Educational Considerations (Asynchronous Session)
Cultural Advancement of Ontario Physical Education via Physical Literacy View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Thomas G Ryan
Recognition of global levels of physical activity and inactivity has caused many researchers to conclude that there is a need to respond to levels of physical inactivity and student disengagement in both physical education classes and physical activity outside of school (Keegan et al., 2019; Whitehead, Durden-Myers and Pot, 2018). Consistent observations in Canadian (Ontario) schools and in Ontario communities have resulted in the tracking of physical activity levels in children and adolescents over the last five years (Lodewyk, 2019). The tracking data have prompted the recommendation that there is a need to break the routine of physical inactivity prevalent in schools and society today (Gannon, Halas and Ng, 2008; Kohl et al., 2012), and look into physical illiteracy, which may provide a means to address idleness and inertia demonstrated by many young people. Nationally, Canadian young people do not move enough to even reach minimum physical activity guidelines, and this physical inactivity can impact health and wellness (Kriellaars et al., 2019). Many community and education stakeholders are looking to physical literacy as a means to reduce youth idleness and disengagement (Durden-Myers and Keegan, 2019). Herein, physical literacy as both a construct and change force in Canadian society is explored and illuminated via research data concerning physical inactivity, the importance of the role of the individual when considering physical inactivity, physical activity in both primary and high school classes, and how to assess physical literacy.
Exploring Graduate Students’ Choices to Attend Face-to-Face Programs at Predominantly Online Institutions: Understanding Graduate Student Needs and Expectations View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Alan Whiteman, Bailey Pierce, Urmala Roopnarinesingh
Despite the growth in online programs at universities throughout the United States, some graduate students still choose to enroll in face-to-face programs at predominantly online universities. This need for the delivery of graduate programs in a traditional format at these predominantly online universities, requires further research as there is a void in the literature. The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify the key factors influencing graduate students’ choices of these programs to complete their degrees. Glasser’s choice theory and Bandura’s self-efficacy theory guided this study. The overarching research question asked, what are the reasons graduate students choose to attend face-to-face programs at predominantly online institutions? The purposive sample included 20 graduate students who participated in face-to-face graduate programs at two predominantly online institutions in South Florida. Data were analyzed using NVivo qualitative software. Findings revealed three common themes as follows: Students’ Perceptions of and Experience with Traditional Face-to-Face Learning Environments; Life, Work and Academic Balance and In Pursuit of Success. Each common theme was identified based on responses to the following sub-questions: What previous experiences motivate graduate students to attend face-to-face programs at predominantly online institutions? What basic needs satisfy graduate students by enrolling in face-to-face programs? How do graduate students perceive success in a face-to-face learning environment? The research questions focus on student perceptions of face-to-face versus fully online programs, motivational factors, learning experiences, and the impact of life issues on students’ choices of face-to-face programs. The findings of this study are significant for online university administrators.
Strategic Leadership and University Student Engagement – Is There a Connection? View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Tess Howes
Australian Higher Education institutions educated 1,562,520 tertiary students in 2018. Therefore, have a high duty of care to ensure the learning experience is rigorous academically, intellectually stimulating, and prepares graduates for a myriad of professional careers. This is more likely to occur if students are actively engaged in the learning process. However, several participants in a recent study positioned the lack of student engagement as a higher education challenge. “The lack of engaged students is a problem for the sector” (citing Simon Marginson, Howes, in press). This topic was also explored in detail by Hil (2015) presenting findings that should be a concern for all staff working in the Higher Education sector. Creative strategic planning framed on the values and aspirations of ALL the university stakeholders has the capacity to “excite and inspire academic communities in universities throughout Australia” (Howes, 2018). This research project presents the results of a documentary analysis of Australian university strategic plans, focusing on the values expressed in the strategic aspirations and the social production of the document (Punch, 1988). The results of a survey constructed to answer the question posed by Carolyn Noble (Howes, in press), “what a Strategic Plan would have to look like to get students excited" provides the code frame. The findings recommend executives engage students in strategic planning and position them as the most important stakeholder in Australian universities. The results suggest that students who are “strategically powerless” are less likely to be motivated and engaged in the learning process.
Reinventing Internationalisation for the Knowledge Economies: Practical Implications View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Svetlana Kostrykina
The purpose of this paper is to introduce an innovative explanatory theory for internationalisation of higher education (IoHE) and to discuss its potential practical value for the stakeholders of the global international education industry. The first part of the study is devoted to the introduction of the explanatory theory, and a new polycentric definition of IoHE. The proposed theory builds upon the concepts of rationality and relationality, representing the pivotal features of IoHE practices investigated through the instrumental case studies of New Zealand and Indonesia. Rationality and relationality encompass the interplay between the neoliberal agenda, and national strategic priorities affecting IoHE practices locally, and reflect the interwoven trends of collaboration and competition observed in the global international education industry. The practical implications of the proposed theory for the industry’s stakeholders are discussed in the second part of the paper. Firstly, the proposed explanatory theory offers a new polycentric definition of IoHE, which bridges a gap between the Eurocentric conceptualisations of IoHE and the real-world perceptions of IoHE practices as experienced by various stakeholders of the international education industry. Secondly, the concepts of rationality and relationality provide a foundation for an analytical framework, which could be applied to academic inquiry concerned with IoHE and the global international education industry. Finally, the proposed theory articulates accessible vernacular and practical tools for analysing the complexity of IoHE practices in diverse regional and institutional contexts and provides further impetus for discussion on this important topic.
