Abstract: Proactivity is important to individual success, particularly where individuals face significant obstacles and where formal support may be lacking or difficult to access. The study tracks mature students over a one-semester university preparation course designed for returners to learning. Measures of proactivity included proactive personality, confidence to perform proactive learning behaviors and frequency of proactive behaviors. While measures of proactive personality remained relatively stable, we observed increases in both confidence to perform and the frequency of proactive behaviors over time. At the end of semester these three variables were predictive of a number of outcomes including self-assessed self-directed learning, the taking of a mastery approach to learning, and grades. We argue that issues of proactivity are under-researched in higher education. The implications for course structure and student support are discussed.

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Abstract: The professional development of novice staff at the university still requires considerable improvement. In this research paper, and in an attempt to define a development model in higher education, attention is paid to the perspectives and judgments of novice university staff. The research focuses specifically on the expression of their problems, difficulties, dilemmas, and decisions related to their course plans and classroom contexts. The methodology applied here integrates processes of qualitative interpretation supported by the AQUAD Six data processing program in the presentation of results. These findings make clear the need to integrate novices into the teaching community in order to reduce the fears they experience on starting their academic careers and increase the benefits to the university community as a whole.

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Abstract: During a study abroad experience on the island of Vieques, Puerto Rico, participants found themselves in an “impromptu learning experience” that extended their learning beyond Puerto Rican culture to real-world debates of tourist development, environmental issues, and the struggles of the native population. In this paper, we introduce impromptu learning: an unplanned experiential learning experience, triggered by a significant and personalized incident, that engages, invigorates, and mobilizes students to seek further learning and knowledge. We used qualitative data in the form of interviews and students’ journals to describe and elucidate the characteristics of impromptu learning. Implications of these experiences and their potential for making study abroad as well as learning in other contexts more student-led and more effective for critical consciousness are discussed. In addition, recommendations for supporting and promoting impromptu learning experiences are provided.

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Abstract: This paper examines the emerging issues in the utilization of weblogs in Philippine higher education and how these issues affect the performance of students. This study used a modified Delphi method. The Delphi panel consisted of 12 experts in the integration of technology, particularly blogs, in their teaching. The study yielded the following issues: (a) limited time and access to computer and Internet; (b) tedious preparation, maintenance and management of blogs; (c) technological difficulties of students; (d) low level of interaction among students; (e) digression in comments posted; and (f) not used to online teaching. These issues may curb the optimized benefit of weblogs as a teaching-learning tool. The results of this study also highly recommend the use of standardized assessment tools for richer academic contributions of weblog activities. The study presents enlightening insights on the place and function of blogging in the academe.

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Abstract: Writing proficiencies in the K-12 setting and at the post-secondary level have become stagnant and have decreased in some instances. Several studies indicated using peer review was beneficial for students by increasing student engagement and providing appropriate feedback. The purpose of this study was to examine the use of a peer review workshop as a pedagogical tool to promote teacher-candidates’ increased proficiency in writing and teacher-candidates’ increased skills in using peer review as a formative assessment tool. The mixed methods study used the peer review forms completed by the participants and a follow-up survey as the data sources. The researchers found participants provided specific feedback, but they seemed to have difficulty clearly articulating specific strengths and weaknesses regarding the organization and mechanics of their peers’ essays. The implications for using this pedagogical tool are to continue to refine the peer review form and process. In addition, other discipline specific techniques and strategies should be explored regarding their ability to transcend discipline lines and promote teacher-candidates’ general pedagogical knowledge.

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Abstract: This paper is an attempt to explore the interaction discourse of second language undergraduate learners in the online peer review process of a writing classroom in Hong Kong. Specifically, the writer sought to investigate the types of online discourse learners have in the peer discussions on their writing, and to examine the role of explicit instructions and training for producing quality online peer discourses. Finally, she hoped to understand how instructors could better support and facilitate effective online discourse in peer reviews. Ongoing developments in Hong Kong’s higher education call for implementation of more innovative technology-assisted teaching methods that emphasize learner autonomy; thus, this study examines online discourse that occurred during the peer review process in a writing class in which learners assisted one another in revising their writing with the help of technology. The study was conducted on a group of first-year part-time undergraduate students in an Early Childhood Education program in Hong Kong. In this paper, the online peer discourse was assessed by examining the types of comments students made for their peers during two writing tasks: a group task and an individual task. To facilitate the analyses of peer responses, a coding scheme was used (Liang, 2008). Results show that students tended to give more positive revision-related comments and that explicit instruction and training had an impact on the quality and quantity of online discourse. In conclusion, the author identifies several essential elements for facilitating online peer response groups.

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Abstract: This study explores and compares the perspectives of three populations (faculty members, graduate students, and undergraduates) toward science teaching in the College of Chemical and Life Sciences at a research-intensive university. In particular, we investigate the role of faculty professional development in reforming undergraduate science education. In Spring 2011, we collected data through an online survey of 71 faculty members, 99 graduate teaching assistants, and 288 undergraduates in their senior year. We used mixed mode data analysis to examine the perceived importance of skills for undergraduates as viewed by the three populations and the reported practices used by faculty and experienced by students. We found that across all three groups most of the respondents placed a high value on active learning and conceptual understanding, which is consistent with national recommendations. However, when comparing reported beliefs with reported practices, we found that faculty members do not always incorporate active learning techniques. In order to bridge this gap, we suggest providing faculty with professional development opportunities, moral support from peers, and instructional support from science education and instructional technology specialists. Our findings support this recommendation, as faculty who were in teaching-focused communities reported using innovative practices more than those not in communities.

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Abstract: In this article the authors compare two phases of an ongoing, annual online peer observation project at the Open University. Adopting a non-managerialist approach, the project aims to give teachers a renewed sense of collegiality, allowing them to take responsibility for aspects of their professional development and share practice points. While the first phase focused on a single discipline group in languages, the second brought together teachers in languages with teachers of Math, Computing, and Technology, all employing Elluminate Live as their online teaching platform. The authors comment on congruent and divergent gains emerging from the two phases.

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Abstract: This paper is an investigation into undergraduate students’ perceptions on use of live projects as a teaching pedagogy in marketing research courses. Students in undergraduate marketing research courses from fall 2009 to spring 2013 completed an online questionnaire consisting of 17 items. The results suggested that student understanding of marketing research as a subject matter was significantly improved. The findings of this study are consistent with previous research, confirming the value of blending theory with practice. Specifically, this study found live-case projects were perceived by students to improve: (1) analytical skills, (2) understanding of subject matter, (3) critical thinking, (4) a comprehensive understanding of the research process; and (5) being engaged/active participants in class and in a more macro basis in their own education.

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Abstract: This study is a test of the effectiveness of a classroom role-playing exercise used to increase the understanding of cultural practices with which many Midwestern college students are uncomfortable. I employed a pre-test/post-test comparison group design. Students enrolled in two sections of a general education global issues course (N = 56) were asked about their perceptions about, and explanations for, the existence of female genital cutting in Egypt (the country they were studying). One section discussed the issue during a PowerPoint presentation, and the other section participated in an exercise in which they role-played family members deciding whether a daughter or sister would undergo the procedure. A comparison of post-test responses demonstrated increased understanding in both sections, but students in the experimental group better understood the collective implications of the practice on the entire family.

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Abstract: One of the main challenges in large undergraduate courses in higher education, especially those with multiple-sections, is to monitor what is going on at the section level and to track the consistency across sections in both instruction and grading. In this paper, it can be argued that a combination of both formative and summative assessment is necessary in order to cope with the aforementioned challenge. A combination of the two types of assessment is necessary so instructors can provide formative assessment for learning and summative assessment for assuring that the formative assessment is done appropriately. In addition, the combination of the two also aids in other instructional challenges such as time management, instructor training, and balancing coursework overload. The proposed instructional perspective is illustrated by the Assessment Clock model that shows when to conduct the various assessment tasks, their frequency, and by whom, along with supplementary explanations and clarifications.

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Abstract: Cultural intelligence is among the top essential learning outcomes for college graduates. Despite the emphasis on internationalizing higher education and the increased culturally focused initiatives across campuses, fewer than seven percent of college-level students meet even basic standards for cultural intelligence by the time they graduate with a bachelor’s degree. Research on the postsecondary experiences that lead to cultural intelligence is still rather limited. This paper, through an extensive review of the literature, presents the context of global education in higher education, discusses cultural intelligence and its dimensions, and presents recommendations on ways to infuse culturally intelligent practices inside and outside of postsecondary classrooms.

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Abstract: This article presents a critical media literacy technique for teaching about the social construction of terrorism. In a post-9/11 context where the human rights of Arabs and Muslims in the United States and overseas are threatened by drone attacks, profiling, detentions, and hate crimes, educators must not shy away from this issue. I use visual media to engage students with three questions: (1) How do everyday Americans define “terrorism” and perceive “terrorists”? (2) Where do these images come from? (3) What are the consequences for domestic and foreign policy? Using students’ own socialization as a starting point, I challenge them to consider how media representations can have real-life consequences.

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