Education Commons^™

The Importance Of Digital Learning And Teaching In The Era Of Covid-19, Gary J. Burkholder, Erwin Krauskopf

Higher Learning Research Communications

We are pleased to publish the second regular issue (Volume 12, Issue 2) of Higher Learning Research Communications (HLRC) for 2022. This year, we published two regular issues and a special issue, Education Technologies and COVID-19: Experiences and Lessons Learned. COVID-19 and the implications of the switch to emergency online teaching continue to capture the interest of researchers. In the present issue, some of the manuscripts focus directly on COVID-19; still others examine different aspects of digital teaching and learning. As is typical with the HLRC, articles represent the voices of academics from various parts of the globe, demonstrating …

Emergency Remote Teaching Versus Planned Remote Teaching: Narrowing The Gap With Targeted Professional Development, Bonnie J. Covelli, Sudipta Roy

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: This study reviews faculty members’ comfort level with remote teaching in the Fall 2020 semester to evaluate the effectiveness of the professional development workshops.

Method: Using survey research, we examined professional development activities and subsequent comfort level and ease of adjustment with remote teaching in Fall 2020.

Results: Following the training, faculty reported high planned usage of various online teaching tools and great comfort with using them. The data reveals some differences between part-time and full-time faculty members.

Conclusions: The experience gained in the emergency semester, combined with the targeted professional development workshops offered eased the stress of planned …

Availability Of Social Support, Coping Strategies, Student Stressors And Wellness Among Older Women Studying Online During The Pandemic, Stamatis Elntib, Lucy Edwards

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: The purpose of the study was to explore the association between older women’s subjective perceptions of available social support, their coping strategies, self-reported wellness, and stressors experienced as online students studying during the pandemic.

Method: A convenience sample of 115 older adult women learners (Mean age = 40.88, SD = 11.27) studying online in March 2021 in one of the world’s largest providers of higher-education distance-learning courses was gathered using a survey methodology.

Results: Using structural equation modelling, we showed that perceptions of social support were associated with a higher use of positive coping and a lower use of …

Experiences And Lessons Learned From The Covid-19 Pandemic, Gary J. Burkholder, Erwin Krauskopf

Higher Learning Research Communications

We are pleased to publish our second special issue (Volume 12, Issue 0) of Higher Learning Research Communications (HLRC) related to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the first special issue (Volume 11, Issue 0), authors examined the experiences of the transition to emergency remote teaching by institutions of higher education globally. In the current special issue, authors examine, from the perspectives of different countries, the continued impact of the pandemic. Each article provides some indications of how the pandemic can impact higher education as it transitions back to models that include face-to-face learning.

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 …

A Winning Approach: Teaching Science Communication Skills Through Small-Group Workshops, Serena B. Gumusoglu, Maria Noterman Soulinthavong, Jennifer Barr

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: Research almost always culminates in the communication of findings. Despite the necessity of grant and manuscript writing throughout academic careers, scientific trainees often receive little guided practice in written communication. To fill this gap, we designed, implemented, and evaluated a voluntary writing initiative for biomedical students at a research-intensive (R1) university in the midwestern United States called Writing Initiative in Neuroscience (WIN).

Method: WIN consisted of didactic and workshop components. The didactic component included discussions with topic-specific experts on writing grants and manuscripts for the public and for non-academic scientific careers. The workshop component consisted of small group-based peer …

Analyzing Impact Of Aesthetic Visual Design On Usability Of E-Learning: An Emerging Economy Perspective, Akanksha Ghai, Urvashi Tandon

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: The purpose of the study is to examine various dimensions of aesthetic visual design and their role in predicting usability in e-learning in higher education institutions of northern India. Using quantitative means of data collection, this research identified, ways and means to make learning content effectively usable, that is, attractive, interesting, motivating, and engaging for the learners.

Method: A survey questionnaire was developed through focused group discussions with field experts. Data were collected through online as well as offline modes. A Google form was created and its weblink was shared with the students pursuing degree courses in various state …

“I Did Not Sign Up For This”: Student Experiences Of The Rapid Shift From In-Person To Emergency Virtual Remote Learning During The Covid Pandemic, Jeff Kuntz, Viola Manokore

Higher Learning Research Communications

Abstract

Objectives: The main objective of this study was to explore students’ experiences of the emergency virtual remote teaching, which was implemented as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Method: 439 students enrolled at a community college in Canada responded to a survey that had Likert-scale and open-ended questions. Anderson’s model for online learning was used as an analytic lens to gain insight on student experiences. Descriptive statistics were used to make meaning of the data. Thematic analysis was done on student responses to open-ended questions.

Results: Findings were organized according to Anderson’s six factors in online teaching, namely: (a) …

Global Issues Spanning Higher Education, Gary J. Burkholder, Erwin Krauskopf

Higher Learning Research Communications

We are pleased to publish the first regular issue (Volume 12, Issue 1) of Higher Learning Research Communications (HLRC) for 2022. While the pandemic waxes and wanes, students in many parts of the world are returning or have returned to face-to-face instruction. It will take some time to fully understand the impact of the pandemic on higher education and what lasting changes will result from it. The Special Issue, Education Technologies and COVID-19: Experiences and Lessons learned, for which we are continuing to review manuscripts, should provide some insight into this question.This letter also contains article summaries.

Faculty Making The Emergency Online Transition During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Effects Of Prior Online Teaching Experience And Strategies Used To Learn To Teach Online (Special Edition 2022), Edward Hebert, Ralph Wood, Kwonchan Jeon, Ismatara Reena

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: During the COVID-19 pandemic, university faculty experienced an emergency pivot to online instruction in the Spring 2020 semester. Many had no prior online teaching experience and were given little time to adapt. This study examines pre-pandemic online teaching experience and training strategies used to learn how to teach online during the emergency remote teaching semester, perceptions of change in online teaching ability and the pandemic’s impact on teaching effectiveness, and interest in future online teaching opportunities.

Method: Full-time faculty (n = 455) from four public regional universities in the southern United States completed a survey at …

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 …

Relationships Among Higher Education Efl Student Perceptions Toward Fully Online Language Learning And Computer Self-Efficacy, Age, Gender, And Proficiency Level In Emergency Remote Teaching Settings, Marco Cancino, Kylie Towle

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore Chilean higher education English as a foreign language (EFL) students’ perceptions toward components of their fully online learning experience and their computer self-efficacy during the CoVID-19 pandemic and assess how these variables are influenced by age, gender, and language proficiency.

Method: Participants of the study were 236 undergraduate students (110 males and 126 females) who took a fully online EFL course in a professional institute in Chile. Likert-scale questionnaires were used to gather data on perceptions toward fully online language learning components (online participation, collaborative group work, instructional materials, and learning …

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 …

The Third Mission Of Universities On The African Continent: Conceptualisation And Operationalisation, Lazarus Nabaho, Wilberforce Turyasingura, Ivan Twinomuhwezi, Margaret Nabukenya

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objective: The purpose of the study was to explore the conceptualization of the third mission in African higher education and the activities that universities are required to engage in and/or are engaging in to fulfil the third role.

Method: The interpretive lens underpinned the study. Data were collected from the documents of the African Union Commission (AUC), in which the third mission is both implicit and explicit. We used content analysis as a data analysis technique.

Results: The AUC conceptualizes the third mission as a role of universities, as a social role, as forging partnerships, and as being mutually beneficial …

Moderating Role Of Attention Control In The Relationship Between Academic Distraction And Performance, V. Deepa, R. Sujatha, Hasnan Baber

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of social media engagement, which includes frequency of using social media platforms (FSMP) and social media involvement, on the academic distraction and academic performance of the student. The study further tests the moderating role of attention control on the relationship between academic distraction and academic performance.

Method: Data were collected from 272 students studying in universities in India. Students answered questions on the frequency of visiting social media platforms and social media involvement, components of academic distraction, and attention control. AMOS software was used to test the structural model. …

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 …

Seeking Equity, Agility, And Sustainability In The Provision Of Emergency Remote Teaching During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Center For Teaching And Learning Takes An Expanded Role, Henry Trotter, Cheng-Wen Huang, Laura Czerniewicz

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: The purpose of the study was to illuminate and assess the experiences and feelings of the staff of a center for teaching and learning at one South African university during the early months (April–June 2020) of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns when it switched from face-to-face teaching to emergency remote teaching (ERT). It explores the practical, operational, ethical, cultural, and emotional questions that the staff of this center dealt with as they supported the university in ERT provision.

Method: This paper draws on in-depth interviews with 23 staff members of the Centre for Innovation in Learning and Teaching (CILT) who …

Replication Or Reinvention: Educators’ Narratives On Teaching In Higher Education During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Viola Manokore, Jeff Kuntz

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: The purpose of the study was to examine narratives about the effect of the sudden transition from face-to-face teaching to emergency remote teaching necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic on post-secondary educators.

Method: We conducted interviews with 11 post-secondary educators from five post-secondary institutes in one province in Canada. Educators were asked to reflect on their experiences during the transition from in-person to remote teaching and learning.

Results: Our thematic analysis revealed that educators’ experiences were influenced by three main factors: (a) student engagement, interactions, and persistence in learning; (b) competence in the application of teacher technological pedagogical content knowledge …