ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
University Interdisciplinary Research Organizations in the Process of Collaborative Innovation: Advantages, Difficulties and Strategies
Author: Bi Ying
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Cooperation,Educational Innovation,Interdisciplinary Approach,Research,Organizations (Groups)

Under the background of collaborative innovation, interdisciplinary research organizations due to its structural advantages should actively target frontier science and the great needs of national development, key research and strategic issues of solving the country's need, prospective issues in the frontier of science and technology and major welfare issues related to people's livelihood. And it requires reasonable localization of interdisciplinary research organizations in universities. Facing the difficulties participated in collaborative innovation, they should establish a perfect operation mechanism, play the role of collaborative innovation platform, and actively transform to collaborative innovation center scientifically and effectively.
Human Capital Problems in Zimbabwean Rural Schools: A Case Study of Mazowe District
Author: Zvavahera, Promise
Date: 2014-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Human Capital,Rural Schools,Case Studies,Teacher Placement,Teaching Conditions,Urban Schools,Rural Urban Differences,Labor Turnover,Teacher Persistence,School Districts,Teacher Qualifications,Teacher Effectiveness,Teacher Salaries,Barriers,Questionnaires,Documentation,Content Analysis,Interviews,Elementary School Teachers,Secondary School Teachers,Teacher Attitudes,Political Issues

This study focused on the management of human capital in Zimbabwean rural schools. It was observed that teachers in rural schools preferred urban postings which turned out to have better facilities and incentives. Rural to urban migration of teachers is a cause for concern in Mazowe District. This study was motivated by the high teacher-turnover in Mazowe District. The District still has a high number of untrained teachers resulting in the low pass rates. There is a decline in educational standards due to poor remuneration and poor working conditions. The district has poor infrastructure, poor road networks and is faced by challenges in trying to motivate and retain qualified teachers. Questionnaires, documentary analysis, telephone and face to face interviews were used to gather data.
Social Accountability of Medical Schools: Do Accreditation Standards Help Promote the Concept?
Author: Abdalla, Mohamed Elhassan
Date: 2014-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Accountability,Medical Education,Medical Schools,Academic Standards,Accreditation (Institutions),Foreign Countries

The social accountability of medical schools is an emerging concept in medical education. This issue calls for the consideration of societal needs in all aspects of medical programmes, including the values of relevance, quality, cost-effectiveness and equity. Most importantly, these needs must be defined collaboratively with people themselves. Social accountability should be considered in the accreditation of medical education, a process implemented with the aim of ensuring quality in medical education. This process may be voluntary or mandatory and varies from one country to another. The objective of this study is to analyse current accreditation standards in relation to the concept of social accountability. The standards of the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME), the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) and the Australian Medical Council standards (AMC) were classified into process standards, content standards or outcome standards. The three sets of standards were plotted against the social accountability grid suggested by Boelen and Heck. Most of the standards are process standards. Content standards are addressed less frequently than process standards, and very few standards address the outcomes of the medical school. When considering standards that address social accountability, the focus is on education more than the service and research functions of the medical school. Standards should consider all aspects of the medical school's functions to promote the concept of social accountability.
Assessment and Assurance of Learning Using E-Portfolios
Author: Papp, Raymond
Date: 2014-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Portfolios (Background Materials),Electronic Publishing,Technology Uses in Education,Educational Technology,Student Evaluation,Accreditation (Institutions),Scoring Rubrics,College Students,College Faculty,Teacher Evaluation,Computer Oriented Programs

Traditional paper portfolios have been used to assess student work for performance and employment purposes for decades. The advent of electronic portfolios incorporating audio, video, hyperlinked documents and scanned images takes the use of portfolios to a new level. Evaluators can use these easily accessible portfolios to gauge student performance while the portfolios themselves permit rapid and immediate inclusion and reconfiguration of portfolio data by the owner. Electronic portfolios are also useful for accreditation purposes to measure and assess student learning outcomes. Rubrics can also be incorporated into today's digital portfolios to permit fair and consistent evaluation by assessors. Numerous e-portfolio vendors currently exist and choosing the best one involves careful planning and consideration of current and future intended uses.
Quality Assurance Challenges and Opportunities Faced by Private Universities in Zimbabwe
Author: Garwe, Evelyn Chiyevo
Date: 2014-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Quality Assurance,Private Colleges,Barriers,Educational Opportunities,Universities,Case Studies,Qualitative Research,Observation,Financial Problems,Governance,Academic Standards,National Standards,Accreditation (Institutions),Quality Control,Content Analysis,Position Papers,Fees,Institutional Mission,Enrollment,College Faculty,Commercialization,Politics of Education,Foreign Countries

The study sought to provide an understanding of the quality assurance challenges and opportunities faced by private universities in Zimbabwe. The study analyzed the factors determining provision of quality higher education in private universities and the resultant effects of failing to achieve the minimum acceptable standards. The author employed the case study method which falls within the qualitative research paradigm. The major techniques used were documentary analysis, direct observation and participant observation by the author. The results showed that financial constraints and poor corporate governance were the major factors leading to failure by private universities to uphold high quality standards. The study also highlighted the need for an effective national quality assurance agency in making sure that only institutions with the necessary financial, material and human resources should be allowed to operate as private universities.
Suggested New Standards to Measure Social Accountability of Medical Schools in the Accreditation Systems
Author: Abdalla, Mohamed Elhassan
Date: 2014-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Academic Standards,Medical Schools,Accountability,Accreditation (Institutions),Qualitative Research,Educational Quality,Role,Health,Compliance (Psychology),Phenomenology,Grounded Theory,Educational Change,Social Responsibility,Equal Education,Cost Effectiveness,Health Services,Relevance (Education),Reliability,Validity,Medical Education,Graduates,Health Promotion

The role of medical schools as stakeholder for health improvement is well recognized. Medical schools are responsible of producing competent doctors who are capable to meet the society health needs and expectations. Other functions of medical schools are its participation in service and conduction of research. The concept of social accountability is introduced to strengthen the role of medical schools in health, the concept has been defined by WHO as &quot;The obligation of medical schools to direct its education, service and research towards addressing the priority health concerns of the community, region, and/or nation they have a mandate to serve. Priority health concerns are to be jointly identified by governments, health care organizations, health professionals and the public&quot;. The compliance of medical schools with the expected functions varies from country to country or within the same country. The objective of this work is to promote the principles of social accountability within the medical schools by developing standards and procedures that can be used by the existing accreditation systems. This research is qualitative based on the phenomenological type of research and grounded research theory. It concludes the importance of accreditation systems as a lever of improvement and power to change the practice towards the expectations of the society.
Assessment of BSBA Students' Conversancy in Current Business Issues: A Case Study
Author: Hogan, Eileen A.
Date: 2014-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Business Administration Education,Educational Objectives,Goal Orientation,Knowledge Level,Student Evaluation,Current Events,Undergraduate Students,Tests,Business Administration,Measures (Individuals),College Faculty,Demography,News Media,Correlation,Predictor Variables

In 2008, the faculty of the College of Business at Kutztown University developed a set of five learning goals for its BSBA program. In fall, 2011, the college's Assurance of Learning Committee began to pursue the assessment of the last of these goals: &quot;BSBA graduates will be conversant in current business issues, including ethics, social responsibility, and diversity…&quot; A review of published literature revealed no reports of previous attempts to assess a similar goal. In fall 2011 and spring 2012 faculty developed an instrument to assess student knowledge of recent events by means of a 10-item quiz. The College of Business faculty conducted a pilot study, administering the quiz to a convenience sample of students in 12 courses of all majors and all years of the program (n = 392). The present paper discusses findings and makes suggestions for future assessment of goals like this, as well as assessment practices in general.
Tacit Knowledge Sharing Modes of University Teachers from the Perspectives of Psychological Risk and Value
Author: Yu, Dengke
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Knowledge Management,Information Transfer,College Faculty,Risk,Psychological Patterns,Peer Evaluation,Communities of Practice,Conferences (Gatherings)

Tacit knowledge sharing (TKS) is important to improve the teaching skill and researching knowledge of university teachers. In this paper, the tacit knowledge sharing of university teachers is catalogued as four modes from perspectives of the psychological risk and psychological value which are measured by two grades--high and low. The four modes are named &quot;Peer-review&quot;, &quot;Learning Community&quot;, &quot;Thumb-a-lift&quot; and &quot;Academic Conference&quot;, which are characterized by different values and risks. Some suggestions are proposed to promote the tacit knowledge sharing of university teachers.
The Political, Socio-Economic and Sociocultural Impacts of the King Abdullah Scholarship Program (KASP) on Saudi Arabia
Author: Hilal, Kholoud T.
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Scholarships,Foreign Countries,Religious Factors,Political Influences,Economic Factors,Socioeconomic Influences,Student Attitudes,Global Approach,Islamic Culture,Risk,Brain Drain,Student Mobility,Foreign Students,Online Surveys,Statistical Analysis,Living Standards,Reputation,Stereotypes,Self Concept,Economic Development

Since 2006, Saudi Arabian politicians, economists and sociologists have had to consider the implications of their country's King Abdullah Scholarship Program (KASP). Because Saudi Arabia has certain religious traditions and economic practices that are sensitive, international scholars are examining from different perspectives the outcomes and potential impacts of KASP. While Saudi Arabia has all the necessary tools to compete with the developed nations (such as natural resources and manpower), it is caught between the need to globalise its economy but retain its strict, conservative traditions. Following a brief definition of KASP, this paper highlights some of the external and internal contemporary political, economic and socio-cultural challenges that it sets for Saudi Arabia. Finally, the anticipated impacts of KASP according to scholarship recipients are reviewed using survey data from around 688 overseas Saudi students. This paper is based on the primary researcher's PhD thesis.
Developing an Accreditation Process for a Computing Faculty with Focus on the IS Program
Author: Alghazzawi, Daniyal
Date: 2014-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Accreditation (Institutions),Undergraduate Study,College Faculty,Information Science Education,Information Technology,Foreign Countries,International Organizations,Curriculum,Educational Objectives,Management Systems,Program Evaluation,Models,Educational Assessment,Curriculum Development,Educational Improvement

The 3-year migration of the computing faculty for three undergraduate programs from ad hoc teaching to three accredited programs is the focus of this paper. This journey started after numerous international accreditation organizations were surveyed, and ABET was chosen as the faculty's target. In this paper, the timelines and processes for covering missing data, persuading instructors to collaborate, involving students in the process, and building an assessment model are discussed. Evidence from one of the three programs, the Information Systems program, is provided. In addition, during the 3 years, an accreditation system called AIMS was developed using Oracle to reduce the cost of writing numerous reports in different formats. This system aided the faculty in receiving accreditation from ABET for three programs in addition to other accreditation systems at low cost.
Institutional Factors That Positively Impact First-Year Students' Sense of Well-Being
Author: Harmening, Debra S.
Date: 2015-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Qualitative Research,Case Studies,Colleges,College Freshmen,Well Being,Interviews,College Environment,Student Participation,School Safety,Inclusion,Educational Facilities Design,Urban Universities,Credibility,Interpersonal Relationship,Student Diversity,Influences

This qualitative case study conducted at a single institution in the Midwest examines how institutional context and environment impact college students' sense of well-being. Twenty-seven first-year students participated in one to two hour, in-depth interviews where they talked about their first-year experiences, their concepts of well-being, and how campus experiences positively impacted their well-being. Interviews were transcribed and narratives were coded and analyzed using Strange and Banning's (2001) model of campus environments to consider how safety, involvement, inclusion, and community positively impact well-being. Findings suggest that being involved with peers, faculty, and resident assistants; being included in a diverse community and learning from diverse others' beliefs and worldviews; and taking part in dynamic classrooms and learning experiences that build a sense of community; positively impact well-being. Half of participants also talked about how the physical beauty of campus, and use of outdoor space, also positively impacted their sense of well-being. Overall findings are key indicators of how resources could be allocated for first year initiatives as well as possible directions for future research on student well-being.
The Added Value of a PhD in Medicine--PhD Students' Perceptions of Acquired Competences
Author: Anttila, Henrika
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Medical Education,Graduate Students,Student Attitudes,Doctoral Programs,Doctoral Degrees,Medical Students,Competence,Educational Environment,Well Being,Student Surveys,Likert Scales,Content Analysis,Foreign Countries,Correlation,Stress Variables,Questionnaires

PhD in the field of medicine is more common than in any other domain. Many medical doctors are driven towards PhD, but also students with other backgrounds (usually MSc) are conducting a PhD in medical schools. Higher education has invested a lot in developing generic and research competences. Still little is known about how PhD students themselves perceive the competence of future PhDs. The aim of this study is to determine how medical PhD students perceive their future competences and whether there is a difference between MD PhD and MSc PhD students' perceptions. Moreover this study examines students' perceptions of their learning environment and their experienced well-being. The data were collected from 163 medical PhD students. The survey data consisted of Likert type statements, open-ended questions and background variables. PhD students' perceptions of acquired competences were content analysed. The connection between conducted degree and emphasised competences were analysed using cross tabulation and ?[superscript 2]-test Perceptions of well-being and the learning environment were examined using descriptive statistics of scales. The results showed that PhD students considered a wide variety of competences to be central to future PhDs. Their perception of their future competences consisted of scientific and generic competences. All students emphasised scientific competences over generic competences but MSc PhD students emphasised generic skills more than MD PhD students. PhD students' perceptions of their well-being and the learning environment showed that PhD studies are a burdening and stressful process. However students also felt that they received feedback from the scientific community.
Use of Formative Classroom Assessment Techniques in a Project Management Course
Author: Purcell, Bernice M.
Date: 2014-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Formative Evaluation,Program Administration,Feedback (Response),Student Participation,Outcomes of Education,College Students,College Faculty,Evaluation Methods

Formative assessment is considered to be an evaluation technique that informs the instructor of the level of student learning, giving evidence when it may be necessary for the instructor to make a change in delivery based upon the results. Several theories of formative assessment exist, all which propound the importance of feedback to the student. The theories discussed include a three-strand approach based on learning outcomes, student involvement, and feedback; a framework based upon shared learning expectations, questioning, feedback, self-assessment, and peer assessment, and the ideas of assessment of learning, assessment for learning, and assessment as learning. Methodologies of formative classroom assessment range from traditional methods research in the early 1990's to technology enabled methods such as blogs and classroom response systems. Implementation of the formative assessment techniques at Holy Family University involved a Classroom Assessment Support Group which led the efforts. The facilitators of the group presented basic methodology, and the members of the group supported each other's efforts to implement assessment techniques in their courses. Five techniques were found appropriate for the project management course, and three were implemented. The methodology, results, and recommendations indicate that formative assessment techniques are beneficial in a project management course, but care needs to be taken to implement properly in order for the assessment to be formative.
In Search of the Most Likely Value
Author: Letkowski, Jerzy
Date: 2014-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Statistical Data,Data Interpretation,Statistics,Qualitative Research,Statistical Analysis,Definitions,Case Method (Teaching Technique),Guidelines,Probability,Predictor Variables,Instructional Innovation,Teaching Methods,Mathematical Formulas,Spreadsheets

Descripting Statistics provides methodology and tools for user-friendly presentation of random data. Among the summary measures that describe focal tendencies in random data, the mode is given the least amount of attention and it is frequently misinterpreted in many introductory textbooks on statistics. The purpose of the paper is to provide a formal definition of the mode and to show appropriate interpretation of this measure with respect to different random data types: qualitative and quantitative (discrete and continuous). Several cases are presented to exemplify this purpose. Instructional guidelines for implementing the cases, using Google Spreadsheet are provided.
Increasing College Retention with a Personalized System of Instruction: A Case Study
Author: Foss, Karen A.
Date: 2014-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Case Studies,Academic Persistence,School Holding Power,College Students,Individualized Instruction,Graduation Rate,Administrator Attitudes,Teacher Attitudes,Student Attitudes,Curriculum Implementation,Rhetorical Theory,Public Speaking,Course Organization,Barriers,Teaching Methods,Educational Practices,Instructional Effectiveness,Participant Satisfaction

This case study addresses the exigence of low retention and graduation rates of college students. The authors sought to incorporate the perspectives of all three stakeholders implicated in retention efforts--administrators, faculty, and students--by implementing a personalized system of instruction (PSI) in eight of their college courses. This case study reports on two of the courses in which PSI was implemented--Rhetorical Theory and Public Speaking. In the PSI courses, students were asked to engage individually in reading, writing, discussing, and applying the concepts of the course in a self-paced, self-directed format. The case study explains the format of the courses and provides sample study-guide concepts, quiz questions, think-piece questions, and grading options for the two courses. The benefits reported by instructors of and students in the two courses are outlined as well as possible questions that might be raised about this method of instruction. The authors suggest that PSI instruction, which largely died out after its peak in the 1970s, may deserve a second look as an effective method for retaining and graduating college students.