Education Commons^™

Validity And Reliability Of The Persian Version Of The Suboptimal Health Status Questionnaire Among University Staff In Iran, Erfan Ayubi, Salman Khazaei, Shiva Borzouei, Ali R. Soltanian, Samereh Ghelichkhani, Fatemeh Karbin, Yuxiang Yan, Manshu Song, Cuihong Tian, Wei Zhang, Jing Sun, Wei Wang

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Suboptimal Health Status Questionnaire-25 (SHSQ-25) is an established tool for measuring a precision health state between health and illness. The present study aims to assess the validity and reliability of a Persian version of SHSQ-25 (P-SHSQ-25) in a university staff Iranian population. Methods: A sample of 316 academic and supporting staff (163 males, age range from 23 to 64 years old) from Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran was recruited in this population-based cross-sectional study with a questionnaire validation from Apri1 to October 2022. Forward-backward translation method was performed for the SHSQ-25 translation from English to Persian. Internal …

Looking Into The “Dark Mirror”: Autoethnographic Reflections On The Impact Of Covid-19 And Change Fatigue On The Wellbeing Of Enabling Practitioners, Angela Jones, Susan Hopkins, Ana Larsen, Joanne Lisciandro, Anita Olds, Marguerite Westacott, Rebekah Sturniolo-Baker, Juliette Subramaniam

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The COVID-19 pandemic brought global disruptions to the way universities operate. Online learning abruptly took priority, as the physical campuses in Australian universities became deserted. Staff had to instantly adapt to major changes in work practices, whilst continuing to support students’ engagement and maintain quality teaching and learning. This article discusses how change fatigue during the pandemic impacted the wellbeing of staff working in the enabling education sector. As staff and student wellbeing is interdependent, gaining a better understanding of the influences on staff wellbeing in the post-pandemic era is worth exploring in the context of discussions around student wellbeing …

Understanding The Identity Work And Aspirations Of Indigenous Males Navigating Elite Australian Higher Education, James A. Smith, Garth Stahl, Andrew Harvey, Braden Hill, Himanshu Gupta, Sam Moore, Jianing Wang

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

In Australia, there has been increased attention to attracting Indigenous peoples into higher education but, despite a recent growth in enrolment numbers, they remain severely underrepresented. This underrepresentation is particularly notable among Indigenous males, who are the least likely to attend. In this paper, we investigate the experiences of four Indigenous young men who attended an elite higher education institution. Aligned with other research on the experiences of Black and Minority Ethnic males in higher education, the article captures how their experience in privileged institutions compels them to reflect on their own positionality and the cultural interface between Indigenous and …

Employability For Inclusion: The Urgent Need For A Biopsychosocial Model Perspective, Mollie Dollinger, Tim Corcoran, Denise Jackson, Sarah O'Shea

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Definitions of disability are changing, shifting from a narrow medical diagnosis to a biopsychosocial model of disability, where disability is conceptualised as a series of relational conditions that can potentially disadvantage individuals within environments. Implications of this new understanding of disability will have significant effects in the higher education sector, where there is increasing participation of disabled students. In this paper, we discuss one aspect of these implications through the topic of graduate employability. In doing so, we generate a new concept ‘Employability for Inclusion’ that can be utilised as an equity-focused lens for universities to consider how employability initiatives …

Transformation At The Cultural Interface: Exploring The Experiences Of Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander University Students, Braden Hill, Caroline Nilson, Bep Uink, Catherine Fetherston

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Research on transformative learning (Mezirow, 1991), particularly within the context of higher education, has demonstrated the significant impact university learning can have on a wide range of cohorts across diverse learning contexts. However, the extensive body of literature pertaining to transformative learning remains largely silent on the experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander university students and the extent to which their engagement with academia can be transformative. Nevertheless, Nakata’s (2007b) cultural interface theory has shaped policy, practice and thought in Indigenous higher education, elucidating the nuances, complexities and challenges that confront Indigenous students in their journey through university. In …

Relational Employability Stages Of Development, Elizabeth J. Cook

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The Relational employability stages of development aim to enhance individuals’ employability in a relational world. These stages – Recognition, Networks, Translation and Review – provide a pathway for individuals to cultivate relational awareness, engagement, promotion and reflection in the context of careers. When integrated with the Relational employability teaching-learning framework (Cook, 2023), these stages of development engage individuals in critical self-reflection, evaluation and career planning to advance their relational career development. This integrated approach empowers individuals to thrive and make meaningful contributions, extending employability beyond skills and outcomes to embrace meaningful connections and contributions with others (including more-than-human others). Applicable …

Influence Of Entry Pathway And Equity Group Status On Retention And The Student Experience In Higher Education, Ian W. Li, Denise Jackson

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Expansionary policies to widen participation in higher education have led to a growth in alternative entry pathways into university. This study considers the experiences and retention outcomes of those entering Australian universities through different pathways, and how these vary across diverse student groups. Data were drawn from linked student administrative records for 81,874 students from sixteen Australian universities who commenced a Bachelor degree in 2015, with academic enrolment status tracked over five years, as well as data from a national survey of student experience conducted in 2019. Students from alternative pathways were associated with lower retention outcomes in the first …

“I'M Making A Positive Change In My Life”: A Mixed Method Evaluation Of A Well-Being Tertiary Education Unit, Ben Piggott, Paola Chivers, Caroline Bulsara, Jenny Conlon, Kaine Grigg, Sarah Ann Harris, Michelle Lambert, Lynne Millar, Christina M. Pollard

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Issue Addressed:

Mental health disorders (MHDs) are prevalent amongst university students with detrimental impacts on individual students, universities and the wider community. There is an urgent need for proactive and preventative strategies to address the mental health crisis in the university population. This study evaluated the efficacy of a 13-week unit developed to directly educate university students about ways to improve and maintain well-being.

Methods:

Fifty-eight university students from five disciplines participated in a 13-week elective undergraduate unit “Well-Being Fundamentals for Success” as part of their degree. The Act Belong Commit mental health promotion campaign framework formed the basis of …

Pedagogy Of Belonging: Pausing To Be Human In Higher Education, Narelle Lemon

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Valuing care and self-care in higher education requires a conscious pause and rethinking of how we are together as educators and students. The pandemic caused various complexities, including changes in curriculum delivery, deadlines, and assessment modes, leading to feelings of overwhelm, anxiety, and change fatigue, which contributed to the emergence of panicgogy. This paper argues for the need to disrupt this way of being and experiencing the pandemic through valuing humanity and repositioning self-care and care by and for academics to inform their pedagogy. Presented is the narrative and the design story behind Pedagogy of Belonging (PoB), a systems informed …