Majoritarian Stories and Counterstories: Critical Race Theory Approaches to Countering Deficit Discourse in Higher Education

This paper employs critical discourse analysis to interrogate rhetorics of academic deficit subtending institutional neglect of equitable opportunity for students of color at U.S. postsecondary institutions. It further reviews Critical Race Theory literature in education, paying special attention to research that foregrounds social class as a discriminate variable distinguishing truly liberatory pedagogies from the merely critical.

Mismatched Students, Missed Opportunities

Theoretical frameworks on mismatch, rooted in affirmative action literature, provide divergent conclusions on how overmatch, a synonym for affirmative action, and undermatch shape degree completion outcomes for Black undergraduates at selective postsecondary institutions. Through examining data from the 2003–2009 Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Survey, this study creates an academic index that estimates the precollege academic credentials of approximately 650 Black, first-time undergraduates enrolled at the top three tiers of selective colleges during the 2003–04 academic year to examine the effects of undermatching or attending a college that is less rigorous than a college that matches their precollege academic record. The findings suggest that overmatched Black students who enrolled at the most selective institutions were far more likely to graduate than students with similar precollege academic credentials who enrolled at their best academic match. The results also indicate that undermatching had an adverse effect on degree completion rates.

The quality continuum: perceptions of institutional accreditation

Purpose Academics and administrators frequently lament the bureaucracy in higher education, which diverts attention from teaching and research. Heightened monitoring of institutions as a result of dominant neoliberal ideologies shapes perceptions of accreditation as a bureaucratic burden rather than a value-added tool for continuous quality improvement. This paper aims to identify factors that positively and negatively impact a culture of quality in North American accredited postsecondary institutions to address issues of equity and inform policy changes that are relevant to community needs. Design/methodology/approach Academics’ and administrators’ perceptions of accreditation processes are explored through an interpretivist mixed-methods study that combined focus group and survey results from over 200 participants representative of four-year private and four- and two-year public institutions and tribal colleges in North America. Findings Findings suggest that a utilitarian and exclusionary mindset perpetuated by neoliberal logics restricts participatory decision-making processes in postsecondary institutions. Furthermore, the research identified a noticeable gap between those who are invited to participate in accreditation processes and those who contribute to decision-making. This lack of inclusive governance inhibits the ability of institutions to respond appropriately to the needs of its community. Originality/value The scope of the study and prioritization of qualitative data offers a comprehensive picture of academics’ and administrators’ perceptions and positions them as the experts in their own learning and development. Through participant narratives, strategies for increasing the value of quality assurance processes are illuminated. As a result, the study participants become the change agents who provide the solutions for ameliorating academics’ and administrators’ resistance to quality assurance.

state of post-secondary food studies pedagogy in Canada

To date, there has been little empirical research on how food studies pedagogy has developed in Canada. Yet, across Canada, more and more postsecondary institutions are offering food studies in formalized programs and individual courses to undergraduate students. This paper contributes to the literature on food studies pedagogy by gathering insights from interviews with key faculty in food studies undergraduate programs at Canadian higher education institutions, and other food studies scholars in Canada. The purpose of this empirical research is to provide clarity regarding the ways that food studies programs are conceptualized and taught to better understand the evolution and future course of food studies pedagogy. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken to explore the normative commitments and philosophical underpinnings of food studies programs; various ways that scholars scope food studies; and challenges faced by food studies programs. We found that food studies programs in higher education in Canada and their associated pedagogy do not have a set of fixed attributes, but they do share common threads. Transformation is a defining characteristic of food studies and its pedagogy and puts critical thinking at the core of how food studies are taught in Canada at the undergraduate level. Interviewees also emphasized the importance of moving beyond critique towards solutions in their teaching to facilitate a transition towards more socially and ecologically just food systems.

International students’ knowledge and emotions related to academic integrity at Canadian postsecondary institutions

This study investigated the knowledge of academic integrity and associated emotions of a small sample of international students studying at Canadian postsecondary institutions (n = 60) using survey methodology. Depending on the survey item, 25–60 participants provided responses. Many respondents appeared knowledgeable about academic integrity and misconduct and reported that expectations in their home countries and in Canada were similar. There was, however, disagreement on the concept of duplicate submission/self-plagiarism, indicating an important gap in educating students about specific aspects of policy in postsecondary education in Canada. In addition, more than a third of respondents provided neutral responses to a situation involving contract cheating, suggesting a lack of certainty in how to respond when witnessing peers’ engagement in outsourcing academic work. Many respondents reported feeling confident upon reading the academic integrity and misconduct policies of their Canadian postsecondary institution, although nearly one third indicated feeling fearful, anxious, and/or confused. These negative feelings were associated with reduced knowledge of academic integrity and misconduct. Future research should further explore the experiences and emotions of international students related to academic integrity and misconduct to better understand the successes and challenges that they face in their postsecondary studies in Canada. Our findings have important implications for the delivery of academic integrity education, enhancing supports and resources, and refining academic integrity policies and procedures to improve the experience of students who come from abroad to study in Canada.

Medical Worker Migration and Origin-Country Human Capital: Evidence from U.S. Visa Policy

We exploit changes in U.S. visa policies for nurses to measure the origin-country human capital response to international migration opportunities. Combining data on all migrant departures and postsecondary institutions in the Philippines, we show that nursing enrollment and graduation increased substantially in response to greater U.S. demand for nurses. The supply of nursing programs expanded. Nurse quality, measured by licensure exam pass rates, declined. Despite this, for each nurse migrant, 9 additional nurses were licensed. New nurses switched from other degree types, but graduated at higher rates than they would have otherwise, increasing the human capital stock in the Philippines.

The Spectrum of Disability Documentation Requirements at 12 Institutions A Thematic Analysis

The two laws primarily governing disability services in postsecondary education, the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, permit institutions of higher education to determine disability documentation requirements on an individual basis. Many institutions have utilized documentation guidelines delineating a range of domains to be addressed, and often, suggestions for specific tests to be included, as well as strict recency requirements. Following passage of the ADAAA in 2008, the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) published documentation guidance practices that reflected the updated ADAAA. The current qualitative study examined the perspectives of 12 directors of disability services (DDS) at postsecondary institutions in the United States regarding the disability documentation requirements at their respective schools and their perspectives on why the standards were adopted. Findings revealed a wide spectrum from flexibility to rigidity in requirements from those who employ traditional guidelines to those who apply selective degrees of the AHEAD guidance. Benefits and drawbacks of documentation and the AHEAD guidance are discussed, as well as suggestions for practitioners and institutions seeking to implement the AHEAD guidance.

A Scoping Review of Text-Matching Software Used for Student Academic Integrity in Higher Education

Text-matching software has been used widely in higher education to reduce student plagiarism and support the development of students’ writing skills. This scoping review provides insights into the extant literature relating to commercial text-matching software (TMS) (e.g., Turnitin) use in postsecondary institutions. Our primary research question was “How is text-matching software used in postsecondary contexts?” Using a scoping review method, we searched 14 databases to find peer-reviewed literature about the use of TMS among postsecondary students. In total, 129 articles were included in the final synthesis, which comprised of data extraction, quality appraisal, and the identification of exemplar articles. We highlight evidence about how TMS is used for teaching and learning purposes to support student success at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Designing an Indigenous Wellness University Course: A Reflective Case Narrative

Postsecondary institutions across Canada have implemented various Indigenization strategies. Critical reflection is needed about the development, implementation, and impact of these strategies to ensure they serve more than checked boxes, and that they strive towards institutional decolonization. The purpose of this article is to present the development of an undergraduate course on Indigenous wellness at a Canadian postsecondary institution. Applying a reflective case narrative scholarly approach, we self-situate to present contextual information about ourselves and the course, as well as our motivation for course development and the scope of curriculum design. We consider five indicators of course design success within Dimitrov and Haque’s (2016) intercultural curriculum design competencies, and we recommend changes to the course design process for Indigenization sake. Reflecting on and interpreting our approach, we propose a three-party relational model to Indigenous course development consisting of the course instructor, a keeper of traditional knowledges, and a teaching and learning expert. In doing so we attempt to inform and prompt the thinking of others with similar or related course design goals.