Leadership and creativity in higher education

Leadership and creativity have received increasing attention from researchers in the field of higher education; however, empirical studies investigating these topics simultaneously are rare. In this study, the authors examined relationships between PhD students' perceptions of their advising professors' passive-avoidant, transactional, and transformational leadership behaviors and professors' ratings of their students' work-related creativity. Data were provided by 71 dyads of professors and PhD students. Consistent with expectations based on the leadership literature on followers' identification with their leaders, results showed that students' perceptions of professors' transformational leadership positively predicted professors' ratings of their students' creativity above and beyond students' perceptions of professors' passive-avoidant and transactional leadership. Contrary to expectations, students' perceptions of professors' passive-avoidant and transactional leadership did not significantly predict professors' ratings of students' creativity. Implications for future research on leadership and creativity as well as tentative practical applications of the findings in higher education settings are discussed.

Understandings of higher education curriculum in Vietnam

The Vietnamese higher education context is characterised by state control including the state’s development of curriculum frameworks and materials. Institutional autonomy has been ratified by the government, however, in practice universities seem to have little control over curriculum. In order for universities to develop more ownership of curriculum, it is necessary to explore the foundational understandings of curriculum held by stakeholders. Thus, this paper explores the understandings of curriculum expressed by a group of senior staff, academics and students at a Vietnamese university. We found a diversity of understandings that tended to be product-focused, teacher-focused and textbook-driven. We propose that our findings can be used as a starting point for developing more innovative and student-focused understandings of curriculum.

Perceptions of audio feedback in higher education assessment

The aim of this paper is to present results of research investigating the effectiveness of audio feedback in a third year undergraduate unit. While there is a large and growing body of literature about providing assessment feedback, there is little focussing on the use of audio media. This study employs a mixed method approach, involving semi-structured interviews with academic staff and a survey of students. Analysis of the interview data suggests that there are a number of issues surrounding acceptance of using audio feedback by lecturers. The next stage of the study is to examine the extent to which lecturers change their perceptions as they use audio feedback and to analyse the perceptions of the students (n=120), including the perceived importance of feedback, the ways in which they used the audio feedback and the extent to which they believe they control events that affect them. Ultimately, this study seeks to provide recommendations appropriate to the implementation of audio feedback in higher education.

Transforming higher education and student engagement through collaborative review to inform educational design

This paper reports on staff perceptions arising from a review process designed to assist staff in making informed decisions regarding educational design, approaches to engage students in learning, and the technology to support engagement in the classroom and across multiple locations and delivery modes. The aim of the review process was to transform the level of student engagement in the business faculty of an Australian university. The process took a collaborative approach through consultation with academic staff involved in the design and delivery of the units under review, and included targeted professional development as necessary. An institutional framework that characterises engagement indicator contexts and their attributes facilitated dialog during the review process. This paper reports on a mixed method study that included a survey of participants, and purposeful interviews to evaluate the effectiveness of the process. Although the study identified factors that hindered implementation and operationalization of review recommendations in some instances, study participants were generally of the view that recommendations would enhance student engagement. It is demonstrated that the bottom-up approach described in this paper is consistent with theoretical frameworks for transformational change in teaching and learning and the adoption of innovations.

Web 2.0 technology: Social learning tools in higher education in Saudi Arabia

Information and communication technology (ICT) has created opportunities for students' online interaction in higher education throughout the world. Limited research has been done in this area in Saudi Arabia. This study investigated university students' engagement and perceptions of online collaborative learning using Social Learning Tools (SLTs). In addition, it explored the quality of knowledge construction that occurred in this environment. A mixed methods case study approach was adopted, and the data was gathered from undergraduate students (n=43) who were enrolled in a 15-week course at a Saudi university. The results showed that while the students had positive perceptions towards SLTs and their engagement, data gathered from their work also showed little evidence of high levels of knowledge construction.

Formalising the vernacular: Social media skills in higher education

This paper discusses the issue of social media skills using a literacy framework. Firstly, it argues that social media skills are a form of vernacular, or ‘everyday’, literacy and articulates the issues associated with trying to formalise these skills within the curriculum. Secondly, it calls for greater explicit attention to social media skills within higher education, by arguing that social media literacies are a part of new literacies. It evaluates QUT’s “Create a Better Online You” suite of social media resources in light of this framework, and discusses the role of libraries in addressing social media skills.

Establishing a framework for transforming student engagement, success and retention in higher education institutions

This poster summarises the outcomes of a national project to develop and provide a holistic framework consisting of a series of sequential and increasingly sophisticated stages that will allow higher education institutions (HEIs) to manage and improve their student engagement and retention strategies/programs.

Designing for user engagement: The ALTC exchange for higher education

The Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education (ascilite) has recently completed research to inform development of the ALTC Exchange, a new online service for learning and teaching in Australia. The research investigated resource identification and contribution, engagement with the repository and user community, and associated peer review and commentary processes. This article focuses on the data obtained and recommendations developed for engagement of potential end users. It reports a literature review and findings, including an international perspective on the ALTC Exchange, with specific focus on prospective user needs, contexts of use and policies necessary to facilitate engagement of the higher education sector with the ALTC Exchange

Realisation of University-Industry Collaboration through Industry-Based Learning at Indonesian Higher Education

The collaboration between universities and industries has become increasingly important for the development of Science and Technology. This is particularly more prominent in the Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Literature suggest that the key element of University-Industry Partnership (UIP) is the exchange of knowledge that is mutually beneficial for both parties. One real example of the collaborations is Industry-Based Learning (IBL) in which university students are coming into industries to experience and learn how the skills and knowledge acquired in the classroom are implemented in work places. This paper investigate how the University-Industry Collaboration program is implemented though Industry-Based Learning (IBL) at Indonesian Universities. The research findings offer useful insights and create a new knowledge in the field of STEM education and collaborative learning. The research will contribute to existing knowledge by providing empirical understanding of this topic. The outcomes can be used to improve the quality of University-Industry Partnership programs at Indonesian Universities and inform Indonesian higher education authorities and their industrial partners of an alternative approach to enhance their IBL programs.