Abstract: The use of fictional literature as “case studies” in psychology education has a potential to support students' learning in various ways. To further the understanding of such applications of fiction, we investigated how clinical psychology students perceived reading fiction as a learning activity. The participants saw benefits for their clinical training, theoretical understanding, and self-awareness. They also saw use of fiction in their education as predominantly beneficial for their learning environment. How the present findings support our understanding of fiction as an educational device is discussed in light of previous studies about the potential of fiction in higher education.

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Abstract: Peer-led team learning (PLTL) is a pedagogical method in which former students, i.e., those who have successfully completed the course, assist current students in learning course material either through supplemental instruction or in the classroom setting. The impact on student learning for students participating in a PLTL course is widely documented; however, there have been few studies about peer leaders’ experiences and the impact of PLTL on peer leaders. Fifty-two peer leaders assisting with a postsecondary organic chemistry course completed weekly journals about their experiences; the final journal entry prompted peer leaders to describe their relationship with their students by choosing a role that best described that relationship and providing an example of how they filled that role during the term. These entries were coded and analyzed for patterns. Results suggest that when peer leaders describe their relationships, some express they are teachers, others consider themselves guides or facilitators, and some view their role as mentors. We argue that there is a progression of increasing depth in the student-leader relationship that is demonstrated by the description of the roles ascribed by the peer leaders.

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Abstract: We experimentally assessed the efficacy of two online instructional methods, guided inquiry and video, on learning and conceptual change, while also examining the relationship of student characteristics to these outcomes. Results indicate an interaction between mindset and instructional method for learning; additional learner characteristics may also influence the efficacy of these instructional methods. Overall, misconceptions were resistant to change. Implications for online instruction and future directions for research are explored.

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Abstract: Language practices represent significant barriers to engagement in higher education for many learners from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds. In Australia, such students may be Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander learners, students from rural and remote locations, learners who are the first in their family to access higher education, from non-English speaking backgrounds, learners with interrupted schooling due to refugee or asylum seeker experiences, or first language speakers of English dialects that vary from the dominant forms privileged in the academy. While subject-specialist language and engagement with text can present ongoing challenges for many learners, such linguistic barriers—and the practical implications for academics engaged in teaching —often receive limited attention in institutional policy. This article reports on research that sought to critically examine how ten academics from different disciplines and university contexts perceive their role in the linguistically diversified academy, particularly but not exclusively, in relation to students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds. The experiences of the ten academics who contributed to this research offer a useful vantage point from which to consider the various ways in which language may be conceptualized in higher education, the possibilities for embedding linguistic support in content area instruction, and the need to ensure tailored and responsive language assistance for learners throughout their studies.

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Abstract: The purpose of this study was to explore the ways in which teacher engagement in partisan politics in Bangladesh higher education institutions have influenced their teaching as well as the learning of their students. The study also examined the teachers' perceptions of the benefits and challenges arising from their engagement in partisan politics. A case study methodology was adopted for this study with the goal of capturing each participants’ individuality and ensuring that in-depth information for each case was presented. One-on-one in-depth interviews were conducted directly with teachers in Bangladeshi higher institutions in order to explore their engagement in partisan politics. The study found that the higher institution teachers’ engagement in partisan politics took time away from their professional responsibilities and accountabilities, which had serious implications for their teaching and their students’ learning. In addition, while their engagement in partisan politics resulted in personal rewards for the teachers, it also undermined the status of teachers in general, as well as the reputation of higher learning institutions.

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Abstract: Undoubtedly, supporting reflection in student teachers during university-based training is one of most sustained measures to attain teacher professionalism. Therefore, at the Freie Universität Berlin an on-campus seminar designed to relate theory to practice and vice versa – the so-called Teaching and Learning Lab (TLLS) – was implemented over the course of five terms to stimulate reflective skills of English and physics teacher trainees. Investigations on the effectiveness of three types of the TLLS (no video and two types of video-supported reflections) compared to a parallel group (PG) and a control group (CG) occurred in a Mixed Methods quasi-experimental study. Reflective skills were elicited with vignettes, relevant covariates with questionnaires. Reflective development was then traced in the dimensions depth and breadth employing a Qualitative Content Analysis. MANCOVA and regression analyses revealed a substantive increase of reflective depth for English and Physics teacher trainees and breadth development for English TLLS-participants in contrast to both, a PG and a CG, even when controlling for the subjects’ individual prerequisites.

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Abstract: Educational leaders have called for the development of authentic experiences to better develop pre-service teachers’ competencies in the classroom, particularly with regard to working with students with disabilities. This research was conducted to study the impact of a unique experience of lunchtime social interaction between preservice teachers and students with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities in the transition age program at a local high school. The authors describe the experience and its influence on pre-service teachers’ competencies and beliefs. A qualitative analysis of reflection samples revealed pre-service teachers’ competencies in identifying the strengths and needs of students, as well as accommodations and instructional strategies to support them. Results suggest that the experience was effective in enhancing pre-service teachers’ positive beliefs and alleviating their fears about working with students with developmental disabilities. The study promotes the value of such inclusionary experiences on teacher education to prepare them for successfully including students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

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Abstract: This study explored the lived expectations of second-year undergraduate science students at a large, government-funded university in Australia. The investigation made use of a mixed methods approach to inform the understanding of the second year of study expectations. Findings identified three key contributors to expected second-year experiences: (1) academic activities, (2) support provisions, and (3) the complexities of combining study, work, and life balance. Evaluation indicated that the majority of respondents articulated realistic expectations regarding academic difficulties and challenges associated with the second year. To successfully complete second-year courses respondents expected to engage primarily with activities and resources recognizably associated with assessment. The study provides evidence of misalignment between some student expectations of available learning support and preferred forms of support in contrast to those afforded them by the university. Furthermore, respondents expected that to keep up with course requirements they would need more time investment in academic activities, thus impacting their ability to maintain a balanced lifestyle that integrated study, work, and social endeavours. The study also identified a subset of students who did not have a developed awareness of their learning modalities, were socially isolated, and were undertaking long hours of paid employment. These findings call for continued improvement of students’ expectations of second-year programs of study experiences to minimize poor student experiences through unmet need, including the development of sophomore slump.

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Abstract: Drawing on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), this qualitative study examines instructors’ behaviors in using Facebook in their teaching practices. Participants were ten instructors enrolled at various departments of universities in Turkey. Interviews were analyzed in order to understand the instructors' Facebook use for educational purposes. Results indicated that access, management, cooperation-socialization, sharing, and motivation were the main factors affecting instructors’ behaviors in using Facebook for educational purposes. While usefulness was prominent, ease of use was also frequently addressed in terms of TAM elements. Considering TAM, some external factors such as students’ use and social pressures were also influenced instructors’ intention and attitudes toward using Facebook in their classes. The implications of notable findings and directions for future studies are discussed.

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Abstract: While there has been an increased focus on designing and implementing social justice curricula and pedagogy in many graduate programs in education, gaps remain in the existing research on how faculty who teach doctoral students navigate and play an active role in teaching social justice and education. In a collective case study, I examine how two faculty members in education engage in teaching on social justice with doctoral students. Three major findings were generated from the multiple data sources to answer the research questions. First, the participants acknowledged a responsibility to expose students to social justice through their teaching. Second, the participants engaged students in critical dialogue to analyze and reflect on social justice. Third, the participants established advising and mentoring relationships to engage students about power, privilege, oppression, and social change.

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Abstract: A Faculty Learning Community comprised of four faculty members evaluated their work of implementing collaborative learning techniques (CoLTs) into their graduate and undergraduate courses that included different teaching modalities (traditional classroom, hybrid, and online). Two research questions were examined: a) Did students perceive that the implementation of CoLTs facilitated their mastery of course-specific student learning outcomes?, and b) Did students perceive that their group members worked equally? A total of 133 students participated in this study by filling out a survey asking for their evaluation of mastery of student learning outcomes and peer evaluation of group members' collaborative effort. Results show that the implementation of CoLTs facilitated students’ perception that they mastered the course-specific learning outcomes and that the workload was equally distributed among their group members. The contributions of current work and the potential use of the student survey used in this study are discussed.

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Abstract: As globalization increases and the international community moves toward greater interdependence, international learning experiences have become a core educational value for many American universities. Although there are various approaches to study abroad programming, the Semester at Sea (SAS) voyage is an understudied global education program. Using a sample of college students (N = 73), the present study examined differences between the cultural sensitivity and global mindedness scores of students prior to starting the SAS voyage and at the culmination of the voyage. The findings demonstrate significant increases in both global mindedness and cultural sensitivity at the completion of the program and support the positive role of cultural immersion experiences in student growth. Recommendations for future research and study abroad programming are also discussed.

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Abstract: The purpose of this study was to provide an integrated understanding of college students’ perceptions of effective teaching centering on students’ voices and learning experiences. Using a phenomenological approach, this study identified prominent attributes of effective teaching from interviews with undergraduate and graduate students at a Midwestern research university. The results concluded that a teacher-student relationship, engagement, and real-world experience are the most important qualities of effective teachers valued by students across disciplines and backgrounds. This study offers insight into teaching effectiveness and a useful guiding mechanism for teachers in developing a repertoire of effective teaching skills. This study recommends longitudinal research to understand how perceptions of effective teaching change as students mature and how their learning objectives and experiences shape and reshape the definition of teaching effectiveness. The study also suggests future research by looking into the comparisons between both students’ and teachers’ perceptions in order to gain a holistic understanding of effective teaching.

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Abstract: Enrollment in graduate programs continues to rise at a steady pace in the United States with a 9% increase over the past 10 years, a pace that is expected to continue through 2026. Among these students, 56% are “adult learners” between the ages of 25 through 39 years. With this in mind, instructors need to be mindful of the unique needs that these students have as they pursue advanced education. These learners require and are motivated by classroom experiences that are interactive, draw upon their professional and personal experiences, and through which they partner with others in the knowledge creation process. By leveraging adult learning theories and instructional approaches from the K-12 environment, the authors present classroom activities for adult learners that meet their unique needs. Examples are provided for how the activities can be used in a variety of disciplines.

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Abstract: Students with blindness or visual impairment face learning barriers in the typical higher education classroom where a great deal of information is conveyed visually. Instructors can use a variety of strategies to accommodate such students and make visually presented information accessible. One common and inexpensive strategy is the use of tactile graphics, which are graphics created with raised lines or bumps printed on special paper. However, due to the ways tactile information is processed, pedagogically these two-dimensional tactile graphics are not always ideal for understanding course concepts and developing mental models. We describe the benefits and logistics of a promising recent technology, 3D printing, that can benefit visually impaired students. The use of 3D printable designs shared as open educational resources can increase accessibility in the higher education classroom, even for instructors who have no interest in designing tactile learning aids themselves. The technology allows for incremental, iterative improvement and customization. For examples, we describe our experience using a 3D printed learning object in an introductory statistics course with a blind student, and we also describe our experience teaching an interdisciplinary service-learning course in which student teams worked with visually impaired individuals to design new 3D printable educational models.

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Abstract: This article describes a year-long doctoral course on ethnographic case study research in which a communities of practice approach helped non-traditional students manage the challenging identity negotiations of entering a new academic field. Co-taught by faculty in two disciplines—Rhetoric and Composition and Teaching, Learning, and Culture —the course enabled the students who were from both disciplines to work in research teams as they applied what they were learning about ethnographic research to actually conducting research in the site of required first-year university writing classes. The article describes the process of setting up the course, along with the challenges encountered. Excerpts from two students’ research notebooks and student interviews offer insights into how this pedagogical approach can assist non-traditional students in navigating their initial forays into research.

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