Family, learning environments, learning approaches, and student outcomes in a Malaysian private university

This paper presents the quantitative findings from a mixed methods study of students and faculty at a private medical university in Malaysia. In particular, the relationships among students’ individual characteristics, general self-efficacy, family context, university and classroom learning environments, curriculum, approaches to learning, and measures of students’ academic achievement, self-directed learning readiness and mental health at the student level. Data were collected from 392 students attending a private medical university in Malaysia. The findings from the partial least square path (PLSPATH) suggest that: (a) parental involvement continues to impact and influence student learning process, and related student outcomes, at the university level, and (b) a surface approach to learning is related to poor quality processes and outcomes and a deep approach to learning is related to high quality processes and outcomes

What makes students happy? Factors influencing student engagement using student evaluation data

Context: This project began as a simple question to do with class size: Is class size related to teaching? 15,851 responses to a student evaluation survey form called the Course Experience Survey from Semester 2, 2006 in RMIT University were analysed. The sample contained 84% undergraduate and 13% postgraduate science, engineering and technology students. In addition to the information about study hours, age, whether students were part time or full time, we also included information about class size and delivery mode. It was found that class size was negatively related to good teaching [r=-0.25, n=14,280, p=0.000]. That is, students in large classes perceived the quality of teaching as poor. However, the effect of class size on teaching is considered small (Cohen, 1992), which then prompted us to investigate further to see if there were other factors which may influence students’ satisfaction with the course. That is, we tried to tease out the relationship between the various factors associated with student experiences in their courses. Actions taken: We asked if the students’ course satisfaction could be affected by factors such as personal characteristics, motivation, structural and learning environments. We believe that learning environment is one factor that could fall directly under a lecturer’s control to influence a student’s perception of the course in general. We would expect that the more effective the learning environment is, the better student perceptions of the course would be or the better engagement with courses would be

Comparison of offshore and onshore students' perceptions of university learning environments and quality of educational experiences: implications for teaching and learning

This paper presents the findings of a study of the relationship between offshore and onshore students’ perceptions of their learning environment and quality of education. The responses were analysed using hierarchical regression analyses, and the results showed that the students’ perceptions of learning environments were strong predictors of educational experiences for both the onshore and offshore students. The paper highlights the implications for teaching and learning, particularly, for managing the quality of offshore programs

Closing the loop: a case study of a post-evaluation strategy

This paper establishes the broad context of evaluation about learning and teaching in universities. It refers particularly to student feedback, indicating that current practice is less than satisfactory because universities complain of low response rates and students complain that they are not informed of results or any actions taken to improve courses and programs as a consequence of their feedback. The paper addresses the importance of valuing students’ views by communicating back to them and ensuring quality transformation of student feedback by ‘closing the loop’. It describes the Course and Program Review (CPR) model, designed by the University of Southern Queensland (USQ) and the new post-evaluation strategy

Crafting effective problems for problem-based learning

Educators in higher education are constantly rethinking about how they can better prepare their graduates for their professional career. The medical faculty at McMaster University pioneered Problem-based Learning (PBL) in the 1960s as an innovative approach to make learning more relevant and effective. Since then, PBL approach in education has had proven success in many fields of studies, most notably in the areas of medicine, architecture, nursing and construction management. According to Prof Howard S Barrows, 'An authentic PBL education would require the student to go through the same activities during learning that are valued in the real world. The intent is to challenge the student with patient problems that he will be faced in practice both as a stimulus for learning and a focus for organizing what has been learned for later recall and application to future work.' The focus of learning is the problem. Students acquire new knowledge and learn by solving problems. Hence, the quality of problem is important for the full benefits of PBL to be realized. Due to educators' own learning in the traditional education curriculum, most educators tend to craft problem based on their subject expertise. This violates the multi-disciplinary richness that PBL advocates. Being able to craft good problem becomes a critical skill for educators in PBL. This paper aims to describe the role of effective problem for reaping the full benefits of Authentic PBL and to posit the principles of designing effective problem

Authentic problem-based learning: rewriting business education

How relevant is business education today? Authentic problem-based learning is an educational philosophy that places students at centre stage of the learning experience to solve authentic problems that mirror real work demands. Its educational goals are to develop students in acquiring integrated knowledge, self-directed learning skills, problem-solving skills and team work skills. It promotes a culture of inquirers and replaces the culture of receivers. This book serves as a manual for implementing authentic problem-based learning. It sets out the principles to follow in designing an authentic problem-based learning curriculum and guidelines in designing good problems. It also explains how to conduct small group authentic problem-based learning tutorials and how to design assessments that reflect the educational goals of authentic problem-based learning

Rewriting marketing communications education using problem-based learning

Armed with a substantial grant from The Enterprise Challenge, the Prime Minister's Office of Singapore in 2000 to innovate higher education for the knowledge based economy, the authors piloted the implementation of Authentic Problem-Based Learning (APBL) in the Marketing Communications program at Temasek Polytechnic, Singapore in January to October 2001. The paper describes the rationale for the adoption of APBL as the preferred education philosophy to produce work-ready and change-ready graduates in Marketing Communications. It shows the nuts and bolts of PBL by describing the why, what, where, who, how and so what. Instead of adopting APBL as an add-on to the traditional curriculum, the authors aligned the education sub-systems namely: curriculum design, delivery and assessment in PBL. Adopting an integrated approach, the first step was to formulate the desired outcomes for their graduates. With this end in mind, the authors deconstructed the traditional curriculum; adopted small group tutorial process and involved the industry in problem design and assessment of their students' work. Along the APBL journey, they measured responses from students, staffs and industry partners to seek gaps for continuous improvement. Reflecting on their piloting work, the authors conclude with observations that they made in their APBL experiences

Tried and tested: issues and implications for educators in problem-based learning - relearning from the learners' perspective

The key engine that drives the new economic landscape is KNOWLEDGE. The demand for knowledge has intensified but the suppliers of knowledge – the education institutions - are still struggling to meet such a demand. It is not about just supplying content and technical expertise; it is also about how to produce a new breed of employees who can create and manage changing knowledge in the dynamic E-conomy. In response to this call, Temasek Business School revolutionised marketing education by adopting in its Diploma of Marketing (DM) programme the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) approach for the restructuring of its new marketing academic architecture. DM implemented PBL in ten Year 2 and Year 3 subjects in Semester 2, 1999/2000 and theme-based PBL for final-year learners in Semester 1, 2000/2001. An injection approach was adopted whereby PBL was planted within the current infrastructure. As in almost every change, resistance is a constant. This paper looks at the difficulties in PBL from the learners' perspective. The paper concludes with implications and issues for educators to enhance their effectiveness and relevance in using PBL. The findings also support the proposed fundamental shift in the marketing curriculum to adopt PBL as a philosophy rather than as a tool

Transforming the marketing curriculum using problem-based learning: a case study

This article describes the experiences of the marketing faculty at Temasek Polytechnic in Singapore in their effort to help their students develop essential entry-level skills by transforming the marketing curriculum using problem-based learning. The article describes how the faculty selected the problem-based learning approach and the challenges associated with implementing it. Evidence of the success of the new curriculum also is provided