Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

University Sustainability: Assessing College Sustainability Rating Systems, James M. Albis

Journal of Environmental Sustainability

This paper seeks to assess the three major university sustainability rating systems in the United States on their ability to drive positive sustainability outcomes. Since the mid-2000s the Association for Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, the Princeton Review, and the Sierra Club have attempted to rate universities on their sustainability policies and practices. A wide range of actions are rated by these organizations, from energy usage to transportation to procurement to academic offerings in the field of sustainability. This analysis shows that each organization values sustainability in different ways – for example, academics/co-curricular activities accounted for anywhere from 16%-49% …

The Case For Urgency: Advocating For Indigenous Voice In Education, Kevin P. Gillan, Suzanne Mellor, Jacynta Krakouer

Australian Education Review

In 2004 the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) published an Australian Education Review (AER) on Indigenous Education: The Case for Change: A review of contemporary research on Indigenous education outcomes, AER 47 (Mellor & Corrigan, 2004). In the 13 years since its publication, the state of Indigenous education outcomes has remained substantially unaltered. All the social indicators demonstrate that Australia’s First Nations people continue to be the most socio-economically disadvantaged population cohort in Australian society. This is after decades of continued policy efforts by successive Commonwealth, state and territory governments to ameliorate Indigenous education disadvantage. We still struggle with …

Argument Education In Higher Education: A Validation Study, Paul E. Mabrey Iii

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Argument education can play an important role in higher education for leadership development and responding to increasing calls for post-secondary accountability. But to do so, argumentation teachers, scholars, and practitioners need to develop a clearer definition and research agenda for the purposes of teaching and assessing argumentation. The research conducted here contributes to this project by first establishing a definitional construct and observable behaviors associated with learning and practicing argumentation. Second, an argument education assessment instrument was created based off of the literature-supported definition of argumentation. Third, debate and argument education subject matter experts reviewed the definition, behaviors, and assessment …

Student Learning Gains In Higher Education: A Longitudinal Analysis With Faculty Discussion, Catherine E. Mathers

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Student learning is the primary desired outcome of a college education. To understand how educational programming and curricula affect students, colleges and universities must collect evidence of student learning gain. In this study, a longitudinal design was employed to investigate how a math and science general education curriculum impacted college students’ quantitative and scientific reasoning. Quantitative and scientific reasoning gain scores were computed and predicted from personal (i.e., prior knowledge, gender) and curriculum (i.e., number of completed courses in the domain) characteristics to uncover what factors relate to learning gain. Collapsing across personal and curriculum variables, gain scores were moderate …

Student Engagement And Post-College Outcomes: A Comparison Of Formative And Reflective Models, Courtney Sanders

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Student engagement is a complex construct that is thought to be related to positive outcomes during and after college. Previous research has defined engagement in diverse ways and there are inconsistencies in the models that are used to measure this construct. Many studies have used a reflective measurement model (i.e., exploratory or confirmatory factor analysis), wherein changes in a latent construct are thought to precede and in some sense, explain variation in observed variables. Others have argued that engagement is best measured using a formative model in which the relationship flows in the opposite direction. In other words, within formative …

The Perceptions Of Accounting: What Do You Think?, Brianna Darin

Honors Projects in Accounting

Accounting is often considered “the language of business,” but is sometimes perceived to be a difficult topic. This study seeks to get a deeper understanding as to why business students and other students perceive accounting to be such an intimidating subject. The ultimate research question addressed is: What are the perceptions of accounting among accounting students, non-accounting business students, and non-business students? A review of the relevant background literature led to two hypotheses that assist in answering the research question. Following the literature review and hypotheses development, a two-part process took place: (1) we conducted focus groups and (2) we …

An Investigation Of Accounting Education To Help Students Improve Important Job Skills, Alec Schuberth

Honors Projects in Accounting

Upon graduation, many college students embark on their professional careers in accounting. These graduates have completed their degree and moved to their new, exciting, and challenging jobs; but have these corporations recently expressed satisfaction with the performance of these young employees? Some studies suggest that many executives do not think that their new employees have developed the skills needed to be successful in today’s competitive business landscape. This project extends the literature by examining professional development in college graduates and applying it within the context of accounting education in college and universities nationwide. Overall, this project aims to investigate why …

International Higher Education As Catalyst For Social Change, Fay Patel

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

Developing cultural awareness and competence among learners and employees has been a topic of concern and challenge in higher education for several decades. The general focus in many organizations, including higher education, is on the development of cultural awareness and competencies with a general focus on intercultural communication and cultural diversity training. The paper revisits the notions of cultural awareness and competency development initiatives reframing them within a critical perspective seeking socially responsible actions for social change. It introduces and clarifies global community building, glocalization, social responsibility and justice as requisites for social change. Finally, recommendations are made to ensure …

English Language Competence: Why English Matters In Higher Education In Kenya, Ukaiko A. Bitrus-Ojiambo, Iddah Wayumba Mwaura, Annette Lutivini Majanja

ECTESOL Review

English is an international language, used in many countries for business, tourism, and education (Roy-Campbell, 2014; Crystal, 2003). In Kenya, it is the official language and language of instruction. The country boasts high youth literacy rates 93% (UNESCO, 2012). As university instructors, we have observed that although students have been in the formal educational system for a minimum of 9 years, their output does not match university expectations (KICD, 2016, p. 44; Jayasundara & Premarathna, 2011; Njoroge, 2008). This study assesses English language use in a Kenyan institution of higher education, identifies emergent linguistic patterns, and suggests some solutions to …

Bridgewater State University Factbook, 2016-2017, Office Of Institutional Research, Bridgewater State University

Factbook

No abstract provided.

Common Data Set, 2017-2018, Office Of Institutional Research, Bridgewater State University

Common Data Sets

No abstract provided.

Barriers In Adopting Blended Learning In A Private University Of Pakistan And East Africa: Faculty Members’ Perspective, Nusrat Fatima Rizvi, Saleema Gulzar, Wachira Nicholas, Beatrice Nkoroi

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

Background: Education methods have undergone transformation over the centuries. Use of technology is the cornerstone for innovation in teaching methods. Hence, blended learning which includes face to face and online modalities is being increasingly explored as effective method for learning. This pilot study determines the perceptions of faculty members in a private international university on barriers influencing adoption of technology for teaching and learning.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted through a self-reported questionnaire using ‘survey monkey’. The data was entered and analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS version 20). Frequencies and proportions are reported.

Results: Findings …

Academic Performance And Moral Competence: A Match Made In Heaven?, Umaru Mustapha Zubairu, Chetubo Kuta Dauda, Olalekan Busra Sakariyau, Isa Imam Paiko

REID (Research and Evaluation in Education)

This study aims to empirically assess the relationship between accounting students' academic performances and moral competencies by focusing on final-year accounting students enrolled at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM). The students' moral competencies were measured using a scenario-based instrument developed through a collaboration with Islamic accounting scholars, called the Muslim Accountant Moral Competency Test (MAMOC), whilst students' academic performances were measured using their Cumulative Grade Point Averages (CGPAs). Contrary to the expected positive relationship between these two variables, the study found a negative, and insignificant, relationship. The implication of this result is that IIUM's Accounting Department needs to conduct …

Exploring The Critical Thinking Skills Of Respiratory Care Students And Faculty, Bshayer Ramadan Alhamad

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Introduction: Today, with the increased demands in health care, working as a competentrespiratory therapist requires being a highly skilled, critically thinking professional. Although students are expected to learn how to think critically mostly in the academic environment from their faculty, only a paucity of studies has assessed the critical thinking of respiratory care students, with none, to our knowledge, assessing that of faculty. Therefore, the purpose of this mixed method study was to (1) assess the overall critical thinking skill levels of both respiratory care students and faculty, (2) investigate whether respiratory care faculty have stronger overall critical thinking skills …

Building An Evaluation Model Of Academic Advising’S Impact On Progression, Persistence, And Retention Within University Settings, Abhik Roy

Dissertations

Academic advising is at a point in its maturation as a field of study where anecdotal evidence is no longer sufficient to inform the measure of effectiveness. As the area becomes more research-based, advising’s measurable impact should be based on an evaluative framework; no such structure currently exists. In this study, three methods were used to investigate this problem and ultimately to create a model and checklist. Firstly, a descriptive study was used to examine if there is an understanding of what evaluation is within the advising community, one where assessment has been the dominant practice. Secondly, a quasi-experimental design …

A Review Of Video Triggers And Video Production In Higher Education And Continuing Education Pbl Settings, Päivi M. Rasi, Sari Poikela

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

Higher education faces the challenges of bridging education and authentic work. In addition, it needs to respond to the highly multimodal and participatory communication and content creation practices, preferences, and cultures of present and future students. The aim of our article is to discuss how the use of video triggers and video production in PBL can help to respond to these challenges. Based on a literature review, we present and discuss the uses and outcomes of video triggers and video production within PBL contexts and related higher education and continuing education contexts. The research evidence reviewed in this article clearly …

Investigating The Relationship Between Equity And Graduate Outcomes In Australia, Sarah Richardson, Dawn Bennett, Lynne Roberts

Higher education research

Australian higher education equity policy focusses mostly on access and participation with the implicit assumption that disadvantage will be ameliorated through educational achievement. Less is known as to whether patterns of disadvantage continue post-completion. In a context in which graduate employability is becoming an important yardstick against which to measure institutional effectiveness, this question is of fundamental importance to higher education equity practitioners and policymakers. This study employed Commonwealth graduate outcome data to investigate relationships between disadvantage and graduate outcomes in Australia, with disadvantage defined as a graduate belonging to one or more of the following groups – low SES, …

Quality Assurance In Online Graduate Education: Program Review Processes And Assessment Techniques Used In Higher Education, Lindsay N. Turner

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose for conducting the study was to form an understanding of the online program assessment and assessment processes in higher education, and how program review processes were adopted and implemented through institutional policies in regard to industry quality assurance standards. The study looked at institutions classified as very high, high, or research universities by the Carnegie Classifications, and which offered online masters programs focused on preparing students for positions in educational administration or leadership roles. The study used an electronic survey and content analysis through institutional policy and quality assurance documents to develop a recommendation for institutional level quality …

Looking Through The Webcam Lens: Reflections On Moving Assessment Courses From Face-To-Face To Online, Jessica Rueter, Frank Dykes

Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

This article presents one university’s transition from a traditional face-to-face graduate program of special education with certification as an educational diagnostician to an online format. More specifically, the authors describe the development of assessment courses when teaching norm-referenced instruments in online environments. Strengths and weaknesses are presented and recommendations for other faculty members are discussed.

University Expectations And Preparations At The Upper-Secondary School Level: A Case Study At The Experimental High School Of Hanoi And Hanoi University, Charlotte Andrews

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The Vietnamese education system has shifted drastically in recent history. From the influence of the French colonial period, to Ho Chi Minh’s literacy campaigns, to recent changes in the higher education system, Vietnam’s development has largely impacted students and educators. Even as the education system begins to modernize, many of the original Confucian values still dominate the field. With this dynamic in mind, this project aims to discover students’ expectations and preparations for university. By conducting a case study at the Experimental High School of Hanoi, I was able to hold class discussions about university plans with nearly 400 students …

Nontraditional Student Risk Factors And Gender As Predictors For Enrollment In College Distance Education, Tammy Crews Pao

Educational Studies Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to examine whether nontraditional student age, female gender, and the possession of nontraditional student risk factors predict enrollment in distance education college courses. This dissertation used data from the most recent National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:12), which consisted of approximately 95,000 undergraduate students who were enrolled in higher education in 2011-2012. The results of a logistic regression analysis indicated that both nontraditional student age and female gender were strong predictors of enrollment in distance education, whereas the number of nontraditional student risk indicators was a partial predictor. As leaders in higher education are …

The Role Of Black Colleges In The Development Of Mathematicians, Viveka Borum, Adriel Adon Hilton, Erica Walker

Journal of Research Initiatives

Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are home to almost 400,000 of the nation’s college and university population and account for nearly 25% of degrees conferred to African Americans, according to Hale (2006). They have been the launching pads for three-fourths of African Americans who hold doctorate degrees, three-fourths of Black officers in the military, and four-fifths of African American federal judges (Hale, 2006). In addition, fifty percent of African American faculty in predominantly White research universities received their bachelor’s degrees at an HBCU (Hale, 2006). These are significant percentages given the relatively small number of Black colleges and universities …

National Research On The Postgraduate Student Experience : Case Presentation: Volume 1: First Year Postgraduate Student Experience, Gary Hamlin, Shelley Kinash, Linda Crane, Amy Bannatyne, Madelaine-Marie Judd, Ashley Stark, Bill Eckersley, Helen Partridge, Ken Udas

Higher education research

This is volume one of a set of case studies that explore the postgraduate student experience. The theme of this case study is first year postgraduate student experience and is based on experiences derived from student engagement breakfasts, interviews, and focus groups with 366 people across the stakeholder groups of postgraduate students, educators, and university executives from 26 institutions. The case studies constitute part of the output from the project, Engaging postgraduate students and supporting higher education to enhance the 21st century student experience.

National Research On The Postgraduate Student Experience : Case Presentation : Volume 2 : Postgraduate Student Diversity, Bill Eckersley, Linda Crane, Shelley Kinash, Amy Bannatyne, Gary Hamlin, Helen Partridge, Sarah Richardson, Harry Rolf, Ken Udas

Higher education research

This is volume two of a set of three case studies that explore the postgraduate student experience. The theme of this case study is postgraduate student diversity and is based on experiences derived from student engagement breakfasts, interviews, and focus groups with 366 people across the stakeholder groups of postgraduate students, educators, and university executives from 26 institutions. The case studies constitute part of the output from the project, Engaging postgraduate students and supporting higher education to enhance the 21st century student experience.

Common Data Set, 2016-2017, Office Of Institutional Research, Bridgewater State University

Common Data Sets

No abstract provided.

Bridgewater State University Factbook, 2015-2016, Office Of Institutional Research, Bridgewater State University

Factbook

No abstract provided.

Effective Teaching Practices In Online Higher Education, Kim Mcmurtry

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

In the context of continuing growth in online higher education in the United States, students are struggling to succeed, as evidenced by lower course outcomes and lower retention rates in online courses in comparison with face-to-face courses. The problem identified for investigation is how university instructors can ensure that effective teaching and learning is happening in their online courses. The research questions were:

1. What are the best practices of effective online teaching in higher education according to current research?
2. How do exemplary online instructors enact teaching presence in higher education?
3. What are the best practices of effective online teaching in …

A Qualitative Case Study Of Strategies For Choosing And Evaluating Alternative Assessments In Online Higher Education, Robert James Streff

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Studies have shown that not all students are assessed effectively using standard testing formats. However, it is unclear what alternative methodology would be useful to determine whether students have acquired the skills necessary for today's global market. This research study's purpose was to understand the processes instructors use when choosing and designing alternative assessments in higher education online courses to measure student performance. Using Gagné's conditions of learning and Bloom's Taxonomy as a framework to understand these processes, this qualitative case study examined 8 participants teaching online at Midwestern public universities. Interview data and course artifacts, including syllabi, rubrics, assessments, …

Examining Student Course Outcomes In First Year Anatomy And Physiology Using E-Books Versus Traditional Textbooks, Howard Marquise

Theses & Dissertations

Over the last several years, use of e-books in higher education has increased significantly and is projected to continue through the next decade. Institutions of higher learning have implemented use of e-books without any data that verified the impact on student learning outcomes. The purpose of this ex post facto, quantitative study was to compare student learning outcomes in Human Anatomy and Physiology I courses using e-books versus using traditional textbooks at a two-year public community college in South Texas. With a participant population of 686 students, data were analyzed by their final grades comparing the differences between those who …

National Learning And Teaching Resource Audit And Classification Final Report, Philip Hider, Barney Dalgarno, Sue Bennett, Ying-Hsang Liu, Carole Gerts, Carla Daws, Barbara Spiller, Pru Mitchell, Robert Parkes, Raylee Macaulay

Information Management

The Australian Office for Learning and Teaching's (OLT) research repository is used to disseminate the results of higher education research. This is the final report of a project that investigated how the resources in the research repository should be described and indexed so that they could be accessed more effectively. The project team ascertained which attributes of the resources needed to be described and how they should be described, developed a metadata schema, selected and/or created appropriate indexing vocabularies and reindexed the resources.