99. Emerging Researchers' Group (for presentation at Emerging Researchers' Conference)
Paper
The Student's Voice In Development Processes In Higher Education
Kristin Haugen1, Randi Beate Tosterud2, Sigrid Wangesteen3, Marit Honerød Hoveid4
1Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway; 2Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway; 3Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway; 4Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway
Presenting Author: Haugen, Kristin
This paper is a part of the PhD project “Educational leadership and development processes at a study programme level”. The project aims to provide knowledge about study programme leaders' and students’ contributions to development processes in higher education (HE) and consists of three studies. This paper addresses study III in the project: “The student's voice in development processes in higher education: A qualitative study exploring how students experience involvement in development processes in health profession study programmes”.
Introduction
European guidelines for HE emphasises that students are crucial co-actors in shaping HE policy and practice (Borch, 2020; EHEA, 2015). Student involvement occurs at different organisational levels and comes in various forms. This study limits its focus to students’ involvement in development processes at the study programme level. More precisely, we (me as a PhD student and 3 supervisors) explore how students experience being involved in the development of the programme, including the various courses, the teaching and learning activities and ongoing educational development projects. Additionally, we examine how they experience student partnership with study programme leaders in these development processes.
Active participation and collaboration of students with study programme leaders and teaching staff in designing, implementing, and evaluating their education are essential for enhancing educational quality. Examples include developing comprehensive, coherent, and relevant programmes as well as increasing students' learning (Ashwin, 2014; Borch, 2020; EHEA, 2015; Ministry of Education and Research, 2017; Mulford et al., 2004; Stensaker et al., 2018). Previous research emphasises that study programme leaders play a key role in facilitating student involvement in such development processes, but it points out that there is a demand for more knowledge about how students experience being involved in these processes (Cahill et al., 2015; Frisk et al., 2021; Haugen et al., 2023; Stensaker et al., 2018). Additionally, gaining insight into how students experience collaboration with study programme leaders in such processes is required (Stensaker et al., 2018), as it can provide valuable perspectives for enhancing student learning, fostering inclusive environments, and developing high-quality study programmes (Gravett & Winstone, 2022; Lygo-Baker et al., 2019; Trowler, 2010).
The current paper explores how students participate in developing Norwegian health profession study programmes. Norwegian HE is internationally relevant, as it has undergone quality reforms in recent years as part of the Bologna Process, similar to other European countries (Stensaker et al., 2018). All study programmes in Norwegian HE conform to general European quality assurance principles and credit measurement systems (Elken and Stensaker, 2018; Tellmann et al., 2021; EHEA, 2015). Moreover, student involvement in development processes in health profession study programmes is interesting because these programmes admit varying numbers of students, ranging from 25 to 600, and have close ties to the field of practice and national/international networks (Tellmann et al., 2021). We assume that knowledge from the current study can be transferable to study programmes in general since health profession study programmes adhere to standard European HE guidelines (EHEA, 2015).
Given this introduction, this paper aims to describe and explore how students experience involvement in development processes in health profession study programmes. The following research question is addressed: How do students experience involvement in development processes in their health profession study programmes?
Theoretical perspectivesThis study utilises an inductive analysis approach, where theoretical perspectives will be selected after analysing the data thoroughly. We will then use these perspectives to explore and discuss our findings.
Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources UsedDesign: This qualitative study employs a descriptive and exploratory design with a phenomenographic approach (Marton, 2007). We aimed to explore how students experience the phenomenon: students' involvement in development processes. Phenomenography is appropriate since it takes a second-order perspective, focusing on the various ways to understand the phenomenon (Dahlgren & Fallsberg, 1991; Marton, 2007).
Participants: Altogether, 26 students were interviewed through five mono-professional group interviews. Variation was ensured through purposeful sampling. One university and one university college from different geographical areas of Norway, offering at least three health profession bachelor's programs (180 ECTS credits), were chosen. The inclusion criteria involved being a final year bachelor student in one of these institutions and having experience in development work during their study period, such as curriculum development or course evaluation. The sample represents variation concerning age (ranging from 21–45 years), gender (22 women and 4 men) and health profession (Bachelor's in Learning Disability Nursing, Nursing, Occupational Therapy and Radiography). Both full-time (three years) and part-time (four years) bachelor's degree programmes are included (providing 180 ECT).
Data collection: Face-to-face group interviews were conducted with five student groups (five, four, seven, eight, and two students) from November 2021 to June 2022. Group interviews were chosen to capture various perspectives, allowing participants to share their unique experiences and viewpoints during group discussions. Together, they could reflect on how they understand, interpret and respond to the phenomena of interest (Brinkmann & Kvale, 2015). The first author had the primary responsibility for conducting the interviews. A senior researcher participated as a mentor. Open-ended questions were performed, such as "How did you experience the development processes in your study programme?" and follow-up questions, like "Can you please tell me more about it?" were employed to gain deeper insights. This way, the dialogue alternated between the student's reflection and the interviewers' questions.
Data analysis: will be carried out during the spring of 2023, drawing inspiration from the steps proposed by Dahlgren & Fallsberg (1991) for analysing phenomenography studies: a) Familiarisation, b) Condensation, c) Comparison, d) Grouping, e) Articulating, f) Labelling, and g) Contrasting.
Ethical approval: was obtained from the Norwegian Centre for Research Data (NSD, 2022: reference number 733507).
Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or FindingsAt present, we are in the first step of the analysis process: familiarisation (Dahlgren & Fallsberg, 1991). Based on where we are in the process, we have sorted out some preliminary interpretations (expected findings):
- Varied descriptions of how student involvement takes place and how it works: from good examples to students experiencing it as useless.
- Description of various experiences of student partnership with study programme leaders and the teaching staff in development processes: from lack of relationships to helpful dialogue.
- What's in it for me? The students state that involvement in development processes must be meaningful. They describe varying experiences and examples of whether they are perceived as meaningful.
- The students give concrete examples of how they think they can contribute to developing processes.
- Some students say they avoid giving feedback due to fear of sanctions from the teaching staff.
- What do study programme leaders do, and who are they? There are variations in how the students cooperate with the study programme leader. Some students say they do not know what a study programme leader is, and their responsibility and role in partnership with the students are unclear. In contrast, others have a regular dialogue with the study programme leader.
- Where and to whom can we turn when communication with teachers breaks down and feedback does not lead to progress? There is different knowledge and experience about the students' options and reporting lines when they perceive not being heard.
- Student representatives participating in reference groups to evaluate a course experience are important connectors between fellow students and the leaders in the programme.
- Students emphasise the importance of relationships, availability and physical meetings in the dialogue with teachers and leaders in the programme. They have experienced that digital communication between students and teachers can create distance.
ReferencesAshwin, P. (2014). Knowledge, curriculum and student understanding in higher education. The International Journal of Higher Education Research, 67(2)
Borch, I. H. (2020). Lost in translation: from the university's quality assurance system to student evaluation practice. Nordic journal of studies in educational policy, 6(3).
Brinkmann, S., & Kvale, S. (2015). InterViews : learning the craft of qualitative research interviewing (3rd ed. ed.). Sage.
Cahill, J., Bowyer, J., Rendell, C., Hammond, A., & Korek, S. (2015). An exploration of how programme leaders in higher education can be prepared and supported to discharge their roles and responsibilities effectively. Educational Research, 57(3)
Dahlgren, L.-O., & Fallsberg, M. (1991). Phenomenography as a qualitative approach in social pharmacy research. Journal of social and administrative pharmacy: JSAP, 8(4)
Standards and guidelines for quality assurance in the European higher education area (ESG), (2015). Standards and guidelines for quality assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG)
Frisk, S., Apelgren, B.-M., & Sandoff, M. (2021). Leadership for teaching and learning: Exploring a department-level educational leadership role at a Swedish comprehensive university. Educational management, administration & leadership,
Gravett, K., & Winstone, N. E. (2022). Making connections: authenticity and alienation within students’ relationships in higher education. Higher Education Research & Development, 41(2)
Haugen, K., Tosterud, R. B., Wangensteen, S., & Honerød Hoveid, M. (2022). An interpretation of study programme leaders' mandates in higher education Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research
Lygo-Baker, S., Kinchin, I. M., & Winstone, N. E. (2019). Engaging Student Voices in Higher Education:Diverse Perspectives and Expectations in Partnership (1st 2019. ed.). Springer International Publishing : Imprint: Palgrave
Marton, F. (2007). Phenomenography: A Research Approach to Investigating Different Understandings of Reality. In R. R. Sherman, Rodman, B Webb (Ed.), Qualitative Research In Education. Routledge. (1988)
Ministry of Education and Research. (2017). White paper 16. [Quality Culture in Higher Education]. Oslo
Mulford, W., Silins, H., & Leithwood, K. A. (2004). The Critical Role of Leadership for Organizational Learning and Improved Student Outcomes. In Educational leadership for organisational learning and improved student outcomes (pp. 1-22). Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands.
Mårtensson, K., & Roxå, T. (2016). Leadership at a local level – Enhancing educational development. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 44(2),
Stensaker, B., Frølich, N., & Aamodt, P. O. (2018). Policy, Perceptions, and Practice: A Study of Educational Leadership and Their Balancing of Expectations and Interests at Micro-level. Higher Education Policy.
Trowler, V. (2010). Student engagement literature review. The Higher Education Academy, 11(1),
99. Emerging Researchers' Group (for presentation at Emerging Researchers' Conference)
Paper
Efficient Use of Online Learning Platforms For Feedback
Gulnaz Dihambayeva, Ainur Kurakbayeva, Yelnur Ospanova
Nazarbayev Intellectual School, Kazakhstan
Presenting Author: Dihambayeva, Gulnaz;
Kurakbayeva, Ainur
In this research, we compared the effectiveness of different learning platforms to provide effective online learning feedback for 7th and 8th grade physics students. One of the most difficult tasks is to test the ability of students to solve problems during online learning. Therefore, we conducted a study using the effectiveness of several of the most convenient and accessible to everyone in order to control the student's work when performing group, pair and individual work and give him effective feedback.
The importance of applying the act in feedback
Most of us think that mistakes are bad and are evidence of major failures. To maximize our academic achievement, we should ask "How can we make the most of all our mistakes?".
In modern times, the accurate functioning of feedback is a necessary condition for an effective learning process. When studying the research of scientists on this issue[8], we identified some aspects, defined as, in particular, feedback - this is a tool that gives an idea of how the learning process works, informs the teacher about the achievements and problems of students, allows you to achieve the goal and solve educational problems.
John Hattie believes that feedback is a source of information to determine the level of student performance, to fill the cognitive potential and determine the next steps in action; In a study by Juve (2004), this creates a result between action and result. Dinnen (2011) suggests that feedback is a way to help the other person consider changes in their actions and learn about their impact on others
[9]
. More precisely, feedback is a method of examining the effect and outcome of student information
[10]
. Bill Gates - The power of feedback is enormous because this mission produces effective results. It is emphasized that effective feedback is more important than learning itself. Scientific papers describe such characteristics of feedback as purposefulness, constructiveness, usefulness, timeliness, clarity and reliability
[8]
. The purpose means that feedback should be given taking into account the individual abilities and interests of students, it should increase the value and significance of self-assessment, and not reduce it
[11]
.
- Constructiveness: in case of feedback it is necessary to express one's position on the information heard without judging the person;
- usefulness: the information provided in the feedback form should help solve problems;
- timeliness: the sooner the feedback, the better;
- clarity: this should be done in specific, unambiguous phrases;
- Reliability: the information provided by the feedback should be reliable and reflect the real situation of the case[1].
Speaking about the features of effective feedback, one cannot fail to mention such tasks as monitoring and evaluation, stimulation, development, confirmation of the past, and the formation of responsibility in the student. Stages of behavior change - resistance, emotional anger, implementation, acceptance of a new model. We do not notice some feedback errors, for example, embellishment, taking into account the advantages of the past, combination with demand, subjectivism, negative emotional background, assumptions.
Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources UsedThere are three ways of feedback: to determine the mood and emotional state, to the activity in the lesson, to the content of the educational material. Since we conducted the process of online learning in our school, it is necessary to check the knowledge gained by students during the lesson[3]. We used various learning platforms to determine the level of knowledge gained. More precisely, we used the https://coreapp.ai/app platform to determine how well students learned the content of the educational material. By making the tasks small, we completed them in less time during the lesson and received immediate feedback on the effective content of the lesson. On the https://coreapp.ai/app platform, you can create quizzes, put appropriate terms in place of multiple dots, complete a sentence, open questions, and create auto-answer quizzes. Also, instead of writing on traditional paper, students are more engaged in the lesson if they complete the assignment online. What is the advantage of working on this platform?
What are the opportunities for teachers:
• mobilize the whole group to work at the same time;
• determine the level of performance of tasks by students;
• allow the teacher to immediately check the student's assignment;
• save time spent on checking;
• to see from the monitoring in which tasks the students made mistakes, and immediately give effective feedback;
• create a task bank in the future;
• to complete previous tasks.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
First of all, we will copy the link to the assignment for the students. By clicking on the link, students open the platform and complete tasks. In the picture below, the teacher can keep track of the tasks completed by each student, as well as who does or does not do it. Thanks to the answers of the students, he also identifies the mistakes made and gives timely feedback. This platform also allows the teacher to identify their shortcomings during the lesson and determine what points should be addressed in the next lesson. Defects can define the stage of a lesson and effectively change teaching methods. The second method of feedback is feedback on the activities in the lesson. We used the https://app.conceptboard.com platform to provide feedback on the action during the lesson. Assignments, reports, formative evaluation work, creation of a poster are given to confirm the topic covered in the lesson. There are 100 worksheets on this board.
Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or FindingsThe effectiveness of the board for the teacher:
• All students in the class can complete the task at the same time;
• The teacher can control the performance of the task by each student;
• Can notice mistakes made by students in time and give effective, constructive feedback;
• Students will not be able to copy from each other because everyone is doing the assignments at the same time;
• Tasks on the board are saved, so you can return to them at any time.
The picture below shows the moment of completing the tasks given to students in grade 8 to repeat the topic "Electric field". On each sheet, the student writes his name.
The picture above shows the moment students of grade 8 completed tasks on the topic "Permanent Magnet".
Why is feedback important?
Feedback is an important part of effective learning. This helps students understand the revised text of the topic being studied and provides clear recommendations for improving their learning. Bellon et al argue that "academic feedback is more strongly associated with academic performance than any other pedagogical behavior ... this association holds regardless of class, socioeconomic status, race, or school environment"[5].
Feedback can increase a learner's confidence, self-awareness, and motivation to learn. Effective feedback in online learning facilitates learning and promotes student progress. Timely feedback from students effectively improves the quality of education.
References1. Teacher's Guide. First (advanced) level. 2nd edition. Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools, 2012
2. Problems of using interactive methodology in universities. Askhat Alimov. Educational tool. Almaty 2013
3. From the experience of introducing the lesson study method into the teaching process. PSO library. Astana 2016
4. Action research in teacher practice. PSO library. Astana 2018
5. Studying the lesson is a way to improve the teaching experience of the teacher. PSO library. Astana 2017
6. Effective feedback: content, structure, types. PSO library. Astana 2018
7. Methods of developing the ability to provide effective feedback. PSO library. Astana 2016
8. Training and leadership with the help of mental abilities. Edited by Artura L. Costa and Beny Kallik
9. Reflection in education. Bo Chang. Journal of online learning - Volume 23, issue 1 - March 2019. 595.
10. Training on the basis of the research base of knowledge: the process of development and updating. Bellon, J. J., Bellon, E. K. and Blank, M. A. (1991) Facsimile edition. Prentice Hall, New Jersey, USA.
11. Academic failure: a retrospective view of students who have not completed their studies. York, M. (2002) In: Dropout students in higher education (ed. Peelo, M & Wareham, T). SRHE and Open University Press, Mendenhead.
12. Using feedback to help students learn. Race, P. (2001) Academy of Higher Education.
99. Emerging Researchers' Group (for presentation at Emerging Researchers' Conference)
Paper
Resilient Classrooms: Students and Teachers’ Perceptions of the Classroom Climate
Lavinia-Ioana Verdeș, Mușata-Dacia Bocoș-Bințințan
Universitatea Babeș-Bolyai Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Presenting Author: Verdeș, Lavinia-Ioana
By resilience we are referring to an individual's ability to bounce back despite the adversities to which they are exposed, by analogy to what we mean by the resilience of physical materials recovering from shock or breakage. If in psychology the concept of psychological resilience is used with the meaning of
“positive adaptation, or the ability to maintain or regain mental health, despite experiencing adversity” (Herrman, et al., 2011, p. 259), in educational sciences, we define academic or educational resilience as “the heightened likelihood of success in school and other life accomplishments despite environmental adversities brought about by early traits, con[1]ditions, and experiences” (Wang, Haertal, & Walberg, 1994, p. 46).
Internationally, the importance of resilience in the training and development of learners and in lifelong learning is increasingly highlighted. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has introduced resilience education as a key policy direction for education in 2021 (OECD, 2021) and the World Economic Forum has included resilience in its list of 10 key competences for 2025 (World Economic Forum, 2020).
Martin & Marsh (2006) developed the a 5-C theoretical model of academic resilience, which describe the main protective factors (personal resources) that students may use in order to overcome the difficulties that occur in the learning procces. These predictors of educational resilience are: confidence (self-efficacy), coordination (planning), control, composure (low anxiety), and commitment (persistence). Based on this model, we aim to develop a short and simple scale assessing resilience at the classroom level. This tool can be useful for teachers to evaluate and reflect on the level of resilience of the educational climate.
Usually, educational climate is characterised as positive or negative (Hamlin, 2021), even though it involves multiple dimentions referring to "the relational, social, psychological, affective, intellectual, cultural, and moral environment that characterizes educational activity" (Bocos, Răduț-Taciu, & Stan, 2016, p. 207). Doll et al. (2010) developed the ClassMaps Survey, that is a tool for describing the learning environment from the perspective of students. The items of the scale target the 5 factors that describe a positive educational climate: teacher-student relationship, peer relationship, academic efficacy, self determination, behavioral self-control (Doll, 2013). The second objective of our research is to verify if the students' perceptions of the educational climate correspond to teachers' perceptions of it.
Lastly, when we are reffering to resilient classroom, an important role is played by the teacher-student and peer relationships that are established. Therefore, we decided to investigate whether is the quality of the teacher-student relationship or the quantity (time spent together) that matter the most in building up resilient classrooms?
Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources UsedIn order to measure the level of resilience of the educational climate, we formulated sentences that describe noticeable behaviours that theachers may observe during educational activities in their classrooms. The items were formulated in general terms, thus they targets teachers' general perception of classroom resilience. Also, each item was formulated in order to describe one of the predictors of educational resilience proposed by Martin & Marsh (2006) in the 5-C theoretical model of academic resilience. After consulting with specialist practitioners, primary school teachers, we eliminated some items, resulting in the final form of the 10-item scale for measuring the level of resilience of the educational climate:
1. My students meet my expectations (academic efficacy)
2. I can say my students are persistent (commitment)
3. My students are not easily distracted during the learning process (control)
4. When I get a more complicated work task, my students don’t give up (composure)
5. Some students learn, solve extra exercises or read on their own initiative (confidence)
6. When they encounter difficulties, my students ask for help (coordination)
7. My pupils know their strengths and weaknesses and know how to identify learning opportunities (coordination)
8. My students do not get discouraged and work until they get the results they want (commitment)
9. When they encounter a problem, my students don’t expect me to provide a solution (confidence)
10. There is a possibility that some of the students I teach may fail (academic efficacy)
We created an online survey using these items and asked primary school teachers (N=111) to respond using a 5-point Likert scale (Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Often, Always). The responses were coded with a value of 0 for Never and 5 for Always. From statistical analysis we obtained an internal consistency coefficient Cronbach's alpha = 0.78 for our 10 items-scale measuring the resilient educational climate.
We aimed to test whether time spent during extra-curricular activities influence in some way the level of the resilience of the educational climate. We therefore tested the hypothesis according to which the number of hours allocated monthly by teachers to organize extracurricular activities correlates with the level of resilience of the educational climate measured by the scale developed by us. Following statistical processing of the data obtained from the questionnaire survey (N=111), we did not find a statistically significant correlation between the two variables.
Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or Findings In the next phase, we intend to evaluate the degree to which pupils perceptions of classroom climate are similar to the perceptions of teachers. Therefore we will use the ClassMaps Survey for three classes of pupils: 2nd grade, 3rd grade and 4th grade in order to evaluate the perception students' perceptions of the educational climate and in the parralel we will ask the teachers of this classes to complete our 10 items-scale measuring the resilient educational climate. Afterwards, we will verify if the students' perceptions of the educational climate correspond to teachers' perceptions of it.
References-Bocoș, M.-D., Răduț-Taciu, R., & Stan, C. (2016). Dicționar Praxiologic de Pedagogie (Vol. I). Pitești: Paralela 45.
-Doll, B., Spies, R. A., LeClair, C. M., Kurien, S. A., & Foley, B. P. (2010). Student perceptions of classroom learning environments: Development of the ClassMaps Survey. School Psychology Review, 39(2), 203-218.
-Doll, B. (2013). Enhancing resilience in classrooms. Handbook of resilience in children, 399-409.
-Hamlin, D. (2021). Can a positive school climate promote student attendance? Evidence from New York City. American Educational Research Journal, 58(2), 315-342.
-Herrman, H., Stewart, D. E., Diaz-Granados, N., Berger, E. L., Jackson, B., & Yuen, T. (2011). What is resilience? The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 56(5), 258-265.
-Martin, A. J., & Marsh, H. W. (2006). Academic resilience and its psychological and educational correlates: A construct validity approach. Psychology in the Schools, 43(3), 267-281.
-OECD. (2021). Education Policy Outlook 2021: Shaping Responsive and Resilient Education in a Changing World. Paris: OECD Publishing. doi:https://doi.org/10.1787/75e40a16-en
-Wang, M.C., Haertal, G.D., & Walberg, H.J. (1994). Educational resilience in inner cities. In M.C. Wang & E.W. Gordon (Eds.), Educational resilience in inner-city America: Challenges and prospects (pp. 45–72). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum
-World Economic Forum. (2020). Future of Jobs Report 2020.
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