The International Journal of Higher Education 

About: The International Journal of Higher Education is an academic journal published by Springer Science+Business Media. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Higher education & Teaching method. It has an ISSN identifier of 0018-1560. Over the lifetime, 1550 publications have been published receiving 12290 citations.

Understanding and Applying Research Paradigms in Educational Contexts

Abstract: The concept of research paradigm is one that many higher degree research students, and even early career researchers, find elusive to articulate, and challenging to apply in their research proposals. Adopting an ethnographic and hermeneutic methodology, the present paper draws upon our experiences as lecturers in Research Methods over many years, and upon pertinent literature to explain the meaning of research paradigm. The paper elucidates the key aspects of research paradigms that researchers should understand well to be able to address this concept adequately in their research proposals. It offers suggestions on how researchers can locate their research into a paradigm and the justification needed for paradigm choice. With the explicit purpose of helping higher degree research (HDR) students design effective research proposals, the paper also discusses the different research methodologies best suited to conduct research in each of the paradigms discussed.

Teaching Students to Learn and to Work Well with 21st Century Skills: Unpacking the Career and Life Skills Domain of the New Learning Paradigm.

Abstract: In Do You Want Your Students to Be Job-Ready With 21 st Century Skills? Kivunja (2014a) draws on the work by the Partnership For Teaching 21 st Century Skills (P21) reported by Trilling and Fadel (2009), to articulate that the skills that young people need to succeed as individuals, citizens and workers in the 21 st century fall into four domains. As reported by Trilling and Fadel (2009) those four domains are the Traditional Core subjects and Skills domain, the Learning and Innovations Skills domain, the Career and Life Skills domain, as well as the Digital Literacies Skills domain. The pedagogical move from teaching the traditional core skills of literacy and numeracy to include these additional themes and skills of the 21 st century is characterized by Kivunja (2014a) as the pedagogical shift that is needed to ensure that on graduation, students will be job-ready with the skills most in demand in the 21 st century workplace. Arguing that the components of the Traditional Core Skills domain such as the orthodoxy 3Rs of reading, -riting and rithmentic are well known, Kivunja (2014b) in Innovative Pedagogies in Higher Education to Become Effective Teachers of 21 st Century Skills, draws on the excellent work of the Partnership for 21 st Century Skills (P21, 2008) and on the Framework for 21 st Century Learning (P21, 2011) to unpack the skills of the Learning and Innovations Skills domain (LIS). In that discussion, Kivunja (2014b) argues strongly that it is essential that students be explicitly taught the skills of critical thinking and problem solving, effective communication, collaboration, as well as creativity and innovation, so as to make sure that they are well equipped with the Learning and Innovation Skills (LIS). This article, builds on the work of Kivunja cited above, (Kivunja, 2014a and 2014b), to extend an understanding of the new learning paradigm by discussing its Career and Life Skills (CLS) domain. The article explains what the skills in this domain involve and discusses how the relevant skills can be taught to help prepare students for success in whatever workplaces, trades, occupations or professions they will join on their graduation into the 21 st century Digital Economy.

Do You Want Your Students to Be Job-Ready with 21st Century Skills? Change Pedagogies: A Pedagogical Paradigm Shift from Vygotskyian Social Constructivism to Critical Thinking, Problem Solving and Siemens’ Digital Connectivism

Abstract: As Michael Fullan (2001) so cogently asserts, the moral purpose of education is to equip students with the skills that will enable them to be productive citizens when they finish school. Whereas pre-21st century learning paradigms catered reasonably well for the pursuit of this moral purpose in turning out school leavers with specialized skills that were applicable in highly compartmentalized and specialized Industrial Age economies, 21st century skills require a new paradigm. In their seminal book entitled 21 st Century Skills: Learning for Life in Our Times, Trilling and Fadel (2009) eloquently elaborate on the essential skills for 21st century learning and occupations. I call the adoption of these essential skills the pedagogical paradigm shift. According to these leaders in the field, the essential skills for 21 st century learning and occupations fall into four domains. First are the core subjects and skills such as the orthodoxy 3Rs that every educated person should have mastery of. Second is the learning and innovations skills domain requiring skills such as critical thinking and problem solving. The third is the career and life skills domain, calling for skills such as collaboration, teamwork and leadership. Fourth, is the digital literacy skills domain, requiring skills such as computer literacy and digital fluency. While computers and digital technologies play a central role in the development and utilization of the skills, the more essential skills for 21st century learning and occupations relate not just to the application of technology but more importantly, to the ability to engage in independent critical thinking, and a high level of problem solving, often using technology. This paper reviews the learning paradigms that have guided pedagogy over the centuries and argues that a shift is needed in pedagogy and curriculum towards a paradigm that emphasizes critical thinking and problem solving as proposed by Trilling and Fadel (2009) within the social connectivist paradigm as well articulated by Siemens rather than the dominant Vygotskyian social constructivist paradigm.

The Effects of Cooperative Learning on the Academic Achievement and Knowledge Retention

Abstract: This experimental study investigated the effects of cooperative learning on the achievement and knowledge retention of 110 first-year primary education students toward the psychology subject over the eight weeks of instruction at An Giang University. These tertiary students were divided into two matched groups of 55 to be taught by the same lecturer. In the experimental group, cooperative learning was employed, while in the control group, lecture-based teaching was used. The results showed that after approximately 8 weeks students who were instructed using cooperative learning achieved significantly higher scores on the achievement and knowledge retention postteststhan did students who were instructed using lecture-based teaching. The study supports the effectiveness of cooperative learning in Vietnamese higher education.

Motivating Factors for Adult Learners in Higher Education.

Abstract: All learners learn best when they are motivated; so do adults. Hence, the way to ensure success of students in higher education is first to know what motivates and sustains them in the learning process. Based on a study of 203 university students, this paper presents eight top most motivating factors for adult learners in higher education. These include quality of instruction; quality of curriculum; relevance and pragmatism; interactive classrooms and effective management practices; progressive assessment and timely feedback; self-directedness; conducive learning environment; and effective academic advising practices. The study concludes that these eight factors are critical to eliciting or enhancing the will power in students in higher education toward successful learning. The implications for practice and further research are also discussed.