Learning And Teaching In Higher Education

Teaching without Authority

by Hin-Yan Liu

46(2) The Law Teacher (2012), 146-164

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/03069400.2012.681177?noFrame=true

This article seeks to examine the roles played by authority within the classroom in the legal education context and... more This article seeks to examine the roles played by authority within the classroom in the legal education context and its potential impact on the models of pedagogical practice. Among the pertinent factors fuelling the changing demographics of the law student body is the perceived attraction of practising law in the United Kingdom which increases the popularity of graduate conversion routes into the profession both by qualified legal practitioners from other jurisdictions and by mature students with experience in other areas. This raises a number of potential difficulties for junior law teachers in so far as this changing student body demographic is capable of challenging the teacher’s real or perceived authority in the classroom which was hitherto considered a crucial tool to the educator. This article discusses the effects of the closing gap of knowledge and experience between the teacher and the student body and how the adoption of different models of pedagogy may alleviate certain difficulties that arise, perhaps to the extent of transforming this weakness into strength. In the end, however, whether to use different pedagogical models to compensate for a lack of relative authority in the classroom may hinge upon whether legal training should primarily be academically oriented or more akin to training for the practice of a trade, raising questions regarding the appropriate form and function of legal education.

Gender and Teaching in Higher Education by Margaret Miles

by Feminism and Religion

Originally published on the Feminism and Religion project

First thing to say is that your experience in teaching will be different than mine. Then was then (1978); now is... more First thing to say is that your experience in teaching will be different than mine. Then was then (1978); now is now.

My first position (GTU doctorate in history; assistant professor, tenure track) was at the Harvard University Divinity School. My starting pay was 15k and I felt rich because I’d been a grad student! The first thing I needed to know – and didn’t – was that everyone at HDS, students and faculty alike was sure that he/she, but especially she, was an imposter, the one that the search committee or admissions committee had made a mistake in inviting them. I became the first tenured woman at HDS in 1985. At the end of the 80s, still the only tenured woman, with a lot of help from my friends, I initiated a doctoral concentration in Religion, Gender, and Culture.

Misyurov D.A. Dialectical formulas based on the binary notation as the development formulas // Credo New. 2012. №2

by Dmitry Misyurov

The article suggests dialectical formulas based on the binary notation as the development formulas: formula with... more The article suggests dialectical formulas based on the binary notation as the development formulas: formula with dominant and the non-dominant elements; universal formula; formula with symbolic weight of elements; tautological formula. For example, it suggests an opportunity to use the dialectical formulas for modeling and artificial intelligence creation, etc.

“Passing” for White to Get Into Harvard? By Grace Yia-Hei Kao

by Feminism and Religion

Originally published on Feminism and Religion project

Asian Americans and Harvard University have been in the news and on my mind recently. The bigger story has been about... more Asian Americans and Harvard University have been in the news and on my mind recently. The bigger story has been about the “Linsanity” surrounding (Harvard grad) New York Knicks player Jeremy Lin who continues to take the NBA by storm.

The smaller story, though one that also made national headlines in  early February, is of the recent decision by the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights to investigate a complaint that Harvard and Princeton Universities discriminate against Asian Americans in admissions.

According to Daniel Golden of the Bloomberg News who first broke the story:

“Like Jews in the first half of the 20th century, who faced quotas at Harvard, Princeton, and other Ivy League schools, Asian-Americans are over-represented at top universities relative to their population, yet must meet a higher standard than other applicants based on measures such as test scores and high school grades, according to several academic studies.”

Learning the Hard Way

by STAMATIA KREMMYDA

published in 'Insight, Edinburgh University Economics Magazine', page 30

The impossibility of Quality in Teaching

by Jill LeBihan

Previously published internally at SHU as a result of a Faculty Learning, Teaching and Assessment event.

Standing Room Only - Posture, Space and the Learning Process in ESL Classes

by Thorold (Thor) May

This article explores the role of posture in the language learning process, and concludes that it is sometimes... more This article explores the role of posture in the language learning process, and concludes that it is sometimes critical for learning success. Principles of learning and moving are outlined. The history of physical movement in study is briefly traced. A Korean case study is presented of “failed” tertiary students who learn to learn on their feet. The paper is a practical guide for teachers who wish to experiment with physical movement and location in their own ESL/EFL classrooms .

Service-learning in higher education relevant to the promotion of physical activity, healthful eating, and prevention of obesity

by Ric Rosenkranz

Rosenkranz, R.R. In press at International Journal of Preventive Medicine

Service-learning is a type of experiential teaching and learning strategy combining classroom instruction and... more Service-learning is a type of experiential teaching and learning strategy combining classroom instruction and meaningful community service and guided activities for reflection. This educational approach has been used frequently in higher education settings, including an array of disciplines such as medicine, theology, public health, physical education, nutrition, psychology, anthropology, and sociology. The purpose of the present review paper was to provide guidance on the use of service-learning within higher education, relevant to the preventive medicine and public health topics of healthful eating, physical activity, and obesity prevention. In service-learning, coursework is structured to address community needs, and to benefit students through the real-world application of knowledge. The benefits for students include positive impacts on social skills, empathy, awareness, understanding, and concern regarding community issues, plus greater confidence and skills to work with diverse populations, increased awareness of community resources, improved motivation, and enhanced knowledge. Educational institutions may also benefit through improved “town and gown” relations, as strong ties, partnerships, and mutually beneficial activities take place. The present literature review describes several service-learning applications such as nutrition education for kids, dietary improvement for seniors, foodservice recipe modification on a college campus, an intergenerational physical activity program for nursing home residents, motor skill development in kindergarteners, organised elementary school recess physical activities, health education, and obesity prevention in children. From this review, service-learning appears to have great potential as a flexible component of academic coursework in the areas of preventive medicine and public health.


Keywords: Community; Health; Teaching; Learning

UNIVERSITY-BASED MENTORING PROGRAMMES FOR HIGH-RISK FIRST YEAR STUDENTS: A CRITICAL LITERATURE REVIEW

by Alexis Pillay

Masters Research Report

The development, implementation and perpetuation of student development programmes have become an essential strategy... more The development, implementation and perpetuation of student development programmes have become an essential strategy at South African universities, to meet the increasing massification of higher education head on. As a result of the diversification of this sector, previously disadvantaged groupings now frequent campuses, many of whom are underprepared and therefore need additional support to enhance their chances of success. Based on these conditions universities are under increasing pressure to improve student outcomes such as retention, persistence and completion. Mentoring is one mechanism used by universities to foster those outcomes. Mentoring has received considerable exposure in recent decades and this is evident by the proliferation of research covering the topic. In this report the literature on this ubiquitous yet elusive concept is reviewed. Firstly, an orientation to the problem is outlined. Secondly, the methodology for excavating secondary data sources is summarised. Thirdly, a critical review of literature is mapped out with the aim of harvesting key tenets to enable a ‘best practice’ mentoring programme capable of addressing transitional challenges of high-risk underprepared students. As a result, the meaning of mentoring is explored; the roles, categories, and typologies are defined; and theories reinforcing mentoring impact are delineated. Research demonstrates that mentoring is associated with a wide range of favourable cognitive, conative and affective outcomes. However, although higher incidence of positive outcomes associated with mentoring is found, sufficient evidence suggests that the ‘dark side’ of mentoring does exist. Lastly, a research proposal will validate how research should be undertaken to enable the development of a mentoring programme in which greater adherence to guidelines for the design and implementation of effective mentoring programmes should to be included.


Keywords: Mentoring, student development, university, undergraduate, students, first-year, extended programme, foundation provision, academic support, social support, underprepared, at-risk, high-risk, transition, retention, persistence, throughput, attrition, dropout.

Estranged-Gaze Pedagogy: Probing Architectural Computing through Multiple Ways of Seeing

by Stanislav Roudavski

Cite as: Roudavski, Stanislav (2012). 'Estranged-Gaze Pedagogy: Probing Architectural Computing through Multiple Ways of Seeing', in Beyond Codes and Pixels: Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Computer-Aided Architectural Design Research in Asia, ed. by Thomas Fischer, et al. (Chennai, India: CAADRIA), pp. 659–668

This paper discusses the challenges of teaching architectural design theory in a world transformed by the digital... more This paper discusses the challenges of teaching architectural design theory in a world transformed by the digital revolution. Design is changing in dramatic ways and architecture is changing with it but a well-defined body of knowledge that can serve as a foundation for digital architectural design has – as yet – not been established. Relevant concepts, methods and precedents originate in many fields that are typically well beyond the scope of reading suggested to (or encountered by) students of architecture. This material is highly dynamic, often contradictory and, typically, of varying quality. Presenting this developing body of knowledge to students is a difficult challenge. A suitable pedagogical approach ought to reflect the heterogeneous and volatile nature of the contemporary design discourse enabling critical analysis of existing design practices, evidenced defence of one’s own creative work and successful communication with many heterogeneous stakeholders.

Keywords: critical pedagogy; digital architectural design; architectural theory; architectural education.

Deroey, K. L. B., & Taverniers, M. (forthcoming). Just remember this: Lexicogrammatical relevance markers in lectures. English for Specific Purposes

by Katrien Deroey

This paper presents a comprehensive overview of lexicogrammatical devices which highlight important or relevant points... more This paper presents a comprehensive overview of lexicogrammatical devices which highlight important or relevant points in lectures. Despite the established usefulness of discourse organizational cues for lecture comprehension and note-taking, very little is known about the marking of relevance in this genre. The current overview of lexicogrammatical relevance markers combines a qualitative and quantitative investigation of 160 lectures from the British Academic Spoken English (BASE) corpus. These markers could mostly be classified according to their main element into adjective, noun, verb and adverb patterns. Verb patterns were the most common, followed by noun patterns. The verb pattern V clause (e.g. remember slavery had already been legally abolished) and the noun pattern MN v-link (e.g. the point is) are the predominant types of relevance markers. The discrepancy between the prevalent markers and what may be thought of as prototypical or included in EAP textbooks as relevance markers also demonstrates the need for corpus linguistic research. Implications for EAP course design, teaching English for lecturing purposes, and educational research are discussed

Deroey, K. L. B., & Taverniers, M. (2011). A corpus-based study of lecture functions. Moderna Språk, 105(2), 1-22.

by Katrien Deroey

Despite the importance of lectures in higher education, relatively little is known about lecture discourse. To... more Despite the importance of lectures in higher education, relatively little is known about lecture discourse. To contribute to our understanding of this genre, this paper presents a comprehensive overview of lecture functions, i.e. what lecturers use language for. The functional overview is based on a qualitative analysis of lectures from the British Academic Spoken English Corpus and findings from existing research. Six main functions were identified: informing, elaborating, evaluating, organizing discourse, interacting and managing the class. This functional analysis of the lecture genre should be of interest to both genre analysts in the field of academic discourse and English for Academic Purposes practitioners.

Romológia a Pécsi Tudományegyetemen

by Forray R. Katalin

Based on a lecture given at the "Mandulaviragzas" Conference, 1-3 March 2012, University of Pécs, Hungary.

Roma Studies at the University of Pécs, Hungary.

Roma languages and cultures were introduced as a field of... more Roma Studies at the University of Pécs, Hungary.

Roma languages and cultures were introduced as a field of study to the curricula of the Faculty of Arts as early as 1998. The model of such studies were the paralel programmes of other national communities living in Hungary like Germans or Croats. Roma studies involve the Roma / Gypsy languages as well as information about their cultural heritages and socio-political situation. The Chair for the Roma Studies became a focal point of students of Roma / Gypsy origin who were ambitious enough to graduate. Today, the Chair of the Roma studies at the University of Pécs is the nation's first and only university unit for erducating the future intellectuals with Roma background.

Semedo2010_Estudos e gestao de colecções praticas de formação e investigação

by Alice Semedo

Mediating the Tensions of Online Learning with" Second Life".

by Thalia Mulvihill

Evans N., Mulvihill, T., Brooks, N. (2008) Mediating the Tensions of Online Learning with" Second Life". Innovate, Special Issue on the Future of Education, Volume 4, Issue 6.

Propositions on innovation, creativity, enterprise and design: Unitec’s new learning adventure for leaders of enterprise and innovation

by Peter Mellalieu

Mellalieu, P. J. (2012, January 13). Propositions on innovation, creativity, enterprise and design: Unitec’s new learning adventure for leaders of enterprise and innovation. Department of Management and Marketing - Unitec. Retrieved January 13, 2012, from http://thedomm.com/2012/01/13/iced/

Peter Mellalieu introduces a new course in February 2012 comprising part of the Unitec Master of Business, MBus.more Peter Mellalieu introduces a new course in February 2012 comprising part of the Unitec Master of Business, MBus.

What is innovation? What do we need innovation? … Is innovation more than inventing an unconventional product, or creating a new service or process?

How do innovations get created? … What are the factors associated with success and failure?

What are the roles of leadership, enterprise, creativity, and design in the process of innovation?

Do you have ‘the right stuff’ to innovate an enterprise? …. Are you motivated to ‘make a difference’?

This short video (3 min) introduces several propositions that begin a journey towards answering these questions.

An evidence-based predictive model for motivating engagement, completion, and success in freshmen engineering students

by Peter Mellalieu

Fernando, D. A. K., & Mellalieu, P. J. (2011). An evidence-based predictive model for motivating engagement, completion, and success in freshmen engineering students [Paper #151]. Developing Engineers for Social Justice: Community Involvement, Ethics & Sustainability (pp. 312–318). Presented at the 22nd Annual Australasian Association for Engineering Education Conference (AAEE 2011), Perth: Australasian Association for Engineering Education. Retrieved from http://www.aaee.com.au/conferences/2011/papers/index.html#F

In general, teachers deploy several methods to encourage their students to engage early with their learning during... more In general, teachers deploy several methods to encourage their students to engage early with their learning during their course of study. These methods include: presentation of previous years’ pass/fail rates; feedback from previous students; and anecdotal evidence suggesting that active engagement, punctuality in attending lectures, and good performance in interim assessments will contribute to success. However, we suspect that engineering students will be more inclined to improve positively their behaviour if they are provided with ’engineering-like’ evidence that their behavioural change can lead to success and improved course grades. Furthermore, we suspect that students will embrace a conceptual and logical tool that allows them to take control of the course outcome they seek.

A tool based on these principles has already been accepted and used enthusiastically by some students in another department at Unitec Institute of Technology (Mellalieu, 2011).  Inspired by the success of this approach, we have conducted a data mining analysis of previous students’ class attendance and assessment performance records to develop a similar tool for a freshman course within an undergraduate engineering technology programme at the same institution. The model underpinning the tool demonstrates empirically that better attendance in lectures and higher performance in interim summative assessments leads to higher final examination results. Furthermore, the tool enables the lecturer to achieve early detection of ‘at risk’ and struggling students who may not achieve successful course completion without a significant intervention by the teacher, and/or change in behaviour by the student. At Unitec, a conscious effort is made to attract to engineering education students from communities whose representation hitherto has been low. Identifying and following up those who may be experiencing difficulties is crucial for their retention.

All New Zealand tertiary institutes are now increasing their focus on successful completions (output) rather than the number of enrolments (input); the tool described is one useful approach to providing necessary and timely additional support to students at risk of failing to complete.

See also related:
Mellalieu, P. J. (2011). Predicting success, excellence, and retention from students’ early course performance: progress results from a data-mining-based decision support system in a first year tertiary education programme. XXIX International Conference of the International Council for Higher Education (Vol. 24). Presented at the Innovation and Development in Higher Education, Miami/Ft Lauderdale: International Council for Higher Education. Retrieved from http://web.mac.com/petermellalieu/Teacher/Examples/Entries/2011/6/30_MELLALIEU_2011_Predicting_success_ICIE_abstract_proposal.html

Predicting success, excellence, and retention from students' early course performance: progress results from a data-mining-based decision support system in a first year tertiary education programme

by Peter Mellalieu

Mellalieu, P. J. (2011). Predicting success, excellence, and retention from students’ early course performance: progress results from a data-mining-based decision support system in a first year tertiary education programme. XXIX International Conference of the International Council for Higher Education (Vol. 24). Presented at the Innovation and Development in Higher Education, Miami/Ft Lauderdale: International Council for Higher Education. Retrieved from http://web.mac.com/petermellalieu/Teacher/Examples/Entries/2011/6/30_MELLALIEU_2011_Predicting_success_ICIE_abstract_proposal.html

Higher educational institutions are focussing increased attention on identifying which students are likely to succeed... more Higher educational institutions are focussing increased attention on identifying which students are likely to succeed - or fail - in their tertiary studies. Culver (2010, 2011), for instance, reports on the business case for, and services provided by the Noel-Levitz consultancy for improving institutional retention in North America. In New Zealand, government funding for higher education is increasingly being redirected towards a focus on outputs (such as course completions) rather than inputs (student enrollments) (Ministry of Education, 2010).


Anticipating this context, I constructed a prototype Decision Support System (ReXS) to provide my students the means to predict their personal academic success and final grade as they progressed through a first-year (freshman) course ‘Innovation and Entrepreneurship’. Data mining of previous semesters’ course results identified the crucial importance of a student's ability to write formal academic English as demonstrated in a written case study assignment. Several students’ immediate reaction to a presentation introducing them to ReXS was unexpectedly enthusiastic and they became ‘early adopter’ users. ‘Late adopter’ users of ReXS also gained confidence in identifying the degree of effort they needed to apply to complete the course succesfully through their Final Test.


Whilst ReXS is a bespoke solution tailored to the particular assessment regime of a particular course, I believe the principles of its design and construction can be applied to any assessed course in higher education. Certainly, my students indicated they would welcome widespread adoption of the approach in other courses in their study program. The presentation provides an opportunity to discuss: Reactions from the student users of ReXS; Illustrations of the predictions made by the ReXS; How the principles underlying the Decision Support System can be extended to other courses; Opportunities for improving the utility of ReXS for students, academic, and administrative staff.

My teaching strategy for first-year courses

by Peter Mellalieu

Mellalieu, P. J. (2010, September 14). My teaching strategy for first-year courses. Innovation & chaos ... in search of optimality. Retrieved March 5, 2011, from http://pogus.tumblr.com/post/1117803030/my-teaching-strategy-for-first-year-courses

My overall teaching philosophy (here) underpins my approach to the teaching of students in first-year courses.more My overall teaching philosophy (here) underpins my approach to the teaching of students in first-year courses.

I have particular aims for students who are engaged in their first year of studies at a tertiary institution. My comments are specifically focussed on students entering a three year bachelors programme.

My aims are

Establish expectations for the requirements for academic success when considered over students’ three-year programme

Provide foundation stones and scaffolds useful for future studies

Help students identify their strengths, interests, and goals for their tertiary study

Help students develop a personal learning agenda for how they will orchestrate their studies beyond my class

Help students build interpersonal networks of support with peer and senior students

I will discuss each of the foregoing aims with respect to my first-year course Unitec BSNS 5391 Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

Virtual, collaborative and multinational universities for sustainability? Roundtable discussion

by Peter Mellalieu

Shephard, K., & Mellalieu, P. J. (2009). Virtual, collaborative and multinational universities for sustainability? Roundtable discussion. 5th World Environmental Education Congress | Earth, our common home, May 10-14 2009. Presented at the 5th World Environmental Education Congress | Earth, our common home, May 10-14 2009, Montreal. Retrieved from http://www.5weec.uqam.ca/EN/

Higher Education is active in researching sustainability and in developing campus sustainability but it may also have... more Higher Education is active in researching sustainability and in developing campus sustainability but it may also have particular responsibilities to influence young people via courses of study, in ways that will lead to the increased sustainability of society. In this area Higher Education has so far had limited impact. A great deal of discussion has resulted in different viewpoints on academic freedom, academic responsibility, advocacy and action competence. The actions of higher education institutions in the broad area of teaching students sustainability may be limited by funding, by student interest, by competition between institutions, by the needs of the professions and by the happenstance of who is managing each institution, and who is there to teach at each institution, at any particular instance. The collective consequences of these circumstances are what we see today; great variability within the sector and confusion about the roles of Higher Education. At present it seems unlikely that Higher Education will be able to address sustainability comprehensively. This should be a concern for governments, for higher education regulatory bodies and indeed for society.

Different models of higher education governance and economics need to be explored. Could institutions that individually find education for sustainability a difficult path, succeed collaboratively? What issues currently inhibit collaboration? What new technologies will enable successful collaboration? Could education for sustainability be important enough to overcome the issues that currently prevent collaboration? Could we develop virtual, collaborative, multinational universities for sustainability? Could these focus on producing graduates who can make a difference?