Education Commons^™

Enabling Leadership Capacity Through Authentic Learning: The Faculty Scholars Program, Geraldine E. Lefoe, Dominique Rene Parrish

Geraldine Lefoe

An identified gap in the higher education sector is the development of leadership capacity for teaching and learning. Significant funding has been allocated by the Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC) to support the development of academic leadership in higher education. The outcomes of this initiative will ultimately improve the student experience as a more scholarly approach to the many aspects of teaching and learning is adopted. One project funded by ALTC supported four universities to develop and trial a framework for leadership capacity development. Five critical factors for success were identified including authentic learning activities that were situated in …

The Role Of Community College Faculty In Teaching And Learning For Sustainable Development, Anouchka Rachelson

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the attitudes, beliefs, and practices of community college professors regarding education for sustainable development (ESD). In-depth interviews with 14 professors from different disciplines were conducted. The participants taught at Miami Dade College, Florida, a Talloires Declaration signatory since 2006, and all had attended Green Studies professional development workshops. Written documents such as assignments and samples of student work were used for triangulation. The annual report of the college’s Earth Ethics Institute and its Web site served as additional sources. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed for common themes. The Talloires Declaration’s …

Global Learning And The Engaging Questions Of Globalization, Daniel Paracka

Journal of Global Initiatives: Policy, Pedagogy, Perspective

While universities can act as important mediators amidst the highly disruptive and contentious change processes of globalization, very few institutions are intentionally fulfilling such a mission. Moreover, there are significant ethnocentric and ideological barriers to overcome before intercultural understanding and cooperation may occur. Nonetheless, universities in the global age are increasingly called upon to help prepare students to better perceive, understand, interpret, translate, and negotiate complex interdependent global contexts. This article examines the significance of several common reactions to the challenges of globalization for teaching and learning in higher education. It also outlines primary areas of focus for global educators …

Interdisciplinarity: A Catalyst For Faculty Engagement Win Internationalization, Lisa Kim Childress

Journal of Global Initiatives: Policy, Pedagogy, Perspective

Despite the benefits of international scholarship to higher education institutions, faculty engagement in internationalization remains a major challenge for many universities. This study sheds light on this problem by investigating the strategies used by two institutions to engage faculty in internationalization through interdisciplinarity. This study found that as interdisciplinarity emphasizes comparative approaches, it prompted faculty to advance the comprehensiveness of their scholarship through the integration of cross-cultural perspectives. Notably, this study presents a model to assist institutions in overcoming endogenous obstacles by providing three infrastructural components--time, place, and financial resources--for faculty to engage in interdisciplinary and international scholarship.

Leadership In Tunisian Higher Education From The Perspective Of The Efqm Excellence Model, Raoudha Kammoun, Omar Ben-Ayed

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal

Since the early 1980s, the concept of quality has been a central focus of attention in the debate of higher education (HE). Over time, many developed countries have experienced a growing concern for quality in HE such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Norway, and the United States of America, amongst others (Anyamele 2004, Becket and Brookes 2005). The focus on quality leads many developed countries to acknowledge the benefits of the implementation of Total Quality Management (TQM) within their institutions (Kanji and Tambi, 1999). However, quality movement is rather slow in the HE of developing countries. Indeed, some HEIs have …

Outcomes Assessment, Michele Langbein

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal

Outcomes assessment is an intense topic that has been debated and discussed on university campuses around the world. Educational accountability is a very important topic. There is tremendous pressure from accreditation agencies to comply with outcomes assessment requirements to maintain accreditation. In addition, to be competitive in a market of many choices, students, employers, and legislators are seeking trustworthy programs. This has raised many questions for Provosts, Deans, and Department Chairs. What are the purposes of outcomes assessment? What should we assess? What methods should we use? How do we overcome faculty objections? Do we need to hire additional administrators …

The Evolution And Management Of Higher Education In Nigeria: A Review Of Private Initiatives, Olabanji Odabara

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal

Nigeria possesses the largest university system in Sub-Saharan Africa. Although South Africa’s tertiary enrollments are higher, Nigeria boasts more institutions. Nigeria has over 75 universities as at 2005 (Adedipe, 2005), about 41 polytechnics and 62 colleges of education as at 1998 (UNESCO, 2000a). In less than 50 years of tertiary education in Nigeria, the enrolment which was 210 in 1948 increased to 392,683 in 1996 (UNESCO, 2000a:87). As at 2005 Nigeria had 23 private universities. As the Federal Universities grew in number and students enrolment, State Universities started emerging in 1979 with the Rivers State University of Science and Technology …

The Tesol Arabia Conference And Its Role In The Professional Development Of Teachers At Institutions Of Higher Education In The United Arab Emirates., Jonathan Aubrey, Christine Coombe

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal

There are many reasons to pursue professional development, but perhaps one of the most important may be to narrow the wide chasm left behind by many teacher education programs. Freeman (1989) and Holliday (1994) have pointed out many of the difficulties associated with the transfer of knowledge into classroom practices, while others have directed attention to the vast kaleidoscope of cultural diversity involved in ELT (see Larsen-Freeman, 1983; Colabucci, 2007; Govardhan, Nayar and Sheorey, 1999). Consider, for a moment, what happens to a cohort of MA TESOL students upon completion of their teacher education programs. They scatter off to various …

Towards Improving The Status Of Higher Education In Nigeria, Adesoji Oni, Alade Abiodun

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal

It is rewarding to begin this discussion by first of all reflecting on the concept of education. The term education is quite elusive and very difficult to pin down to a single definition. This is because numerous authorities in different fields define and describe education as it appeals to them and their background. In any case, education is what help us to acquire suitable appreciation of our cultural heritage and to live a fully more satisfying life. This includes the acquisition of desirable knowledge, skills, habits, values for productive living in the society. It equips the members of any human …

“Can I Major In Service-Learning?” An Empirical Analysis Of Certificates, Minors, And Majors, Dan W. Butin

Education Faculty Publications

This article examines the rise of programs in higher education that award certificates, minors, and/or majors in service-learning. Using Vaughn and Seifer (2008) as a foundation, this study documented and analyzed a total of 31 academic programs that had service-learning at its academic core. Findings from this study suggest that there is indeed a coherent (though far from stable) “field” of service-learning. Moreover, the findings suggest that the strength and structure of a program is strongly dependent on its status; that is, there is a deep dividing line between certificate programs and minors and majors. This has implications for how …

Trends In Climate Change Education In Nevada's System Of Higher Education, Amy Northrup

Graduate Research Symposium (GCUA) (2010 - 2017)

This poster presents research into how climate change is taught in Nevada's colleges and universities. A completed inventory of the types of courses in different disciplines and at different institutions that relay information about climate change to students is discussed.

Assessing The Effect Of Simulation Models On Systems Learning In An Introductory Environmental Science Course, Heather J. Skaza

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

While there is plenty of anecdotal evidence within the systems dynamics community supporting the use of systems simulations in the classroom to improve student understanding, there is little published, controlled, experimental research. This paper describes the results of a paired experiment testing the effect of using system dynamics simulations to increase systems understanding in an introductory environmental science course. We believed that the students using the systems simulations would demonstrate a greater systemic understanding of environmental issues than those who did not.

We conducted an experiment during the fall semester of 2009, with 304 students enrolled in four sections of …

Differing Administrator, Faculty, And Staff Perceptions Of Organizational Culture As Related To External Accreditation, Claire Procopio

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal

There is an inherent tension in the U.S. system of accreditation. Historically, the system has been one of self-regulation (Brittingham, 2009). As access to higher education has grown, however, and the concomitant flow of federal money to colleges and universities has increased, the federal government and the taxpayers it represents have called for more and more external reporting of measures of college quality. Critics of the current system would like more external oversight to create what they have termed variously a “culture of quality” or a “culture of evidence” (Bardo, 2009; Crow, 2009; Kelderman, 2009; Understanding, 2001). The most dissatisfied …

Seeking Ncate Accreditation: Leadership Perspectives And Tips, Michael Ledoux

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal

Accreditation by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) signifies that a variety of licensure programs demonstrate a high level of quality in programs, candidates, faculty and operations. NCATE accreditation depends in part upon national recognition of individual licensure programs by Specialized Professional Associations (SPAs), and on program approval by state departments of education. In order to demonstrate that programs meet benchmarks of NCATE Professional Standard 1 Knowledge, Skills and Dispositions, the unit must provide evidence of candidate proficiencies based on assessments, rubrics and candidate data that are aligned with professional standards (Retrieved October 22, 2009 from …

An Empathetic Approach To Physical Education Teacher Education, Tony Monahan

Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview

Based on the theory that a more student-centered approach in physical education classes might encourage more students to engage in lifelong physical activity and, thereby, lead a healthier life, this study was undertaken to determine the effect of a semester-long empathy-focused educational intervention on empathy levels in 59 college-level students studying in Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) Programs at three East-coast universities. ANCOVA results revealed statistically significant findings in "Higher Order" empathy levels in the experimental groups, and analysis of essays written for the study also suggested a change in experimental group subjects' personal view of PE toward an empathetic …

Paddle Your Own Canoe: Metaphors For Teaching Between The Tides, Alan W. Wright, Marie-Jeanne Monette, Beverley Hamilton

Centre for Teaching and Learning Publications

Nearly twenty college and university voyageurs hailing from Atlantic Canada to the Pacific Coast and points in between, as well as intrepid pedagogues from institutions of higher education from Asia and Australia rendezvous at the Small Craft Aquatic Centre in Fredericton, New Brunswick, on the shores of the St. John River. The sun shines brightly on this warm, mid-June morning, and the water sparkles, inviting the assembled paddlers to embark on a fleeting voyage of discovery in the great Canadian out-of-doors. The group leader addresses the circle of eager life vest-clad participants as they stand, paddles in hand, in anticipation …

Revelations Of Adaptive Technology Hiding In Your Operating System, Kathleen P. King

Kathleen P King

Pre-publication version of a chapter about the assistive technology tools and resources available for free in Windows OS and Mac OS. Introducing higher education faculty to free resources, features and programs which they can recommend to their students or perhaps use for themselves (for instance for fading eyesight or hearing). In addition, the chapter briefly shares strategies and examples of how they might be used. The book will have an entire chapter dedicated to assistive technology as well. This is a popularized assistive technology chapter for generalist, NON special education, faculty to become acquainted with readily available and free resources. …

Faculty Inside A Changing University: Constructing Roles, Making Spaces, Leslie D. Gonzales

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The notion of a multiversity was stamped into the higher education literature by Clark Kerr in 1963 when he spoke about the numerous purposes tied to U.S. higher education. Kerr highlighted how the University is often pulled in many directions at once, asked to fulfill promises of the cultural, educational, national, societal, and now, of the global kind. Yet it is imperative to remember that these multiversities are not empty spaces. They are occupied and brought to life by the people who work inside them, especially the faculty, who Gregorian (2005) names as the "heart and soul, the bone marrow …

A Measure Of Students’ Connectedness In Tertiary Institutions In Anambra State Of Nigeria, Ada Omenyi, Ngozi Agu, Christi Odimegwu

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal

The Nigerian higher education has been accused of performing below expectation when judged from both internal and global benchmarks of quality of output, peaceful co-existence on campus, fair conduct of examination, amongst others. The nature of higher education is such that its students are seen by members of campus community as adults who have attained the age of taking full responsibility of their behaviours and students on their part see themselves as those set free from the encumbrances of family control and influences. Indeed the campus environment is one perceived as “everyman to himself”. Students’ relationship with teachers, fellow students, …

Higher Education Consortium Leads To College Students Taking A Fresh Look At Continuing Challenges For Their Region, Joseph Fink Iii

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal

Institutions of higher education have long had teaching, research and service as their primary missions. Emphasis among those three areas of activity can vary substantially from one institution to another. For example, a land grant university may have a greater emphasis on service or outreach to the communities it serves than would, say, a traditional liberal arts college. Society appears to have an increased expectation that the research conducted at research universities will lead to economic development opportunities (Yusuf & Fink, 2007). Fortunately, each type of institution has much to offer society at large and the communities or regions where …

Working Together To Ease The Pressure To Publish In Higher Education, Barbara Burns

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal

Academics are under a great deal of pressure to publish. Decisions on crucial issues of hiring, tenure and promotion are largely determined by publication rates (Boice & Jones, 1984) and faculty scholarly performance has traditionally been assessed by “straight counts” of publications (Braxton & Del Favero, 2002). These publication rates are used by institutions as an indicator of the institution’s performance and are important criteria in securing external funding from government and other sources (McGrail, Rickard & Jones, 2006). Failure to publish within the expected norms established by a college or university can result in a faculty member’s termination.

Learning Styles And Entrance Requirements For Online Master's Programs, Dr. Stanley L. Lightner, Dr. Anthony Mark Doggett, Dr. Vesta R. Whisler

Architectural and Manufacturing Sciences Faculty Publications

As more online graduate programs are created and traditional programs shift to an online format, the need to identify and understand skill sets necessary for students’ success becomes more apparent. Typically, graduate programs rely on entrance requirements such as the GRE, undergraduate GPA, and a writing sample to evaluate an applicant’s potential success. Is it reasonable to expect that other entrance requirements might be needed for student success in online graduate degree programs?
Research comparing learning and personality styles of online learners exists; however, application of this information as part of the admissions process for online graduate programs is sporadic. …

Universal Design For Instruction: Understanding Faculty Practices And Needs, Howard P. Parette, Hedda Medan, Brian Wojcik, Jeffery P. Bakken

Faculty Publications - College of Education

The purposes of this short report are to describe key principles of UDL and UDI and to describe the findings of a pilot survey study that focused on faculty members practices and needs in the areas of UDL/UDI. Limited previous research is available related to faculty perceptions of UDI/UDL in higher education settings. One exception is a study conducted by Vreeburg-Izzo, Murray, and Novak (2008). Vreeburg-Izzo et al. conducted a survey, coupled with follow-up focus groups, with faculty and graduate teaching assistants that examined the (a) climate of instructional settings for students with disabilities, and (b) perceived needs for professional …

Revelations Of Adaptive Technology Hiding In Your Operating System, Kathleen P. King

Leadership, Counseling, Adult, Career and Higher Education Faculty Publications

Pre-publication version of a chapter about the assistive technology tools and resources available for free in Windows OS and Mac OS. Introducing higher education faculty to free resources, features and programs which they can recommend to their students or perhaps use for themselves (for instance for fading eyesight or hearing). In addition, the chapter briefly shares strategies and examples of how they might be used.

The book will have an entire chapter dedicated to assistive technology as well. This is a popularized assistive technology chapter for generalist, NON special education, faculty to become acquainted with readily available and free resources. …

Traditional, Online, And Blended Instruction : An Investigation Of Outcomes In A Graduate Special Education Course Taught In Three Different Learning Environments, Mary C. Gozza-Cohen

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Nationally and regionally there are insufficient numbers of qualified special education teachers to meet current demand. Online course delivery has been proposed as one way to reach more students and increase the number of special education teachers. A recent meta-analysis conducted by the U.S. Department of Education (2009) reviewed the research on online learning and reported that on average, students in online learning conditions performed better than those in traditional classes. However, among other issues noted in the meta-analysis, it was specified that many of the included studies did not control for curriculum materials and various aspects of pedagogy. This …

Paper 5: Embracing The Vision: Our Work With Teachers Implementing Gps, Sarah Ledford, Wendy B. Sanchez, Marian Fox

Georgia Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators (GAMTE) Annual Conference

In 2005, three Kennesaw State University mathematics education faculty members began a series of workshops titled “Implementing the Georgia Performance Standards [GPS]: Embracing the Vision.” This workshop series has been underwritten by Georgia’s Teacher Quality Higher Education Program. The first series of workshops began with 6th grade teachers the first year the GPS was implemented and the project has been funded each subsequent year since its inception. Currently, we are working with Math III teachers as they implement the course for the first time. The initial focus for the project was on conceptual understanding versus procedural understanding, writing tasks that …