scholarly journals Undertaking the Journey Together: Peer Learning for a Successful and Enjoyable PhD Experience

2010 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 111-121
Author(s):  
Elke Stracke ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Research Training ◽  
Peer Group ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Peer Learning ◽  
Self Evaluation ◽  
Supportive Environment ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Process Feedback ◽  
Peer Group Work ◽  
Value Of Learning

This paper deals with the challenge of supervising PhD students. Any supervision is likely to constitute a challenging experience for the supervisor, even more so when they are a new academic staff member with little experience in PhD supervision in the Australasian context. This paper shows how one supervisor addressed the challenge by fostering a more collaborative research culture in her programme (Applied Linguistics) through peer group work, and can serve as a starting point for action for supervisors who are looking for possibilities to integrate their students into learning communities. The paper provides the theoretical rationale for peer learning in doctoral education and emphasizes the desirability for its implementation into supervisory practice from an educational perspective. The description of practice of one particular peer group allows for interesting insights into the genesis, activities, and self-evaluation of this group that emphasized the value of learning with and from each other through exchange, insight into the PhD process, feedback, moral support in a friendly, supportive environment, and research training. The paper concludes by discussing implications, and challenges of this study for practice, policy, and research, as well its limitations.

scholarly journals Building Educational Research Capacity: Challenges and Opportunities From the Perspectives of Faculty Members at a National University in Oman

SAGE Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 215824402110326
Author(s):  
Waheed Hammad ◽  
Wajeha Al-Ani
Keyword(s):  
Capacity Building ◽  
Educational Research ◽  
Research Training ◽  
Research Capacity ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Supportive Environment ◽  
Qualitative Research Design ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
National University ◽  
Group Interviews

The purpose of this article is to explore the perceptions of faculty members regarding research capacity building in the field of Education. It particularly seeks to identify the challenges and opportunities associated with this practice from the perspectives of these members. The study adopted a qualitative research design, using focus group interviews to collect data from a sample of faculty members in the College of Education at a national university in Oman. The results revealed the existence of some challenges that hampered educational research, including time constraints, the lack of a collaborative research culture, the lack of research training, and the absence of a clear research agenda. The analysis also identified a number of capacity building opportunities such as a research-supportive environment, the availability of research funding, and the role of research groups. The study concludes with some recommendations to improve educational research capacity both in Oman and in the Arab region in general.

The challenges of continuing professional development among academic staff during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ukraine

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (3B) ◽  
pp. 79-89
Author(s):  
Yaroslava Belmaz ◽  
Oksana Horovenko ◽  
Liudmyla Bakhmat ◽  
Lesia Kalashnikova ◽  
Maryna Shevchenko
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Continuing Professional Development ◽  
Motivating Factors ◽  
Professional Activities ◽  
Professional Interest ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Self Development ◽  
Research Questions

The research is focused on studying continuing professional development (CPD) of academic staff in Ukraine. The starting point is to analyze various definitions to describe the concept and defining skills crucial for CPD activities. To study various aspects of CPD, the questionnaire was created and made available from September to November, 2020. It was used to gather both quantitative and qualitative data to address the research questions, particularly the attitude, advantages, obstacles, etc. The findings of the study suggest that for most respondents CPD is a necessary component of professional activities indicating that the most motivating factors are self-development, self-improvement and professional interest. The respondents consider courses, internships, online seminars and webinars to be the most effective listing courses and conferences as the most often chosen ways of CPD. The majority of the surveyed noted that they had up to 10 hours of CPD during the quarantine in spring 2020 with focus on technical characteristics, forms and methods of online teaching.

Educating academic staff to reorient curricula in ESD

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 179-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michele Biasutti ◽  
Vassilios Makrakis ◽  
Eleonora Concina ◽  
Sara Frate
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Teaching Methods ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Cognitive Strategies ◽  
Curriculum Planning ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Design Skills

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present a professional development experience for higher education academic staff within the framework of an international Tempus project focused on reorienting university curricula to address sustainability. The project included revising curricula to phase sustainable development principles into university courses. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative approach was used to examine perceived professional development. Focus groups have been conducted with the academic staff who participated in the project. Findings The results provided evidence that revising their curricula offered the participants an opportunity to discuss different principles, teaching methods, didactic processes and practices in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Several strategies emerged during curricula revision such as a positive attitude towards meta-cognitive strategies and a goal-oriented approach to curriculum planning. Moreover, the project induced the academic staff to reconsider their teaching methods. Research limitations/implications The main limitation is the restricted generalisability of the findings, because of the small number of participants. Further research is needed to confirm the theoretical model that emerged. Implications of the results for professional development and the induction of change in academic staff are also discussed. Originality/value There is little information about training experiences for enhancing professional development in academic staff using ESD principles, and this study provides a starting point. According to the results, the project had an impact on the participants’ attitudes, teaching principles and methods, course design skills and assessment approaches.

scholarly journals Reflections on a bilingual peer assisted learning program

2015 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 284-297 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jin Cui ◽  
Tairan Kevin Huang ◽  
Corinne Cortese ◽  
Matthew Pepper
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
International Student ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Learning Program ◽  
Peer Assisted Learning ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Bilingual Teaching ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
High Level

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify and evaluate faculty and academic staff perceptions, experiences and expectations with respect to a voluntary, bilingual peer assisted learning (PAL) program, which operates for the benefit of students studying in the Faculty of Business at a regional Australian University. Design/methodology/approach – A survey instrument and semi-structured interviews were used to faculty executive and academic staff in order to collect information about the perceived benefits of the program and identify opportunities for improvement. Findings – Based on an analysis of student results, the bilingual PAL program is shown to have a positive effect on performance of students participating in the program. Results from interviews with executive and academic staff indicate a high level of support for this type of student learning program. Originality/value – Although the value of both bilingual teaching and PAL has been explored in the teaching and learning literature, few studies have examined the integration of these two approaches. This research contributes to the literature by exploring the practical contribution of integrating these approaches. This research also provides valuable information regarding executive and academic perceptions of PAL programs, which is infrequently addressed in the literature. Findings may be used to inform institutions of the value of bilingual PAL programs in relation to international student retention and learning support and provide a starting point for discussions around the practical implications of such programs.

Beyond Teachers' Sight Lines: Using Video Modeling to Examine Peer Discourse

2008 ◽  
Vol 101 (6) ◽  
pp. 468-472
Author(s):  
Donna Kotsopoulos
Keyword(s):  
Discourse Analysis ◽  
Mathematics Education ◽  
Group Work ◽  
Video Modeling ◽  
Peer Group ◽  
School Setting ◽  
Interactional Sociolinguistics ◽  
Peer Communication ◽  
Peer Group Work ◽  
Education Discourse

The author describes her work in mathematics education discourse between student and peer and student and teacher. This article introduces readers to various examples of discourse analysis in mathematics education. Highlighted is interactional sociolinguistics, used in a present study to investigate peer discourse in a middle-school setting. Key findings from this study include the benefits of video modeling as a mechanism for fostering inclusive peer group work and the usefulness of video modeling as a tool for assessing peer communication. Implications for low performing students are discussed.

scholarly journals Maturity Levels of Student Support E- Services Within an Open Distance E-learning University

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Asteria Nsamba
Keyword(s):  
Course Design ◽  
Deductive Reasoning ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Hybrid Approach ◽  
Student Support ◽  
Learning Technologies ◽  
Maturity Model ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
E Learning ◽  
The University

The University of South Africa (UNISA) is one of the distance education universities that is shifting from open distance learning (ODL) to open distance e-learning (ODeL). UNISA started as a correspondence institution in the 1950s and it has since evolved into an ODeL university. The aim of this research was to assess and determine the maturity levels of UNISA lecturers’ and tutors’ explorations of various forms of e-learning technologies to support students in an ODeL environment. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 academic staff members. A hybrid approach involving inductive and deductive reasoning was used to guide the whole research process. The online course design maturity model (OCDMM) was modified and adapted in order to guide data collection, data analysis, and the interpretation of results. The results of the study indicate that the maturity levels of UNISA’s student support e-learning technologies are at the basic levels of the maturity assessment framework for open distance e-learning. It is hoped that the results of this research will serve as a starting point that the University can use to constantly measure improvements made in advancing e-learning activities.  

Getting started with research

2009 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 57-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heidi Probst ◽  
Rachel Harris
Keyword(s):  
Research Funding ◽  
Research Training ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Research Activity ◽  
Health Care Practitioners ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Professional Body ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Training And Support

AbstractDo you have an enquiring mind and an enthusiasm or thirst for knowledge? Do you want to get involved in radiotherapy research or develop your research expertise? Research should underpin the clinical and educational activities undertaken by Radiation Therapists. For many, research can seem a daunting process that is beyond their expertise or capabilities. All health care practitioners can use research evidence and some may want to undertake their own research but may feel unsure where to start.This article is aimed at novice researchers (or those with limited research experience) and those wanting to develop their research potential. The discussion should help practitioners identify the necessary skills required to undertake research, where to go for help, the research process (including where research ideas come from), and what to consider when putting together a project team or applying for research funding.The discussion concludes on the importance of research training and support (or mentoring) for novice researchers or those at the start of their research careers. The national professional body for therapists can play an important role in helping researchers to network with likeminded individuals. Some professional bodies (such as the College of radiographers in the UK) may also provide small research grants to help build research activity, and as such can be a useful starting point when considering research funding.

scholarly journals The Influence of Culture on Collaborative Learning Practices in Higher Education

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 81-106
Author(s):  
Jagat Bahadur Kunwar
Keyword(s):  
Collaborative Learning ◽  
Peer Group ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Peer Learning ◽  
Group Processes ◽  
Cultural Dimensions ◽  
Cultural Dimension ◽  
Cultural Backgrounds ◽  
Learning Methods ◽  
Learning Practices

Abstract Objective: This study systematically identifies the various pertinent cultural dimensions and the group processes involved in collaborative peer learning before empirically exploring their associations among a sample of university students. Methodology: Twenty statements encompassing various cultural dimensions that could possibly influence students’ preferences towards collaborative peer learning practices were incorporated into a survey. The data were collected from 147 multicultural students studying applied sciences in Finland. Chi-squared test of independence was used to test the association between the cultural dimension scores for students and their stated preferences for collaborative learning practices. Findings: A major finding of this study is that learners from diverse cultural backgrounds have differing modes of engaging in the eight separate collaborative learning processes. The findings clearly reveal that students from cultures that are hierarchical, collectivist, less bound by rules, and traditional are less likely to have any prior familiarity with peer-learning methods. It seems relatively clear that the power distance and collectivism dimensions have the greatest impact on shaping the preferences of students for collaborative peer-learning methods. Value Added: Very few studies have looked at how the cultural backgrounds of students can influence their use of, and preferences towards, collaborative peerlearning methods. This study identifies key processes in collaborative learning practices, which are shaped by culture as communication, decision-making, leadership, evaluation, trust building, the expression of disagreement, scheduling, and persuasion within a peer group. Recommendations: This study found that Hofstede’s framework might be too constraining when understanding how culture shapes a student’s preferences towards collaborative peer learning in the educational context. It would be even more fruitful to develop an altogether endogenous framework that is more suitable for exploring the influence of culture on learning and education. Such a model should identify the various dimensions of culture beyond those of national identity and consider how they jointly influence attitudes towards collaborative learning rather than considering them in isolation. This model should also take a more dynamic approach towards both culture and learning.

The power of peer influence to address student behavioral problems

2018 ◽  
Vol 99 (8) ◽  
pp. 62-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark J. Van Ryzin ◽  
Cary J. Roseth
Keyword(s):  
Peer Influence ◽  
Behavioral Problems ◽  
Peer Group ◽  
Peer Learning ◽  
Cooperative Groups ◽  
Social Emotional ◽  
Learning Programs ◽  
Special Power ◽  
Alcohol And Drug Abuse ◽  
One Year

As children reach adolescence, peer groups gain special power to influence their behavior, and young people tend to adapt their behavior to fit group norms. When students engage in bullying, alcohol and drug abuse, and other behavior, those in their peer group are more likely to engage in those behaviors as well. The authors sought to evaluate whether having students engage in peer learning through interdependent cooperative groups might disrupt this tendency. Middle school teachers were trained in using peer learning to teach their regular curriculum, and after one year, students showed more positive and less negative behavior than those in control schools that did not implement peer learning. The effect was also larger than has been reported for traditional prevention and social-emotional learning programs.

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