Higher Education Commons^™

Strategies For Improving Teachers’ Professional Development In Higher Education Institutions In The Southwest Region Of Cameroon, Sophie Ekume Etomes, Mou Charlotte Nsem

Educational Considerations

The expansion of higher education institutions (HEIs) in Cameroon, and the continuous change in the curriculum to meet national and global needs, calls for a need for continuous professional development of teachers to handle these challenges. This study examined peer coaching and reflective teaching as strategies for improving teachers’ professional development in HEIs in the Southwest region of Cameroon. Questionnaires and an interview guide were used to collect data from 409 teachers and 37 heads of departments respectively. The Spearman’s rho test was used to test the hypotheses while the ordinary least square regression model was used to test the …

Fostering Internationalization In Adult Education Graduate Programs In The United States: Opportunities For Growth, Susan Yelich Biniecki, Maja Stojanović

Educational Considerations

Internationalization is a key element of higher education missions to prepare learners for the global dimensions of their lives and work, which are increasingly integrated. In the United States, adult education graduate programs play a vital role in the wider educational landscape, particularly because of their interconnectedness with diverse disciplines and a working learner student population. Although student and scholar mobility remain important to fostering connections, adult education graduate programs can broaden the scope of internationalization aims. This paper proposes three main opportunities for internationalization growth within adult education graduate programs: incorporating intercultural literacy in formal curricula, emphasizing a continuing …

American College Towns As A Road Map For Rural Community Colleges To Imprint Higher Education Into Community, Devon Almond

Educational Considerations

Rural community colleges are uniquely situated to physically and subtly embed educational imprints into the everyday lives of local people. This reflective article explores how the everyday characteristics of American college towns offer a potential road map for rural community colleges to structure educational imprints into the lifeblood of local towns. This road map is in service of building cultural ecosystems to positively shape the educational trajectories of local people in rural places. Drawing primarily on a multi-year research project that involved physically visiting 100 American college towns, I also draw on campus visits to hundreds of rural community colleges …

Students’ Re-Imaginations Of The Future Of Higher Education In Cameroon, Etta Mercy Aki, Nguehan Simeon Boris, Echari Lisa Ebenwei

Educational Considerations

The unprecedented changes in our society are re-shaping the future of higher education; therefore, re-imagining the future of higher education is a constructive process of development. This study is aimed at exploring the re-imaginations of students in higher education from their own analysis of their previous and current experiences at three key stages: before entry, participation, and graduation. This exploratory study collected qualitative data from 68 current students through synchronous online focused group discussions. Analysis revealed that students’ experiences position higher education in Cameroon as invisible at lower levels, providing limited opportunities and promoting dependency upon graduation. However, they hope …

Over At The College, F. Todd Goodson

Educational Considerations

Today, rural America is complex and layered, and it deserves the attention of those who have spent far too many years flying over it only to occasionally see through the clouds and wonder what those big circles are below dotting the landscape.

The manuscripts in this issue chart several ways a spirit of new dialogue with rural America can begin. Authors discuss the embedded qualities of higher education demonstrates well how it is possible to anchor the work of post-secondary education in contemporary rural locations, and other perspectives on that which is possible if we engage productively with rural communities …

Latinx Teachers Advocating And Providing Support To Culturally And Linguistically Diverse Students And Their Families, Pedro S. Espinoza, Kay Ann Taylor

Educational Considerations

This study explores how Latinx teachers engage in social justice agendas for their Culturally and Linguistically Diverse students, specific barriers and support systems these Latinx teachers encounter in their social justice work, and the educational strategies Latinx teachers value in their role as advocates in their social justice work. The following three themes emerged from participant data: (a) Tesoros from students and families, (b) Advocacy for CLD students: High expectations of all students, (c) Support system as pre-service and in-service teachers: hechale ganas/work hard. We briefly formulate each of these themes, providing fragments from participant testimonios as examples. After formulation …

A Critical Look At Women's Role In Physical Education And Sport In The 1930s, Mark Ellner

Educational Considerations

This historical research focuses on the role of women in physical education and sport during the 1930s. The purpose is to explore the trends that led to a vast difference between men’s and women’s roles and expectations in physical education and sport during this time period. To engage in effective research of this societal difference, a Feminist Theoretical Framework was employed to analyze primary and secondary sources related to physical education and sports during the 1930s.

The research reveals that while sports and physical education became an increasing part of life in the United States during the 1930s, women’s roles …

Vanessa Siddle Walker: Honoring Keepers Of Knowledge By Using Their Stories To Improve Education, Melissa Holmes, Eileen Wertzberger, Kay Ann Taylor, Lori Goodson

Educational Considerations

Dr. Vanessa Siddle Walker, a renowned historical researcher in the field of education, is a leading voice in the history of school desegregation in the United States. In this interview, she discusses positioning black educators as significant agents of change in the collective narrative of schools and highlights how their organized action and strategic advocacy has led to social justice and equity for black students. Her research informs how our schools have worked in the past, and how lessons from our past can serve to mobilize resources for the equitable education of all children today.

Lessons Learned From The British: The Liverpool Project, Claudia J. Mcvicker

Educational Considerations

Universities around the country are beginning to feel the need to add a global dimension to their programs. One way to prepare teachers to address the challenges associated with teaching children in a global age is through carefully structured, international study abroad where the candidates are immersed in another culture and school system. This article seeks to demonstrate how a successful Teacher Education study abroad program can develop and transform pre-service candidates’ global perspective. This qualitative study was informed by the use of journal writing to prompts by ninety-six teacher education students over three different summers to learn about the …

Kristin Ziemke: Digital Learning Can Turn Students Into Agents Of Change Around The Globe, Lotta Larson, Lori Goodson

Educational Considerations

This Educational Considerationsissue, with its theme of “Teaching and Learning in a Global Community,” highlights education in an ever increasingly connected world—and how we get our students prepared to not only survive, but thrive in such an expanding environment. As we considered this topic, one of the individuals who came to mind almost instantly was Kristin Ziemke (https://www.kristinziemke.com/)—an educator who has done so much to create bridges in this global community and helped lead us all on our digital journey.

Learning About Diversity Issues: Examining The Relationship Between University Initiatives And Faculty Practices In Preparing Global-Ready Students, Sarah R. Gordon, Mike Yough, Emily A. Finney, Andrea Haken, Susan Mathew

Educational Considerations

The general public, as well as scholars, employers, and college students themselves, expect universities to provide students with an education that prepares them to work in a diverse and international society. In response, many institutions have created mandatory diversity-related curriculum and/or courses. However, little to no research has been undertaken to empirically investigate the effect of these courses or the experiences of faculty whose responsibility it is to provide diverse learning experiences. The purpose of this qualitative study is to examine the pedagogy faculty employ in teaching about diversity issues at an institution that has a course requirement embedded in …

An Alternative Pathway To Elementary Teaching, Lotta Larson, Tom Vontz

Educational Considerations

This article describes an alternative pathway to elementary teaching through the MAT online program at Kansas State University.

Teaching As A Political Act: Critical Pedagogy In Library Instruction, Melia Erin Fritch

Educational Considerations

This article establishes a theoretical framework for critical library instruction (and thereby critical information literacy) that is built upon critical feminist theory, critical race theory, and engaged pedagogy, among others. Using the ideas and work of theorists to create a path linking the ideas of critical analyses together, the author demonstrates the importance and need for critical information literacy within library instruction to empower students, creating opportunities for lifelong learning. Noted within the article are the obstacles for librarians who focus on feminist engaged pedagogy in their teaching; however, the author shares with readers that the challenge is in fact …

Karen Symms Gallagher: Caep Chair Shares Insight Into Teacher Preparation, Accreditation, Lori Goodson

Educational Considerations

At the heart of teacher preparation, changes are taking place—a push for continued high standards and an effort to determine the impact various programs are having on P-12 student learning. Leading the way is the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), which emerged in 2010 from education leaders’ desire for a next generation of accreditation model to improve the preparation of teachers for America’s schools.

In this challenging environment, Karen Symms Gallagher, the Emery Stoops and Joyce King Stoops Dean of the University of Southern California (USC) Rossier School of Education shares her insight as the recently selected …

Table Of Contents And Introductory Materials For Vol. 43, No. 4, Fall 2016, Alex Redcorn

Educational Considerations

The table of contents, editorial information and more for this special issue "Exploring University Partnerships for Building Leadership Capacity in Education."

Introduction To The Special Issue: Leadership In Kansas For The 21st Century, Randy Watson

Educational Considerations

Kansas is currently experiencing a leadership challenge. This is evident both in the number of leaders new to their positions in K-12 school districts and in the methods our state must implement to effectively train those leaders for Kansas’ education to prosper into the 21st century.

Revisiting Public School/University Partnerships For Formal Leadership Development: A Brief 30-Year Retrospective, David C. Thompson

Educational Considerations

Almost exactly 30 years ago, Kansas State University foresaw the power of partnerships with public schools in preparing new generations of formal school leaders.

North Dakota’S Experience With The Academy Model: A Successful Replication, Tom Hall, Ann Clappe

Educational Considerations

Leadership is a key factor in improving schools and ensuring academic success for all students. At the building level, the leadership role has traditionally been assigned to the principal, but principals cannot be expected to be the sole leaders in their buildings.

District Liaison Involvement In Partnership Academies, Debra Gustafson, Nancy Kiltz

Educational Considerations

The greatest legacy a leader can leave is having developed other leaders…if you want to leave a legacy, invest in people, and encourage those you develop to pass on everything they learn from you to others who will do the same.

Leadership Academies: A District Office Perspective, Rick Doll

Educational Considerations

In 2004, public schools across the country found themselves in the middle of an educational shift to standards-based accreditation. Expectations had changed. Schools were being held accountable for the success of all students. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 established the expectation that all schools must successfully educate all students. This federal legislation changed school accreditation to a model based on high-stakes testing.

Inspiring Confidence And Professional Growth In Leadership: Student Perspectives On University-District Partnership Master's Academies, Pilar Mejía, Samrie Devin, Heather Calvert

Educational Considerations

School leadership matters when discussing teacher effectiveness and student performance, and preparation programs need to graduate principals with the skills necessary to lead schools for tomorrow. The traditional approach to preparing educational leaders is no longer getting the job done. It is going to take everyone working together to better prepare those who will lead the schools we need.

Changing From Traditional Practice To A New Model For Preparing Future Leaders, Mary Devin, Donna Augustine-Shaw, Robert F. Hachiya

Educational Considerations

In dramatic departure from the traditional format of programs preparing building level leaders, in the last sixteen years the Educational Leadership Department in the College of Education at Kansas State University (KSU) has worked with eight different partners in designing and delivering site-based customized 30-hour master’s degree programs in educational leadership to 19 individual cohorts.

Who Is The Building Leader?: Commentary On Educational Leadership Preparation Programs For The Future, Debbie K. Mercer

Educational Considerations

It is critical that educator preparation programs reflect the current and future needs of schools. The job of a school leader is more complex and more demanding than ever before.

Transforming The Preparation Of Leaders Into A True Partnership Model, Mary Devin

Educational Considerations

In the early 2000s, as public education moved into the accountability era spawned by passage of No Child Left Behind in 2001, landmark research produced convincing evidence of the importance of leadership.

Educational Considerations, Vol. 43(4) Full Issue, Alex Redcorn

Educational Considerations

Educational Considerations, vol. 43(4)-Fall 2016-Full issue

Foreword: [Introduction To The Special Issue Preparing And Developing Educational Leaders In International Context], Haijun Kang, Donna Augustine-Shaw

Educational Considerations

In the context of globalization and education internationalization, preparing educational leaders for today’s schools and other educational settings has never been more important.

Table Of Contents And Introductory Materials For Vol. 43, No. 3, Summer 2016, Haijun Kang, Donna Augustine-Shaw

Educational Considerations

This content includes the front cover, the table of contents, editorial information and more, the special issue: "Preparing and Developing Educational Leaders in International Contexts: From Policy and Theory to Preparation and Practice"

Adaptations Of International Standards On Educational Leadership Preparation In Egypt, Ted Purinton, Dalia Khalil

Educational Considerations

This paper is a case study of one leadership preparation program, utilizing US school leadership standards and practices, offered in Egypt. This case study illuminates how cultural and policy distinctions impact differing necessities of educational leadership, and how those necessities conflict or concur with the international standards and assumed best practices. In particular, it serves as an exploration of policy borrowing, considering that leadership preparation in developed countries has been, on some levels, an issue of occupational field professionalization.

Table Of Contents And Introductory Materials For Vol. 43, No. 2, Spring 2016, David C. Thompson

Educational Considerations

This content includes the front cover, the table of contents, editorial information and more.

Policy Perspectives On State Elementary And Secondary Public Education Finance Systems In The United States, Deborah A. Verstegen

Educational Considerations

The purpose of this article is to describe and compare individual state funding systems for public elementary and secondary education in the United States.