Higher Education and Teaching Commons^™

Design Case: Implementing Gamification With Arcs To Engage Digital Natives, Travis N. Thurston

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

Gamification is an emerging topic for both student engagement and motivation in higher education online courses as digital natives become post-secondary students. This design case considers the design, development, and implementation of a higher education online course using the ARCS model for motivational design combined with the four-phase model of interest development as a framework for gamification implementation. Through “designerly ways of knowing,” this design case explores engaging digital native students with a gamified online course design, which will be of interest to instructional designers and instructors in higher education. Overall, students in the pilot course responded favorably to the …

From Outside To Online: Unanticipated Directions For Utah Master Naturalist, Mark Larese-Casanova, Jennifer Perkins

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

Utah Master Naturalist is an award-winning Utah State University Extension program that promotes stewardship of Utah’s natural world through place-based, experiential field courses across the state. Although successful in eliciting positive short- and long-term impacts, Utah Master Naturalist’s traditional five-day field courses were unavailable to many students and instructors due to constraints of time and location. This case study examines Utah Master Naturalist’s first hybrid course, Desert Explorations, and describes the positive results from our pilot study, how a hybrid course solves availability issues, and how field-based learning theories can be adapted to online education through careful design.

Perspectives And Researcher Experiences Of Undergraduate Research, Steven C. Goetz, Matthew J. Romero, Michael F. Robertson

Journal of Applied Sciences and Arts

Extracurricular undergraduate research seems to improve student success in academic programs, but little research has been conducted in aviation settings to support this phenomenon.

This study aims to address the gap in the body of research by investigating the experiences of aviation students who have participated in extracurricular research at the undergraduate level. This case study, conducted within a large aviation program at a mid-sized Midwestern university, qualitatively examines the perceptions and experiences of these students.

Is It Worth The Effort? Evaluating A Third Generation Research Method For A Third Generation Approach To The First Year Experience In Higher Education, Trevor S. Black, Romina Jamieson-Proctor

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

: The first year experience of students studying at higher education institutions has been intensively studied over the past forty years (Nelson & Clarke, 2014). Much has been learnt, but institutions are continuing to face unacceptable levels of student withdrawal. Concerns have been raised that the constructs on which previous studies have been based may be restricting researchers’ efforts to develop a deeper understanding of the first year phenomena (Kahu, 2013). There is strong support for new and creative ways to investigate the lived experience of first year students across their full first year of study. This paper details and …

Book Review: Information Literacy In The Workplace, Lore Guilmartin

Communications in Information Literacy

No abstract provided.

Reinvigorating Classroom Practice Through Collaborative K-12 And Higher Education Professional Development, Sean W. Agriss, Katie O'Connor, Louann Reamer, Andrea Reid

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

High school, community college, and university faculty attempted to address student readiness for first-year college English classes by working with each other across sectors in an ongoing, collaborative professional development project, Successful Transitions to College (STC). STC demonstrates that teachers can work across sectors to smooth transitions for students who often navigate multiple educational systems throughout their K-16 experience. This professional development work intentionally built opportunities for faculty to work collaboratively while honoring teaching expertise and shared problem solving. Interest in student transition across academic sectors has created a fresh realization for many teachers—one of the best ways to …

Listening To Our Graduate Students' Feedback: Graduate Student Exit And Alumni Surveys, Alison W. Hong-Novotney

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Student and alumni surveys have become some of the most widely-used methods of assessment of student learning in higher education. While the majority of literature on student surveys and assessment focuses on undergraduate students, this study looks specifically at why graduate student exit and alumni surveys can be valuable tools within a comprehensive assessment plan. Listening to the feedback of current and former graduate students, and then acting upon that feedback, is crucial for the engagement and success of this unique population of students who bring their particular strengths and needs to their educational experiences. This study examined how master’s …

Collaboration Or Collusion? The New Era Of Commercial Online Resources For Students In The Digital Age: An Opinion Piece, Cristian Lieneck, Salvador Esparza

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

The purpose of this paper is to share online resources available to students at a global level, to include healthcare administration programs and any other course of study. While somewhat daunting in nature, this editorial offers faculty of healthcare administration (and other related programs of study) the opportunity to explore what course materials (of any format) may be posted to commercial external websites by current and/or previous students for ongoing collaboration among academic cohorts. Findings include an opportunity for students in any program, at any level, to post individual and/or copyrighted course materials on public, external websites, often with an …

A Study Of State College Faculty Trust In Immediate Supervisors, Anna Byrd

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative study investigated faculty trust in their immediate supervisors (academic deans and faculty chairs) in a state college setting. A survey instrument created for this study was based on existing research on trust in schools by Bryk and Schneider (2002) and Tschannen-Moran and Hoy (1998), as well as research on trust in corporate setting. The study’s purpose was to determine the types and frequencies of interactions between community college faculty and deans/faculty chairs – i.e., faculty immediate supervisors – that are related to higher levels of faculty trust. Also investigated were the relationships between faculty trust and demographic characteristics …

Roundtable – Teaching Human Rights: Challenges And Best Practices, Shayna Plaut, Kristi Kenyon, Joel Pruce, William Simmons

Biennial Conference: The Social Practice of Human Rights

Over the past 20 years, courses addressing human rights have grown dramatically at both the undergraduate and graduate levels worldwide. Many of these courses are housed in specific disciplines, focus on specific issues, and require practical experience in the form of internships/practicums. Amid this growth there is a need to reflect on teaching human rights including the challenges, fears, and best practices.

Recognizing that education takes place inside and outside a classroom, this roundtable brings together scholars teaching human rights in a variety of settings to examine the current state of university human rights education. This includes a discussion of …

Apathy And Concern Over The Future Habitability Of Earth: An Introductory College Assignment Of Forecasting Co2 In The Earth’S Atmosphere, Benjamin J. Burger

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

Non-science, first year regional undergraduate students from rural Utah communities participated in an online introductory geology course and were asked to forecast the rise of CO₂ in the Earth’s atmosphere. The majority of students predicted catastrophic rise to 5,000-ppm sometime over the next 3,100 years, resulting in an atmosphere nearly uninhabitable to human life. However, the level of concern the students exhibited in their answers was not directly proportional with their timing in their forecasted rise of CO₂. This study showcases the importance of presenting students with actual data and using data to develop student forecasted models. …

Influencia Del Inbound Marketing En La Intención De Compra De Los Leads, Denise A. Soto, Allen Kevin Zapien

Adventist Online Learning Conference / Conferencia de Aprendizaje en Línea

La llegada de la internet ha revolucionado la manera en que las empresas se comunican con los consumidores, así como también la forma en que ellos dialogan con la marca.

El inbound marketing es una metodología que combina técnicas no intrusivas de marketing para ofrecer valor con contenido de calidad, de manera que los consumidores se acerquen y se los pueda acompañar en su proceso de compra (Samsing, 2016). ¿Cómo esta estrategia puede ayudar en el reclutamiento de estudiantes?

Student Centered Learning In A Blended Learning Approach, Sharon Aka

Adventist Online Learning Conference / Conferencia de Aprendizaje en Línea

Student Centered Learning is an intentional teaching philosophy utilized in the blended learning environment. It’s about facilitating learning, not content presentation. Come discuss building rapport, learning retention, active learning, Bloom’s taxonomy, and the issue of what to do online, versus what to do in class.

Stories From The Field: Lessons From First Time Online Teachers, Shirley Freed, Kristi Kis, Joyce Susanne Virginia Irrgang, Klaus Irrgang, Tony Reeves

Adventist Online Learning Conference / Conferencia de Aprendizaje en Línea

Teaching online for the first time is a unique experience! Hear stories from first time online teachers, with reflections, recommendations, and suggestions for administrators providing support and training for faculty.

Building Communication Plans For Online Student Service Beyond Course Interaction, Glynis M. Bradfield

Adventist Online Learning Conference / Conferencia de Aprendizaje en Línea

How do we develop support for students at a distance comparable to service on a physical campus? Come to learn and share best practices in creating communication plans that consider the student’s journey from interest to applicant to admitted and enrolled student all the way to contributing alumnus.

Integrating The Scholarship Of Teaching, Learning And Assessment Into One Institution’S Homegrown Professional Learning Resources, Maria Northcote, Anthony Williams, Kevin Petrie, John Seddon, Sherene Hattingh

Adventist Online Learning Conference / Conferencia de Aprendizaje en Línea

Many professional learning (PL) programs in universities aspire to support tertiary educators to perform duties associated with teaching, student learning and assessment. Additionally, because much of a university academic’s work is associated with conducting scholarly research and supervising students’ research, PL programs also need to provide support associated with supervision and research activities. Faced with these multiple PL demands, one small Australian higher education institution developed a suite of resources to support faculty teaching staff and researchers in their professional capacities using a heuristic (self-determined) approach to resource development. The content of the resources drew on the principles of the …

How Are They Going?: A Project To Monitor Student Engagement, Anthony Williams, Maria T. Northcote, John Reddin

Adventist Online Learning Conference / Conferencia de Aprendizaje en Línea

The transition from school or work to university studies is not always a smooth change for many students. The university context may appear threatening, strange and isolating for some students, whether the courses be offered in on-campus or online contexts. While most modern day universities offer a raft of support services for students, including both academic and non-academic services, problems of low retention and high attrition rates still plague some institutions and some sections of particular institutions in the higher education sector. This paper presents an innovative program that uses technology-supported strategies within a regular learning management system (LMS) to …

Getting On The Online Education Train: The Journey Of A Small Higher Education Institution, Anthony Williams, Maria T. Northcote

Adventist Online Learning Conference / Conferencia de Aprendizaje en Línea

Many universities have instituted professional learning centres that support academic teaching staff in their capacity to facilitate student-centred learning. Some of these centres also extend their reach to incorporate scholarship and research. This paper reports on one such case, in which a small higher education institution in Australia established what has become known as the Centre for Advancement of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (CASTL). From its inception, the CASTL’s intentions have been multi-dimensional, in that its programs, activities and resource development span the following areas of scholarship: 1) learning and teaching; 2) researcher education and support of postgraduate …

Advising Strategies That Increase Online And Post-Traditional Student Persistence, Glynis M. Bradfield

Adventist Online Learning Conference / Conferencia de Aprendizaje en Línea

Research indicates that a crucial factor to student persistence is the quality of student relationship with at least one person in the university community, often the academic advisor. Even though retention and persistence rates are consistently lower for online and non-traditional (or adult) students than traditional (young, on-campus) students, distance education continues to grow. This paper reviews research and one university’s journey to build capacity and quality of distance student services. Considering academic advisor evaluation survey results, online learning management and student information system quantitative data, along with distance degree student qualitative data, this paper shares mix methods action research …

Design Thinking And Online Education, Andrea Filatro, Carolina Costa Cavalcanti, Everson Muckenberger

Adventist Online Learning Conference / Conferencia de Aprendizaje en Línea

DT is an approach that promotes innovation, creativity and problem solving. At UNASP Virtual Campus, DT is incorporated into the planning and execution of distance undergraduate programs. As the students develop integrative projects that articulate the content from different courses of the program, they build collaboratively bridges between theory and practice.

Upgrading Lmss: Understanding Faculty Perceptions And Use For Improved Implementation, David A. Jeffrey Ph.D., Randy J. Siebold Ph.D.

Adventist Online Learning Conference / Conferencia de Aprendizaje en Línea

Adventist schools are in a constantly changing academic environment and are under consistent pressure to implement the latest technologies, such as Learning Management Systems (LMSs). This research study seeks to provide a better understanding of faculty perceptions of their LMS. We explore factors leading to successful faculty use of LMSs.

Flipping Student Services Through An Online Orientation And Advising Course, Glynis M. Bradfield

Adventist Online Learning Conference / Conferencia de Aprendizaje en Línea

Providing the level of whole-person student services we value in Adventist education can be challenging in online education.This session offers a tour of Andrews University’s work-in-progress, developing and implementing an online course including orientation, advising, and continued student support. Come to share and grow your online student service action plans.

Keynote: Redefining The 100%, Larry Blackmer

Adventist Online Learning Conference / Conferencia de Aprendizaje en Línea

Examine the compelling reasons for pursuing, persisting, and providing Adventist education. Be inspired by a compelling vision to supply Adventist education to all Adventists, using digital tools and pedagogies to make Adventist education accessible to all.

Larry Blackmer is the North American Division Vice President for Education. He has served as a teacher, principal, and boys’ dean at the K-12 level throughout the United States. Larry served as associate superintendent in the Michigan Conference and superintendent of schools in the Idaho Conference. As associate director and then vice president for NAD Education, his duties include secondary education, marketing and technology. …

Out On A Limb: The Experiences Of Branch Campus Social Work Faculty, Simon Funge, Whitney Harper, Larry Owens, Dana Sullivan

Social Work Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Instructors’ Conceptualization Of Course Design And What Matters In Faculty Development, Audriana Stark, Gary A. Smith, Julie A. Sanchez

Office for Medical Educator Development (OMED)

A phenomenographic (qualitative) study at a research university identified five categories of description for how STEM instructors conceptualized the design/redesign of courses. These ranged from individual perceptions of (1) what to teach; (2) how to teach; and (3) reflection on teaching; to engagement with communities either (4) in a department to align course design; or (5) across the institution and beyond to align goals and leverage resources. The results suggest that faculty developers not only have the potential to develop individual teachers but to stimulate networks that are of value to instructors.

Generational Shift: Why We Should Modify Our Instructional Strategies For The Next Generations Of Aviators, Mary Niemczyk

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

Air transportation has proven to be an extremely safe, efficient and reliable means for travel – a testament to highly effective instruction and training. Airlines are forecasted to continue their rapid expansion over the next 20 years needing to hire more than 2 million aviation personnel (Boeing, 2015). As Baby Boomers retire, at the rate of 10,000 per day/4 million per year, a ‘generational replacement’ or shift will occur with Gen Y and Z members taking their places in the workforce.

Each generation is impacted by significant events during their developmental adolescent years. For Gen Y members, technological and K-12 …

The Impact Of Student Abroad On Intercultural Competence As A Professional Disposition: Narrative Stories From Student Affairs Professionals, Dare Chronister

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Student affairs professionals (SAP) have been tasked to educate students and provide opportunities to develop skills to live in a culturally diverse and global society. The shortage of culturally competent SAP could hinder students’ abilities to gain intercultural competence. The purpose of this narrative non-fiction study was to understand how SAP’ study abroad experiences helped them to grow and develop intercultural competence. Furthermore, the study aimed to identify how intercultural competence shaped their practices and strategies to provide students with safe environments to gain knowledge and understanding about different cultures. Data collection included three levels of semi-structured interviews. Identified themes …

Identity-Oriented Program, Isaac Jorgensen

Capstone Collection

This paper demonstrates why identity-oriented community college study abroad programs are more accessible for the diverse student populations that attend these institutions. It does this with a case study, a demographic analysis, and the theoretical support of The Experiential Learning Cycle (ELC) and Universal Design for Learning (UDL). First it proves the lack of diversity within United States study abroad participants. Following this, the paper shows that community colleges house more underserved populations than four-year universities. Additionally, it illustrates the benefits of studying abroad and demographics specific to The Washington State Community College Consortium for Study Abroad (WCCCSA), …

Importance Of And Satisfaction With Characteristics Of Mentoring Among Nursing Faculty, Jacklyn Gentry

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The nursing faculty shortage and its contributing factors have been well documented in the literature. Contributory factors include lack of graduate prepared faculty, difficulty recruiting and retaining faculty, and a decrease in job satisfaction within the faculty role. The use of mentoring programs has the potential to impact the nursing faculty shortage by increasing job satisfaction while providing novice faculty with additional support during the transition from clinical nurse to nursing faculty.

The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between the importance of and satisfaction with characteristics of mentoring in full time nursing faculty teaching in baccalaureate …

Full Issue: Journal On Empowering Teaching Excellence, Volume 1, Issue 1

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

For our inaugural issue, we reviewed the feedback from our 2016 ETE faculty conference—an event for USU faculty hosted every August on the USU main campus. We identified several of the presenters who received high marks in post-session surveys and invited them to submit a proceedings paper for their presentation. Many responded, and their papers now comprise the majority of this issue. Because most of the articles began as stand-up presentations for a conference, several adopt a first-person narrative style in which the authors share examples of things they have tried in their teaching that have worked. In the process …