape: Ensuring Quality In English Language Degree Programmes', Victoria Bamond, Birgit Strotmann

Higher Learning Research Communications

The purpose of this essay is to serve as an introduction to the Special Issue on English-Medium Instruction (EMI) and Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL): Challenges and Opportunities. The guest editors provide a general overview of the book, The Higher Education Language Landscape: Ensuring Quality in English Language Degree Programmes, written by Marsh, Pavón-Vázquez, and Frigols-Martín (2013), as well as general impressions about its contents. The book is one of the few publications currently available on CLIL and EMI. It also includes short biographical information about the book authors and a Q&A, where they answer questions about the book …


Linguistic Outcomes Of English Medium Instruction Programmes In Higher Education: A Study On Economics Undergraduates At A Catalan University, Jennifer Rose Ament, Carmen Pérez-Vidal Sep 2011

Linguistic Outcomes Of English Medium Instruction Programmes In Higher Education: A Study On Economics Undergraduates At A Catalan University, Jennifer Rose Ament, Carmen Pérez-Vidal

Higher Learning Research Communications

Globalisation and international mobility in the 21st century has led to the internationalisation of the English language (Crystal, 2003). Research regarding linguistic gains at university levels is however extremely scarce. This study aims to address this gap of knowledge and provide some answers as to how much linguistic gain can be expected after one year of English medium instruction. Two groups of undergraduate students enrolled in different levels of English medium instruction (EMI) were given a pre and post-test over a 1 year period. Results were analysed statistically; significant gains were found only in the semi- immersion group in the …