Studying and working : a national study of student finances and student engagement

A key determinant of the new relationship between students and universities in Australia is the changing nature of higher education funding arrangements and the shift towards &ldquo;user-pays&rdquo;. In 2007, the Centre for the Study of Higher Education (CSHE) completed a commissioned national study, Australian University Student Finances 2006: Final Report of a National Survey of Students in Public Universities. Drawing on the project report, this article discusses selected findings relating to student expectations and engagement to present a worrying picture of financial duress and involvement in paid work and examines the possible effects on the quality of higher education. <br /

Graduates’ orientations to Higher Education and their retrospective experiences of teaching and learning

In this article, we sought a relation between orientation to higher education and curricular experiences, and elucidated the nature of transformative curricular experiences. Twenty-four graduates from humanities and science degrees in the year 2000 were interviewed approximately five years later to obtain their retrospective views on the purpose of higher education, as well as their undergraduate experiences of teaching and learning. Drawing on phenomenographic principles, four orientations to higher education were generated. Four participant cases are analyzed, representing each orientation to higher education. In the ‘gaining a qualification’ orientation, graduates valued being told what to learn, as well as learning practical skills. For the ‘preparation for a job’ orientation, graduates wanted lecturers who were good at conveying information, but they also valued project work, having some autonomy over learning and practical applications. In the ‘developing skills and learning how to think’ orientation, graduates valued being challenged and learning in groups, but also wanted to learn professional skills. In the ‘growing as an individual’ orientation, graduates valued being challenged, gaining different perspectives, developing critical thinking, learning about theory, interacting with lecturers, research, and study for its own sake. Some curricular experiences transformed thinking about the purpose of higher education, including learning through discussion in small groups, authentic learning tasks including inquiry-based assignments, exercises in developing critical thinking, opportunities to interact with teachers, opportunities to develop practical skills, experiencing different cultures and personal growth through lifestyle and social experiences. Our research has implications for advising students, as well as for teachers aiming to encourage a deep approach to learning

Judgments about plagiarism and plagiarising students in institutional definitions

Plagiarism is perceived as a serious problem for the higher education sector, indicated by the fact that all 39 Australian universities have a policy on plagiarism. It is therefore timely to ask: What are the characteristics of these policies? As an example of policy characteristics, this presentation discusses the types of attitudes inherent in the language of policy in the institutional definitions of Australian universities. It is argued that policies are not neutral, but rather contain judgments that show underlying attitudes, a situation neither surprising nor necessarily undesirable for plagiarism. These judgments contribute towards creating the university stance on important topics such as plagiarism and may clarify this stance for those new to the institution. University definitions of plagiarism have been analysed via Appraisal (Martin and White, 2005). The results indicate that the definitions contain a significant amount of judgment appraising plagiarism and plagiarising students negatively in terms of truthfulness and ethics. Students are predominantly appraised negatively in terms of their diligence, capability or adherence to accepted norms. Variation in the mix and emphasis of judgements in institutional definitions was found across the university sector

Plagiarism in higher education: confronting the policy dilemma

© 2010 Dr. Gabrielle Anne GriggPlagiarism is a problem that all universities have to address, not only to maintain academic standards, but also to maintain institutional reputation and confidence in the tertiary sector. In a global context of massification combined with competition for students, government funding, and income, these are crucial concerns. Policy is a central avenue for defining acceptable behaviour and for signalling that institutions are prepared to deal with activities contravening their expectations. However, plagiarism presents distinct challenges for policy, many of which arise from its amorphous nature. This study analyses the language, content and structure of policy according to the principles of social constructionism, using policy documentation related to student plagiarism from all 39 Australian universities. It is the first comprehensive, sector-wide survey of policy on plagiarism that also provides detailed analysis of depictions of plagiarism. This research shows the ways in which plagiarism is depicted as a problem for universities, and thus develops new insights into the relationship between conceptualisations of plagiarism as an offence and institutional responses to cases of plagiarism. The linguistic analysis approach of Appraisal is used as a device to analyse selected sections of policy documentation. These data are supplemented by interviews with people experienced in formulating and implementing policy on plagiarism. The study found that policy attributes multiple causes to unintentional plagiarism: misunderstanding; lack of knowledge; and carelessness. While it is acknowledged that there may be contributing factors, intentional plagiarism is attributed solely to student choice. Moreover, plagiarism is commonly depicted as an offence. Student intention is the key criterion for determining the severity, and the intensity of response, for any specific instance of plagiarism, although policy does not always express this explicitly. There is variation across the sector in the key criteria presented in policy. This thesis concluded that institutional policy acknowledges the complexity of plagiarism in its range of criteria and possible responses to individual cases. However, depicting minor and/or unintentional plagiarism as an offence may have some undesirable consequences for teaching and learning. This study offers broad recommendations for policy in minimising the predominating depiction of plagiarism as an offence; for approaching the criteria by which the severity of instances of plagiarism and the intensity of the institutional response to these cases are assessed; and for acknowledging the different contexts of coursework and research students

Global attitudes in the management of acute appendicitis during COVID-19 pandemic: ACIE Appy Study

Background: Surgical strategies are being adapted to face the COVID-19 pandemic. Recommendations on the management of acute appendicitis have been based on expert opinion, but very little evidence is available. This study addressed that dearth with a snapshot of worldwide approaches to appendicitis. Methods: The Association of Italian Surgeons in Europe designed an online survey to assess the current attitude of surgeons globally regarding the management of patients with acute appendicitis during the pandemic. Questions were divided into baseline information, hospital organization and screening, personal protective equipment, management and surgical approach, and patient presentation before versus during the pandemic. Results: Of 744 answers, 709 (from 66 countries) were complete and were included in the analysis. Most hospitals were treating both patients with and those without COVID. There was variation in screening indications and modality used, with chest X-ray plus molecular testing (PCR) being the commonest (19\ub78 per cent). Conservative management of complicated and uncomplicated appendicitis was used by 6\ub76 and 2\ub74 per cent respectively before, but 23\ub77 and 5\ub73 per cent, during the pandemic (both P < 0\ub7001). One-third changed their approach from laparoscopic to open surgery owing to the popular (but evidence-lacking) advice from expert groups during the initial phase of the pandemic. No agreement on how to filter surgical smoke plume during laparoscopy was identified. There was an overall reduction in the number of patients admitted with appendicitis and one-third felt that patients who did present had more severe appendicitis than they usually observe. Conclusion: Conservative management of mild appendicitis has been possible during the pandemic. The fact that some surgeons switched to open appendicectomy may reflect the poor guidelines that emanated in the early phase of SARS-CoV-2