Emerging student needs disrupting higher education

2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 197-208 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andy Hines

Purpose A research project exploring emerging student needs identified two potentially disruptive shifts for the future of higher education: a shift in balance of power from institutions toward the students and a shift in the purpose of higher education away from job preparation. The research suggests that current drivers are eventually moving toward these shifts but that several “accelerators” may hasten their arrival. The paper aims to describe the process for identifying the emerging needs, the potentially disruptive shifts and key implications for higher education. Design/methodology/approach A modified version of the University of Houston’s “Framework Foresight” method was used to identify the emerging needs, the disruptive shifts and their implications. Findings Emerging student needs suggest two potential disruptive shifts for higher education: shift in balance of power from institutions toward the students and shift in the purpose of higher education away from job preparation. Practical implications Current institutions of higher education may need to reconsider their purpose, mission and value proposition in light of these disruptive shifts. Social implications Beyond just higher education, there is a need for a larger society-wide dialogue about the emerging future and how to best prepare students for it. Originality/value This extensive research carried out from the student perspective suggests disruptive shifts ahead relating to the purpose and future of higher education.

2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 181-189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Hines ◽  
Alexandra Whittington

Purpose A research project exploring emerging student needs explored six aspects of student life: living, learning, working, playing, connecting and participating. Design/methodology/approach A modified version of the University of Houston’s “Framework Foresight” method was used to explore the future of six aspects of future student life. The resulting scenarios were analyzed for their implications, including the use of the World Café technique, and ultimately led to the identification of nine emerging student needs. Findings Nine specific emerging needs of future students could be used strategically by institutions of higher education to guide and inform planning and to generate innovative ideas for university offerings. Specific examples of offerings that would meet the projected future needs are recommended. Research limitations/implications In terms of research limitations, the paper is focused on the needs of students and does not purport to be an exhaustive analysis of all of the issues influencing higher education. It views the future of higher education through the lens of students and their emerging needs. Practical implications The paper is intended for educators, researchers and administrators to provide insight on how the needs of students, their key customers, are evolving. Originality/value This piece explores student life in its totality as way to more accurately identify student needs in the future.


2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 169-172
Author(s):  
Laura Schlehuber

Purpose A research project exploring emerging student needs explored six aspects of student life: living, learning, working, playing, connecting and participating. Playing is explored here, considering changes in student approaches to leisure, recreation and having fun and investigates how playing in general is changing. The purpose of this paper summarizes two scenarios about the playing domain from the Student Needs 2025+ project and highlights implications for the future of higher education. Design/methodology/approach A modified version of the University of Houston’s “Framework Foresight” method was used to explore the future of six aspects of future student life. Findings Play has gotten serious. It is increasingly scheduled, supervised and often includes some larger objective, such as learning. This purposeful play is spreading into virtual space as well, which will increasingly be the setting for play. In the longer term, play – in the form or gamification – is likely to integrate into more and more of student life. Games and play will be used for teaching in the classroom (real and virtual), at work for training, to make exercise “fun”, and even in civic life for encouraging greater participation in governance. Research limitations/implications In terms of research limitations, the paper is focused on the needs of students and does not purport to be an exhaustive analysis of all the issues influencing higher education. It views the future of higher education through the lens of students and their emerging needs. Practical implications The paper is intended for educators, researchers and administrators to provide insight on how the needs of students, their key customers, are evolving. Originality/value This research explores student life in its totality as way to more accurately identify student needs in the future.


2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 141-144
Author(s):  
Andy Hines ◽  
Juan Suarez

Purpose This paper aims to provide the rationale for the Students Needs 2025 & Beyond study. Its key purpose was to support the development of an organizational innovation function and to identify potential disruptions or surprises. Design/methodology/approach This paper is an introduction that supports the collection of articles to follow. Findings The paper points out three ways in which this study took a unique view of higher education, ultimately focused around a theme of focusing on student rather than institutional needs. It recommends four ways in which the study could be used by the client organization, centered on aiding its innovation function. Research limitations/implications This paper is an introduction to the research. Practical implications The paper is intended for educators, researchers and administrators to gain a better understanding of the student perspective on what they will need from higher education. Originality/value This paper introduces the study that took the perspective of the students in looking at the future of higher education, in contrast to most studies emphasizing the perspective of the institution.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Monica C. Gavino

PurposeThe aim of this article is to provide Dr Bailey Jackson's perspective on institutional and systemic barriers to full inclusion of diverse faculty in higher education through the lens of the multicultural organizational development (MCOD) model. Dr Jackson is renowned for his work on social justice, diversity and multiculturalism.Design/methodology/approachThis is a personal interview with Dr Bailey Jackson. This interview provides insight on institutional level change efforts through the MCOD framework, a perspective on why institutions get stuck on the way to becoming a healthy multicultural institutions, and the effect on moving the needle on faculty diversity in institutions of higher education.FindingsThe institutional obstacles and barriers tend to be centered around misalignment with mission, vision and core values, how those are formulated to include diversity and inclusion. Faculty diversity is only one component in dealing with the health of any organization or the academy as a whole. If institutions focus on diversity faculty in an unhealthy system, they will encounter limitations on how much the institution will develop on the MCOD continuum. The health of the overall system is going to affect the approach to faculty diversity.Practical implicationsDr Jackson provides insight on his work with the MCOD framework and specifically the overall health of the institution as critical to faculty diversity initiatives. Questions to help institutions begin to assess themselves and identify changes required to move toward Multicultural within the context of faculty diversity are provided.Originality/valueThrough a series of questions, insight from Dr Jackson on why institutions get stuck in moving the needle on faculty diversity through the lens of the MCOD framework is gained.


2016 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. 544-551 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Bombaro ◽  
Pamela Harris ◽  
Kerri Odess-Harnish

Purpose The purpose of this paper was to ask Lisa Janicke Hinchliffe, Professor/Coordinator for Information Literacy Services and Instruction in the University Library at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, about her views regarding the Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education. Design/methodology/approach This is an interview. Findings Hinchliffe believes that the Framework is one among many documents that academic librarians can and should use to promote information literacy. Research limitations/implications Hinchliffe contradicts the opinion that the Framework and the Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education could not have co-existed. Practical implications Hinchliffe offers librarians practical advice for moving from a Standards-based to a Framework-based information literacy program. Originality/value Hinchliffe concludes that the old ways of fostering information literacy do not need to be rejected to adopt new practices.


2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 145-156
Author(s):  
Andy Hines

Purpose This paper aims to describe the approach used by the research team to explore the topic of future student needs. It described the specific method, Framework Foresight, and how it was adapted to meet the circumstances of topic and client. Design/methodology/approach This paper focuses on the approach that guided the original research study on which this special issue is based. It describes the use of the Framework Foresight method developed by the Houston Foresight program and how it was adapted for the project. Findings The paper demonstrates how the Framework Foresight method can be effectively used to explore the future of a topic, in this case future student needs. It points out how it can be adapted or customized to suit particular topic or client needs. Research limitations/implications The research focused on the student perspective and identified implications of those findings for higher education institutions and their stakeholders. It did not explicitly focus on how to “fix” higher education or its institutions. Practical implications The Framework Foresight method is presented as an effective way to way to explore the future of a topic, in this case future student needs. The paper makes the case that the method develops a solid foundation for developing interesting and useful findings and recommendation for action. Originality/value This paper is the first to explicitly identify and describe the application of the Framework Foresight and how it can be customized to explore the future of a topic.


2014 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcus Bussey

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to challenge the assumption that liberal education as we understand it today, is alive and well in our institutions of higher education. Design/methodology/approach – This article is a reflective essay Findings – The spirit of liberal education is alive and well but has largely fled the university and taken up residence in less formal, more flexible educational contexts. Originality/value – This article plays the devil's advocate and argues that we need to rethink how we approach and signify “liberal education.”


Facilities ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Palm

Purpose This paper aims to investigate how the students perceive the cleaning of the university, from an in-house and outsourced perspective. Design/methodology/approach This research is based on a survey conducted in the different university buildings with a total of 240 students. The survey was then analysed through an ordinal regression. Findings The ordinal regression indicates a statistically significant result were student are more satisfied with the cleaning performed by the outsourced service provider. Research limitations/implications The research in this paper is limited to one Swedish university. But, the overall strategies for how to organise the cleaning service at the university do address all universities. However, the research is limited and more research has to be performed. Practical implications The insight the paper provides regarding how the students perceive the cleaning service at the university gives direct implications to university in relation to how to consider the cleaning service as an important factor. Originality/value It provides the first study from a student perspective on the question of cleaning of the university, when previous studies have indicated cleaning as an important function not least to student’s performance and academic results.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 319-328
Author(s):  
Ian Pepper ◽  
Ruth McGrath

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the impact of an employability module, the College of Policing Certificate in Knowledge of Policing (CKP), on students’ career aspirations, their confidence and wish to join the police along with the appropriateness of the module. This will inform the implementation of employability as part of the College of Policing-managed Police Education Qualifications Framework (PEQF). Design/methodology/approach A three-year longitudinal research study used mixed methods across four points in time to evaluate the impact on students studying the employability module. Findings The research suggests that the employability-focussed CKP was useful as an introduction to policing, it developed interest in the police and enhanced the confidence of learners applying to join. Lessons learnt from the CKP should be considered during the implementation of the PEQF. Research limitations/implications The ability to generalise findings across different groups is limited as other influences may impact on a learner’s confidence and employability. However, the implications for the PEQF curriculum are worthy of consideration. Practical implications As the police service moves towards standardised higher educational provision and evolution of policing as a profession, lessons can be learnt from the CKP with regards to the future employability of graduates. Originality/value Enhancing the employability evidence base, focussing on policing, the research identified aspects which may impact on graduates completing a degree mapped to the PEQF. The research is therefore of value to higher education and the professional body for policing.


2014 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 235-252 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline Bayart ◽  
Sandra Bertezene ◽  
David Vallat ◽  
Jacques Martin

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate if the use of “serious games” with students can improve their knowledge acquisition and their academic performance. Design/methodology/approach – The research is an exploratory investigation resorting to the use of a serious game to evaluate the evolution of the students’ competencies in project management, through questionnaires processed using a structural “learning model.” Findings – This research shows indeed that the use of “serious games” improves the knowledge acquisition and management competencies of the students with the evidencing of significant factors contributing to this improvement. Practical implications – The findings of this research show that serious games can be an effective tool to be used in teaching students particularly as traditional methods are less and less accepted by today's students. Originality/value – Although the use of games is not something new in education, it is still limited in teaching practices in higher education. This experiment can help lecturers and trainers to resort to them in their pedagogy and to conceive them according to variables that can enhance their effectiveness.


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