Showing papers on "Institutional research published in 2020"

Working from Home: How We Managed Our Team Remotely with Technology

Abstract: During the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, the College’s library and the office of institutional research & training (OIRT), along with all departments of our college, shifted to working fro...

Precision education with statistical learning and deep learning: a case study in Taiwan

Abstract: The low birth rate in Taiwan has led to a severe challenge for many universities to enroll a sufficient number of students. Consequently, a large number of students have been admitted to universities regardless of whether they have an aptitude for academic studies. Early diagnosis of students with a high dropout risk enables interventions to be provided early on, which can help these students to complete their studies, graduate, and enhance their future competitiveness in the workplace. Effective prelearning interventions are necessary, therefore students’ learning backgrounds should be thoroughly examined. This study investigated how big data and artificial intelligence can be used to help universities to more precisely understand student backgrounds, according to which corresponding interventions can be provided. For this study, 3552 students from a university in Taiwan were sampled. A statistical learning method and a machine learning method based on deep neural networks were used to predict their probability of dropping out. The results revealed that student academic performance (regarding the dynamics of class ranking percentage), student loan applications, the number of absences from school, and the number of alerted subjects successfully predicted whether or not students would drop out of university with an accuracy rate of 68% when the statistical learning method was employed, and 77% for the deep learning method, in the case of giving first priority to the high sensitivity in predicting dropouts. However, when the specificity metric was preferred, then the two approaches both reached more than 80% accuracy rates. These results may enable the university to provide interventions to students for assisting course selection and enhancing their competencies based on their aptitudes, potentially reducing the dropout rate and facilitating adaptive learning, thereby achieving a win-win situation for both the university and the students. This research offers a feasible direction for using artificial intelligence applications on the basis of a university’s institutional research database.

Mapping Course Sustainability by Embedding the SDGs Inventory into the University Curriculum: A Case Study from National University of Kaohsiung in Taiwan

Abstract: A course inventory module, based on the Curriculum Framework for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) published by the Commonwealth Secretariat, has been embedded into the online curriculum system at the National University of Kaohsiung (NUK) since 2018. The primary aim of this study is to explore the sustainability status of the course offerings and to understand the interdisciplinary capacity in pursuing the SDGs at NUK. At the university level, a total of 1200–1300 courses (approximately 57% of courses) were reported to be related to SDGs, where the curriculum of NUK mainly emphasized SDGs 3, 4, 8, 9 and 16. However, our study indicates that many SDGs are still not focused in the curriculum of all colleges. Two patterns of the SDGs-related course framework were observed at the college level: One is the college course offerings linked to a wide variety of SDG content; while the second pattern is the college course offerings linked only to specific SDG content, mainly dependent on the subject areas of colleges. Our study suggests that the number of SDGs covered by a course reflects the diversity of the sustainability topics covered in the course. The metric gives an indication of the areas covered and, thus, also points to blind spots (i.e., insufficiencies). Moreover, it can also give an indication of the diversity within colleges, which could suggest future paths for transdisciplinary development. An understanding of the baseline status of sustainability in the university curriculum provides opportunities for universities to plan their strategies for sustainability and prioritize the allocation of resources accordingly.

Changing Research on Research Evaluation: A Critical Literature Review to Revisit the Agenda.

Abstract: The current range and volume of research evaluation-related literature is extensive and incorporates scholarly and policy/practice-related perspectives. This reflects academic and practical interest over many decades and trails the changing funding and reputational modalities for universities, namely increased selectivity applied to institutional research funding streams and the perceived importance of university rankings and other reputational devices. To make sense of this highly diverse body of literature, we undertake a critical review of over 350 works constituting, in our view, the 'state-of-the-art' on institutional performance-based research evaluation arrangements (PREAs). We focus on PREAs because they are becoming the predominant means worldwide to allocate research funds and accrue reputation for universities. We highlight the themes addressed in the literature and offer critical commentary on the balance of scholarly and policy/ practice-related orientations.We then reflect on five limitations to the state-of-the-art and propose a new agenda, and a change of perspective, to progress this area of research in future studies. (Less)

Deep impact: re-conceptualising university research impact using human cultural accumulation theory

Abstract: Measuring impact from university research is increasingly seen as important, not least because of its use in resource allocation processes by governments. These measurement approaches, however, oft...

The Effects of Collaboration on Research Performance of Universities: an Analysis by Federal District and Scientific Fields in Russia

Abstract: The objective of our paper is to explore the extent to which the research collaborations could be an impact on the scientific performance of academic institutions. The analysis is based on data for 241 universities in Russia for 2015–2016 obtained from different sources: Interfax (privately held independent major news agency in Russia) National Ranking of Universities, monitoring of efficiency of activity of educational organizations of higher education (launched by Information-Computing Centre of Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation), and Russian Science Citation Index (largest Russian information and analytical portal in science, technology, medicine, and education and electronic library of scientific publications with 28 mlns of documents). We consider the number of citations of publications to evaluate university performance in Russia. To this end, we develop a non-overlapping generation model to evidence the theoretical idea of research externalities between academic institutions. Moreover, we implement different empirical models to test for the effect of external scientific collaborations on the institutional research quality by Federal District and scientific field. The results confirm an important positive impact of co-authoring process.

How Does the 15 to Finish Initiative Affect Academic Outcomes of Low-Income, First-Generation Students? Evidence from a College Promise Program in Indiana

Abstract: As the cost of college tuition has increased, policymakers and practitioners have begun to examine the proliferation of college promise programs (i.e., tuition-free grant programs, debt free college programs) across the United States (Perna & Smith, 2020). These initiatives typically aim to lower or eliminate the cost of college attendance and in doing so increase college completion among underrepresented groups: predominantly low-income, first-generation, students of color. While several states and cities have announced or launched promise programs designed to improve college retention and completion, scholars of education policy and practitioners know relatively little about the implications of these initiatives, and whether certain policies or procedures are best suited to specific contexts. The purpose of this study is to determine what effect a statewide 30-credit hour annual completion policy had on the academic outcomes of college promise program recipients at two 4-year public research universities, Indiana University Bloomington (IUB) and Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis (IUPUI). The policy, which has been emulated in many states, aims to encourage students to take 15 credits per semester (or 30 credits per year) and thereby remain on course to complete a bachelor’s degree in 4 years (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, 2015; Lumina Foundation, 2017; SHEEO, 2008; U.S. Office of the Press Secretary, 2009). While the new legislation adopted in Indiana is an attempt by the Indiana Commission for Higher Education (ICHE) to improve college completion and on-time graduation of students, very few scholar-practitioners, aside from a few within the University of Hawaii system and Complete College America (CCA), have provided evidence that attempting to complete 30 credits per academic year significantly improves academic performance and subsequently, degree completion rates among underrepresented students. This study examines the implementation of and subsequent policy change to the early-commitment college promise program, Indiana Twenty-First Century Scholarship (TFCS) Program. Using administrative data from the Indiana University’s University Institutional Research and Reporting (UIRR) office, representing 7,842 low-income students who enrolled shortly before and adopt the policy was implemented, this observational study employs a quasi-experimental, difference-in-differences (DiD) approach to explore the impact of the Indiana Code Title 21 (IC-21-12-6-7) (30 credit hour annual completion policy) on students’ academic outcomes. Specifically, this quantitative study examines the heterogenous treatment effects of this policy change on the academic performance (e.g., cumulative credit hours accumulated, cumulative grade point average [GPA], degree completion status) of Indiana TFCS recipients at IUB and IUPUI, compared to non-TFCS Pell recipients from the same time period (Fall 2011 through Fall 2014 cohorts). The study will be guided by the following research questions: (1) To what extent did the 30-credit hour annual completion policy (15 to Finish) achieve its intended effects: increasing credit accumulation, improving student progress and increasing graduation rates? and (2) How do any of the identified policy effects moderated by demographic factors (race, gender, generation) and pre-college characteristics (high school GPA, SAT score)? Does the policy appear to have differential effects for various types of students? Results suggest that the 30-credit hour annual completion policy showed a positive significant effect on credits and grades but had no effect on degree completion status at IUB (a small town, primarily residential, more selective, flagship research university). In addition, the study found a significant interaction effect for Gender and Generation Status when accounting for pre- and post-policy groups. Specifically, Gender yielded significant interaction effects on TFCS recipient academic outcomes in terms of Year 1 Cumulative Credits, Year 2 Cumulative Credits, and Year 1 Cumulative GPA, suggesting that female students at IUB appear to have significantly benefited from the 30-credit hour annual completion policy. The policy had no interaction effect on low-income, first-generation students enrolled at IUPUI (an urban, primarily nonresidential, moderately selective research university) for both the academic progress continuous variables and the college completion status binary variables. These findings demonstrate that the policy, which was related to a broader, national 15 to Finish initiative did not produce its intended effect, nor did it have any adverse consequences for low-income, first-generation students. The results of this policy evaluation research have important implications for policymakers, politicians, university administrators, and advanced practitioners who seek to design college promise programs for completion. This research contributes to the empirical literature on state policies aimed at increasing student progression and completion. Moreover, this study extends beyond the CCA’s 15 to Finish initiative and highlight the broader effects of required academic performance policies on student success. The study will inform public debate about and adjustments of the policy and will also highlight several directions for future research.

Evaluation of Institutional Research Productivity

Abstract: The quantification of scholarly performance has become an obvious necessity in many academic pursuits. Evaluation of research output is, therefore, an integral element of R&D institutions worldwide. This paper critically scrutinizes the literature on research productivity concerning scientific institutions (include universities and departments) in an informational context. It provides a thorough review to map the quantum of knowledge relating to ‘institutional research productivity’ correlating the Indian vista. The paper also offers a few recommendations to undertake evaluative studies with caution. Thus it shows a coherent picture of this emerging area in the sociology of science.

Analysing gender and institutional change in academia: evaluating the utility of feminist institutionalist approaches

Abstract: This article explores research on gender and institutions for the purposes of informing analytical frameworks for research on institutional change with regard to gender equality in higher education...

Actors and actorhood in institutional theory

Abstract: Concepts of actors and actorhood, and different interpretations of these concepts, underlie many debates in institutional research. The three Point‐Counterpoint articles presented here seek to reflect on what actorhood means in institutional theory. They offer thought‐provoking perspectives on the relationship between human agency and the normative arrangements underpinning institutional behaviour.

Revisiting the Role of Institutions in Transformative Contexts: Institutional Change and Conflicts

Abstract: The study of conflicts over natural resources is neither governed by a coherent set of theories nor limited by strict disciplinary boundaries. Rather, it encompasses a multitude of conceptions grounded within a wide array of disciplines and epistemological assumptions concerning the links between institutional change and conflicts, often concluding in contradictory propositions. This article aims at providing conceptual guidance for the special issue, by reviewing institutional research with a particular focus on institutional change and associated conflicts and drawing some implications from transformative settings. More specifically, the paper explores certain propositions and concepts utilised by institutional economists to explain why conflicts persist despite institutional reforms explicitly or implicitly introduced to resolve them. The author revisits diverse cases from different regions to investigate key concepts related to institutional change and its implications on environmental conflicts associated to transformations, complementing this view from a political science perspective. The paper concludes by offering an overview of factors identified as instrumental in understanding the institutional change and conflict–cooperation continuum.

Information Literacy Beyond Librarians: A Data/Methods Triangulation Approach to Investigating Disciplinary IL Teaching Practices

Abstract: Objective – While library literature contains many studies examining faculty perceptions of the value of librarian-led information literacy (IL)instruction, there is little evidence regarding IL instruction practices of disciplinary faculty independent of librarians. In a climate of uncertain budgets, increasing student enrollment, and increased conversation around the need for IL, media, and digital literacy skills, this study aimed to investigate a little-researched area of the IL instruction, learning, and development milieu. Methods – In collaboration with the institutional research office, a data and methods triangulation approach was used. A survey of disciplinary faculty was administered and disciplinary faculty focus groups were also conducted. Student outcomes and annual assessment reports, documents that describe teaching and assessment methods for courses across the university, were analyzed. Voyant, a text-mining tool, was also used to determine key phrases and terms related to IL in these documents. Results – Results revealed that disciplinary faculty highly value skills and understandings affiliated with IL competency. Faculty provide the majority of IL learning opportunities independent of librarians, although these learning opportunities are generally provided through implicit, rather than explicit, methods. Pedagogical methods that may enable explicit practices, such as the use of standards and competencies, are infrequently used. Conclusion – Evidence and findings from this study are being used to inform several initiatives to work with disciplinary faculty for IL instruction, including new services, resources, and instruction models to support IL development in students.

Using Panel Data to Identify the Effects of Institutional Characteristics, Cohort Characteristics, and Institutional Actions on Graduation Rates

Abstract: Institutional graduation rates occupy a prominent place in institutional research and public policy. Graduation rates are used in the College Scorecard, state performance funding initiatives, and potentially affect a significant proportion of public institutions revenues. Despite their widespread use, research suggests that institutional graduation rates are most strongly related to students’ entering characteristics and stable institutional characteristics, but are only weakly related to characteristics institutions can directly control. One set of institutional characteristics that appears to be related to graduation rates are expenditures for instruction, academic support, student services, and institutional support. However, inconsistencies in research findings raise the possibility that estimates of the effects of expenditures on graduation rates may be biased due to omitted variables (i.e., unobserved heterogeneity). The present research uses within-/between-effects panel data models with IPEDS panel data to account for omitted variable bias and examine the effects of institutional characteristics, cohort characteristics, and institutional expenditures on graduation rates.

Managing Remote Projects Effectively with an Action Dashboard

Abstract: During the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, the College’s library, learning center, & archives and the office of institutional research & training (OIRT), along with all departments of our co...

The Relationship Between Campus Recreation Facility Use and Retention for First-Time Undergraduate Students:

Abstract: This study examines the relationship between campus recreation facility access and first-year retention of full-time, first-time undergraduate students at a public university for 2014–2015 through ...

Towards a Scholarship of Practice for University Leadership in Southern Africa: The Two-Way Practitioner-Researcher Loop

Abstract: Vice chancellors of public universities in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region face a myriad of challenges that require research- and data-driven decision-making. This paper presents a decision-making model for college and university leadership - The Two-Way Practitioner-Researcher Loop. This scholarship of practice has the twin goals of developing a knowledge base for college and university leadership and improving leadership practice in the university. The scholarship of practice comprises two “loops”. In the practitioner-to-researcher loop, vice chancellors develop practitioner-defined research agenda to be researched internally by Departments of Institutional Research and externally by members of Higher Education research communities. In the researcher-to-practitioner loop, research findings are communicated back to vice chancellors for immediate application to institutional planning, policy formulation, and decision making. This scholarship of practice develops a knowledge base comprised of both “knowledge for practice” and “knowledge in practice” at the level of university leadership. To build capacity for vice chancellors to craft research agenda and questions emanating from their “knowledge in practice”, we identify internal mechanisms and external associations, training programmes and other forums that provide leadership development and support for these university executives.

Towards a Devolved Model of Management of OER? The Case of the Irish Higher Education Sector.

Abstract: This paper reports on the research findings from a national project examining the issues in creating, sharing, using, and reusing open educational resources (OER) in the context of the development of open education in Ireland. One important aspect of the research was to investigate the potential for using existing institutional research repository infrastructure for the purpose of ingesting, managing, and discovering OER produced by academics. This approach would imply a move from previous strategy around a centralised repository at the national level to a devolved model that relies on institutional research repositories. The opportunities and potential barriers to the adoption of this approach were explored through an online survey and focus groups with academics from a range of higher education institutions (HEIs). Also, a focus group of institutional repository managers was convened to discuss the potential of the institutional repositories with those leading their development. Analysis of the data indicates that the devolved approach to institutions would be possible if the right supports and protocols were put in place. It was acknowledged that research repositories could potentially also serve as repositories of teaching materials, fostering parity of esteem between teaching and research. However, a range of important challenges were present, and alternative solutions emerged, which are discussed in the context of the present and future of online OER repositories.

The role of perceived support and local culture in undergraduate research mentoring by underrepresented minority faculty members: findings from a multi-institutional research collaboration

Abstract: Undergraduate research is value-added experiential learning that cultivates creative and intentional learners in and out of the classroom. However, only recently have researchers begun investigatin...

Mentored postdoctoral training in Zimbabwe: A report on a successful collaborative effort.

Abstract: Low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs) have high disease burdens, necessitating increased research. However, LMIC research output constitutes only 2% of global total. To increase output, researchers must be capacitated. The University of Zimbabwe (UZ) and the University at Buffalo (UB), developed and implemented the AIDS International Research Training Program (AITRP), in 2008, that focused on graduate scholars. The subsequent HIV Research Training Program (HRTP), begun in 2016, and piloted post-doctoral training to enhance research productivity at UZ. This report discusses the collaboration. As of 2016, prospective candidates applied by submitting letters of intent, research proposals, curriculum vitae and biographical sketches. The scholars research training included hypothesis and project development, completion of grant applications, research project budgets, research presentations to diverse audiences and the application of advanced statistics to research data. The first cohort of five postdoctoral scholars were trained at UZ and UB, between 2016 and 2019. Through the formalized postdoctoral training approach, scholars identified areas of focus. In 2017, one of the scholars obtained a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Emerging Global Leader Award and is now a highly-rated researcher based in South Africa. A second scholar made NIH D43 and K43 grant applications, while the remaining three are academicians and early researchers at UZ. Although research output in Africa and many LMICs is low, it can be built through cooperation similar to the UZ-UB HRTP. This manuscript reports on an effort aimed at building individual and institutional research capacity in Zimbabwe. This can serve as a model for building other similar training programs.

An Approach to Improving Student Success in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Career Pathways.

Abstract: In this article, we report on an 11-year study that explores approaches to improve student success in college by a five-week summer program in Mathematics and Language Arts for entering freshmen. To recruit students into the program, we invited students accepted at the university and listed as underrepresented and economically disadvantaged (Pell-eligible) by the Office of Institutional Research at California State University, Northridge. The program consisted of all-day Math and English enhancement in mixed ability groups. Results of this program examining Math and English performance at California State University, Northridge showed that students completing the summer programs during the 11-year study period had improved pass rates in Math and English at California State University, Northridge compared with students in a control group who did not participate in the summer program. The results show that intensive pre-college enhancement for entering freshmen can improve student success in college. Student graduation data from the early cohorts (2010, 2011, 2012) were obtained from Institutional Research. The summary results showed that students from the accepted/attending group had substantially increased GPAs and graduation rates, essentially closing the achievement gap. Increased interest in biomedical research careers was also developed by the program, as demonstrated by a five-fold number of summer enrichment participants entering the PhD, MARC (Minority Access to Research Careers) and RISE (Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement) programs than students who did not attend summer enrichment.

Professional Standards and Recognition for UK Personal Tutoring and Advising

Abstract: The Higher Education and Research Act established both a regulatory framework and the Teaching Excellence Framework with associated metrics for student retention, progression and employability in the UK. As a key site in meeting these requirements, the significance of personal tutoring is clear. Despite this, according to existing institutional research, there is a need for developmental support, greater clarification on the requisite competencies, and adequate recognition for those undertaking this challenging role. Moreover, arguably compounding these concerns is the lack of distinct professional standards for personal tutoring and advising against which to measure effective practice, only recently addressed by the publication of The UKAT Professional Framework for Advising and Tutoring. Through a review of the literature supported by findings from a survey of practitioners, this paper discusses the need for such standards, and the skills and competencies populating them. Additionally, the usefulness of pre-existing standards pertinent to tutoring work (such as the UK Professional Standards Framework for Teaching and Supporting Learning in HE) are evaluated and the value and recognition with which personal tutoring standards could be associated are advanced. The survey supported the need for specific standards – represented by the UKAT framework - as evident from the literature. Justifications provided for both this and the opposing view are examined. Clarity for both individual practitioners and institutions was stipulated along with meaningful recognition and reward for this work which is considered highly important and yet ‘invisible’. The participants and literature reviewed identify relevant content along with illuminating the debate about the relationships between personal tutoring, teaching and professional advising roles. Valuable analysis of standards, recognition and reward also emerged. This is considered by discussing the connection between standards and changes to practice, responses to policy developments and the purpose of ‘standards’ in comparison to ‘guidance’. The paper proposes that the recent introduction and use of a bespoke framework is a necessary response to alleviate some of the current tensions which beset personal tutoring and advising in higher education.

Theorising Machine Learning as an Alternative Pathway for Higher Education in Africa

Abstract: Machine learning technology is currently a new frontier for higher education globally, and the African higher education system needs to change in tandem with this technological trend in order to combat challenges faced by the system. These challenges include lack of institutional research to discover new knowledge, unfavorable methods of instruction, especially the language conflict, access to education for marginalized and isolated communities, high dropout rates, depleted infrastructure and unavailability of resources, overpopulated classrooms, and a biased grading system. This paper discusses alternative machine learning solutions to these challenges faced by the African higher education system, in order to ensure that students develop the skills needed to thrive in this digital era. Findings reveal three key technological solutions that can provide alternative solutions to these challenges, and they include customized/personalized learning, predictive analytics and digital administrative management, and virtual assistance. This paper concludes that for Africa, Catching up with the world goes beyond adopting these new innovations to facilitate learning. Recommendations include rethinking the content of the African curriculum, developing an unbiased education system, and adopting a suitable medium of instruction.

Institution as Praxis: New Curatorial Directions for Collaborative Research

Abstract: Institution as Praxis is a new book initiated by Nottingham Contemporary and the Midlands Higher Education Culture Forum (Collaborative Research Working Group, Arts Council England). The book is co-edited by Bill Balaskas and Carolina Rito, Professor of Creative Practice Research at Coventry University. It aims to identify and advocate for a multiplicity of practices taking place across the cultural sector, which do not only engage with the quest to deliver cultural activities (e.g. exhibitions, events), but generate new modes of knowledge production and research in the field of visual culture, art, and the curatorial. The project acknowledges that universities are not the only sites where knowledge is produced – a fact that is as unavoidable as it is exciting. Although the development of these methods is not new in the cultural field, Institution as Praxis aims to articulate how these practices contribute to new modes of knowledge production and research methodologies in non-academic and academic contexts. This publication aims to engage with current debates around collaborative research across the HE and cultural sectors, advocating for a more collaborative dialogue where cultural partners also contribute to the development of research questions and advance methods to further new modes of research. In line with Universities increased interest in widening the impact of academic research, this moment marks an opportunity to ask how this situation affects the ways in which research is conducted in collaboration with the cultural sector – e.g. Collaborative Doctoral Programmes, Research Councils funds, and Arts Councils’ research grants. The impact of academic research should not only value the benefits to the industry and the general public, but also consider how to learn from advanced practices that are already in operation in the cultural sector. Institution as Praxis investigates the ways in which we can propose alternatives to the traditional case-study research and identify investigative practices in the curatorial, art and visual cultures. Edited by Bill Balaskas and Carolina Rito, the book explores current debates and experimental practices across the HE and cultural sectors, indicating new curatorial and artistic directions for institutional research. This exploration inquires curatorial and artistic practices that have contributed to the expansion and invention of manifold research methodologies – institutional, practice-based, and collaborative, to name a few – and strategies that de-universalise and deneutralise the mechanisms of knowledge. The contributions take the form of essays, interviews, and project accounts. The essay “Networked Media and the Rise of Alternative Institutions: Art and Collaboration After 2008” by Bill Balaskas will explore the construction of material and immaterial micro-economies by artists and cultural organisations in the aftermath of 2008, and how they have been both informed by and resulted in new modes of collaborative research. The latter employ the shared value of the commons as a starting point in order to oppose the ramifications of data capitalism – a particularly harsh phase in the development of the capitalist economic model. This essay documents this shift in the social function of contemporary cultural production, exposing the often-paradigmatic role of the Web and new media technologies in the effort to collaborate differently for the common good.

Each patient is a research biorepository: Informatics-enabled research on surplus clinical specimens via the Living BioBank

Abstract: Summary The ability to analyze human specimens is the pillar of modern-day translational research. To enhance the research availability of relevant clinical specimens, we developed the Living BioBank (LBB) solution, which allows for just-in-time capture and delivery of phenotyped surplus laboratory medicine specimens. The LBB is a system-of-systems integrating research feasibility databases in i2b2, a real time clinical data warehouse, and an informatics system for institutional research services management (SPARC). LBB delivers de-identified clinical data and laboratory specimens. We further present an extension to our solution, the Living µBiome Bank, that allows the user to request and receive phenotyped specimen microbiome data. We discuss the details of the implementation of the LBB system and the necessary regulatory oversight for this solution. The conducted institutional focus group of translational investigators indicates an overall positive sentiment towards potential scientific results generated with the use of LBB. Reference implementation of LBB is available at https://LivingBioBank.musc.edu.

The amplification of student voices via institutional research and evaluation

Abstract: This chapter focuses on the evidence base which is collected in the name of student voice (often referenced in the singular rather than the plural), with the intention of supporting the transformation of the student learning experience. This exploration looks at how student voices are heard (or not heard) within institutions focusing on the methodologies adopted for research and evaluation with, for, or about students in higher education. This chapter presents a Typology of Institutional Research and Evaluation which claim to amplify student voices, outlining a conceptual overview of practices within the UK sector. This synopsis of seven categories provides a tool for academic leaders and educational developers to map and interrogate the scope of this activity within their own institutions to ensure that activity is designed and implemented from a critical standpoint. This includes methodological and ethical discussions of a variety of institutional research and evaluation approaches and the data hierarchy in which they sit.

Praxis for Accelerated Improvement in Research (PAIR).

Abstract: This article introduces the Praxis for Accelerated Improvement in Research (PAIR) as a transformative research management paradigm drawn from the participatory action research program focused on research production and publication in a private higher education institution in Manila, Philippines. PAIR mentoring scheme upholds establishing a committed and caring relationship between the mentor and the mentee, thereby developing a shared vision towards research. PAIR mentoring further underscores the need to institute a university research infrastructure to support its research programs and initiatives. This participatory and transformative approach to research management tendered significant (and accelerated) improvement in the Scopus® metrics of the university. Reflecting from the researchers’ and research participants’ journey in implementing and embracing change and improvement in the university research programs, this article argues that researchers need to advance connectedness, conviviality, optimism, shared vision, and prudence in all aspects of research. This article thereby recommends learning and researching within the lens of participatory and transformative paradigm. The authors further recommend to higher education institutions establishment of a sustained mentoring program where mentors and mentees mutually agree and commit to advance the research vision of the university collectively. Finally, this article reasons in favor of an institutional research infrastructure that nurtures not just the knowledge and skills in research, but also the attitude and values of its research stakeholders towards research and the overall research program of the organization.