Education Commons^™

Examining Technology Use And Competence Of Higher Education Academics During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Devrim Akgunduz, Aysegul Kinik Topalsan

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: The present study describes the utilization frequency and competencies of educational technologies among academics at a university in Turkey during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Participants were 391 faculty members and lecturers working in the faculties and vocational schools of a Turkish university during the 2020–2021 academic year. A survey included questions regarding the use of educational technologies and perceived competency in the use of those technologies.

Results: Academics are more familiar with distance education than hybrid or blended learning. Academics reported that blended learning, hybrid learning, and distance education provide more effective education on integrating technology but report that …

A Systematic Overview Of Reviews Of The Use Of Immersive Virtual Reality In Higher Education, Chris D. Craig, Robin Kay

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: Immersive virtual reality (IVR) provides opportunities to learn within a nonphysical, digital world. The purpose of this critical review was to examine published systematic reviews regarding the benefits and challenges of IVR in higher education to inform best practices.

Method: We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Overviews of Reviews (PRIOR) to ensure transparency and to afford an evidence-based approach for synthesizing insights from a broad range of research. We analyzed and synthesized 10 reviews that include 332 studies with over 9,878 participants, following an integrated synthesis design process using thematic analysis and emergent coding.

Results: Results confirmed the …

Gamification And Player Profiles Among Faculty In Mexico, Álvaro Antón-Sancho, Diego Vergara, Lorena Rodríguez-Calzada

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: Analysis of the player profiles of professors is a fruitful line of research because player profiles may influence the design of gamified situations. We studied a sample of 243 university professors in Mexico to analyze the player profiles with which they identify and those they consider most effective didactically in gamified situations.

Method: Descriptive quantitative research was used to analyze the distributions of the responses to a questionnaire given to a group of 243 professors from different Mexican universities. These responses have been statistically analyzed by computing the proportions of player profile choices and applying Pearson’s chi-square test of …

Leveraging The W.H.O.L.E. Experience Framework To Elevate Inclusive Learning, Morris Thomas, Susan Winchell Thomas

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

The case study methodology was used to analyze instructional strategies to discuss and refine diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices in two psychology courses at a community college in California’s Bay Area. A mentor and mentee professional development experience, referred to as the DEI studio, used four sessions over 5 weeks to explore reflective practice using the W.H.O.L.E. Experience framework as a guide to review current DEI practices and implement additional strategies intended to improve the engagement, experience, and success of all students. Student feedback and data were collected via a six-question student evaluation of the courses. Results showed that …

Students Of Color And Covid-19: Experiences, Coping Strategies, And Supports, Amie S. Kang, Barbora Hoskova, Chung Yu Liu, Arisa Viddayakorn, Molly Binder, Belle Liang, Betty S. Lai

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

The coronavirus disease of 2019, known as the COVID-19 pandemic, is a disaster event that posed significant physical, social, financial, and mental health risks to college students. Disproportionate experiences of stressors position students of color as a population particularly vulnerable to the negative impacts of COVID-19, thus, the current study assessed the impact of COVID-19 on undergraduate students of color in the United States. Students participated in semi-structured in-depth interviews about their experiences with stressors during the pandemic. Data were analyzed using conventional content analysis and revealed themes including (a) the pandemic’s impact on students; (b) basic needs as college …

Teachers’ Perspectives In Higher Education On Using Educational Technology During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Observations For Ghana, India, And Serbia, Nikola Koruga, Rohit Nainwal, Angela Kyerewaa Ayisi-Addo

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objective: The purpose of this research was to understand the significant changes and challenges regarding teaching experiences during the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis in three universities, one each in Africa, Asia, and Europe. The study provides information on how teachers adapted to online teaching under COVID-19 conditions.

Methods: We employed a descriptive phenomenology approach and used an online survey with open-ended questions to collect the data. Braun and Clarke’s six steps of thematic analysis based on the traditions of descriptive phenomenology were employed to analyze the data.

Results: The teachers’ adaptive mechanisms to the COVID-19 crisis could be described through the …

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: …

Title Ix Coordinators’ Perspectives On Title Ix Investigations And Due Process, Arcetta S. Knautz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Title IX Coordinators are responsible for implementing standardized procedures related to each component of Title IX procedures on college and university campuses. The problem this study addressed was the gap in practice regarding the ways colleges and universities implement standardized procedures to ensure equitable due process for involved parties in sexual misconduct cases. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore perspectives of Title IX Coordinators regarding their challenges with implementing standardized procedures set forth by the Office of Civil Rights of the Department of Education, particularly related to sexual misconduct cases and ways to improve equitable due …

Employer Perceptions Of The Skills Gap In College Graduates’ Written Communication, Julie Minnaugh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

U.S. employers have reported that many college graduates are underprepared in written communication when hired and that lack of preparedness hinders these graduates’ employment success. Higher education institution (HEI) administrators need information regarding which writing skills should be taught across the curriculum to improve student outcomes. The purpose of this study was to investigate employers’ perspectives on the written communication skills gap that hinders college graduates from being successful in their professional practice. Swales’s six characteristics of a discourse community provided a conceptual lens for the study, as graduates commencing employment represent newcomers to a discourse community. A basic qualitative …

Employer Perceptions Of The Skills Gap In College Graduates’ Written Communication, Julie Minnaugh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

U.S. employers have reported that many college graduates are underprepared in written communication when hired and that lack of preparedness hinders these graduates’ employment success. Higher education institution (HEI) administrators need information regarding which writing skills should be taught across the curriculum to improve student outcomes. The purpose of this study was to investigate employers’ perspectives on the written communication skills gap that hinders college graduates from being successful in their professional practice. Swales’s six characteristics of a discourse community provided a conceptual lens for the study, as graduates commencing employment represent newcomers to a discourse community. A basic qualitative …

Title Ix Coordinators’ Perspectives On Title Ix Investigations And Due Process, Arcetta S. Knautz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Title IX Coordinators are responsible for implementing standardized procedures related to each component of Title IX procedures on college and university campuses. The problem this study addressed was the gap in practice regarding the ways colleges and universities implement standardized procedures to ensure equitable due process for involved parties in sexual misconduct cases. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore perspectives of Title IX Coordinators regarding their challenges with implementing standardized procedures set forth by the Office of Civil Rights of the Department of Education, particularly related to sexual misconduct cases and ways to improve equitable due …

Beliefs Of Higher Education Online Faculty Regarding The Integration Of Multimedia, Kimberly Diane Hoyt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Integration of multimedia resources in higher education curricula continues to be a concern for today’s teachers, especially in identifying effective, efficient, and engaging resources that provide individualized instruction and meet a variety of learning needs. However, there was a gap in the literature regarding teachers' beliefs about multimedia integration within the context of adult learning in online higher education. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the benefits and challenges higher education online teachers experienced when integrating multimedia resources into their courses. The research question explored the beliefs of higher education online instructors about their experiences when …

Beliefs Of Higher Education Online Faculty Regarding The Integration Of Multimedia, Kimberly Diane Hoyt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Integration of multimedia resources in higher education curricula continues to be a concern for today’s teachers, especially in identifying effective, efficient, and engaging resources that provide individualized instruction and meet a variety of learning needs. However, there was a gap in the literature regarding teachers' beliefs about multimedia integration within the context of adult learning in online higher education. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the benefits and challenges higher education online teachers experienced when integrating multimedia resources into their courses. The research question explored the beliefs of higher education online instructors about their experiences when …

Improving Computer Programming Competency For First Semester Computer Science Students Through Immersive Project-Based Learning, Ubaidah Ubaidah, Minaldi Loeis

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

The objective of this research is to describe the implementation of project-based learning (PJBL) in improving computer programming competency in a higher education setting. The method applied in this study is action research with a one-cycle framework with four phases of development: a) planning, b) action, c) observing, and d) reflection phases. This research tries to answer two questions: how to implement PJBL in a programming course to improve programming competency and how to ensure students’ satisfaction in the learning process. The PJBL applied in this research consists of seven steps, including a) a challenging problem or question; b) sustained …

How The “Lessons Learned” From Emergency Remote Teaching Can Enrich European Higher Education In The Post-Covid-19 Era, Dimitrios Vlachopoulos

Higher Learning Research Communications

More than 2.5 years after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the lessons learned from the implementation of emergency remote teaching in (European) higher education, this essay reflects on how universities, governments, and policy makers can re-imagine higher education in the post-COVID-19 era. It envisions universities as inclusive, student-centered, and accessible organizations capable of meeting diverse learning needs through technology-enhanced high-quality academic programs. This can be achieved through wide-scale uptake of blended learning in higher education; capacity building for stakeholders on online/blended learning; consideration of the unique needs of its stakeholders; and a holistic quality assurance framework. The author’s …

Reflections On Inclusive Teaching, Michelle Pacansky-Brock

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

The COVID-era has left a lasting impression on each of us. How are college educators applying the full complexity of these experiences to their work to make teaching and learning in all modalities more welcoming, meaningful, and fulfilling for everyone? This reflection opens a conversation about inclusive teaching and invites you to be part of it.

Reasons Faculty Teach, Or Do Not Teach, Service-Learning Courses In A Pandemic: The Role Of Faculty Investment And Clues For The Future Of Service-Learning, Melissa C. Garvin, Emily Acosta Lewis

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: Current issues impact the number and type of service-learning courses (SLCs) offered across universities. Our research aims to address the barriers and offer solutions to implementing SLCs.

Methods: Instructors (n = 117) in the California State University system, the largest in the United States, who taught SLCs in fall 2019 and spring 2020 were contacted to understand why they chose to continue, or discontinue, teaching SLCs in Fall 2020.

Results: The majority of participants continued to teach an SLC. Those who had more experience teaching SLCs were more likely to continue. Additionally, female participants trended …

Course Modality And Dialogue As Predictors Of Postsecondary Student Success In Online Programs, Danielle Lawson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a growing demand for online education; however, online programs yield consistently lower student retention rates and student success. Students in online programs are typically nontraditional students from underrepresented populations in higher education. The purpose of this nonexperimental quantitative study was to determine whether dialogue (learner–learner, learner–instructor, and learner–content interactions) and course modality (traditional online and competency-based education [CBE] online) predicted student success (final course grade). Moore’s model of transactional distance served as the theoretical framework for this study, specifically the dialogue component. Participants were 127 online higher education students who took (successfully or unsuccessfully) a traditional online course …

Education Licensure Candidates During The Time Of Covid-19: University Supervisors’ Reflections About The Forgotten Few, Andrea M. Wilson, Cheryl Burleigh

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Education at K–12 through university levels has faced extraordinary upheaval in the time of COVID-19. As universities and K–12 school systems struggled independently to adapt to rapidly changing demands, teacher and administrator licensure candidates were confronted with unprecedented challenges in both worlds simultaneously. The licensure candidates were the forgotten few, stuck between higher education and K–12 education, while struggling to keep up with the demands of their personal lives and professional futures. With limited guidance from their universities and school systems, licensure candidates turned to their university field placement supervisors for direction. In response, supervisors became adaptive leaders and flexible …

Online Adjunct Faculty Perceptions Of Professional Development To Support Personal And Professional Academic Growth During Covid-19, Cheryl Burleigh, Patricia B. Steele, Grace Gwitira

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objective: The purpose of this study was to understand what online adjunct faculty value as support services, specifically professional development opportunities, provided by their respective higher education institutions.

Method: This qualitative narrative inquiry study centered on exploring perceptions and experiences of online adjunct faculty members from higher education institutions and their experiences and expectations of professional development (PD), prior to and during COVID-19.

Results: The study resulted in the identification of possible improvements and enhancements to existing PD content that would further support faculty personal development, mental health, wellbeing, and academic growth.

Conclusions: This study reminds us that there are …

Students’ And Faculty Members’ Perceptions And Experiences Of Classroom Assessment: A Case Study Of A Public University In Afghanistan, Sayed Ahmad Javid Mussawy, Gretchen Rossman, Sayed Abdul Qahar Haqiqat

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objective: The primary goal of the study was to examine students’ perceptions of classroom assessment at a public university in Afghanistan. Exploring current assessment practices focused on student and faculty members lived experiences was a secondary goal. The study also sought to collect evidence on whether or not the new assessment policy was effective in student achievement.

Method: Authors used an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design to conduct the study. Initially, we applied the Students Perceptions of Assessment Questionnaire (SPAQ), translated into Dari/Farsi and validated, to collect data from a random sample of 400 students from three colleges: Agriculture, Education, and …

Higher Education's Contributions To The U.S. Democratic Society, Robert L. Williams, Charaya C. Upton

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

College experiences can contribute to teaching, learning, and instruction within higher education. The framework for this essay treats the college community as prototypic of the U.S. political society. Several aspects of the national political culture have been approximated within a collegiate culture. For example, every political problem within our society can be represented in a miniature fashion within a program of studies in a university. Much of students’ political information can come from the interaction between teachers and students. However, a sizable portion of this learned information can extend through interaction among students. At that point, teachers would point students …

Perceived Attributes Of Diffusion Of Innovation Theory As Predictors Of Postsecondary Faculty Adoption Of Text Expander Technology, Katherine Ruthann Mckinney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Postsecondary faculty do not provide detailed, individualized, and timely feedback to students, although faculty and students consider feedback an integral aspect of higher education. Text expander technology, or software programs that automatically convert snippets of predetermined text into longer phrases, can aid postsecondary faculty in providing digital written feedback, but little quantitative research exists regarding postsecondary faculty adoption of text expander technology. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the perceived attributes of Rogers’ diffusion of innovation theory that predict postsecondary faculty adoption of text expander technology. The research questions were related to the frequency at which postsecondary …

Online Teaching Self-Efficacy And Faculty Ict And Computer Attitudes In Higher Education, Sharifa Jomoke Simmons

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The digital age is reshaping learning and instruction and encouraging educational technology advances within higher education institutions. However, online faculty are not integrating technology into their classes despite the technology related professional development they receive. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if a relationship exists between online teaching self-efficacy and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and computer attitudes and faculty participation in technology professional development activities, gender, and age within the context of institutions of higher education. Alfred Bandura’s social learning theory and Roger’s diffusion of innovations theory framed the study. Using Qualtrics, survey data were collected …

Decision-Making Of Unionized Men Toward Work And Post-Secondary Education: A Qualitative Study, Angela Pesce

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

High school graduates who opt for labor-based unionized positions, versus matriculating, are typically viewed as unable to matriculate, less intelligent and a myriad of other less desirable qualities. Current literature fails to showcase the decision-making experiences of unionized men who did not matriculate. There is also a gap regarding unionized mens’ perceptions on matriculation, including their reasons for not. This general qualitative study explored the career decision-making experiences of unionized men and their perceptions on postsecondary education through semi-structured interviews with 10 unionized men in Delaware and Pennsylvania. Purposeful and convenience sampling were used for recruitment through posted flyers within …

Quality Assurance Of Higher Education Governance And Management: An Exploration Of The Minimum Imperative For The Envisioned African Common Higher Education Space, Lazarus Nabaho, Wilberforce Turyasingura, Alfred Kenneth Kiiza, Felix Andama, Adrian Beinebyabo

Higher Learning Research Communications

In 2018, as part of the African higher education harmonisation drive, the African Union Commission (AUC) issued the African Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ASG-QA). Within the ASG-QA, the AUC commits to promoting good governance and management in higher education institutions and provides governance and management as the second standard. However, there is a dearth of knowledge about the governance and management architecture for higher education institutions in the African higher education landscape that is either implicit or explicit in the ASG-QA. Against the above backdrop—using the ASG-QA as a source of data and content analysis …

Creating, Implementing, And Redefining A Conceptual Framework For Mentoring Pathways For Education Doctorate Students, Rebecca D. Brown, Rachel Louise Geesa, Kat R. Mcconnell

Higher Learning Research Communications

Supporting the proficiencies scholar-practitioners need to be successful in Doctor of Education (EdD) programs typically differ from the needs of traditional doctoral students in other types of programs; however, EdD students may benefit from participating in a mentoring program during the progression of their academic career. Several theoretical and conceptual frameworks that influence mentoring programs exist at the doctoral level despite the lack of research conducted that is specific to EdD degrees. In this article, we review several frameworks that influenced the creation and redesign of the Mentoring Pathways Program, developed explicitly to address the needs of scholar-practitioners attending a …

Predicting International Student Enrollment In U.S. Institutions By Institutional Characteristics: Using Fixed And Random Effects, Ibrahim Bicak, Z. W. Taylor

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

For the first time, international student enrollment in U.S. institutions of higher education declined for a second straight year in 2017–2018. As a result, we sought to understand which institutional characteristics predict international student enrollment, informing the international education community regarding possible institutional factors responsible for the decline in international student enrollment by using five-year panel data from 2013 Fall to 2017 Fall. Results from institutional fixed effects models revealed positive relationships between first-time international undergraduate enrollment and different variables such as institutional grant aid in bachelor’s institutions and student services expenses at private non-profit institutions in suburban settings. Contrary …

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 …

Higher Education, Hlrc, Pandemics, And Racism, Gary J. Burkholder, Erwin Krauskopf

Higher Learning Research Communications

This letter from the Editorial team discusses the context of HLRC journal operations during the period from January 1, 2020, to June 30, 2020. The editors discuss COVID-19, race-related uprisings, and how these have impacted the journal in the context of higher education.