Abstract: This paper is about a framework as heuristic to design and develop a workshop for academic teaching staff to use tablets for teaching and learning in the classroom at the University of Johannesburg (UJ). Theories of Cultural-Historical Activity and Engeström’s activity systems are also incorporated, as are a critique and a critical analysis of the progressive development of a workshop focusing on tablets in the classroom. Currently, mostly first-year student lecturers are involved: 150 participants attended six workshops over six months. The research question incited the following design-based research: how is a workshop developed for lecturers to use tablets for teaching and learning in the classroom? The phases of this include a review of the needs analysis, formative development, evaluation of effectiveness, and documentation, which serve as the outline of this report. Findings and conclusions are presented around interactions, collaboration, use of open spaces, formative assessment, progressive skills development, and a short evaluation.

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Abstract: Student preferences among instructional methods are largely unexplored across the accounting curriculum. The algorithmic rigor of courses and the societal culture can influence these preferences. This study explored students’ preferences of instructional methods for learning in six courses of the accounting curriculum that differ in algorithmic pedagogy. One hundred and thirty-nine accounting students attending a major Sri Lankan university took part in the study. For six courses in the curriculum, the study investigated students’ preferences of traditional, interactive, and case-study-based group instructional methods. Students least preferred the traditional instructional method across all courses. Students most preferred the interactive instructional method in high algorithmic courses. In the two low algorithmic courses, students most preferred the case-study-based group instructional method in the management course and the interactive and case-study-based group instructional methods in the business law course. The implications are outlined for an algorithmic pedagogy such as an accounting curriculum.

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Abstract: Intercultural competency (ICC) has been an extensively researched area within the past decade, given the broad consensus that this trait constitutes one of the key competencies of the 21st century manager. However, somewhat under-explored are aspects including the implications and effects that pedagogies such as blended learning have on the inculcation of ICC traits, specifically within the context of multicultural, multi-ethnic university level student groups in Australia, within which this research has been conducted. Drawing on social psychology, this exploratory study examines perceptual data on blended learning experiences within a cross-cultural higher education setting. Results suggest that intercultural competency is best learned through social exchanges, such as face-to-face rather than blended learning. Our findings provide support for the importance of context, which is significantly related to cross-cultural studies and curriculum development and design.

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Abstract: This study aimed to investigate Chinese students’ perceptions of effective teaching. Four hundred and thirty college students participated in this investigation. They were asked to identify 3 to 6 characteristics of effective college instructors and explain why. Themes were extracted from these qualitative data via constant comparison analysis, which then were analyzed quantitatively via descriptive and canonical discriminant analysis. The results showed that the Ethical theme was the most frequently perceived characteristic of effective college teachers. Interestingly, this theme was not reflected in the teacher evaluation forms that are currently used to evaluate teachers in China. Further, the themes identified in this study were compared with themes identified in Onwuegbuzie et al.’s (2007) study among U.S. students. The theme of Responsive received the lowest endorsement in both countries. Further, the theme of Expert had a very high endorsement rate in both countries. Also, the theme of Student-Centered received the highest endorsement from U.S. participants, in contrast to a modest endorsement from Chinese participants. Three themes, Humorous, Open-Minded, and Glamour, emerged as new themes in the Chinese sample. The implications of these findings are discussed.

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Abstract: This article presents the early findings of an experimental design to see if students perform better when taking collaborative notes in small groups as compared to students who use traditional notes. Students are increasingly bringing electronic devices into social science classrooms. Few instructors have attempted robustly and systematically to implement this technology to facilitate student learning. This study examines the efficacy of using technology to improve student note-taking. Cloud-based collaborative software makes it possible for the first time to break down the most basic walls that separate students during the process of taking and encoding notes. Collaborative note participants used Google Drive under direction of an instructor to assess performance differences. Strong evidence is found that such groups improve grades and related learning outcomes.

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Abstract: There is no defined theory for teaching Qualitative Inquiry, and very few studies have focused on the topic. This study is a qualitative case study focused on the Qualitative Methods course that I teach at a college of education in Israel. The aim of the study is to explore and describe the course, to provide a true picture of my pedagogy, and to learn from it. The participants are 30 student-teachers, aged 25-46, who teach in elementary schools and have no previous research experience. Research tools used for data collection are 10 observations of the course lessons by a colleague; 10 open self-reflections written by participants; 10 self-reflections of the researcher who is, in this case, also the teacher; participants' feedback for the course; participants' responses to the researcher's routine comments written on students' papers; and field notes. The constant comparative method and the grounded theory techniques are used for analysis. Results show a qualitative research-led pedagogy model which is consistent with the conventional systematic outlook while fostering post-modern epistemological views, high levels of student's self-efficacy, high performance, self-direction, and integrity in conducting research. I hope my description would encourage other researchers to continue exploring new pedagogic strategies for teaching Qualitative Inquiry.

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Abstract: Teacher preparation programs and accreditation organizations have acknowledged need for educators to demonstrate intercultural knowledge, skills, and abilities. Teacher educators are responding to emphasis in higher education to assure that graduates achieve intercultural competence (NCATE, 2008). This study compared the cultural competency of university students before and after participation in domestic intensive and intentional cross-cultural undergraduate courses. Data analysis showed that undergraduate students began their classes at the same levels of intercultural competence, with ethnocentric views that minimize cultural differences between themselves and others. Students usually began with over-estimating their intercultural competence. However, their actual developmental orientation toward cultural differences was more ethno-centric. Due to their lack of experience among people of cultures different than their own, they were more likely to minimize cultural differences and emphasize cultural commonalities. During this investigation, after the first semester, data analysis showed no statistically significant change in students’ cultural competence. After a semester with higher-impact activities (e.g., cultural partnerships), subjects showed statistically significant positive gains in their orientations to cultures different than their own. Investigators concluded that domestic inter-cultural experiences may encourage university students to not only learn about others, but also learn from and with others.

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Abstract: This paper focuses on an ongoing international collaboration between two large public universities, one in the US and one in Mexico, through projects in program development, faculty exchange, graduate student/teacher field experiences, student mentoring and joint research in the area of a foreign/second language teaching and teacher development. Insights from the literature on higher education collaboration and teacher exchange are presented, along with an analysis of the characteristics and conditions that have contributed to this particular network of collaborations over a ten-year period from 2004-2014 and still continues today. Consideration is given to ways in which collaborating across diverse cultures is complex and how networks can contribute to teacher learning. We conclude with implications for collaboration, especially in intercultural teacher education, among diverse higher education participants across geopolitical and cultural boundaries.

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Abstract: The inclusion of supplemental online assignments and in-class active learning activities can lead to greater levels of student engagement and learning. Students reported that they were more engaged in the classroom and felt that both helped them in exam preparation. Both were also shown to have positively affected student performance and, perhaps most hearteningly, seemed to have had the greatest impact on lower achieving students.

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Abstract: The purpose of this study was to identify areas of APA formatting that college instructors view as most problematic in student writing. Using a Likert-style survey, the greatest areas of reported concern were problems with documentation, specifically, citations, references, and quoting; of lesser concern were various style and formatting errors in student work. Respondents included 135 primarily undergraduate faculty members at institutions where APA style is the required documentation style across disciplines. While the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association is the definitive source, there are a number of tools, resources, and strategies that may facilitate students’ mastery of APA style guidelines. In addition to identifying instructors’ concerns, we offer a number of instructional aids (i.e., teaching strategies, support resources, feedback bank, and a sample rubric) to help faculty address the main areas of concern.

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Abstract: This study explored the perceptions and experiences of a group of students enrolled in an online course in Economic Evaluation. A mixed methods approach was adopted for the data collection, and thematic analysis was used to synthesize the data collected and highlight key findings. The participants identified several positive and negative perceived attributes of online learning, many of which are well documented in the literature. In addition, after exposure to the course, participants reported several factors that affected their learning experience on this course, some of which have not yet been reported in the wider literature. The five main factors affecting learning on this course include: 1) pace of learning in an online environment, 2) learning style, 3) immediacy of feedback, 4) method of content delivery, and 5) issues around navigating content. These findings could help improve online teaching practice and learning quality in future courses.

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Abstract: This article explores the design and implementation of the curriculum for City Seminar, an integrated course in the first-year experience at a new community college. This interdisciplinary course focuses on a critical issue that provides content and context for quantitative reasoning (QR), reading, and writing (RW) to strengthen students’ developmental skills. This integrated curriculum is taught in a learning community. Its goals include greater information retention, better transfer of knowledge and developmental skills-building while students earn college credit. These tie in with the College’s overarching goals of improving retention and graduation rates. Early results from this curriculum are encouraging.

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Abstract: Training in research methodology is becoming more commonly expected within undergraduate curricula designed to prepare students for entry into graduate allied health programs. Little information is currently available about pedagogical strategies to promote undergraduate students’ learning of research methods, and less yet is available discussing the challenges and benefits of such approaches for students and faculty. The present article provides a brief review of literature of pedagogically descriptive articles, provides two further examples of possible approaches, and discusses the challenges and benefits of using the described approaches to teach research methods to undergraduates in the health sciences.

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Abstract: Drawing on four years of anecdotal data and student feedback on course evaluations, this paper provides a retrospective account of the author’s experience with teacher candidates in an elementary writing instruction course as first-time authors of children’s books, in particular focusing on a writing workshop approach as an effective pedagogical orientation to scaffold reluctant writers through the writing process. The primary diagnostic “tool” or form of assessment of student writing within the writing workshop model of instruction is accomplished through writing conferences. In the practice of conferring as a primary form of assessment, a constructive literacy approach is embraced within which the assessment of student writing is designed to offer ongoing targeted feedback and incremental goals for improvement, as well as guide subsequent re-engagement lessons. In the process, students’ stamina as writers is built, the assessment stance and overall effectiveness as an instructor of writing instruction is improved, and the learning outcomes of the course are better met. The paper serves a paradigmatic or illustrative purpose that may inform other education professionals and contribute to their repertoire of pedagogical skills or assessment practices, encourage conversations about honing our craft as educators, and generate questions for future empirical analysis.

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