Education Commons^™

Quality Measurement Of Blended Learning Model In Higher Education: Scale Development And Validation, Rajeshwari Panigrahi, Khaliq Lubza Nihar, Neha Singh

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objective: This study aimed to develop and test a scale for measuring the quality of blended learning models in higher education.

Methods: This research adopts a sequential mixed-method approach to construct a new measurement scale. The first phase consisted of the inductive approach to identify the items, followed by exploratory factor analysis. The identified dimensions were tested for reliability and validity in the second phase.

Results: The Blended Learning Quality Assessment (BLQA) contains 4 dimensions: Technology Integration, Pedagogy and Curriculum, Physical Infrastructure, and Educator Proficiency. The scale is comprised of 26 items assessing the quality of blended learning programs in …

Gender And Loans: Understanding Differences In Student Debt Burden, Rong Chen, Katie N. Smith

Journal of Student Financial Aid

Based on combined data from Baccalaureate & Beyond (B&B:16/17), Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), and Barron’s Profiles of American Colleges, this study utilizes zero-inflated beta regression methods and analyzes individual and institutional factors that predict debt burden by gender. Results show that women are less likely than men to have a zero debt burden one year after college graduation. Interaction effect tests show that the relationship between gender and zero debt burden differs by race/ethnicity. Additional analyses disaggregating the debt and earnings components indicate that women’s salary is significantly lower than men’s. The combined results of lower probability of …

An Examination Of Faculty And Staff Collaboration And Relationships In Higher Education, Jennifer Syno, Juliann S. Mcbrayer, Daniel W. Calhoun, Cordelia Zinskie, Katherine Fallon

Georgia Journal of College Student Affairs

Collaboration between academic and student affairs professionals is an important means of increasing student success; however, historical divides between these units have made implementation of these efforts challenging. This quantitative study sought to evaluate the perceptions of faculty and student affairs staff towards collaborative efforts and toward one another within a single campus of a comprehensive regional university within the southeast. Findings show that while both faculty and staff value collaborations and believe they positively impact student success, these units do not experience equitable voice and responsibility within collaborative efforts when conducted. Additionally, differences were found in enjoyment of collaborative …

Critical Civic Engagement: Creating Yards And Building Community At Predominately White Institutions, Heather Moore Roberson

Journal of Research Initiatives

This article details the journey of a Black Greek professor who created yards on a predominately white campus. This piece of scholarship challenges the historical narrative of the civic engagement movement and considers equity and inclusion with existing civic engagement literature. Specifically, this research contends that civic engagement scholarship must consider the historical legacy of historically Black Greek letter organizations, their commitment to service, and undergraduate education. The construction of “yards” is a civic engagement initiative that builds meaningful connections between college campuses and local communities.

Practical Leadership In Implementing Online Education Programs, Felix O. Quayson, Christopher Zirkle

Journal of Research Initiatives

The growing presence of online education can become a challenge for academic leaders and institutions to lead, manage, and explore in higher education. Online education can be complex when considering the social presence (Keast, 2022; Quayson, 2022), course development (Martin et al., 2019; Orlando, 2019), and economic outcomes (Burnett & Conley, 2013; Rubin, 2013; Seaman et al., 2019). However, unraveling the fundamentals of practical leadership can help educational leaders to facilitate, maintain, and implement online education programs. The study found published research studies that helped us to extricate the fundamentals of practical leadership in implementing online education programs in the …

Faculty Perspectives On Online Teaching In Higher Education: A Qualitative Approach To Understand Faculty Members’ Challenges And Experiences, Felix O. Quayson

Journal of Research Initiatives

This study explored faculty members' perspectives on online teaching in higher education and described, analyzed, and interpreted faculty members challenges and experiences of teaching online courses. Participants were twelve (12) faculty members who have taught online courses or currently teach online courses. Data was collected from 60-minutes semi-structured interview sessions, 78 open-ended questions, three research driving questions, background questionnaire, and personal artifacts from faculty members. Five major themes with subthemes, 15 code categories, and code co-occurrences emerged from the data collection, field notes, memos, and data analysis. However, not all of the code categories were replicated by all of the …

Obstacles Women And Historically Marginalized Racial And Ethnic Groups (Hmreg) Face In The Computer Science Field, Simone Elias, Edward Cromarty, Linda Wilson-Jones

Journal of Research Initiatives

This article approaches the problem of underrepresentation of women and marginalized ethnic groups in the computer science fields from a developmental learning perspective. It proposes that systemic social barriers need to be addressed to overcome the bias toward women in the technological fields. The article surmises that even though stereotypes have changed in the past few decades, Gender Socialization which begins at birth and intensifies through adolescence contributes to inequalities of education, employment, and empowerment in adult life. It suggests that changing the educational paradigm beginning in early education, may result in more inclusive diverse perspectives, increase representation of women, …

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 …

Higher Education: Can Debt Beat Savings?, David Stackpole

Journal of Student Financial Aid

This paper investigates the possible opportunity cost of using standard college savings plans against the advantages of using debt to pay for college. In addition, it presents a practical argument for using debt in place of college savings plans in certain instances.

By doing so, investors may not only be able to mitigate the difficulty of saving, but also realize greater financial benefit in the long run.

Exploring The “At-Risk” Student Label Through The Perspectives Of Higher Education Professionals, Nick Dix, Andrew Lail, Matt Birnbaum Ph.D., Joseph Paris

The Qualitative Report

Institutions of higher education often use the term “at-risk” to label undergraduate students who have a higher likelihood of not persisting. However, it is not clear how the use of this label impacts the perspectives of the higher education professionals who serve and support these students. Our qualitative study explores the descriptions and understandings of higher education professionals who serve and support at-risk students. We use thematic analysis (Braun & Clark, 2006) to interpret our data and develop our themes. These themes include conflicting views of the “at-risk” definition, attempts to normalize at-risk, fostering relationships, and “at-promise.”

The Therapeutic Nature Of Qualitative Interviewing: Benefits Of Research Participation, April Perry, Mary Grace Bigelow

Journal of Research Initiatives

This research explored the notion that interview studies can be therapeutic for participants. It examines the common themes that participants report as beneficial from participating in a study about the transition from higher education to post-university life. The findings are presented as common themes and illuminated by participant excerpts. It is concluded that there are therapeutic characteristics to the qualitative interview process that mirror some of the benefits individuals can receive from the counseling process.

Factors That Influence Emirati Male Achievement In Higher Education, Melvin (Jai) Jackson, Kaitlin M. Jackson

Journal of Research Initiatives

The success of Emirati male students in higher education is one filled with positive interactions between the students, faculty, and staff. The influence of faculty in the success of Emirati males is vital to the overall curricular success of this student population. The strong cultural ties to seeking out elders for guidance and influence is easily replicated on college and university campuses. In this manuscript we examine the history of education in the Middle East from its inception to the meteoric rise of higher education. Through examining the past and present education we will explore how the cultural and societal …

Using Critical Race Theory To Explore The Experiences Of College Students From Rural Areas, Elise J. Cain, Natesha L. Smith

Georgia Journal of College Student Affairs

There are several indicators (e.g. lower enrollment rates and lower persistence rates) that rural people are achieving less postsecondary success compared to their urban peers. This is particularly true for people with low socioeconomic statuses and people of color. This article, therefore, utilizes critical race theory in education to explore the experiences of college students from rural areas. The article begins with an overview of critical race theory and a review of relevant literature about rural students organized within a critical race theory framework. This information is then utilized to construct a strategy to guide educators in their critical explorations …

What Have We Learned From Critical Qualitative Inquiry About Race Equity And Social Justice? An Interview With Pioneering Scholar Yvonna Lincoln, Christine Stanley, Chayla Haynes

The Qualitative Report

In this article, two Black women scholars in higher education share a conversation with our distinguished senior colleague, Yvonna Lincoln, a pioneering scholar of qualitative research methodology about what we have learned from her, and more specifically, how this research paradigm has been used to advance racial equity and social justice in higher education. The readers will learn, through her lens, about issues that emerged over the years and what she envisions for the future of higher education and qualitative research. This article presents implications for higher education, including faculty, students, and administrators working in higher education institutions.

How Involved Should They Be? Students With Asd In Postsecondary Settings And Their Family Members, Bryan Dallas, Julie Ramisch, Alyssa Ashmore

The Qualitative Report

We investigated the need for family member involvement for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in postsecondary settings. We also looked at the perceived needed and fulfilled roles of family members and if family member involvement resulted in positive outcomes for postsecondary students with ASD. We surveyed 211 postsecondary Disability Support Professionals (DSPs) through the AHEAD organization. Using a mixed methods approach including inductive content analysis, results primarily indicated that there is a need for family members to be involved non-academically with students with ASD. We discuss roles that DSPs think family members should fulfill versus roles that DSPs think …

The Influence Of Creativity Inhibitors And Collectivist Dynamics, Anthony Abidemi Olalere

Journal of Research Initiatives

This study examines the mediating influence of creativity inhibitors on collectivist dynamics and faculty creativity in higher education organizations. Complexity theory was employed to frame how collectivist dynamic (Complexity Interaction) and creativity inhibitor foster faculty creativity in higher education. The Partial Least Square of Structural Equation Model (PLS-SEM) was used to analyze data using the PLS algorithm, and mediating effect to assess the predictive accuracy on creativity among 73 tenure and tenure-track faculty members in a south east research-based university in the United States. The result showed that creativity inhibitors have positive influence on the interaction between complexity interaction (collectivist) …

The Pain Of Our Bodies And Souls, Wendolens A. Ruano

Journal of Critical Scholarship on Higher Education and Student Affairs

Students' Critical Reflections on Racial (in)justice

The Journey To The Top: Stories On The Intersection Of Race And Gender For African American Women In Academia And Business, Deanna R. Davis

Journal of Research Initiatives

This research study was designed to determine how the intersection of race and gender identities contributed to the elements of leadership development as perceived by eight African American female executives in academia and business. The researcher sought to explore strategies future leaders might utilize to address leadership development and career ascendency for African American females who aspire to leadership roles. A phenomenological research method was most appropriate for this research study to capture the lived experiences of individuals from their perspectives and to develop themes that challenged structural or normative assumptions.

This research study examined leadership development of eight African …

Book Review: American Higher Education In Crisis? What Everyone Needs To Know, Ben Miller

Journal of Student Financial Aid

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A3ir-Core At Purdue University: An Innovative Partnership Between Faculty, Students, And Industry, John H. Mott

Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research

Economic realities have begun to motivate public higher education institutions to reexamine their roles in the overall educational process and the associated funding mechanisms that are extant. Such reexamination typically includes both the public/private funding mix and the degree to which a workforce-oriented focus should be employed across curricula. Partnerships between academia and industry are a potential answer to the questions thereby raised, and while such partnerships are nothing new, related structural innovations can improve educational and employment outcomes for students. Industry-sponsored institutional research centers can play a major role in facilitating these partnerships. Once such center, the recently-developed Advanced …

The Evolving Role Of Department Chair: Leading Faculty Through Times Of Change, Domenick Pinto

School of Computer Science & Engineering Faculty Publications

How does one manage conflict and change in a very volatile economic climate where academia is experiencing greater accountability, increased emphasis on outcome assessment, declining enrollment and great uncertainty for the future? The role of department chair has, in many cases, become one entrenched in conflict between the role of faculty and administrator and has experienced a tremendous evolution over the last 25 years.

The role of department chair has changed as economic, social and student climates have changed. This paper will summarize collected data from chairs of departments of various sizes and types in order to discuss and understand …

Perspectives On Women’S Development: Instructional Implications In Higher Education, Sonia Michael

Kentucky Journal of Excellence in College Teaching and Learning

Theories of development typically explain developmental progress as a linear process with individuals moving through stages of development and becoming more independent and autonomous with each stage. While there are several theories of development, all of them suggest that there are gender differences in the way individuals develop. Perspectives on women’s development have become more prevalent with the growing awareness related to gender equity issues in education and the workplace. These theories of development suggest that women have a need to feel connected and that they tend to define themselves in terms of their relationships with others. With women over …

Anomalies In The System: Is A New Educational Paradigm Upon Us?, Ed Cunliff, John Barthell

Administrative Issues Journal

In this article, we describe the palpable changes of a paradigm shift in higher education. Although this shift has been described and/or predicted elsewhere, we affirm the transition from over 30 years of collective teaching and administrative experience at a predominantly undergraduate institution (PUI) with historical roots as a state normal school. In many respects, the anomalies that Thomas Kuhn predicted in such a transition are all the more evident given our institution’s history. These anomalies include (but are not limited to) 1) the state of knowledge “ownership” (as mediated by the internet), 2) student-centered (vs. faculty-centered) educational practices, 3) …

Guiding Future Practices: A Review Of Parent And Family Services, Caleb Bridges, Sara Heiman, Nicholas Hyer, Carrie Radke, Allison Wright, April Heiselt

New York Journal of Student Affairs

Working with college students often includes working with their parents and families. Higher education institutions across the US have addressed this cultural shift with the creation of parent and family services. As research illustrates continued relationships between students and their parents, student affairs practitioners will need to address this need. This article is a call for student affairs professionals to be creative and proactive when focusing on the future needs of parents and families of college students. Innovations for parent and family services, including the use of technology and the need for collaboration between on-campus departments, are shared.

Student Knowledge Of Signs, Risk Factors, And Resources For Depression, Anxiety, Sleep Disorders, And Other Mental Health Problems On Campus, Robert J. Dobmeier, Thomas J. Hernandez, Randi J. Barrell, Donnelle J. Burke, Crystal J. Hanna, David J. Luce, Stephanie J. Catlin-Rakoski, Janine J. Rowe, Monica Siclare

New York Journal of Student Affairs

A mixed methods study sought to assess knowledge of the signs, risk factors, and campus services available for mental health disorders. A survey was completed by 831 participants at a college of approximately 9,000 students in the northeastern region of the United States. Students evidenced a need for more education about mental health problems on the college campus. Respondents felt more knowledgeable about depression than about anxiety and sleep disorders. Over half of the respondents were unable to identify specific mental health problems that they were aware of. Upperclassmen had a keener awareness of risk factors for anxiety and sophomores …

Effects Of Management-Development Practices On Hospitality Management Graduates' Job Satisfaction And Intention To Stay, Edwin Torres, Howard Adler

Hospitality Review

Companies have long recognized the importance of training and developing their managers to prepare them for their short- and long-term careers. Formal management-development programs and other less formal means of management development abound in the hospitality industry. Therefore, one may ask whether the entry-level managers for whom these programs are designed perceive them to be effective. The present study explores management-development practices, procedures, and techniques, and their effects on job satisfaction and organizational commitment

Assessment Of Higher-Education Hospitality Programs, Matt A. Casado

Hospitality Review

The function of assessment in higher-education hospitality programs is to improve student learning. Although the assessment process is common in higher-education institutions, examples of assessment practices in hospitality programs have not been made available to academic practitioners. This paper describes a method successful at formulating assessment in a hospitality college professional program.

An African Phd Program In Information Systems: The Case Of Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia, Solomon Negash, Richard T. Watson, Detmar W. Straub

The African Journal of Information Systems

This case study is about the first Information Systems PhD program in Ethiopia and the region, a collaborative effort of thirteen universities around the globe. Fifteen faculty members traveled to Ethiopia to launch the program for classes, which will start in 2009. This paper depicts the program design and program development and an outline of the overall program. The authors share their personal experience in the development of this unique IS PhD program.

Faculty Hiring Criteria In Hospitality Education Programs, Robert H. Woods, Seonghee Cho, Raymond S. Schmidgall

Hospitality Review

This study examined criteria used in selecting faculty at I-CHRIE hospitality-management education programs in the United States. Results provide a baseline for consideration of faculty at all ranks. The three most important hiring criteria for assistant professors were a PhD or equivalent terminal degree, publication/research, and hospitality-industry work experience. For associate and full professors, the three most important factors were a PhD or equivalent terminal degree, publication/research, and college teaching experience. Results indicated that most programs use similar criteria in evaluating faculty applicants. This study also found that leadership ability is the most important factor in hiring department heads/directors. Results …

Searching For The Holy Grail Of International Education: Feedback From Hospitality Management Study Abroad Participants, Hubert B. Van Hoof

Hospitality Review

This article reports on a study done among hospitality management students who participated in study abroad programs between January 2001 and May 2003. The participants in the study were both incoming students to the US and outgoing students from the US. The study investigates, among other things, why they had decided to study abroad, why they had selected a particular institution, how their home institution compared to the partner institution abroad, and what they perceived to be the benefits and relevance of their international experiences. It was found that respondents were generally very positive about the study abroad experience. Some …