JournalTOCs

Teaching and Learning Inquiry
Number of Followers: 21

This is an Open Access Journal

Open Access journal
ISSN (Print) 2167-4779 - ISSN (Online) 2167-4787
Published by ISSOTL

[1 journal]

Defining Immersive Learning
- Authors: Phillip Motley, Beth Archer-Kuhn, Catharine Dishke Hondzel, Jennifer Dobbs-Oates, Michelle Eady, Janel Seeley, Rosemary Tyrrell
  Abstract: Immersive learning practices (ILPs) in higher education are multidisciplinary in nature and varied in levels of integration into the student learning process. They appear in a variety of higher education programs such as teacher education, social work, law, and health sciences, and in practices such as service-learning, study away, internships, and foreign-language instruction. Based on observations of teaching and data from an open-ended survey and semi-structured interviews with post-secondary educators from three different countries, this study theorizes that immersive learning practices are composed of six distinct underlying theoretical components that work in combination. These six components can be used to describe, define, compare, and design different types of structured ILPs. This study suggests that ILPs are pedagogically distinct from other forms of engaged and experiential learning. Read the corresponding ISSOTL blog post here.
  PubDate: 2024-03-29
  DOI: 10.20343/teachlearninqu.12.9
  Issue No: Vol. 12 (2024)
Participatory and Place-Based Socioeconomic Knowledge Generation: An
Experience in Community-Based Research Pedagogy
- Authors: Jessica Palka
  Abstract: This article uses fieldnotes along with student and practitioner feedback to recount the challenges, benefits, and broader learnings of engaging master’s students in a participatory research seminar. The students developed research proposals about a real-world socioeconomic challenge with and for local practitioners. Proposals were consistent with the principles and practices of participatory action research (PAR). The planning, implementation, and assessment of this course was informed by feminist scientific philosophies of collaboration, situatedness, partiality, accountability, and a sensitivity to power dynamics. In line with both PAR and SoTL principles, there was an explicit emphasis on partnership, reflexivity, and broad forms of learning in both the classroom and practitioner meetings. The students were challenged by the unfamiliarity of the research approach, the need to navigate a new way of working directly with stakeholders, as well as the responsibility to the community that participatory approaches espouse. Despite the challenges, the students were eager to soak up local knowledges, reflect on their role as researchers, and contribute constructively if they could. Read the corresponding ISSOTL blog post here.
  PubDate: 2024-03-29
  DOI: 10.20343/teachlearninqu.12.8
  Issue No: Vol. 12 (2024)
Using Infographics to Go Public with SoTL
- Authors: Bryn Keogh, Lorelli Nowell, Eleftheria Laios, Lisa McKendrick-Calder, Whitney Lucas Molitor, Kerry Wilbur
  Abstract: There has been a call to amplify the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) and expand its reach by engaging with audiences outside the academy. In this paper, we share our journey in crossing disciplinary boundaries and creating a SoTL-informed infographic for public consumption. As the field of SoTL continues to evolve, infographics hold tremendous potential to communicate SoTL to various stakeholders, including educators, students, administrators, policymakers, and the public. We outline best practices in infographic development and the potential of infographics as a tool for taking SoTL public, emphasizing their visual appeal and effectiveness in conveying complex information. We conclude by discussing the implications of using infographics to advance SoTL communication. The efforts of our group serve as a valuable example of how infographics can be used to bring SoTL knowledge out of academia and into the public domain.
  PubDate: 2024-03-29
  DOI: 10.20343/teachlearninqu.12.10
  Issue No: Vol. 12 (2024)
Seat Selection as a Function of Cultural and Individual Differences:
Insights from Undergraduate Students in China
- Authors: Lu Kehan, Amrita Kaur, Zhou Yu, He Yuzhen, Huang Yuchong, Zhan Yinuo, Mohammad Noman
  Abstract: Students’ seating selection is a significant physical variable that has implications for both teachers and students. These seating preferences have been linked to students’ personalities, motivation, and academic performance. However, there is limited knowledge regarding the cultural influences on these preferences. In this exploratory qualitative study, we aim to investigate the cultural factors that influence the seating choices of undergraduate students. The study participants were recruited using purposive sampling. Face-to-face interviews and scenario simulation surveys were utilized to collect data, which was analyzed using thematic analysis. The study’s findings suggest that seating preferences are largely a function of individual differences and personal preferences, which often stem from personal and cultural factors. These factors are discussed under five primary themes: course academic value, gaining positive experiences, avoiding negative experiences, modesty and humility, and social belonging. These findings have implications for teaching and learning and for instructors, especially those from foreign cultures. Read the corresponding ISSOTL blog post here.
  PubDate: 2024-02-27
  DOI: 10.20343/teachlearninqu.12.7
  Issue No: Vol. 12 (2024)
Global Challenges: Engaging Undergraduates in Project-Based Learning
Online
- Authors: Gail Matthews-DeNatale, Laurie Poklop, Rachel Plews, Mary English
  Abstract: In summer 2020, Northeastern University developed a fully online curricular pathway for incoming fall first-year undergraduate students who could not learn in residence. This pathway included 18 Global Challenge (GC) courses, each designed around project-based learning (PBL), grounded in a complex problem defined by Northeastern University research faculty, and based on the classes’ individual research agendas (e.g., social justice, health, the environment). The GC courses were designed to help students develop key intrapersonal and interpersonal skills as well as academic proficiencies. The GC development team conducted a systematic study of the courses during the first three semesters of their development and implementation. The investigation’s guiding question was, “To what extent, and in what ways, can learning experience design, online structure, and facilitation support PBL learning, teamwork, and a sense of connection among students in asynchronous courses'” Data sources included student surveys, instructor reflections, and course observations. Findings highlighted the importance of a learning experience design infrastructure to support PBL challenge development; that design supports for challenge development are necessary, but not sufficient, and an online course architecture that reinforces PBL also needs to be developed; that student attention to course resources needs to be scaffolded within the course and optimized for the online modality; and that a system for instructor mentoring in online PBL pedagogy is important to course success. Read the corresponding ISSOTL blog post here.
  PubDate: 2024-02-27
  DOI: 10.20343/teachlearninqu.12.6
  Issue No: Vol. 12 (2024)
“Success was Actually Having Learned:” University Student
Perceptions of Ungrading
- Authors: Amy A. Hasinoff, Wendy Bolyard, Dennis DeBay, Joanna C. Dunlap, Annika C. Mosier, Elizabeth Pugliano
  Abstract: A large body of evidence shows that many ungrading practices are as good or better than conventional approaches at supporting learning outcomes. Much of the research on student perceptions of ungrading, however, is based on individual case studies which, although informative, are often anecdotal, not systematically implemented, and tend to emphasize the instructor’s perspectives. Building on this literature, we offer a systematic study that asks: how do students perceive pedagogical practices designed by instructors to support an ungrading strategy' To answer this question, we conducted a survey of students across a range of disciplines and a variety of ungrading approaches to assess how they perceive their learning experiences in these courses as compared to others. Findings indicate that students generally perceive that ungrading practices improve their relationship with their instructor; enhance their engagement, agency, enjoyment, and interest; foster their intrinsic motivation and focus on learning; and facilitate their creativity. While many students reported reduced stress, others reported that the unfamiliarity and uncertainty of ungrading increased their stress. Gaining a better understanding of how students react to these pedagogical techniques can help instructors improve their practices. Read the corresponding ISSOTL blog post here.
  PubDate: 2024-01-29
  DOI: 10.20343/teachlearninqu.12.5
  Issue No: Vol. 12 (2024)
Design Thinking in Higher Education: Opportunities and Challenges for
Decolonized Learning
- Authors: Danielle Lake, Wen Guo, Elizabeth Chen, Jacqui McLaughlin
  Abstract: This article builds upon current research to understand the value and limitations of teaching and learning design thinking (DT) in higher education. We implemented a mixed-methods study with faculty and students across 23 diverse courses in four higher education institutions in the United States. Findings showed that following structured learning processes, engaging in active listening, and focusing on others’ perspectives were the most valued DT practices across disciplines. In contrast, prototyping and experimentation were the least used DT practices, with widely varying understandings across disciplines. Additionally, we found consistent evidence that DT can support liberatory teaching and learning practices that decolonize students’ perceptions of power, encourage situated and action-oriented empathy, and provide opportunities for co-creation. This is particularly true when faculty intentionally encourage collaboration and project framing focused on critically analyzing dominant ways of knowing and power structures. Our analysis further revealed the challenges and importance of prototyping and conducting experiments with project partners. Ultimately, this approach can significantly enhance liberatory project outcomes and facilitate decolonized learning experiences. Given our findings, we point out limitations and challenges across current DT pedagogical practices and provide recommendations for integrating DT practices across disciplines in ways that center on issues of systemic oppression, social identity, and human-environmental relationships. Read the corresponding ISSOTL blog post here.
  PubDate: 2024-01-29
  DOI: 10.20343/teachlearninqu.12.4
  Issue No: Vol. 12 (2024)
Whose Knowledge is it Anyway' Epistemic Injustice and the
Supervisor/Supervisee Relationship
- Authors: Katy Dineen, Sarah Thelen, Anna Santucci
  Abstract: Higher education often acts as a bridge to society, preparing people for future social, political, and economic roles. For many academics, social justice and social inclusion are areas of research interest and teaching expertise. As such, institutions of higher education are well placed to foster reflection on social justice, through research and teaching, and thereby impact the wider society as students take up their roles within it. Yet, higher education itself should be subject to critique from a social justice point of view. Our aim in this article is to provide one such critique. We will focus on PhD research supervision, and in particular the supervisor/supervisee relationship. We will argue that the hierarchical nature of supervision can give rise to injustice. We will use the concepts of epistemic injustice and epistemic power as explanatory tools to clarify what is at issue within dysfunctional supervisor/supervisee relationships. Throughout, we will make use of the mythological story, "The Salmon of Knowledge," to unpack the hierarchies involved in knowledge acquisition/creation. Finally, we will conclude by noting the space within the scholarship of teaching and learning wherein critique of the structures within higher education from a social justice point of view occur, and where there exist potential gaps in this scholarship. Read the corresponding ISSOTL blog post here.
  PubDate: 2024-01-29
  DOI: 10.20343/teachlearninqu.12.3
  Issue No: Vol. 12 (2024)
From Private to Public: Using Authentic Audiences to Support Undergraduate
Students’ Learning and Engagement
- Authors: Erica Hamilton, Mihyun Han
  Abstract: The purpose of this article is to explore the use of authentic audiences in higher education to support undergraduate learning. To explore the results of integrating authentic audiences in higher education, we present a collective case study in which the use of authentic audiences was employed in separate undergraduate courses at two different higher education institutions in the Eastern and Midwestern United States (N = 75). In one case, Wikipedia was employed as an authentic audience and in the other case, experienced secondary educators as well as Twitter were embedded. The goal of implementing authentic audiences in both settings and courses was to increase student engagement and foster critical thinking. Results suggest that integrating authentic audiences through these means can enhance undergraduate students’ engagement and learning and may serve to capture, but not necessarily foster, students’ critical thinking. Concurrently, an instructor’s pedagogy must also align with tenets associated with authentic audiences, including a commitment to a co-construction of knowledge and the purposeful selection of authentic audiences who are engaged, willing to partner, and have the necessary expertise and resources to contribute to students’ learning. Read the corresponding ISSOTL blog post here.
  PubDate: 2024-01-29
  DOI: 10.20343/teachlearninqu.12.2
  Issue No: Vol. 12 (2024)
Between Saga and Enterprise: Anchoring Backwards and Striving Forwards
- Authors: Katarina Mårtensson, Kelly Schrum
  Abstract: Introduction to Volume 12 of Teaching & Learning Inquiry.
  PubDate: 2024-01-29
  DOI: 10.20343/teachlearninqu.12.1
  Issue No: Vol. 12 (2024)
Evaluating Universal Design for Learning and Active Learning Strategies in
Biology Open Educational Resources (OERs)
- Authors: Krista Wojdak, Michelle K. Smith, Hayley Orndorf, Marie Louise Ramirez
  Pages: 1–22 - 1–22
  Abstract: With the onset of COVID-19, colleges and universities moved to emergency remote teaching, and instructors immediately adjusted their curricula. Many instructors adapted or developed new online lessons that they subsequently published as Open Educational Resources (OERs). While much has been examined related to how entire course designs evolved during this period, the same attention has not been paid to how individual lessons were structured to meet online learners’ needs. As such, we evaluated OER lessons for the integration of universal design for learning (UDL) guidelines and active learning strategies. We evaluated OER lessons published in CourseSource, which is an open-access, peer-reviewed journal that focuses on biology lessons implemented in undergraduate classrooms and provides the necessary details and supporting materials to replicate the lesson. We found that biology instructors used a variety of UDL guidelines and active learning strategies to encourage student learning and engagement in online teaching environments. This study also provides a collection of OER online lessons that instructors and educational developers can use to inform the practice of engaging biology students.
  PubDate: 2024-07-15
  DOI: 10.20343/teachlearninqu.12.20
  Issue No: Vol. 12 (2024)
Unlocking the Potential in a Gamification-Based MOOC: Assessing Autonomous
Learning and Self-Directed Learning Behaviors
- Authors: Joko Slamet, Yazid Basthomi, Francisca Maria Ivone, Evi Eliyanah
  Pages: 1–20 - 1–20
  Abstract: Massive open online courses (MOOCs) have significantly advanced online education. Yet, MOOC instructors still grapple with the ongoing challenge of low learner engagement while striving to foster autonomous and self-directed learning (SDL). Integrating gamification into these courses could be a promising solution. However, the extent to which gamification shapes autonomous and SDL behaviors within MOOCs remains underexplored. This mixed-methods sequential explanatory study investigates the interplay between MOOC, gamification, autonomous learning, and SDL behaviors to harness the potential of online education. We address this research void by delving into the intricate relationship between gamification and learners’ engagement in autonomous learning and SDL behaviors. Drawing upon self-determination theory (SDT) as a theoretical framework, we scrutinize how gamified MOOCs influence intrinsic motivation and SDL behaviors. Our study utilizes questionnaires and structured interviews to comprehensively examine the users’ experiences within a gamified MOOC. The findings suggest that thoughtfully integrated gamification elements not only enhance learner engagement but also stimulate autonomous learning and SDL behaviors. However, it is crucial to approach the integration of gamification thoughtfully, ensuring a balance that promotes intrinsic motivation without undue reliance on extrinsic motivators. These findings hold significant implications for educators, course designers, and policymakers leveraging gamification to enrich online learning experiences and cultivate self-directed educational pathways. They offer valuable insights for educators, course designers, and policymakers aiming to leverage gamification for enriching online learning experiences and nurturing self-directed educational pathways in MOOCs.
  PubDate: 2024-07-15
  DOI: 10.20343/teachlearninqu.12.19
  Issue No: Vol. 12 (2024)
Preparing Educators and Students at Higher Education Institutions for an
AI-Driven World
- Authors: Jamie Magrill, Barry Magrill
  Pages: 1–9 - 1–9
  Abstract: The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence technologies, exemplified by systems including Open AI’s ChatGPT, Microsoft’s Bing AI, and Google’s Bard (now Gemini 1.5Pro), present both challenges and opportunities for the academic world. Higher education institutions are at the forefront of preparing students for this evolving landscape. This paper examines the current state of AI education in universities, highlighting current obstacles and proposing avenues of exploration for researchers. This paper recommends a holistic approach to AI integration across disciplines, fostering industry collaborations and emphasizing the ethical and social implications of AI. Higher education institutions are positioned to shape an educational environment attuned to the twenty-first century, preparing students to be informed and ethical contributors in the AI-driven world.
  PubDate: 2024-06-24
  DOI: 10.20343/teachlearninqu.12.16
  Issue No: Vol. 12 (2024)
Information Architecture Strategies in the Classroom: How Do Increasingly
Complex Digital Ecosystems in Higher Education Shape the Contours of
Instructor-Student Communication'
- Authors: Michael Lahey
  Pages: 1–16 - 1–16
  Abstract: The proliferation of digital software is an increasingly accepted part of everyday life in higher education in the United States. While this software affords some opportunities, it can create confusing experiences for students as well. In this paper, I ask how might increasingly complex digital ecosystems in higher education shape the contours of instructor-student communication. To answer this question, I conducted an exploratory case study in the form of an online survey (n=83) and subsequent interviews (n=18) with user experience (UX) design students at a large public university in the southeastern United States. The research showed that students felt confusion regarding digital software protocols in their classes, how protocols varied from class to class, an inability to remember when and how to communicate with instructors outside of class, unsureness about where to locate information, and a preference for messaging applications over email. Research results suggest that instructor-student communication in higher education can be productively viewed through the lens of information architecture. In doing so, I argue for the need for instructors to implement strong information architecture strategies that help make sense of information in increasingly complex academic ecosystems.
  PubDate: 2024-06-24
  DOI: 10.20343/teachlearninqu.12.18
  Issue No: Vol. 12 (2024)
University Students’ Perceptions of a 30-Minute Break During Class: A
Realistic Practice for Wellness'
- Authors: Shannon Kell
  Pages: 1 - 30
  Abstract: This SoTL study aimed to discover how teacher education students engaged with a 30-minute unstructured break during a weekly three-hour lecture. Cognitive fatigue and resulting stress accumulation have negative effects on wellness. Education students can accumulate significant stress when studying and preparing. This, in turn, affects their career outlook and may affect teacher retention. Pausing a cognitively demanding task and taking a break can reverse the strain reaction and support sustainable, long-term wellness. However, taking an effective break is often difficult because it can be perceived as a waste of time and a loss of productivity. Research shows the opposite effect. If we educate higher education students about the benefits of taking effective breaks and then model this practice in class, can we promote an accessible and realistic stress management strategy' Can student teachers potentially take this strategy with them into their teaching careers and classrooms' Using pre- and post-surveys as well as “Weekly Break Logs” during class (N = 70), followed by a post-course focus group (n = 4), the study found that 100% of participants post-course valued the break. They spent it socializing or going for short walks and did not spend it on their devices. The majority felt refreshed and motivated to return to learning following the break. Focus group findings revealed the value of taking breaks, and participants were motivated to continue this practice in their professional lives.
  PubDate: 2024-06-24
  DOI: 10.20343/teachlearninqu.12.17
  Issue No: Vol. 12 (2024)
[Book Review]: The Pernicious PhD Supervisor by Tara Brabazon
- Authors: Joshua Wang
  Pages: 1 - 4
  Abstract: Book review of The Pernicious PhD Supervisor, written and narrated by Tara Brabazon.
  PubDate: 2024-05-27
  DOI: 10.20343/teachlearninqu.12.14
  Issue No: Vol. 12 (2024)
The Pedagogical Use of Didactic Classes for Teaching Cognitive Psychology
- Authors: Jens Koed Madsen, Nicole Lauren George, Andreia Cury Fernandes
  Pages: 1 - 16
  Abstract: The didactic class is a pedagogical tool meant to increase classroom interactivity by encouraging student discussion of real-life cases in connection with theory. This paper evaluates the pedagogical impact of using a one-off didactic class where an external expert is brought in to discuss how to relate a cognitive psychology course’s content to real-life problems. Using a mixed-methods approach, we measure the undergraduate students’ sense of conceptual understanding, their perspective on applying cognitive sciences, their sense of belonging to the department, and their motivation to work. Students’ sense of understanding and their perspective in applying cognitive sciences to real-world problems significantly increased after this class. However, we found no significant differences in their sense of belonging to the department or their motivation to study. This suggests didactic classes may further course-specific content but do not change broader aspects of motivation or belonging. The qualitative interviews support the quantitative results. Students reported that didactic class made them think laterally about content from other modules and how they could apply theoretical insights to real-world problems, which boosted confidence. Students reported great satisfaction with the didactic class. Of course, the speaker must be relevant to the course content, and students should feel empowered and able to speak in class. However, these are practical concerns that should not discourage lecturers from exploring didactic classes as a fun and instructive tool that has significant pedagogical benefits.
  PubDate: 2024-05-27
  DOI: 10.20343/teachlearninqu.12.15
  Issue No: Vol. 12 (2024)
Exploring Social Justice Through Art in a Community Health Nursing Course
- Authors: Aliyah Dosani, Jocelyn Lehman, Alexander Cuncannon
  Pages: 1–27 - 1–27
  Abstract: Social justice and health equity are foundational to community health nursing. Arts-based pedagogy has learning and reflexive value for community and population health education within nursing and health professions curricula have been increasingly used in health care and in promoting health, including in nursing education. However, research has not explored the use of arts to teach community health nursing students about social justice. The objective of this study was to understand how the inclusion of a collaborative artistic process relates to the understanding of social justice issues for second-year baccalaureate nursing students enrolled in a community health nursing course. Visual art and symbolic components were added to an existing group concept mapping assignment of community health nursing interventions from a social justice approach. We engaged in analysis within interpretive phenomenological inquiry to understand and share students’ experiences with constructing and giving meaning to symbols and art pieces, internalizing the concept of social justice, and collaborating with group members. Students used symbols and visual representation to explore social justice and health. Students’ narrative reflections encompassed experiences finding personal power, engaging in empathy, reflecting on their own position and privilege, and benefitting from non-traditional forms of learning. Students recounted group processes that deepened their understanding of concepts, increased their appreciation of the need for advocacy, and enabled creative freedom in the context of collective vision. The addition of a collaborative creative, artistic process enhanced students’ learning about social justice and health.
  PubDate: 2024-05-27
  DOI: 10.20343/teachlearninqu.13
  Issue No: Vol. 12 (2024)
The Impacts of an Academic Intervention Based in Metacognition on Academic
Performance
- Authors: Holly J. Swanson, Adelola Ojutiku, Bryan Dewsbury
  Pages: 1–19 - 1–19
  Abstract: Providing reflective opportunities for students to independently develop their metacognition and expand their abilities to make judgments about themselves as learners, including which learning strategies are personally most effective for any given task, have been shown to improve academic performance. We designed a metacognition-based intervention that was structured to provide four weeks of reflective opportunities for students following a metacognitive learning strategies workshop. Qualitative analysis of student responses from the first week’s survey found evidence of metacognitive skill development and self-reported improvements in learning, including an improvement in confidence and preparedness for classes and exams, and better understanding and retention of course content. Our results suggest that students who described an increase in their confidence during the first week were two times more likely to complete the intervention. This completion was correlated with a higher semester GPA, regardless of student identity, prior academic performance, and strategy choice or outcome description during the first week.
  PubDate: 2024-04-23
  DOI: 10.20343/teachlearninqu.12.12
  Issue No: Vol. 12 (2024)
Innovating Interdisciplinarity in Higher Education: Exploring the Impact
of a Grassroots Community of Practice
- Authors: Maria Azucena Gutierrez Gonzalez, Caitlin Mandeville, Ferne Edwards, Paula Rice
  Pages: 1–17 - 1–17
  Abstract: Skills in interdisciplinary collaboration are required to address many complex problems facing society. As such, interdisciplinarity is a critical competency for students to develop. However, teachers’ effectiveness in teaching interdisciplinarity is often hindered by silo structures within university faculties. To address this in the Experts in Teamwork (EiT) programme, a MSc in a Norwegian university that develops students’ interdisciplinary teamwork skills through projects that address real-world challenges, a community of practice (CoP) evolved among teachers from different EiT classes. Over 20 months, CoP members participated in digital and in-person discussions, lecture exchanges, student and professional conferences, and co-evaluation of student work, with an aim of better understanding interdisciplinarity and approaches for teaching it to students. The success of the CoP in achieving these aims was evaluated through a series of focus groups consisting of members of the CoP. The CoP achieved some success in fostering pedagogical conversations that were transformative for participants’ understanding of interdisciplinarity in their practice. Participants reported that CoP participation influenced their interactions with students, ultimately helping students to develop a better understanding of interdisciplinarity. However, participants reported limitations in the CoP as a professional development resource, citing its newness and the required time commitment. Participants felt that these issues could be addressed via greater institutional support.
  PubDate: 2024-04-23
  DOI: 10.20343/teachlearninqu.12.11
  Issue No: Vol. 12 (2024)

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