Higher Education Commons^™

Persuasive Essay Writing (2).Docx, Natalie Strong

Natalie Strong

Teaching Along The Way: An Ethnographic Study Of Faculty Growth And Sensemaking On The Camino De Santiago, Benjamin Boone

Ben Boone

This study examined the experiences of faculty members from U.S. universities who led students on a short-term summer study abroad program that incorporated the Camino de Santiago, a medieval pilgrimage route in Spain. The study sought to understand how faculty leaders engaged in sensemaking (Weick, 1995) of these experiences in the context of their faculty roles on their home campuses. The ethnographic methods included six years of field work in Spain, participant observation as faculty program director, and in-depth interviews with faculty leaders. The findings show that participants engaged in sensemaking through three theoretical constructs. The construct of family addresses …

Researching Mbti Personality Types: Project Management Master’S Degree Students, Thomas G. Henkel, James W. Marion Jr, Debra T. Bourdeau

Tom G. Henkel

The purpose of this research study was twofold: 1) to explore if a university’s Master of Science in Project Management students’ MBTI® personalities differ significantly; 2) to gain a better understanding if the MBTI® personality traits of university students enrolled in a project management degree differ significantly from those MBTI® personalities of the general population. The goodness of fit test was used in order to test the hypotheses that the 177 graduate project management students (observed data) have the same MBTI® distribution as in the general population (expected data). Overall, the present study showed that the student population has 27.18% …

Faculty And Student Perceptions And Behaviours Related To Information Literacy: A Pilot Study Using Triangulation, Barbara Jean Ganley, Amy Gilbert, Dianne Rosario

Amy Gilbert

This pilot study was developed to determine if the University’s students were proficient in IL based on the requisite skills defined by ALA (2000), to define faculty and student perceptions and behaviours related to information literacy (IL) and to test an evaluation rubric using empirical inquiry and triangulated methods. Findings suggested that not all students (n=164) had satisfactory IL skills even at the senior student level. While 4th year college students (seniors n=91) fared better on an IL survey when compared to 1st year college students (freshmen n=53), analysis of the senior students’ theses led researchers to believe that students …

Facilitating Advanced Thinking Skills Through Problem-Based Learning, Charles T. Wynn Sr., Richard S. Mosholder

Charles Wynn

We will present a problem-based learning model (PBL) designed to promote postformal problem-solving skills among college students in a U.S. history survey course/first-year learning community and we will review results from two studies in which the outcomes of the PBL model were compared to the outcomes of the same course taught with traditional lecture/discussion. The PBL model was more effective in scaffolding students to recognize and practice postformal thinking dynamics and in facilitating self-reported student perceptions of increased course engagement and content relevance. A procedural overview of one of the PBL activities and the metacognitive reflection guide used in our …

Examination Of An Emerging Community Of Practice For Instructional Designers: A Descriptive Case Study In A Midwestern University, Jiaqi Yu, Connie Hargrave

Constance P. Hargrave

This study examined the functioning of a group of instructional designers (IDs) in higher education through the lens of Communities of Practice (CoPs). The study particularly focused on whether and how the grouping of experienced and novice IDs operated as an effective CoP from the perspective of novices. The findings indicated that a group of IDs working in a midwestern university was able to cultivate a CoP within a clearly defined domain, a well-established community, and the shared practice with a specific body of knowledge. Particularly from the perspectives of novices, they highlighted the positive impact while participating in the …

Using Data And Statistics, Randy L. Miller

Randy L Miller

This handout identifies the differences between statistics and data and how to use and analyze them. It provides numerous links to data and statistic sources available for free online or as part of our library subscriptions. Liberty University provides NVivo software for analyzing qualitative data and a link is provided to download the software.

Strength In Supervision: A Professional Development Model For Student Affairs Graduate-Professionals, Stephen Babb

Stephen Babb

Pre-Service Teachers’ Perspectives On How The Use Of Toon Comic Books During Guided Reading Influenced Learning By Struggling Readers, Ewa Mcgrail, Alicja Rieger, Gina M. Doepker, Samantha Mcgeorge

Gina Doepker

The study presented in this article examines the use of comic books, specifically the TOON comic books during guided reading instruction. The instruction was provided to struggling readers by the Literacy Center at a comprehensive university in southeastern United States. What most pre-service teachers in this study agreed upon was that comic books served as an effective tool for getting their students interested in reading. Reading comic books with tutors as partners in conversation with the struggling readers in this study was also a powerful medium for facilitating students’ literacy skills development, particularly in the areas of reading fluency and …

Feasibility Study Of Uvu Community Research Center 2016, Ron J. Hammond, Traci Wennerholm

Ron J. Hammond

A Survey Of Significant Developments In Undergraduate Mathematics Education Over The Past Decade, Ron Buckmire

Ron Buckmire

Guidelines For Assessment And Instruction In Statistics Education (Gaise) College Report 2016, Robert Carver, Michelle Everson, John Gabrosek, Nicholas Horton, Robin Lock, Megan Mocko, Allan Rossman, Ginger Holmes Roswell, Paul Velleman, Jeffrey Witmer, Beverly Wood

Beverly Wood

In 2005 the American Statistical Association (ASA) endorsed the Guidelines for Assessment and Instruction in Statistics Education (GAISE) College Report. This report has had a profound impact on the teaching of introductory statistics in two- and four-year institutions, and the six recommendations put forward in the report have stood the test of time. Much has happened within the statistics education community and beyond in the intervening 10 years, making it critical to re-evaluate and update this important report. For readers who are unfamiliar with the original GAISE College Report or who are new to the statistics education community, the full …

A Study Of Video-Mediated Opportunities For Self-Directed Learning In Required Core Curriculum, Debra T. Bourdeau, Donna Roberts, Beverly Wood, Johnelle Korioth

Beverly Wood

Improving a required course in our curriculum that has proven to be a challenge for our students was the focus of this study. Surveys of both students and instructors attempted to identify specific problem areas. Using the information from these surveys, the researchers developed a series of videos to explain vital course concepts and deployed these into the course sections. The purpose of the videos is to provide consistency across the multiple modalities in which we offer our courses (including online, classroom and via videoconferencing) and to improve overall student understanding. This project seeks to determine how supplemental content focusing …

Personality Types And Learning Styles Of Collegiate Aviation Students, Stephanie Fussell, Andrew R. Dattel, Kadie Mullins

Kadie Hayward Mullins

The personality types and learning styles of students have been studied across education populations, yet the research analyzing aviation students is lacking. A replication study assessed the distribution of personality types and learning styles of students enrolled in the aeronautical science baccalaureate degree program at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU). The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) Form M and the Kolb Learning Style Inventory (KLSI) were used to analyze the personality types and learning styles, respectively. When compared to the personality type distribution of the traditional college student sample using a selection ratio type table, a significant overrepresentation of the personality type …

High-Impact Practices In Anthropology: Creating A Bridge Between Liberal Arts And Neoliberal Values, Susan Kirkpatrick Smith, Brandon D. Lundy, Cheyenne Dahlmann

Brandon D. Lundy

Neoliberal values are dramatically affecting higher education in the United States, with a focus on running these institutions as businesses and molding students into productive workers. This shift toward training and away from traditional liberal arts education at U.S. universities and colleges has occurred even as studies demonstrate that the ability to adapt in a rapidly evolving marketplace promotes long-term professional success. While neoliberalism and traditional liberal arts education are often seen as antithetical, we show how one anthropology program has combined these values into pedagogical practice through a select subset of high impact practices to improve academic outcomes for …

How Are They Going?: A Project To Monitor Student Engagement, Anthony Williams, Maria T. Northcote, John Reddin

Maria Northcote

The transition from school or work to university studies is not always a smooth change for many students. The university context may appear threatening, strange and isolating for some students, whether the courses be offered in on-campus or online contexts. While most modern day universities offer a raft of support services for students, including both academic and non-academic services, problems of low retention and high attrition rates still plague some institutions and some sections of particular institutions in the higher education sector. This paper presents an innovative program that uses technology-supported strategies within a regular learning management system (LMS) to …

Problems And Promises Of Using Lms Learner Analytics For Assessment, Valerie Beech, Eric A. Kowalik

Eric A. Kowalik

Linking Art To Science: Digital Media As A Technology Translation Tool, W. Andrew Clark, Cher L. Cornett, Peter M. Hriso

W. Andrew Clark

Technology translation can be achieved through the blending of the sciences and arts in the form of digital imagery. Digital animation and video can be utilized to portray molecular events where the mechanism of action is known but the process occurs at a sub-microscopic level. There needs to be a strong collaboration between scientific advisors and digital artists when creating the animation such that the artistic interpretation of the molecular event conforms to the known and accepted confines of science. The finished animation may be used for information, education or persuasion as entrepreneurial biotechnical companies attempt to find markets, customers …

A Simple Low-Cost Institutional Learning-Outcomes Assessment Process, Andrea A. Curcio

Andrea A. Curcio

Law school institutional learning outcomes require measuring nuanced skills that develop over time. Rather than look at achievement just in our own courses, institutional outcome-measures assessment requires collective faculty engagement and critical thinking about our students’ overall acquisition of the skills, knowledge, and qualities that ensure they graduate with the competencies necessary to begin life as professionals. Even for those who believe outcomes assessment is a positive move in legal education, in an era of limited budgets and already over-burdened faculty, the new mandated outcomes assessment process raises cost and workload concerns. This essay addresses those concerns. It describes a …

Lesley University Library Newsletter, Vol. 2(1), Hedi Benaicha, Rachel Fernandez, Micki Harrington, Philip M. Siblo-Landsman, Abby Mancini, Mikayla Collins, Sam Quiñon

Philip M. Siblo-Landsman

The second volume of the Lesley University Library Newsletter debuts a new layout. Topics covered include an overview of the 2016-2017 academic year, new library resources, an article on the librarian as a generalist, new faculty workshops, the development of information literacy tools for online learning, and an overview of scholarly publishing tools.

Degrees Of Poverty: The Relationship Between Family Income Background And The Returns To Education, Timothy J. Bartik, Brad J. Hershbein

Timothy J. Bartik

Drawing on the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, we document a startling empirical pattern: the career earnings premium from a four-year college degree (relative to a high school diploma) for persons from low-income backgrounds is considerably less than it is for those from higher-income backgrounds. For individuals whose family income in high school was above 1.85 times the poverty level, we estimate that career earnings for bachelor’s graduates are 136 percent higher than earnings for those whose education stopped at high school. However, for individuals whose family income during high school was below 1.85 times the poverty level, the career …

An Instrument To Assess Subjective Task Value Beliefs Regarding The Decision To Pursue Postgraduate Training, Nicholas E. Hagemeier, Matthew M. Murawski

Nicholas E. Hagemeier

Objectives. To develop and validate an instrument to assess subjective ratings of the perceived value of various postgraduate training paths followed using expectancy-value as a theoretical framework; and to explore differences in value beliefs across type of postgraduate training pursued and type of pharmacy training completed prior to postgraduate training. Methods. A survey instrument was developed to sample 4 theoretical domains of subjective task value: intrinsic value, attainment value, utility value, and perceived cost. Retrospective self-report methodology was employed to examine respondents’ (N=1,148) subjective task value beliefs specific to their highest level of postgraduate training completed. Exploratory and confirmatory factor …

A Subgroup Analysis Of The Impact Of Self-Testing Frequency On Examination Scores In A Pathophysiology Course, Peter C. Panus, David W. Stewart, Nicholas E. Hagemeier, Jim C. Thigpen, Lauren Brooks

Nicholas E. Hagemeier

Objective: To determine if the frequency of self-testing of course material prior to actual examination improves examination scores, regardless of the actual scores on the self-testing.

Methods: Practice quizzes were randomly generated from a total of 1342 multiple-choice questions in pathophysiology and made available online for student self-testing. Intercorrelations, 2-way repeated measures ANOVA with post hoc tests, and 2-group comparisons following rank ordering, were conducted.

Results: During each of 4 testing blocks, more than 85% of students took advantage of the self-testing process for a total of 7042 attempts. A consistent significant correlation (p≤0.05) existed between the number of practice …

Teaching To Self Assess: Developing Critical Thinking Skills For Student Interpreters, Stephen Fitzmaurice

Stephen Fitzmaurice

What Does It Mean To Follow? An Exploration Of A Followership Profile In Hospitality And Tourism, Cynthia S. Deale, Donald G. Schoffstall, Eric Adam Brown

Eric A. Brown

Although leadership has received considerable attention from many scholars, much less research has focused on those who follow leaders; yet, followers contribute much to the success of an organization. This study explored the followership profiles of stakeholders in hospitality and tourism education. The findings summarize the followership dimensions of a sample of hospitality students, educators, and industry professionals. For each of the five followership dimensions the mean scores for industry professionals were rated higher when compared with students and educators, with courage to participate in transformation being the highest rated among all three groups. Implications for hospitality education are presented.

Graduate Preparation Of School Psychologists In Serving English Language Learners, Morgan J. Aldridge, Elana Bernstein, Susan C. Davies

Elana R. Bernstein

The purpose of this study was to examine the training practices of NASP accredited graduate programs in school psychology with regard to best practices in working with English Language Learners (ELLs). Training directors of school psychology programs were surveyed regarding the amount of time and the extent of instruction they provided their school psychology graduate students on the topic of ELLs. School psychology interns were also surveyed regarding both their current knowledge about serving ELLs and their perceived preparedness to serve ELLs. Results indicated that school psychology programs are not adequately preparing graduate students to serve the growing population of …

Quantitative Preparation In Doctoral Education Programs: A Mixed-Methods Study Of Doctoral Student Perspectives On Their Quantitative Training, Sarah L. Ferguson, Katrina A. Hovey, Robin K. Henson

Sarah Ferguson

Aim/Purpose The purpose of the current study is to explore student perceptions of their own doctoral-level education and quantitative proficiency.

Background The challenges of preparing doctoral students in education have been discussed in the literature, but largely from the perspective of university faculty and program administrators. The current study directly explores the student voice on this issue.

Methodology Utilizing a sequential explanatory mixed-methods research design, the present study seeks to better understand doctoral-level education students’ perceptions of their quantitative methods training at a large public university in the southwestern United States.

Findings Results from both phases present the need for …

Critical Cultural Student Affairs Praxis And Participatory Action Research, Oiyan A. Poon, Dian D. Squire, Delia Cheung Hom, Kevin Gin, Megan S. Segoshi, Aaron Parayno

OiYan Poon

This paper explores how student affairs practitioners may engage in critical cultural praxis through participatory action research (PAR). As authors, both researchers and practitioners, we partnered with one another to conduct a needs assessment of Asian American students through PAR methods at a university in the northeast United States. Unfortunately, the PAR project as initially designed did not come to fruition. We used autoethnography to understand the many barriers that prevented the completion of the project, such as lengthy and unclear IRB processes, lack of organizational stability, and limited institutional support. Finally, we offer insight into how scholar-practitioners and institutions …

Marking The Path From Law Student To Lawyer: Using Field Placement Courses To Facilitate The Deliberate Exploration Of Professional Identity And Purpose, Timothy W. Floyd, Kendall L. Kerew

Kendall L. Kerew

No abstract provided.

Developing An Effective, Accessible And Sustainable Digital Repository Of Olt Learning And Teaching Resources: Final Report, Philip Hider, Pru Mitchell, Helen Galatis, Katie Mcdowell

Pru Mitchell

This project aimed to provide the Department with a roadmap for its Resource Library, an online repository containing resources emanating from the projects funded by the OLT and its predecessors. The roadmap is to address both technical and management considerations in order to ensure the repository’s sustainability and engagement with the higher education learning and teaching community in Australia and beyond. The project conducted a literature review and prepared a briefing paper for participants in a nationwide consultation exercise around the future of the Resource Library. Over 70 leaders and experts in university learning and teaching, and in scholarly repositories, …