Education Commons^™

Quality Measurement Of Blended Learning Model In Higher Education: Scale Development And Validation, Rajeshwari Panigrahi, Khaliq Lubza Nihar, Neha Singh

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objective: This study aimed to develop and test a scale for measuring the quality of blended learning models in higher education.

Methods: This research adopts a sequential mixed-method approach to construct a new measurement scale. The first phase consisted of the inductive approach to identify the items, followed by exploratory factor analysis. The identified dimensions were tested for reliability and validity in the second phase.

Results: The Blended Learning Quality Assessment (BLQA) contains 4 dimensions: Technology Integration, Pedagogy and Curriculum, Physical Infrastructure, and Educator Proficiency. The scale is comprised of 26 items assessing the quality of blended learning programs in …

University Administrators’ Visions For The Recovery Of International Student Exchange In A Post–Covid-19 World, Yusuke Sakurai, Yukiko Ishikura, Ryoko Nakano, Yuki Nabeshima, Yu Sengoku, Akito Okada, Sachihiko Kondo

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: Little is known about how international functions of higher education, such as exchange programmes, can be resumed during recovery from a disruptive global crisis, such as COVID-19. We collected the opinions of administrators of international exchange programmes regarding their plans to resume their exchange programmes in the recovery phase and identified variations in the responses concerning institution type (public vs. private) and the presence or absence of a medical school.

Method: We used multiple-choice survey questions in our study, resulting in 180 valid responses. We examined overall patterns using descriptive statistics and institutional uniqueness using Fisher’s exact test.

Results: …

Book Review: Engaging International Alumni As Strategic Partners., Osasohan Agbonlahor

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

About 1.1 million international students were enrolled in U.S. institutions in the 2019–2020 academic year (Institute of International Education, 2021). Given limited work visas and the ever-changing political climates that impact migration, most international students will return to their home countries and will be unable to remain connected with alumni activities in their former host countries. A few institutions have attempted to maintain relationships with these former international students through their alumni relations office. The book Engaging International Alumni as Strategic Partners offers innovative ideas and approaches on how institutions can effectively develop, grow, and sustain such programs of …

Quality Assurance, Meet Quality Appreciation: Using Appreciative Inquiry To Define Faculty Quality Standards, Ann M. Morgan, Rebecca L. Jobe, Juli K. Konopa, Lyda D. Downs

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: This study outlines the journey of an online university to evaluate faculty performance standards, key performance indicators, and systems for quality assurance using an appreciative inquiry summit model. The study reveals the power of quality appreciation as an approach that elicits a shared vision for quality definitions and standards and serves as a historical marker in the higher education shift from data-driven faculty performance approaches to strengths-based, inclusive methods.

Method: The retrospective business case outlines one university’s 2018 Appreciative Inquiry Summit, 5D (define, discover, dream, design, destiny/deliver) approach, resulting deliverables, lessons learned, and conclusions.

Results: The summit and subsequent …

Pandemic Issues: Faculty Value Alignment And Burnout, Eu Gene Chin, Brooke Hildebrand Clubbs

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Burnout among faculty members impacts physical, cognitive, and emotional functioning and has negative socioeconomic consequences downstream. Prior to the pandemic, faculty members were already reporting high levels of burnout, which is characterized by depersonalization, emotional exhaustion, and a lack of personal accomplishment. Previous research reported that value incongruence functions as one of the strongest predictors of depersonalization (and subsequently) turnover intention. This study provides a snapshot of the value alignment and burnout of faculty at a regional public university in the months following the pandemic-induced pivot to remote learning. Results from our survey of faculty members (N = 58) suggest …

Perceptions Of Employability Skills Of Undergraduate Business Students In A Developing Country: An Exploratory Study, Wise Mainga, Reuben M. Daniel, Luis Alamil

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the relative importance of different employability skills for business graduates seeking initial employment.

Method: Semi-structured survey questionnaires were administered to human resources representatives from industry, business lecturers, and graduating business students to determine gaps in perceptions between the three stakeholder groups.

Results: There was some alignment and moderate discrepancies in perceptions of the relative importance of different employability skills between the three stakeholder groups. There were statistically significant differences in perceived importance of communication, teamwork, and interpersonal skills between graduating students and employers. There is evidence that employers were satisfied with …

Mission Unaccomplished: Beyond “Talk[Ing] A Good Game” To Promote Diversity And Inclusion, Tara Lehan, Heather Hussey, Ashley Babcock

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Guided by feminist standpoint theory and scholars’ calls to move beyond merely counting individuals to understand the extent to which higher education institutions are diverse, the authors invited faculty members, staff members, and administrators from minoritized groups to describe their perceptions and experiences, including those associated with diversity and inclusion efforts at their institutions. In association with various dynamics, these individuals frequently described such initiatives as mostly talk with little to no meaningful objectives and outcomes. Based on these findings, we provide a three-step process that can be followed to disrupt and dismantle systems of (dis)advantage to promote greater diversity …

Developing Innovative Support Structures In Higher Education Institutions: A Student Perspective, Mxolisi Walter Ntoyakhe, Musa Ngibe

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Higher education institutions have been obliged to work extremely hard to ensure their sustainability and growth to meet the ever-increasing demands of university students, parents, and stakeholders. Universities have been under great pressure to remain competitive with a great deal of emphasis placed on being innovative, building auxiliary structures, and acquiring qualified academics. The concept of service delivery of academic departments in universities of technology has received minimal attention. This study explored student expectations and perceptions of service quality provided by academic support departments with the intention of enhancing the level of student satisfaction and experience. A quantitative research approach …

Cyberbullying In Higher Education, Maria A. Minor, Gina S. Smith, Henry Brashen

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Bullying has extended beyond the schoolyard into online forums in the form of cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is a growing concern due to the effect on its victims. Current studies focus on grades K–12; however, cyberbullying has entered the world of higher education. The focus of this study was to identify the existence of cyberbullying in higher education, reveal the existence of students bullying instructors, and determine its impact. Three hundred forty-six online instructors from the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs at the school of management at a large online university were surveyed. Of the respondents, 33.8% said they had been cyberbullied …