Showing papers in "Research in Higher Education Journal in 2012"

Wisdom from Warren Buffett

Abstract: This article documents a trip that was made Warren Buffett, chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway world at his Global Headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska. a select number of schools to Omaha University were fortunate to be invited by Buffett based on entrepreneurship course. This article discusses the strategy that invited to visit Buffett, the activities Buffett. The trip to Omaha entailed visiting two of Berkshire Hathaway’s subsidiaries Furniture Mart and Borsheim’s Jewelers. minute question and answer period with Buffett, and university group had pictures taken with him.

School Counselors: A Review of Contemporary Issues.

Abstract: This article seeks to review the topic of school counselors and the contemporary issues surrounding this profession. An introduction to the profession and overview of its history provides a comprehensive basis on which to understand today’s school counseling profession. An examination of contemporary themes of school counseling will include job descriptions, preparation, mental health issues, families and communities, student success, leadership, and issues in technology. Counselor identity, functions, and ethics will seek to understand how a counselor comes to relate personally and professionally to the position, how the functions of a school counselor are ever-changing, and what impact ethics have upon the profession. The literature review will contain both empirical and summative resources from professional sources.

Don't Waste Your Time Teaching in an On-Line Environment.

Abstract: In this paper I address one question asked by teachers who teach online-“How can I build community among my learners in my class?” This paper provides an answer; in fact, it provides ten possible answers, in the form of ten models for teachers to use to build community in on-line courses. Each model has been tried and tested over ten years of post-secondary experience in designing and teaching twenty-nine online courses at four institutions in Canada. Community can be built in online courses. Each model offers ten unique approaches regarding how to develop community among learners and teachers in a course. The tacit notion hidden within and throughout each model is that courses that develop community and good pedagogic relationships among learners and teachers are those that are intentionally designed to do so. Each model described in this paper includes a unique structure of ideas, a rational for the model’s use and some strong theoretical support. Each model is a particular expression of the general concept of constructivism-that thinking is socially constructed, and knowledge a social construction. When intentionally designed to do so, an online class activity of socially constructing some project or collaborating to design a scenario can lead to the development of sound pedagogical relationships. The premise in this paper is that community development in online courses must be designed for and intentionally built into in the architecture of a course. Community is a particular way of being in the world that comes about through right relationships; when we are in the world in particular ways we bring about right relationships, and bring about community. When power is exercised so as to bring about psychological control over a learner, right relationships are not brought about. When forgiveness for a mistake is asked for by a teacher, and in turn offered by an offended student, a right relationship is brought about. As learners in a course recognize a teacher’s request for forgiveness, community develops. Particular ways of being in the world (e.g. offering and receiving forgiveness, dignifying each person’s answers, truth telling to name a few) and many other right and good attributes in both teacher and learner are created in healthy community and in turn create healthy community, one that comes to be characterized by good pedagogic relationships. Community is essentially dialectical, a verb whose essence is right relationships. Community is sustained by particular attributes and not others. This conceptualization of community, while subtle, is the important basis for this paper and my presentation of the ten models for online course design and teaching. This paper draws from anthropology, psychology and sociology-how theorists in each discipline propose that community is best developed and nurtured. The paper draws heavily from best practices in education in North America. The ideas within each model are also drawn from my analyses of student feedback of twenty nine course evaluations .Finally, the evidence this book draws from includes learning theory and what is known today about how people learn in community and through relationships. The instructional designer with limited teaching experience may need to suspend disbelief regarding a model, to interrogate the methodology within each model until they try and test it in the heat of instructional battle. Each model will ring true for the experienced educator Research in Higher Education Journal Don't waste your time, Page 2 Both the experienced educator and experienced designer of instruction will be able to give that “experiential nod” to what is presented in each model, and know why each model as proposed can develop community among learners. Experienced teachers know not to waste time teaching. They will recognise that each model offers much promise for building community among learners and teachers in on-line courses.

Using State Assessments for Teaching English Language Learners.

Abstract: Populations of minority students the United States have increased steadily over the past few decades to 42 percent of public school enrollment (Echevarria, 2011). English language learners (ELLs) are the fastest growing population of students enrolled in public schools across the United States. Nationally, if an ELL speaks English with difficulty, 82 percent will not graduate from high school. California alone has 1.5 million ELLs attending public schools. During the 2007-2008 academic year only 11 states met their ELL accountability goals under the No Child Left Behind Act (Zehr, 2011). A recent Texas study reported that 80 percent of ELLs did not graduate from high school (Echevarria, and Short, 2010). The gap in academic achievement between Caucasian students and those from culturally and linguistically diverse groups has widened primarily because many teachers are under prepared to make content comprehensible for ELLs or teach initial or content-area literacy to a forgotten population of secondary ELLs (Echavarria and Short, 2010). The result is that ELLs enrolled in middle and high schools have become long term ELLs, who’s specific learning needs for success in school are largely ignored, thus creating an ELL underachieving group (Olsen, 2010). The question posed in this article remains, What specific skills, knowledge, and strategies do teachers need to know and be able to do to provide ELLs with, (a) systematic language development, (b) academic literacy skills, (c) successful experiences in mainstream classes, (d) the ability to comprehend content standards, and (d) pass standardized assessments in their

Reflective Experiences of Post Graduate Certificate in Education Students during Teaching Practice.

Abstract: Reflective teaching has become a focus of interest and a powerful movement in teacher education. The complexity of teaching requires teachers to question their practices for their own professional development in order to improve and to increase learner performance. This article aims at investigating student teachers’ reflective experiences during teaching practice period. A qualitative inquiry was used in the study. Eight student teachers enrolled for a language teaching module in a one year Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) initial teacher education programme for intermediate phase was randomly selected to participate in the study. Data were obtained through interviews. It became clear from the data that reflective teaching is a challenge to student teachers, as a results they could not acknowledge their shortcomings in their classroom performance. In addition, participants reflected on teaching methods and teaching media and believe that these could enhance learning and teaching. It is also the view of participants that collaboration among colleagues and a positive attitude could enhance teachers’ reflective practices.

Making College a Success by Assessing and Navigating Candidates' Study Habits.

Abstract: In an ideal world colleges would recruit and admit the “right” students and there would be no doubt about their success. But even in a less than ideal world, it is incumbent upon professors to ensure that students who do come to them experience success to the greatest extent possible. This capstone educational adventure offers immeasurable benefits to the individual student and to society. The individual is prepared for a chosen career that leads to a quality and productive life. Society is enhanced by any worthwhile contributions of the individual. However, college is expensive and requires untold demands of students. To be a success in college, students must make necessary financial arrangements and establish good study habits as they pursue a degree. This manuscript provides a snapshot of the crucial elements for college success. It also provides data on a select group of college students’ study habits and how they may be navigated to help ensure success in college. A closer look at the candidates and their study habits informs the profession about possible avenues for enhanced success.

Pair Teaching of ICT in Higher Education: A Multi-Perspective Reflection.

Abstract: Information and Communication Technology (ICT) educators in higher education are constantly challenged to look for innovative ways to improve their pedagogical practices (i.e., facilitated learning, mentoring and assessment). Pair Teaching (PT) has many benefits allowing educators to design and present better learning experiences for students. The field of ICT is holistic by nature with right and left brained analytical thinking and learning. However, traditional teaching approaches and methods only focus to further left brain thinking and learning, involving study material such as textbooks and slides to educate students. This paper argues that PT lends itself to design and present better whole-brain learning opportunities in ICT by working in pairs. The researchers found that PT contributes to educational quality by presenting broader and richer perspectives of subject matter, while PT allows educators to learn from one another. On the negative side, different teaching styles and personalities of educators, may cause confusion in the classroom and is regarded as a critical success factor for PT. Students agree that PT allowed for more interesting, enjoyable and interactive learning opportunities. Different perspectives of educators also aided in understanding subject matter better and more thoroughly. However, the students indicated that different perspectives of the subject matter often leads to confusion and takes up more time because of repeated information. The students also indicated that it is difficult to split their attention between two different educators with different teaching styles.

Entrepreneurial Creativity as a Convergent Basis for Teaching Business Communication.

Abstract: Of the “21 st Century” business skills of communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking, creativity arguably receives among the least explicit attention in traditional business core curricula. With that in mind, the context of entrepreneurial creativity is put forth as a basis for teaching business communication. By using creativity as a convergent link between business communication and entrepreneurial studies, coursework can be defined to achieve the conceptual coverage and skill-building objectives of both topics without sacrificing the identity of either. This coursework – grounded in the pedagogical literature and taken as a whole – can provide a cohesive basis for a creativity-framed business communication course.

Peer Assessments of GPW: Infusing Fairness into Students' Assessments of Peer Contributions.

Abstract: This paper contains results of an empirical study that tested the efficacy and acceptability of two templates designed to fully involve students in proper and fair peer-assessments of their group project work (GPW) by providing concrete evidence of independent progressive documentation of their peers’ contributions to the work-process and end-product(s). Two compatible templates – the Progressive Evaluation Template (PET) and the Peer Assessment Criteria Template (PACT) – were developed to enable students provide progressive documentation of their peers’ contributions to the student-led group project process in order to support the marks they award their peers and, at the same time, show concrete evidence of their fairness in the entire peer-assessment process. The templates were trialed through experimental usage by the faculty and students of three undergraduate courses in The Media School of Bournemouth University in Bournemouth, United Kingdom, and four undergraduate/graduate courses in the School of Business & Entrepreneurship of Lindenwood University in Saint Charles, Missouri, United States. The trials were conducted in the 2009/2010 and 2010/2011 academic years respectively. The efficacy and acceptability of the templates were then tested through a cross-national opinion survey of the students in the seven courses. The study results generally indicate positive acceptability of the templates and a significant relationship between the students’ acceptance of the tools and the levels of usefulness, comprehension, ease of use, and fairness they attributed to them. In discussing the aggregate findings, the paper also recommends ways of using the templates in digital peer-assessment contexts.

An Integrated Performance-Based Budgeting Model for Thai Higher Education.

Abstract: This research mainly aims to develop an administrative model of performance-based budgeting for autonomous state universities. The sample population in this study covers 4 representatives of autonomous state universities from 4 regions of Thailand, where the performance-based budgeting system has been fully practiced. The research informants consist of administrators and staff in charge of planning, financial affairs and budgeting. The research techniques applied in this study are surveys and a study of 4 selected cases. The research instruments are document analysis, a questionnaire and in-depth interviews. The key research findings reveal that the proper administrative model of performance-based budgeting for institutions of higher education is an “integrated model” of budgeting which consists of 4 principal components: 1) a strategic plan; 2) a budgeting system to be operated based on 7 hurdles; 3) the structure of an integrated approach of budget management and 4) the conditions for implementation of the proposed model and the supporting factors.

Conceptualization of Service-Learning as an Educational Approach in the Curriculum: A Case Study.

Abstract: This paper investigated how the University of Zululand (Unizulu) has set out to conceptualize and institutionalize service learning as an educational approach in the Curriculum. The University of Zululand Strategic Plan (2008-2012) and Institutional Operating Plan (IOP) indicate a paradigm shift towards academically based community interaction where service-learning is an integral part of the curriculum. Despite the existence of these policies, service-learning is still a peripheral activity in the institution.

Reflections on a Pilot Project: Removing the "Dis" from Disability.

Abstract: This paper explores preliminary results of a pilot study whose purpose was to document, through an oral history narrative, the personal and work experiences of a female artist and social entrepreneur who is legally blind. These experiences included the challenges that the research participant has experienced in the U.S. as a woman with an “invisible” disability, specifically legal blindness that was acquired in adulthood. This qualitative research project began with the initial intent of contributing to the genre of narrative inquiry with a feminist lens (Saldana, 2011). During the stage of data analysis, the researcher became more intrigued with constructivist grounded theory as a methodological paradigm, informed by both critical theory and feminist theory as broader theoretical perspectives (Kushner, 2003; Stern, 2011; Wuest, 1995). The investigative concern through the course of the project has thus evolved into giving shape to a theoretical process, rather than a constructed story, with the voice of the participant in the foreground.

Is Higher Education Following the Path Set by Health Care in the U.S.

Abstract: The recent emergence of higher education into political and economic debate is reminiscent of the ongoing arguments about the appropriate provision of health care in the United States. Health care reform has been a political battle cry in the United States for years, and there are similar calls for reforms of higher education. These two industries share more than a place in political debate, though: Both are seen by many as necessities, both are characterized by rapidly escalating costs – and neither operates in an economic market that is anything close to “normal.” These similarities position health care and higher education for either increased government intervention or radical change. The purpose of this paper is to draw parallels between these two industries and analyze the implications of these similarities to public policy or private innovations.

Leadership: Building a Team Using Structured Activities.

Abstract: Educators strive to anticipate reactions or outcomes of instruction so that the learning or acquiring of information by others is as pain-free as possible. Leaders also strive to build cohesiveness and trust in groups or teams of employees so that the end goal or task is produced in a timely manner. However, setting the stage or mood for teamwork to occur is one step that needs to be considered for either of those goals to happen. The following paper will review successful structured activities used by the authors in a mid-size southern university.

Calculus and Success in a Business School.

Abstract: Many business schools or colleges require calculus as a prerequisite for certain classes or for continuing to upper division courses. While there are many studies investigating the relationship between performance in calculus and performance in a single course, such as economics, statistics, and finance, there are very few studies investigating the relationship between calculus and performance in upper division as a whole. In this paper, a general linear model was used to assess this less studied relationship. The findings suggest a positive relationship between calculus and upper division performance and gender differences in the relationship between the number of tries to pass calculus and upper division performance.

The Pacific Oaks College's Prism Principles Professional Development Approach.

Abstract: In a struggling atmosphere for education, one college is optimistic about the future by offering school districts its PRISM Principles professional development as a means to ensure that “no child is left behind.” Pacific Oaks College & Children’s School is known for its premiere programs in early childhood education, human development, and marital studies. It is expanding its unique model of education across K–12 with the intention of providing a solution through its preparation of educators and its PRISM Principles professional development for school districts to meet the needs of all students. The focus of the PRISM principles professional development is on social justice, equity, and culture-centered education as a means to transform the school culture and enhance the effectiveness of teachers so that every child can succeed. While the PRISM Principles have been a part of the mission and practices of Pacific Oaks College throughout its 65 years of existence, the implementation of these principles in an actual study is new. The success of this first scholarly venture will be an important step for this college and for the education community as it will offer a means to improve the success rate at schools by taking into account the intelligence to which students already have in a process that relies on student selfactualization and efficacy to fuel the energy and desire to succeed in school.

Bound by Tradition? Peer Review and New Scholarship: An Institutional Case Study.

Abstract: Peer review is by no means a routine process for traditional, or basic, research. Even so, peer review is even less routinized for other forms of scholarship. In 1990, Ernest Boyer called for a reconsideration of scholarship and extended the definition to be inclusive of non-traditional modes of scholarly production and delivery. However, peer review processes for non-traditional scholarship modes have proven difficult to assess and implement. An examination of promotion and tenure documents at a regional comprehensive university reveals the various strategies departments use to provide peer review for work faculty consider to be non-traditional. The study found five models for peer review of non-traditional scholarship that have implications for other institutions seeking to recognize and reward non-traditional scholarship.

How Does the Economic Crisis Affect the Psychological Well-Being? Comparing College Students and Employees.

Abstract: Little is known about differences in the impact of economic stress on students as compared to persons holding secure job positions. Besides the macroeconomic effects, an economic downturn can also affect individual’s physical health and psychological well-being (Aytac & Rankin, 2009). Prior research showed that socio-demographic characteristics and conditions (e.g. age, gender, job status, or education) are associated with people’s mental health (Hobfoll, 1998). The present study addressed two general questions: how people perceive their financial situation and their employability in the time following a financial crisis and whether or not these crisis-based appraisals of their economic standing have influence on their mental health. Of particular interest to this study was to explore these issues across occupational status (college students versus employees) and gender.

Higher Education and Efficiency in Europe: A Comparative Analysis.

Abstract: This paper analyses the efficiency of higher education in equalizing the feasible wages obtained for men and women in the labour market. To do that, It is estimated two stochastic frontiers. The first one measures the effect of higher education inside the group of men and women for six European countries. The results indicate that in Denmark, France and Italy men with higher education have higher gains in wages with respect men with the same characteristics with secondary education while for women appears the opposite result. In Germany and Spain, women with higher education experiment higher gains in terms of wages than obtain men. The second frontier shows the wages differentials obtained for women in each country by education level with respect men. Here, women with higher education experiment less wages differentials than do women with primary or secondary education. The data set is the ECHP (European Community Household Panel Data) from 1995 to 2001.

How Many Attempts Until Success in Some Core 1st. Year Disciplines

Abstract: Due to a general development in education brought about by democracy, Portugal has witnessed tremendous development in Higher Education (HE) since the beginning of the 1980s. Nevertheless, the percentage of graduates among the Portuguese population still ranks far below most European countries. This is why academic performance in HE 1 st cycle matters so much and warrants a careful analysis of the main determinants for failure. Life cycle theories are taken as our main theoretical framework. This paper worked with Individual semi-longitudinal data on ISEG students retrieved from the School Pedagogic Observatory Database. The number of attempts until the successful completion of two 1 st year disciplines (Mathematics I and Economics I) was the chosen proxy for failure. A discrete-time survival model was used. To deal with the unobserved heterogeneity a random variable was introduced frailty in the linear part of the model. A normal distribution was assumed in the estimation of a logit panel data model with random effects. As expected, students took longer to achieve success in Mathematics 1 than in Economics 1. Gender, degree course, the track followed in upper-secondary, and the application mark to enter HE are among the significant determinants of success in Mathematics 1 and Economics 1.