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Purpose – Over the past few decades China's higher education has gone through dramatic growth and multiple rounds of reforms accompanied by a remarkable amount of financial investment, all aiming at developing world-class universities to grow innovative talents. Yet the outcomes so far have been disappointing. This paper aims to investigate this issue.Design/methodology/approach – By reviewing and analyzing selected educational reforms in higher education in China, this article discusses the reasons of the gap between the massive input for innovation in higher education in China and abysmal results. This paper also reports and analyzes a case that challenges central control and the gaokao system.Findings – Central control and the gaokao, the infamous college entrance exam, are the bedrocks of China's higher education and also the culprit for China's failure to cultivate innovative talents. Unless they are fundamentally changed it is unlikely that China will have the higher education system it dreams of having.Originality/value – This article provides an overview of China's efforts to cultivate innovative talents by strategically investing in building world-class higher education institutions (HEIs) and analyzes the reasons behind the apparent gap between its massive input and the abysmal results achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OpenCourseWare (OCW) and Open Educational Resources (OER) are two new and closely related educational technologies. Both provide open access to learning materials for students and instructors via the Internet. These are for the moment still very young technologies. While they have grown dramatically in just ten years there is still relatively little literature about their application in higher education. This paper will introduce the technologies, discus their potential, and offer some concepts for where researchers may take the topic in the future [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Faced with the challenges of the changes in: higher education, educational developers’ roles and the use of innovation to stimulate change, this study aimed to synthesise literature dealing with the diffusion of innovative learning and teaching practices in higher education to determine what lessons could be learnt. The findings suggest that the following need to be considered if innovations are to influence widespread change: senior management support, recognition of the time needed to change practices, appropriate skill development, contextualised innovation, supportive networks and a solid institutional infrastructure. The paper also considers the difficulties faced when trying to generalise guidance in an area wrought with the complexities of change and calls for further research that problematises the realities of innovation diffusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to provide a first-hand experience of deploying latest technology allowing the submission of assignments by students electronically, and providing them with feedback on these assignments. In this Australian case study, the lecturers used 'Audacity' and 'echo360' software to communicate with students by providing them with feedback on their assessments. This included general feedback for the benefit of the whole class, directed to all campuses, and weekly lectures' summaries. The findings suggest that the use of such technology develops a range of skills that would enhance students' interest in the unit, and their life-long learning. This paper provides an account derived from the examination of data collected from lecturers and students of undergraduate units. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In many areas of applied sciences, such as management and engineering, the generation and dissemination of theory and knowledge is increasingly woven into practice. This leaves teaching and research institutions with the challenge of developing and organising teaching activities that are effective from a student learning perspective. This paper presents the design and the operating principles of a learning environment that has been formulated in a joint development by teachers and researchers of the universities of Zaragoza (Spain) and Aalborg (Denmark). In this paper we describe what the learning environment developed consists in, beginning by presenting the theoretical foundation considered for its design, to then describe it in detail and present it. Finally, we will discuss the implications of this environment for researching and teaching in this field, and gather the conclusions of this study and the future developments to be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With more constructivist approaches to learning in higher education and more value on teamwork skills, students' oracy (speaking and listening) features more prominently in curriculum, pedagogy and assessment. The paper reports on a study of two first-year Australian university courses in disciplines with explicit industry orientations and high proportions of international students. Drawing on classroom observations and interviews with the lecturers, this paper investigates their pedagogical designs on oracy and the oracy demands of their assessment tasks. The study found that talk-based assessment tasks (a group project and a group oral presentation) featured in both courses but the two courses treated students' oracy differently: as product or process. The contrast between the two assessment designs explicates issues around EAL (English as an additional language) student needs, authentic links to industry, the provenance of criteria used to assess performance, perceptions about the relevance of talk and the 'hidden assessment' of oracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Total quality management (TQM) has been widely recognised as a management philosophy and a well-known approach for process improvement and innovation. Among extant studies there is still a lot of debate on the TQM-innovation relationship, most focus on manufacturing and services rather than educational institutes, such as universities. Today, universities are no longer seen as higher education institutes (HEIs), but as continuing education institute (CEIs). Having realised the importance of TQM-innovation, universities have started to adjust its courses to meet the needs of various markets and customers. Based on a thorough review of contemporary TQM literature and comparative examinations of TQM definitions, this paper assumes that all successful TQM factors in manufacturing, services and HEIs will also fit CEIs. To solve the problems resulting from the omitted effects of the environmental context, this paper aims to systematically explore arguments regarding the TQM-innovation relationship in different contexts (i.e. environment, strategy and culture (ESC)), and develop an architecture named ESC by modifying the model by Prajogo and Sohal's (2001). Finally, we propose seven propositions and conclude with a discussion and conclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technology-mediated education or e-learning is growing globally both in scale and delivery capacity due to the large diffusion of the ubiquitous information and communication technologies (ICT) in general and the web technologies in particular. This statement has not yet been fully supported by research, especially in developing countries such as Algeria. The purpose of this paper was to identify directions for addressing the needs of academics in higher education institutions in Algeria in order to adopt the e-learning approach as a strategy to improve quality of education. The paper will report results of an empirical study that measures the readiness of the Algerian higher education institutions towards the implementation of ICT in the educational process and the attitudes of faculty members towards the application of the e-learning approach in engineering education. Three main objectives were targeted, namely: (a) to provide an initial evaluation of faculty members' attitudes and perceptions towards web-based education; (b) reporting on their perceived requirements for implementing e-learning in university courses; (c) providing an initial input for a collaborative process of developing an institutional strategy for e-learning. Statistical analysis of the survey results indicates that the Algerian higher education institution, which adopted the Licence - Master and Doctorate educational system, is facing a big challenge to take advantage of emerging technological innovations and the advent of e-learning to further develop its teaching programmes and to enhance the quality of education in engineering fields. The successful implementation of this modern approach is shown to depend largely on a set of critical success factors that would include: The extent to which the institution will adopt a formal and official e-learning strategy. The extent to which faculty members will adhere and adopt this strategy and develop ownership of the various measures in the context of their teaching and research responsibilities. The extent to which the university will offer adequate support in terms of training, software platform administration, online resource development and impact monitoring and assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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There has been an increase in the use of e-learning as a form of delivering higher education. Much of the innovation has gone hand in hand with what has been called an ‘evaluation bypass’ and has seemingly been popular because of its economic efficiency. The literature on new technologies tends to be written by those committed to the innovation. They tend to present innovation as a good, regardless of what the innovation is, and ‘resistors’ as in some senses deviant. Using the example of the Higher Education Funding Council for England-funded multimedia project, ‘Doing Political Research’, this paper argues that some degree of scepticism about innovation can be seen as a positive response. Furthermore, the paper argues that the cost-saving arguments put forward by proponents of innovation are illusory. E-learning can be as costly as other means. However, it does offer alternative ways to teach and can be particularly effective at reaching isolated learners. The conclusion is that for e-learning to be effective it must place learning first. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growing pressure to restructure and reform tertiary education is encouraging university academics to use innovative practices that assist students to develop 'employable' skills. The hybrid approach described in this paper stimulated students to be self-directed adult learners who maximized their learning of content and skills by means of problem-based learning and action research strategies. The lecturer also operated as a reflective practitioner and role model by using an action research approach. This paper demonstrates the value of student empowerment, communication and leadership in autonomous learning groups. It outlines methods by which academic teaching staff can build continuous improvement into a university unit's curriculum design and processes. These can be powerful additions to lecturers' teaching strategies and to students' learning experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the 1980s higher education (HE) in the UK has been continually developing to meet the needs of a changing economy. An economy now based largely on knowledge and its transfer, rather than manual skills and labour, has led to an emphasis by the government on increasing the number of adults with high level skills to contribute to economic success. The widening participation agenda is an example of the government drive to increase the numbers and range of people attending university. It is within this context that the term innovation has grown in currency. A growing student population requires learning and teaching methods to be developed, adapted and changed to address the diversity of needs within it. Innovation in learning and teaching therefore may become vital to the success of an institution. But what encourages staff to innovate? The majority of this paper will discuss the context for the focus on innovation in HE in terms of its contributing factors, such as changing economic needs and the government agenda to widen participation. Brief discussion at the end will be given to one faculty's initiative to encourage staff to innovate within their own practice. This initiative presents the potential benefits of creating opportunities for staff to present, exchange and discuss new ideas as a stimulus to taking the first step in innovating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a research paper which aims to explain the potential of Web 2.0 and its knowledge system or episteme to counter the transcultural learning zones in higher education in the context of internationalisation and massification. The study shows how non-foundational method of Web 2.0 provides capacity in constructing postcolonial transcultural learning zones that are open to knowledge discourse and systems. Results of the study show that socially oriented episteme of Web 2.0 allow educators to construct postcolonial transcultural learning zones in which privilege in knowledge system or discourse is not inherent.

Ethical learning is an educational proposal that aims to prepare students for their future working life by helping them to acquire skills that allow them to carry out their professions with autonomy and responsibility. In this paper, we reflect on the main characteristics of this educational proposal, on its connections with the European Higher Education Area, and on the experience gained at the Technical University of Valencia, which is based on that of a considerable number of teachers and researchers grouped under the Teaching Innovation Group for Ethical Learning in Scientific and Technical Studies (GREVOL). First, we describe the main characteristics of this research and action group and then give two examples of how we have introduced ethical learning into engineering lectures by means of two different approaches: one of these is a technical course, named “Industrial Sensors”, and the other is through two humanistic subjects, called “Introduction to Development Aid” and “Development Aid Projects”. Finally, we critically assess the advantages and disadvantages of these two approaches: humanistic courses versus engineering courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inherent opportunities for communication, collaboration and experiential learning in an online and global network create the impetus for the new network paradigm in higher education. A strategic knowledge network in education was designed and developed to build 'Mode 2' knowledge capabilities; create new knowledge for innovative application; and help to shape, influence or create professional practice. This paper presents a case study of a masters program at a large university of technology in Australia, in which students undertook industry-based coursework as part of a strategic knowledge network. Complexity of projects increased throughout the program; and the real-world projects included working with local and international mentors, thus positioning coursework within the industry. In this flexible learning environment, graduates developed 'Mode 2' knowledge capabilities for the networked world of work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines how recent changes, leading to a diversified supply in Kenya's university education system, is reflected in prospective students' aspirations, perceptions and preferences to undertake university education. The results, based on a combination of a convenience and snowball sampling of settings, within which random samples of final year high school students were selected, reveal that aspiration to undertake university education is high among all social groups, and that state universities are preferred by a majority of the students in spite of the rapid growth in the number of private universities of acceptable quality. By examining the aspirations of students and college choice, the paper engages the debates around elite vs. massified higher education in Kenya's context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past four decades, teaching and learning in higher education has been informed by a variety of educational theories. The various initiatives that have been introduced as a consequence have all sought to improve students' educational experiences. However, such moves have not always been successful, as a series of three articles that the authors produced on dental chairside teaching have demonstrated. The first of these investigated the stakeholders' perceptions of this teaching at one dental school. The second evaluated chairside teaching on a UK wide scale, while the third provided educational tools to encourage collaboration among clinical educators to share good chairside teaching practices. What this paper seeks to do is to locate each of these themes within the wider context of a theoretical frame highlighting the need for dental education to be underpinned by such constructs. The aim of this paper is to help ensure that an informed learning experience is achieved for all students engaged in clinical dental education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Universities are undertaking transformation projects that align their work with the Sustainable Development Goals. This paper describes how Ocean I3, an educational innovation project that aims to reduce plastic in the sea, has made an impact on its community over its three editions (2018/19 to 2020/21). Methodologically, it has been approached by the people who make up the technical team and academic coordination as an exploratory study using discrete, non-reactive techniques, mainly from the public domain (websites, blogs, press releases, etc.), and instruments, such as field notes and work material to manage, organize, and train within the project. The analytical procedure has represented a dynamic and systematic process of categorisation. The results highlight the repercussion of the project in terms of capstone projects, master's thesis, coursework, etc., produced by the students involved; association with employability; collaborative work from the teaching teams; monitoring experience for research purposes, and social dissemination of the project. It concludes by suggesting lines for Ocean I3 to work on in the future to make its footprint sustainable in institutions over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As certain areas of practice in higher education shift online, the work of learners and teachers increasingly takes place within the domain of the image. The 'digital turn' we are experiencing, both in higher education and in the wider culture, accompanies an 'iconic turn' in which the logic of the image as it emerges on our screens has a growing influence over our working, thinking and learning practices. Visuality gains a new urgency as we move further into the digital age. This paper considers and critiques the form of visuality which increasingly mediates between pedagogy in higher education and digital space - the interface of the virtual learning environment or VLE. If the spatial organisation and visuality of the screen both represents and creates a value system and an ontology, what social and pedagogical practices does the VLE interface reflect, inform and inscribe? What meanings does it produce? What version of pedagogy does it 'make visible', and what alternatives does it blind us to? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The goal of this paper is to enhance consideration for the potential for institutions of higher education throughout the world, in different cultures and contexts, to be change agents for sustainability. As society faces unprecedented and increasingly urgent challenges associated with accelerating environmental change, resource scarcity, increasing inequality and injustice, as well as rapid technological change, new opportunities for higher education are emerging. Design/methodology/approach - The paper builds on the emerging literature on transition management and identifies five critical issues to be considered in assessing the potential for higher education as a change agent in any particular region or place. To demonstrate the value of these critical issues, exemplary challenges and opportunities in different contexts are provided. Findings - The five critical issues include regional-specific dominant sustainability challenges, financing structure and independence, institutional organization, the extent of democratic processes, and communication and interaction with society. Originality/value - Given that the challenges and opportunities for higher education as a change agent are context-specific, identifying, synthesizing, and integrating common themes is a valuable and unique contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to lay out future scenarios related to the impact of the intensification of competition between universities and research centres of OECD countries on the stocks and flows of university graduates in Latin America. In conditions of intensified competence, it is possible that the ways in which Latin American countries, universities and university professionals participate in the processes of international mobility will change significantly. This paper proposes different scenarios, combining hypotheses about the global dynamics of skilled mobility and migration of graduate students (conditioned by the behaviour of the demand in developed countries), about their main impacts on Latin America, and about the responses that Latin American governments and universities could make to face this process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globalisation includes not only the changes brought about by the opening up of markets and communication technology, but also those set in motion by shifts in policy relating to the responsibilities of government and the role of research and innovation in development. This paper examines the impact of globalisation on education research, policy and practice, and the ways in which reforms and priorities in the education systems of the Asia-Pacific region are being shaped by the interaction between the global and the local. It is argued that educational reforms should not be left to global forces or powerful global organizations to decide for us, but should stem from deliberate and considered choices based on the best-available research. Closing the gaps between research, policy and practice demands that we rethink our research priorities and practices, as well as the ways in which we develop and implement policy. The paper examines some of the rethinking underway, and how organizations like APERA, UNESCO and Eidos promote the sharing of knowledge and experience and collaboration between educational researchers, policy makers and practioners in the Asia-Pacific region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After reviewing the major changes taking place in American higher education, the present paper discusses a select number of challenges confronting US social work education. These challenges are broadly characterized as those of rigor and relevance. The paper presents the author's reflections on the best ways to meet these challenges and stresses the promotion of research and social innovations as important foci for social work education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The study presented in this paper is intended to assist the decision-making process in Romanian higher education institutions on topics such as market structure analysis, market segmentation, positioning of the specializations, and the cannibalization between them. Design/methodology/approach - This paper describes a preliminary qualitative study that examines the primary motives that affect choice of specializations before developing and validating a measurement instrument. The objective of the questionnaire was to help managers collect information regarding perceptions on specializations from a pool of 344 students of a major Romanian business faculty. The data were used to generate a perceptual map, which disclosed a three-cluster solution. In a parallel study, an internal analysis of preferences on 1,390 subjects revealed the existence of three market segments: "the pragmatics," "the sociables" and "the diploma hunters." Findings - Facing competition, Romanian higher education institutions need to carefully plan their actions, and better manage their scarce resources. Originality/value - This study is one of the few that tried to develop, to reliability test and to validate a questionnaire in the field of higher education, and the first one that has analyzed the positioning of the specializations at the level of a business faculty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes an innovative model for assessing the techni- cal communication course by analytically scoring online portfo- lios, open to the internet, for ten separate (analytic) variables and one overall (holistic) score. The model is a statistically verifiable and sustainable method that strengthens the curriculum and fos- ters consensus within the teaching community. We achieved con- struct validity by redefining the elements of the course to incorpo- rate communication in the digital age and then by creating new criteria for evaluation related to that construct. We achieved inter-reader reliability by beginning each assessment with a cali- brated reading and by adjudicating non-adjacent scores. After using the model successfully for three semesters, we can see increased consistency in teaching among sections and semesters, more communication among instructors, and we are beginning a database with which we can test further change. The theory and method behind this model can be applied to other disciplines as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores case study research of the group process for teachers as learners in an Online Learning Module delivered in a blended problem‐based learning (PBL) environment. Blended learning, as the name suggests, consists of a blend of at least two pedagogical approaches: within the context of this research, blended learning is the integration of the PBL face‐to‐face learning in a classroom with an e‐learning environment. The 10‐week module was part of an accredited Postgraduate Diploma in Third Level Learning and Teaching for academic staff (lecturers, librarians, learning technology support staff) from a range of higher education institutions in the Republic of Ireland. This Postgraduate Diploma attracts academic staff keen to experience and implement a variety of pedagogical approaches within their own teaching. Over the four years of the module’s existence, there have been a wide variety of subject disciplines in higher education represented. This paper shares experiences and lessons learnt from the case study, and provides a set of recommendations for other teachers pursuing this form of blended PBL with students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper draws on three research projects (undertaken in 1997–99, 2002 and 2004–05) that have examined innovation in learning and teaching methods in UK higher education. The first two of these focused on such matters as departmental and institutional cultures and the factors that have either enabled or inhibited change. The third has begun to monitor the impact of the process of establishing Centres for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. The prospects for introducing innovations in teaching and learning in higher education are considered in relation to these wider contexts in terms of policies, structures and cultures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The UK government's widening participation strategy, and the concomitant development of a mass higher education system, has imposed a variety of pressures on higher education institutions. Not least of these is the changing nature of the student population, and the assumptions that can be made about its skills and knowledge base. It should not be surprising that this rapid expansion of the higher education system has resulted in declining student progression and retention rates. This paper takes a case study approach and attempts to identify the range of factors that might explain the variability of student performance on a first year undergraduate introductory statistics module. The paper concludes that there are no simple predictors of success or failure. However, there is evidence to suggest that any innovations in delivery need to take account of individual student development and that the presumption that students can rapidly become independent learners upon initial entry to higher education is an unrealistic one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

EXPERIMENTAL METHODS have been used extensively for many years to conduct research in education and psychology. However, applications of experiments to investigate technology and other instructional innovations in higher education settings have been relatively limited. The present paper examines ways in which experiments can be used productively by higher education researchers to increase the quality and rigor of studies. Specific topics include types of experiments, common validity threats, advantages and disadvantages of experiments, operational procedures for designing and conducting experiments, and reporting and disseminating results. Emphasis is given to helping prospective researchers evaluate the circumstances that favor or disfavor usage of experimental designs relative to other methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the crossroads of current innovation policies towards a European Research Area (ERA) and a European Higher Education Area (EHEA) lies an important province of higher learning and research: doctoral training and the further careers of PhD graduates. A considerable number of higher education systems across Europe shift their paradigms for doctoral training away from the traditional so-called Humboldtian model towards the so-called professional model. On this background, the paper discusses (1) the German pattern of a strong link of the PhD to the labor market outside academe that is based on a traditional academic-disciplinary mode of apprenticeship training, and (2) approaches that argue for a new mode of knowledge production replacing an academic-disciplinary model of research training by a hybrid model that crosses disciplinary and organizational borders. The paper argues that a diversity of organisational and structural forms as well as different validation criteria and procedures will probably determine the future face of research training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the driving forces behind the Bologna process, its advantages and possible negative effects. It also analyses the dangers that may result in commoditisation of the European higher education systems, in emergence of rigid accreditation systems and of a centralised bureaucracy that will impair innovation and creativity.The paper develops the idea that the Bologna process may be interpreted as a step in the neo-liberal movement to decrease the social responsibility of the state by shortening the length of pre-graduate studies and transferring responsibility for supporting employability to individuals through graduate studies.Consideration is also given to the mechanisms and forces behind the Bologna process that try to present an apparent climate of consensus despite some obvious difficulties and disagreements at the level of implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses and suggests possible technological innovation strategies in higher educational institutions in Africa. The paper describes management issues in the implementation of eLearning with particular reference to its usage in higher education abroad and in Africa, and also suggests appropriate approaches for technological innovation of higher education in Africa. The major findings of the paper, which are based on three case studies, suggest that eLearning needs to be implemented within a strategically developed framework based on a clear and unified vision and a central educational rationale. The findings further highlight the importance of using a combination of strategies — top-down, bottom-up and inside-out — during the diffusion process to attain coherence, collegiality and ownership. The process of technological transformation is not a smooth translation process but one of dislocations, dilemmas and uncertainties and it is an art to effect change and sustainable technological transformation since people are central to this transformation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to assess the impact of industrial policy instruments on international competitiveness and in particular on the competitiveness of the manufacturing sector in Tunisia. From a non-stationary panel model composed of 13 Tunisian manufacturing sectors during the period 1995-2016, we show the existence of a long-term cointegration relationship between manufacturing exports and its determinants. The results show that spending on research and development and tertiary education has a positive effect on exports. Hence, it is necessary for the public authorities to intervene within the framework of industrial policy to promote technological innovation and higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is argued that the major reason for the at least partial failure in the dissemination of teaching innovations lies in the uni-directional approach used and the reliance on dissemination through education, both of which are in conflict with well established change theory, which is outlined. The paper demonstrates how the Enterprise in Higher Education Initiative (EHE), using this theory at least in part serendipidously, succeeded and lists the crucial and rare features of EHE which made it successful as an agent of dissemination. Two other successfully disseminated teaching initiatives are analysed for their special features which led to success, but which it would be difficult to generalise. Recommendations are made for a radical change in the approach to dissemination, based on the lessons learned from EHE: in particular, to involve both institutions and Departments, as well as other relevant agencies, both inside and outside universities, and to appoint `Higher Education Advisers'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the design-based research approach used by the Center for Innovation in Learning and Student Success (CILSS) at the University of Maryland, University College (UMUC). CILSS is a laboratory for conducting applied research that focuses on continuous improvements to the university's instruction of curriculum, learning models, and student support to identify promising innovations for underserved populations in adult higher education; to drive adoption of next-generation transformational online learning; to develop new educational models based on learning science, cutting edge technology, and improved instructional methods; to help more UMUC adult students succeed by increasing retention and graduating more students in shorter time frames (thus reducing their costs). As such, leveraging technology and pedagogy in innovative ways is key to the Center's work. CILSS serves as the research and development arm for the university, promoting innovative ideas and breakthroughs in learning. In this paper, we detail one interpretation of design-based research (DBR) and how it can be applied by an innovation center working within a university for program evaluation. We also posit that the conceptual framework and assumptions of andragogy (Knowles, 1984) have applicable relevance to the instructional shifts that include adaptive learning in the curriculum. A review of the literature on DBR explores the central features of this approach. A review of andragogy as the conceptual framework for this paper highlights what we believe to be the central features of the evaluation approach of adaptive learning software. We then present the model used by CILSS when designing and testing a pilot project. To illustrate the approach, we provide the example of a recent pilot that uses the adaptive learning software RealizeIt in UMUC's Principles of Accounting I course, a course that traditionally has lower than average success rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Set within the context of a global pursuit towards the internationalisation of higher education, this paper critically examines student discourse in a globally connected classroom between learners in the USA and Singapore. It makes salient some of the cultural assumptions and tensions that undergird students’ discourse in collaborative international exchanges. We argue that technological innovation can enhance campus internationalisation efforts by providing opportunities for groups of students to intersect and interact across cultures. Such opportunities for social connection can bring about a transformative third space wherein domestic students and their international peers can engage in meaningful and productive dialogic exchanges. However, as this analysis suggests, the mere opportunity for connection will not necessarily manifest outcomes consistent with ideals of internationalisation and may instead result in superficial exchanges and reified stereotypes. Specifically, findings from this study demonstrate several tensions in US students’ discourse, revealing ways in which they simultaneously reject and represent American identity, challenge and reify national stereotypes, and pursue open-mindedness while maintaining ‘strong convictions'. Finally, as a practical application of findings, we suggest training students to self-reflect through critical examination of their own and others’ discourse as a means for pushing beyond the superficial towards genuine cultural learning. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: The undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education community has developed a large number of innovative teaching strategies and materials, but the majority of these go unused by instructors. To help understand how to improve adoption of evidence-based education innovations, this study focuses on innovations that have become widely used in college-level STEM instruction. Innovations were identified via a questionnaire emailed to experts in STEM instruction. Descriptions of identified innovations were validated by preparing brief descriptions of each innovation and sending them to the original developers, when applicable, for feedback, and searching relevant literature. Publicly available funding data was collected for each innovation. STEM disciplines surveyed include biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering, geoscience, mathematics, and physics. Results: The 43 innovations identified were categorized based on two criteria: level of specificity (general, recognizable, branded) and type of change (pedagogical, content, both, neither). The 21 branded innovations were analyzed in more detail. The majority (14/21) require relatively modest changes in pedagogy and no changes in content. In addition, nearly all have received at least 3 million dollars in external funding over at least 10 years. Conclusions: This paper presents the full list of instructional innovations produced, which can be used by educational innovation developers to understand how their ideas fit within the broader landscape and to identify innovations in one discipline that may have promise for transfer. The findings regarding funding of the branded innovations have important implications for both educational innovation developers and funding agencies. In particular, the study indicates that a long-term mindset and access to long-term funding are vital for broad adoption of new teaching innovations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In view of the discrepancies in teacher training and teaching practice, this paper put forward a context-adaptive teacher training model in a ubiquitous learning (u-learning) environment. The innovative model provides teachers of different subjects with adaptive and personalized learning content in a u-learning environment, implements intra- and inter-group collaboration to facilitate knowledge construction and in-depth study, and promotes reflection with the help of the supervising teacher's review and summarization. To test the effect, the model was applied to a general teacher training. Participants were then given questionnaires and interviews were conducted to assess the effectiveness of the model and attitude. Results showed that the model promoted teachers’ learning effectively, achieved the combination of teacher training and teaching practice. Moreover, teachers held positive attitude toward the model. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Interest in how to support the design work of university teachers has led to research and development initiatives that include technology-based design-support tools, online repositories, and technical specifications. Despite these initiatives, remarkably little is known about the design work that university teachers actually do. This paper presents findings from a qualitative study that investigated the design processes of 30 teachers from 16 Australian universities. The results show design as a top-down iterative process, beginning with a broad framework to which detail is added through cycles of elaboration. Design extends over the period before, while, and after a unit is taught, demonstrating the dynamic nature of design and highlighting the importance of reflection in teachers' design practice. We present a descriptive model of the design process, which we relate to conceptualizations of higher education teaching and learning, and compare with the characteristics of general design and instructional design. We also suggest directions for future research and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Universities have discovered that learning need not dwell inside the confines of the four traditional classroom walls. The internet provides a vital link to information like never before. As the number of internet users has increased, universities have begun to rely more heavily on technology in the delivery of course content and instruction. The use of technology has been purported to have the potential to lead the way in developing more competent technology and educational leaders in schools as well as reforming leadership preparation and reaching a more inclusive population of administrator aspirants. Online education seems set on its course to overtake traditional colleges within the next few decades, especially as society becomes ever more dependent on the internet to get work done. This research paper examines areas in which educational programs can meet today's global standards, allow for the greatest flexibility in meeting student needs, and yet continue to increase leadership and educational opportunities for all student groups. The purpose of the study is to outline: whether distance technology is indeed used; what types of distance technology are employed; what goals drive the implementation of distance technology; and what factors inhibit the successful use of distance technology in higher education engagement graduate employability. The paper aims to focus on the issues involve the role of higher education in improving employability in developing the students' potential and flexibility to adapt their knowledge, skills, and attitudes to the labor market. In view of this, distance universities may have an important role in designing and implementing accreditation standards for employability. The attention should be paid to the development of transferable skills such as critical thinking, oral expression and team work to promote employability while raising the quality standards of the Higher Education Degree. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The journalism being taught at universities in Spain is undergoing intensive changes as a result of the dual pressure exerted by the impact of digitisation in two specific aspects. The first is the journalistic system itself (business models, professional routines, information consumption, etc.). The second aspect involves the teaching guidelines established as a result of the implementation of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). Focusing on the latter issue, the current debate regarding the orientation of journalistic education is calling for this aspect not to be relegated or limited to training in technical skills, which are constantly being renewed by technological developments of the digital environment. On the contrary, journalism education must also take into account other skills that foster the achievement of critical thinking, which is fundamental for the exercise of the journalistic profession. However, in the face of an increasingly digitised, competitive labour market, journalism studies and their training programmes also have a duty to provide the skills and competencies demanded by this market. In this paper, we have conducted a systematic review of some of the experiences of innovative teaching that have been successfully carried out in Journalism degrees taught in Spain for this purpose (service-learning, project-based learning, content curation, and edublogs, among others). These experiences reflect the involvement of university professors in providing comprehensive education for future journalists, with a strong emphasis on the intensive use of the digital resources currently available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the adaptive scheduling ability of the innovation and entrepreneurship education model for college students, a brain computing-based innovation and entrepreneurship education model for college students is proposed. Through career-planning education, team training will gradually cultivate the leadership skills of entrepreneurs and improve the overall level of innovation and entrepreneurship of college students. The paper proposes to use the fuzzy neural network algorithm to analyze the control constraint parameters of the college students' innovation and entrepreneurship education model and optimize the design of the control objective function of the university. The control of students' innovation and entrepreneurship education model is carried out using quantitative optimization methods. The fuzzy neural network is used to identify the control rights of college students' innovation and entrepreneurship education model through label recognition technology, and the control objective model of college students' innovation and entrepreneurship education model is constructed. The adaptive load-balancing control method is adopted to control the innovation and entrepreneurship education model of college students. Research shows that this method has a good balance and adaptive control ability in the construction of college students' innovation and entrepreneurship education model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Education hubs represent the third generation of crossborder education activities, which emerge onto the landscape of our more globalized world. As a new phenomenon in higher education, education hubs are appearing in different locations around the globe. In the literature on education hubs, most research studies have focused on Southeast Asia and Middle East. To address this gap in the literature, we seek to explore the emergence of China as an international education hub, especially with respect to its impact on development. Against the backdrop of China's national strategy to develop its international competitiveness in education, we conduct case studies of three education hubs in China: (i) the International Collaborative Education Exemplary Zone by the International Campus of Zhejiang University (iZJU) in the Yangtze River Delta; (ii) the International Higher Education Demonstration Zone in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area; and (iii) the International Education Innovation Pilot Zone in the Hainan Free Trade Port. Overall, our paper draws implication on how education hubs developed through university-industry-government collaboration can help the region to shift to a knowledge and service-based economy, and gain a competitive edge within the country and beyond. • Education hubs represent the third generation of crossborder education activities, which emerge onto the landscape of our more globalized world. • We seek to explore the emergence of China as an international education hub, especially with respect to its impact on development. • Against the backdrop of China's national strategy to develop its competitiveness in education, we conduct case studies of three hubs in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the contributions of co-teaching to learning-oriented assessment in eight co-taught undergraduate courses, over two academic years, in the fields of Education and Translation and Interpreting; specifically, whether collaborative teaching enhances assessment design and practices while developing instructors' and students' assessment literacy. Evidence from reflective teacher diaries and student focus group data was triangulated, with results suggesting a positive effect of co-teaching on formative assessment, especially regarding the quantity and quality of feedback received by students. Concerning summative assessment, transparency and communication were found to be key factors in reducing student concerns over the grading process. Finally, co-teaching appears to enable a two-way street encouraging students to provide feedback to their instructors and, in the process of doing so, develop their own feedback literacy. Overall, co-teaching, when well-planned and coordinated, can facilitate learning-oriented assessment, as well as provide a fruitful space for instructors' professional development in assessment practices. • Co-teaching enhances instructors' professional development in assessment design. • Collaborative teaching develops instructors' and students' assessment literacy. • Collaborative teaching facilitates formative, learning-oriented assessment. • Co-teaching enables a two-way street encouraging student-to-teacher feedback. • Collaborative teaching encourages educational innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The long pursuit of university education in northern Canada has seen a variety of methods used to deliver higher education to northerners. One such approach, Inter Universities Services (IUS), has been supporting university course delivery in northern Manitoba since 1972-73. This article argues that IUS has evolved progressively over its fifty years from an initiative offering a disjointed set of university course options to become part of a coordinated, if unplanned, approach to university education in northern Manitoba. This article outlines the history of IUS, including origins, structure, issues, and key events, before looking to the future. Conclusions suggest that IUS has been central to the growth and stability of higher education in northern Manitoba. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: The ever-changing and enigmatic future is taking form through a continuous wave of worldwide trends, advancements, and revolutionary ideas. Moreover, the rapid spread of the coronavirus and subsequent lockdown measures have accelerated the pace of technological advancements, significantly impacting multiple facets of our existence, employment, and connections. In the realm of learning, there has been an astounding and rapid transition from conventional classrooms to virtual platforms and groundbreaking advancements. Consequently, it becomes imperative for mankind to acknowledge and evaluate the profound influence of these developments, specifically within the domain of education. This innovative research project seeks to investigate the impressive capabilities of metaverse technology in addressing an unforeseen hurdle. Its main aim is to examine the deep influence of extended reality technologies on future education and assess if incorporating metaverse technology in learning will transform the higher education, generating notable progress and enhancing the quality of instruction. Materials and Methods: The study aimed to comprehensively understand the research topic and its context by gaining insight into the participants' perspectives and experiences. To achieve this, a qualitative research was used with 63 purposefully selected participants. The participants included Iranian male and female EFL university professors, EFL university students, educational technology specialists, and futurists in science and technology. Data was collected by conducting focused-group discussions and episodic narrative interviews, as well as utilizing narrative inquiry methods on the Telegram network. Data collection continued until saturation was achieved, resulting in 25 participants for interviews and 38 individuals for narrative inquiry. To analyze the data and identify recurring themes, thematic analysis was conducted, involving initial coding, focused coding, and axial coding. Findings: Findings revealed that metaverse technology plays a crucial role in the field of education and has a significant influence on higher education. Surprisingly, while analyzing the data, four main categories were identified, surpassing initial expectations. These categories include: 1) Empowering experiences: XR heightens sense of immersion, presence, and agency; 2) The immersive power of XR: Boosting enjoyment, interest, motivation, and self-efficacy; 3) Exploring boundaries of perception: XR triggers the illusion of body ownership and embodiment in virtual environments; and 4) The metamorphosis of the self: XR revolutionizes attitudes, behaviors, cognition, and physical body. Each of these categories represents the impacts of metaverse on future education. Understanding and embracing XR's impact on education is vital for educators, as harnessing the metaverse's potential benefits can greatly enhance teaching and learning experiences through more captivating and immersive environments. Conclusions: The outcomes of this research carry significant implications for policymakers, educators, managers, leaders, practitioners, and all stakeholders involved in the field of education. They provide valuable insights into global trends, emerging technologies, innovations, and developments, and how they will likely shape the future of higher education. Given the rapid advancements in technology and the ongoing impact of the coronavirus pandemic, it is crucial to embrace these technologies and implement necessary changes in learning and teaching method to improve the quality of education. The hope is that this study will be a trusted source and offer guidance to future generations, helping them meet the evolving requirements of education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]