Student’s perception to learning of innovative skills through multidimensional visualization system: Reliability and validity tests of some measurements

Learning has been described as the process of obtaining new knowledge, skills and habits, and can be subjective to the individual preparedness to learn, especially in the context of gaining the innovative skills.Knowing the perception of student’s towards learning of innovative skills would assist the management and teachers on the appropriate approach for teaching. However, there has been less or no research that focuses on bringing the perception of students towards the learning of innovative skills into reality prior to the commencement of teaching. Therefore, a Multi Dimensional Visualization system is proposed in this research to reveal the level of perception of students towards learning of innovative skills in university set up by adapted Expectation Confirmation Model.An experiment was conducted by engaging 200 undergraduate students within the university campus so as to measure their level of perception towards learning of innovative skills using the proposed system.A measurement model analytical technique from the perspective of Partial Least Square of Structural Equation Model was used to confirm the reliability and validity of the proposed system, while the result shows high accuracy.This research gives useful hints for the university’s management by obtaining the perception of student prior to learning of innovative skills

Exploring Enablers and Barriers to Educator Engagement in Teaching Innovation

This paper explores the literature related to educator engagement in teaching, learning, assessment and feedback innovation (further referred to here as ‘teaching innovation’) in higher education institutions, describing the main enablers and barriers to innovation. These include consideration of formal and informal learning opportunities for educators, the role of management and leadership, as well as recognition and reward systems, teaching-research conflict, workload and time demands, and policies and procedures. These are examined within the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model as job resources and job demands to facilitate understanding of how these may influence educator engagement in teaching innovation in interaction with each other, as well as the educator’s personal resources. Literature-informed recommendations are also made on how higher education institutions can create an organisational climate conducive to educator engagement in teaching innovation

Framework for Measuring Innovation Performance in Higher Education Institutions

Current approaches to measuring innovation in higher education (HE) provide a very limited picture about the real scope of the innovation activities of higher education institutions (HEI) as they address only some dimensions of HEI innovativeness, which negatively affects the ability of the HEI to manage its innovative efforts. The purpose of this paper is to present a way forward on how to measure HEI innovation performance that will go further than the usual indices. It describes a five-perspective framework with dedicated, comprehensive metrics for the measurement of HEI innovation performance. To test the concept and the possibility of empirical application two consecutive surveys have been conducted. Survey of innovation performance was conducted in order to collect hard data on HEI innovation performance and 14 persons in charge of completing the innovation performance questionnaire were interviewed in order to better understand the availability and reliability of the requested data

Proposta de uma Estratégia para o Desenvolvimento de Novos Cursos de Ensino Superior

The study has proposed a model that systematizes the process of construction of a new course of higher education. From the fundamentals that guide the strategies in services and the new services development, and supported in studies found on the new services development for the education sector, the construction of the model was possible, which is divided into: antecedents, development and implementation of the new course in higher education. At the end of the research, a case study at a higher education institution that follows certain procedures to offer a new course allowed us to compare the proposed model with the processes undertaken by the institution investigated. The proposed model guides the provision of new courses to the market and gives a first step in scientific research on the topic.El estudio ha propuesto un modelo que sistematice el proceso de construcción de un nuevo curso de educación superior. A partir de los fundamentos que orientan las estrategias en los servicios y de la oferta de nuevos servicios, y apoyado en los estudios encontrados sobre el desarrollo de nuevos servicios para el sector educacional, fue posible la construcción del modelo, que se divide en: antecedentes, desarrollo e implementación del nuevo curso en la enseñanza superior. Al final de la investigación, se presenta un estudio de caso de una institución de educación superior que sigue determinados procedimientos para ofrecer un nuevo curso superior que permitió comparar el modelo propuesto con los procesos realizados por la institución investigada. El modelo propuesto orienta la oferta de nuevos cursos al mercado y da un primer paso para la investigación científica sobre la temática.O estudo apresenta proposta de um modelo que sistematiza o processo de construção de um novo curso de ensino superior. Buscou-se por meio de pesquisas anteriores que esclarecem as estratégias em serviços e a oferta de novos serviços, o desenvolvimento de novos serviços educacionais. Apoiado nos estudos encontrados sobre o desenvolvimento de novos serviços para o setor educacional, foi possível a construção do modelo, que é dividido em: antecedentes, desenvolvimento e implementação do novo curso no ensino superior. Ao final da pesquisa, o modelo proposto foi comparado aos processos realizados por uma instituição de ensino superior. O modelo proposto pode ser útil para os gestores das instituições de ensino superior, quando estes decidem pela oferta de novos cursos ao mercado. DOI:10.5585/riae.v10i2.168

Faith capital: a persistence study of two student learning communities at a northeastern community college

The purpose of this embedded single-case study is to explore and better understand what social and institutional factors account for the success or lack of success in developing, delivering, and sustaining learning communities in support of at-risk, underprepared students enrolled at the community college where the research was conducted. Towards that end, theories of social capital, social justice education, and emergent organizational strategies are aligned with practitioner perspectives in an examination of two student learning community initiatives at the college. Faith capital (Hanson, 2001) is a secular notion aligned with the principles of social capital as an integrative locus for institutional effectiveness and as a means to socially-just educational practice. It is collectively engendered by members of social networks whose principles, espoused values, and associability interact without strict dependence on a prevailing organizational hierarchy at the college. In practicing faith capital, members of social networks lend their knowledge, expertise, and determination to the production of social capital and the provision of public good. The public good produced by these social networks are student learning communities providing enhanced pathways to postsecondary degrees for at-risk, underprepared students at the college

Influential factors in the adoption and implementation of educational technology at the University of Liverpool

This research explored the factors perceived to be influential for members of staff at the University of Liverpool (UoL) to adopt and implement educational technologies. The research was based in practice and the UoL examined as a case study. The theoretical framework was based upon innovation research and informed by Rogers’ (2003) Diffusion of Innovations (DOI), and Ely’s (1999) eight conditions of implementation. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with sixteen members of staff. Thematic analysis of the interview transcripts complemented an analysis of relevant UoL documentation. I did not find evidence for five categories of adopters as defined in the DOI. Instead I proposed three categories: Enthusiasts, Pragmatists and Risk Aversives. These categories were not perceived to be static but varied as a result of contextual and individual factors. Participants’ perceptions of drivers and rationales were examined using Hannan’s (2005) concept of drivers for directed, guided and individual innovations. Directed institutional drivers were generally perceived to be lacking, though some faculty, school or departmental drivers were reported. Guided drivers were not reported. However, participants perceived certain general institutional activities to be drivers. I defined these as indirect drivers. Several individual drivers were reported including a perception of benefit, general interest and career benefit. Factors perceived to enable participants to utilise educational technologies effectively were split between the support available from central services and informal developments within faculties, schools and departments. The availability of accessible colleagues, or near peers, was reported as one of the most influential factors. My findings were contrasted with the innovation-decision process of Rogers’ (2003) DOI and Ely’s (1999) eight implementation conditions. A new model focused upon the importance of context was proposed. There are implications for how the UoL supports the adoption and implementation of educational technologies. Recommendations are made and areas for further research are identified

DRIVERS OF QUALITY ASSURANCE IMPLEMENTATION IN HIGHER EDUCATION: THE CASE OF LEBANESE PRIVATE BUSINESS SCHOOLS

This research provides evidence on the relationship between responsiveness to quality assurance implementation and a business school i) organisational and leadership characteristics, ii) stakeholders’ perceptions of quality assurance as innovation, and iii) the institutional pressures in the organisational field. It is based on the insights from the institutional theory and the diffusion of innovation theory and uses a mixed-methods research approach. The current global demand for accountability and concern with educational productivity in higher education makes this research timely. The results of the study indicate that a business school’s level of internationalisation (normative pressure) is positively associated with responsiveness whereas competition (mimetic pressure) and the government stipulations (coercive pressure) are not significant in determining whether a business school will or will not implement any quality assurance measures. In addition, leadership and organisational characteristics (such as size and level of conferred degrees) have been found to be associated with positive responsiveness. On the other hand, stakeholders’ perceptions of quality assurance as innovation have not been found to explain the level of responsiveness to quality assurance implementation. This research concludes that responsiveness is due to a number of factors; government guidelines for quality assurance have not been seen to be effective mainly due to the lack of sanctions. The type of business has been found to impact responsiveness to quality implementation with for-profit organisations being less likely to implement quality assurance measures than their not-for- profit counterparts. By recommending appropriate approaches to increase institutional responsiveness to implement quality assurance, the research contributes to practice as it may inform state and business schools decision makers on the appropriateness of their policy formulation and execution. It can thus assist in drawing well-versed strategies and tactics. The research also contributes to the body of knowledge on the factors affecting the adoption of quality assurance in higher education institutions