The role of an online first-year seminar in higher education doctoral students' scholarly development

2019 ◽  
Vol 42 ◽  
pp. 44-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Crystal E. Garcia ◽  
Christina W. Yao
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Doctoral Students ◽  
First Year ◽  
First Year Seminar

Overconfidence of vocational education students when entering higher education

2015 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 429-447 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark P. Bowden ◽  
Subhash Abhayawansa ◽  
John Bahtsevanoglou
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Further Education ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
First Year ◽  
Education Students ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – There is evidence that students who attend Technical and Further Education (TAFE) prior to entering higher education underperform in their first year of study. The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of self-efficacy in understanding the performance of students who completed TAFE in the previous year in a first year subject of microeconomics in a dual sector university in Melbourne, Australia. Design/methodology/approach – The study utilises data collected by surveys of 151 students. Findings – A student’s self-efficacy is positively associated with their marks in a first year subject of microeconomics. However, the relationship between final marks and self-efficacy is negative for those students who attended TAFE in the previous year suggesting that they suffer from the problem of overconfidence. When holding self-efficacy constant, using econometric techniques, TAFE attendance is found to be positively related to final marks. Research limitations/implications – The findings are exploratory (based on a small sample) and lead to a need to conduct cross institutional studies. Practical implications – The research points to the need for early interventions so that TAFE students perform well in their first year of higher education. It also points to potential issues in the development of Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) programs. Originality/value – To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first paper to examine the inter-related impact of attendance at TAFE in the previous year and self-efficacy on the subsequent academic performance of TAFE students.

scholarly journals Impact of first-year seminar on student engagement, awareness, and general attitudes toward higher education

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bothaina A. Al-Sheeb ◽  
Mahmoud Samir Abdulwahed ◽  
Abdel Magid Hamouda
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Student Engagement ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
First Year ◽  
Content Type ◽  
College Of Law ◽  
First Year Seminars ◽  
Campus Resources ◽  
The Impact ◽  
First Year Seminar

Purpose This study intends to add to the existing body of literature on the impact of a newly implemented first year seminar in the College of Law and Business. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effects the course have on students in regard to three aspects: student awareness and utilization of resources, interaction patterns, as well as, general interests and attitudes toward higher education. Design/methodology/approach The methodology of the assessment included analysis of a survey that has been conducted by the end of Spring 2014 semester. A quasi-experimental design was implemented to measure the impact of the intervention on students’ awareness and utilization of resources, interactions, general interests, and attitudes toward higher education. Through the SPSS application, the Mann Whitney U Test, and χ2 tests were used to check for significant differences while comparing the means or frequencies for both groups. For the three questions, the authors have used the 90 percent confidence level and the standard significance level p-value of 0.05 or less for statistical analysis. Findings The results indicated that the course had a highly significant positive impact on student attitudes and awareness of campus resources but had less significant impact on student interactions and utilization of resources. The results in this study reveal a positive impact for the first-year seminar course on student satisfaction and attitudes toward higher education as well as their awareness of campus resources. However, in terms of the course impact on student interaction, results conveyed that students who have participated in the first-year seminar course show a slightly better interaction rate with instructors, academic advisors, and close friends than those in the control group. Research limitations/implications The main limitation of this study was that the sample was small. Nonetheless, it has provided valuable insights into the understanding of the social and academic impact of first-year seminars on student engagement; through the use of comparison groups, this study increased the validity of prior research. Practical implications The first-year seminar course evaluated in this study demonstrated the potential to support and enhance student social and academic engagement during the first year of college. Based on the results in this study, the study team recommended some revisions to the current first-year seminar model (UNIV P100 Skills for University Success). The team proposed three models for subsequent first-year seminars at this university. Originality/value This study adds to the existing literature by examining the impact of a newly implemented first-year seminar course at the College of Law and Business at this university on both academic and non-academic aspects from the students’ perspective. These aspects were selected as retention and GPA effects have been widely explored; therefore, the focus is on the less studied emotional and social factors associated with student success and retention. The results from this study can act as a guide for universities intending to introduce a first-year seminar course as it gives clear guidelines on design, content, and course implementation, which can be useful in enhancing general student motivation and attitudes toward academic study and higher education in general.

scholarly journals What moderates the attainment gap? The effects of social identity incompatibility and practical incompatibility on the performance of students who are or are not Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic

2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 171-188 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Frings ◽  
Ilka H. Gleibs ◽  
Anne M. Ridley
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Ethnic Identity ◽  
Social Identity ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
First Year ◽  
Registry System ◽  
Attainment Gap ◽  
Academic Year ◽  
Minority Ethnic

Abstract A successful journey through higher education is, for many, a once in a lifetime opportunity for social mobility. Unfortunately, one notable feature of higher education systems is that students from some backgrounds do not achieve the same academic attainments as do others. The current study tests the role of one particular set of processes: social identity (in)compatibility on academic performance. Participants were recruited at two time points from a pool of first year undergraduates at a modern London University (N = 215) of which 40.1% were classed as Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic (BAME), 57.1% as non-BAME and 2.8% did not provide this information. A prospective design was employed: Alongside demographic data, measures at the start of the academic year consisted of measures of student and ethnic identity, and both practical and identity incompatibility. At the end of the academic year, average marks achieved were gained for each student from the university’s registry system. Results indicate that BAME students had equal levels of student identity to non-BAME students, but higher levels of ethnic identity. They also typically experienced higher levels of both practical and identity incompatibility. Finally, BAME students had lower attainment than did non-BAME students. Both practical and identity incompatibility appeared to moderate this effect. However, contrary to predictions, it was only under conditions of low and medium levels of incompatibility that BAME students attained lower marks than their non-BAME peers. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.

scholarly journals Communities of practice for international students: An exploration of the role of Peer Assisted Study Sessions in supporting transition and learning in higher education

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucy Chilvers
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
International Students ◽  
Communities Of Practice ◽  
Independent Study ◽  
First Year ◽  
Legitimate Peripheral Participation ◽  
Community Practice ◽  
Mutual Engagement ◽  
University Life

There is growing interest in understanding how international students can best be enabled to adjust to, participate in and learn within Higher Education (HE). This paper explores literature and examines findings from exploratory interviews in a UK institution in order to investigate the contribution the Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS) scheme makes to this process.Interviews with international students were analysed using Lave and Wenger’s (1991) social-learning model, Communities of Practice (CoP), for exploring the role of PASS in supporting international students’ transition and learning in HE. Using themes of community, practice and participation, findings illuminated the role of PASS in providing international students with an intermediary CoP, providing transition support into the CoP on their course and university life. PASS facilitated their social integration with students of other nationalities, developing relationships with peers and PASS leaders, contributing to an increased sense of belonging to a community. Through the mutual engagement of attendees and leaders, students developed shared language, values and practices relating to their discipline and studying in UK HE. Established PASS leaders shared first year experiences with ‘newcomer’ international students, supporting their transition into UK HE culture and enabling their legitimate peripheral participation to develop further. Participation in PASS fostered students’ engagement with learning activities and independent study habits. Limitations to the study and suggestions for further research are discussed.

scholarly journals Sustainable Feedback: Students’ and Tutors’ Perceptions

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerry Geitz ◽  
Desirée Joosten - Ten Brinke ◽  
Paul Kirschner
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Lifelong Learning ◽  
Problem Based Learning ◽  
Personal Characteristics ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Individual Behavior ◽  
First Year ◽  
Education Students ◽  
Learning Skills

Feedback has been shown to substantially influence students’ learning. However, not everything characterized as feedback is effective. Sustainable feedback places students in an active role in which they generate and use feedback from peers, self or others and aims at developing lifelong learning skills. First-year higher education students and tutors received sustainable feedback during their problem-based learning. To gain insights into how they perceived the sustainable feedback, students were probed via structured, open-ended questionnaires. While all participants positively valued the feedback, their personal characteristics, previous experience with feedback and concomitant perceptions appeared to have greatly influenced both tutors’ and students’ specific, individual behavior and responses. Conclusion is that sustainable feedback requires an evolving role of students and tutors with respect to sharing their perceptions of what feedback is, understanding the value and importance of feedback contributions of all participants, and developing the necessary skills to ask questions and give feedback.

scholarly journals Taking Risks With Their Hearts: Risk And Emotion In Innovative Forms Of Assessment

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 33-50
Author(s):  
Tania Leiman ◽  
◽  
Elizabeth Abery ◽  
Eileen M. Willis ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Young People ◽  
Health Science ◽  
First Year ◽  
Pedagogical Approach ◽  
Science Topic ◽  
First Year University

Research involving student and tutor responses to a ‘pedagogy of the heart’ approach in a first year university health science topic revealed anxiety, insecurity and perceptions of unpredictability in relation to an innovative arts-based assignment designed to elicit and assess experiential or imaginal knowledge. Using the lens of contemporary theories of risk, and explicitly considering the role of emotion in assessment, this paper identifies both the effectiveness of and challenges encountered in this form of assessment. It also explores the relationships between risk and emotion, and between risk and assessment, particularly for young people in the higher education context. By comparing the risks involved with the benefits to be gained, the efficacy of adopting such a pedagogical approach is reviewed.

scholarly journals Scientific Research Supports for PhD Students at Vietnam National University, Hanoi

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nguyen Dinh Duc ◽  
Tran Thi Hoai ◽  
Ngo Tien Nhat
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Autonomy Support ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Scientific Research ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Research Activities ◽  
National University ◽  
The Government

Vietnam National University, Hanoi has been assigned important tasks of producing high quality human resources and cultivating talents; promoting advanced science, technology, renovation and multidisciplinary knowledge transfer by the government of Vietnam. In terms of scientific research, PhD students have contributed significantly to the overall achivements of Vietnam National University, Hanoi. The authors survey 263 out of 1493 PhD students (acounting for 17.6%) who are studying in five academic fields of Vietnam National University, Hanoi. The article presents the current status of supporting scientific research activities for PhD students, particularly focuses on the support role of scientific working groups at Vietnam National University, Hanoi and proposes solutions to improve the quality of the support activities at Vietnam National University, Hanoi in the future. Keywords PhD support, Scientific research, Scientific working group References [1] Đại học Quốc gia Hà Nội, Quy chế đào tạo tiến sĩ tại Đại học Quốc gia Hà Nội ban hành theo Quyết định số 4555/QĐ-ĐHQGHN, ngày 24 tháng 11 năm 2017 của Giám đốc Đại học Quốc gia Hà NộI, 2017.[2] Đại học Quốc gia Hà Nội, Quy chế đào tạo sau đại học tại Đại học Quốc gia Hà Nội ban hành theo Quyết định số 1555/QĐ-ĐHQGHN, ngày 25 tháng 5 năm 2011 của Giám đốc Đại học Quốc gia Hà NộI, 2011.[3] Helen Walkington, Students as researchers: Supporting undergraduate research in the disciplines in higher education, York: The Higher Education Academy, ISBN 978-1-907207-86-0. https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/system/files/resources/Students%20as%20researchers_1.pdf/, 2015.[4] N. Perkins, Institute of Development Studies (IDS), at the seminar: “Research Communication - Why and how?”, University of Copenhagen, May 8, 2008.[5] Enyu Zhou, Hironao Okahana, The Role of Department Supports on Doctoral Completion and Time-to-Degree, Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice - ESCI (Emerging Sources Citation Index) ISSN15210251, 15414167, 2016.[6] Nickola C. Overall a, Kelsey L. Deane a, Elizabeth R. Peterson, Promoting doctoral students' research self-efficacy: combining academic guidance with autonomy support, Higher Education Research & Development, ISSN 07294360. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/231537782_Promoting_doctoral_students'_research_self-Efficacy_Combining_academic_guidance_with_autonomy_support/, 2011.[7] Hanover Research, Building a Culture of Research: Recommended Practices, Academy Administration Practice. https://www.hanoverresearch.com/media/Building-a-Culture-of-Research-Recommended-Practices.pdf/, 2014. [8] Nguyễn Đình Đức, Phát triển nhóm nghiên cứu trong trường đại học: Xu thế tất yếu. https://vov.vn/xa-hoi/phat-trien-nhom-nghien-cuu-trong-truong-dh-xu-the-tat-yeu-325151.vov/, 2014.[9] Nguyễn Thị Thu Hà, Bùi Minh Đức, Nguyễn Đình Đức, Một số nhân tố chủ yếu tác động đến hiệu quả hoạt động của các nhóm nghiên cứu, Tạp chí Khoa học Giáo dục, ĐHQGHN. 5(1) (2019) 54-63. https://doi.org/10.25073/2588-1159/vnuer.4214.[10] Nguyễn Lộc, Bất cập trong đào tạo sau đại học: Thừa tiến sĩ “giấy”, thiếu chất lượng. http://baokiemtoannhanuoc.vn/giao-duc/bat-cap-trong-dao-tao-sau-dai-hoc-thua-tien-si-giay-thieu-chat-luong-137700/, 2017. [11] Đặng Ứng Vận, Để đào tạo tiến sĩ thực chất hơn. http://www.nhandan.com.vn/cuoituan/item/33474402-de-dao-tao-tien-si-thuc-chat-hon.html/, 2017.[12] Nguyễn Đức Chính, Quản lý chất lượng giáo dục, NXB Đại học Quốc gia Hà Nội, 2017.[13] Đại học Quốc gia Hà Nội, Thống kê quy mô đào tạo năm học 2018 - 2019, 2018.[14] Đại học Quốc gia Hà Nội, Hướng dẫn thực hiện quy chế đào tạo tiến sĩ tại Đại học Quốc gia Hà Nội, số 123/HD-ĐHQGHN ngày 09/01/2018, 2018.[15] Đại học Quốc gia Hà Nội, Hướng dẫn đánh giá chất lượng thông qua phản hồi từ các bên liên quan, số 5077/HD-ĐHQGHN ngày 23/12/2014, 2014.

scholarly journals Doctoral Journey During Covid-19: Reflections From a Collaborative Autoethnography

10.28945/4871 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
pp. 633-656
Author(s):  
Aireen Grace Andal ◽  
Shuang Wu
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Recent Literature ◽  
Ethical Dilemmas ◽  
Academic Community ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Doctoral Studies ◽  
Anxiety Levels ◽  
The Impact

Aim/Purpose: This paper identifies and examines cross-cutting experiences from the perspective of two doctoral students, whose research was affected by the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). Background: The COVID-19 pandemic continues to be challenging for higher education scholars in terms of proceeding with their research and how the pandemic sets the scene for changes in higher education’s future. Due to increased anxiety levels because of uncertainties, the paper provides a reflection of doctoral experiences from two students – one in Russia at the data collection stage, and one in China (enrolled in New Zealand) at the proposal stage. Methodology: Through collaborative autoethnography and joint-reflection, we analyze our experiences as doctoral students focusing on methodological adjustments, ethical dilemmas, adaptation strategies and supervisor-supervisee relationships. Conducting a collaborative autoethnography provides a richer analysis of the interplay between perspectives, compared to a traditional autoethnography. Collaborative autoethnography also provides conditions for a collective exploration of subjectivities of doctoral students through an iterative process. After providing separate individual accounts, we discussed our experiences, analyzed them, and engaged in a joint-reflection from our consensual interpretations. Contribution: Our work aims to contribute to existing discussions on how COVID-19 impacted on doctoral students’ coping strategies during the pandemic. The paper encourages doctoral students to further discuss how they navigate their doctoral experiences through autoethnography and joint-reflections. Findings: Three main themes transpired in our analysis. First, we encountered roadblocks such as interruptions, frustrations and resistance to adapt our doctoral studies in the pandemic context, which align with the recent literature regarding education during the coronavirus pandemic. Second, we faced a diversity of burdens and privileges in the pandemic, which provided us with both pleasant (opportunity to create change) and unpleasant (unknown threats) situations, thereby enabling us to construct and reconstruct our stories through reflection. Third, we experienced a shared unfamiliarity of doing doctoral studies during the pandemic, to which the role of the academic community including our supervisors and doctoral colleagues contributed to how we managed our circumstances. Recommendations for Practitioners: We speak to our fellow doctoral students to dare navigate their doctoral experiences through collaborative reflections. In practice, by reflecting on our experience, we recommend that new doctoral students remain flexible and mindful of their doctoral journeys and recognize their agency to deal with the unexpected. We thus encourage the view of doctoral studies as a process rather than outcome-oriented, as we gain experience from processes. Recommendation for Researchers: We recommend using both collaborative autoethnography and joint-reflection as an instructive tool for qualitative research. Such engagements offer important discussions towards further communications and exchange of ideas among doctoral students from various backgrounds. Impact on Society: More broadly, this work is an invitation to reflect and provoke further thoughts to articulate reflections on the impact and various ways of thinking that the pandemic might bring to the fore. Future Research: Doctoral students are welcome to contribute to a collectivity of narratives that thicken the data and analyses of their pandemic experiences in higher education to reinforce the role of doctoral researchers as agents of history in the trying times of a pandemic.

scholarly journals Challenges for first-year undergraduates with a non-EMI background in an EMI classroom: A case study

2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (8) ◽  
pp. 189-201
Author(s):  
K. A. Siddiqui
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Practical Significance ◽  
First Year ◽  
Medium Of Instruction ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Effective Strategies ◽  
Psychological Pressure

Introduction. English has been the official language as well as medium of instruction (MOI) in higher education of Pakistan for over 70 years despite decolonisation in Asia in 1950s. However, the majority of undergraduates come from non-EMI (English as a medium of instruction) background because MOI in private or public primary and secondary schools is either regional or local language. Therefore, first year undergraduates face challenges in EMI classrooms at university.Aim. This study aimed to investigate the challenges first year undergraduates with nonEMI background face in an EMI classroom in a public sector university in Sukkur, Pakistan.Methodology and research methods. Using the case study approach, six purposively selected participants were interviewed using semi-structured interviews as the data collection tool.Results and scientific novelty. The findings reveal that the learners face issues such as ineffective presentation, incoherent answers in writing, difficult grammatical structures, lack of vocabulary and partial comprehension of content. One of the key findings of the study is the psychological pressure students experience in an EMI classroom. The research is novel in the sense it brings to light language-related issues faced by students such as lack of vocabulary, improper organisation of ideas, and the role of varied language level of books and teachers. Since these challenges have not been explored at undergraduate level, and that too for students from non-EMI background, the study bears great significance for all stakeholders to develop effective strategies for future.Practical significance. The study will have implications for both policymakers and practitioners in higher education of Pakistan.

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