Trends High. Educ., Volume 2, Issue 3 (September 2023) – 10 articles

Educational learning spaces encompass a spectrum, from traditional classrooms to contemporary online platforms and immersive virtual reality settings, fostering versatile teaching methods like collaboration, project-based, and experiential learning. Our study delves into modern higher education environments, particularly the shift from conventional to innovative spaces. Our focus centers on the benefits and challenges intrinsic to these emerging learning spaces, intending to enlighten educators, policymakers, and researchers. Our exploration commences by revealing the limitations entrenched within traditional learning environments, emphasizing the vital need for inventive solutions to meet evolving educational demands. We further investigate diverse learning scenarios, ranging from hybrid and remote setups to the integration of online platforms and virtual tools. Through this lens we navigate complexities introduced by these novel modalities, including potential reductions in face-to-face interactions and heightened demand for adept instructional and technological support. Lastly, our inquiry underscores the disparities between traditional and contemporary learning spaces, accentuating the potential for innovative settings to elevate higher education quality. Here, we illuminate the anticipated merits of such spaces, notably heightened student engagement, enriched collaboration, and amplified creativity. Concurrently, we explore technology’s pivotal role in shaping learning environments and ultimately influencing pedagogical methodologies. Our future research will explore how Artificial Intelligence can improve higher education. Full article

The integration of blockchain technology in educational institutions is gaining momentum due to its promise to improve the graduation system and the process of verifying educational qualifications. However, little research exists on the social aspects of incorporating blockchain technology in an educational environment. This study aims to evaluate the social impact of blockchain technology on internal and external stakeholders of a higher education institution, including educational leaders, management, graduates, and external organisations. Using the Social Impact Assessment methodology, this study reveals that the integration of blockchain technology can have an overall positive impact on industrial and alumni relations and resource optimization. This study also contributes to the literature on Social Impact Assessment by presenting a methodological model for the integration of blockchain technology in the context of a higher education environment. Full article

The demand for sustainable development is rapidly increasing with the need to create cleaner and greener products for consumers and producers alike. In line with this need, sustainability has become integral to entrepreneurship research. Although sustainability-focused entrepreneurship programs are offered at higher education institutions, gaps remain in identifying novel approaches to combining sustainability and entrepreneurship in university programs. To overcome these gaps, this study provides an approach to redefining how sustainability-based entrepreneurship can be taught in a virtual environment using a cross-institution initiative involving instructors and students from multiple countries and disciplinary backgrounds to provide students with opportunities to solve complex sustainability-based problems affecting society. A post-assessment survey (including open-ended questions related to skill development, intercultural learning, virtual learning, and debrief) was administered to better understand student perceptions of learning and engagement. The qualitative data were analyzed using thematic inductive analysis resulting in three key themes (learning outcomes, supportive learning environment, and intercultural challenges). The Discussion and Conclusion sections highlight implications for practitioners, contributions to the literature, and limitations/future research. Pedagogical strategies for educators and program designers are provided. Full article

This paper presents a new and innovative examination method designed to foster creativity, problem-solving, and collaboration in mathematics education. Traditional assessment practices often focus on rote memorization and fail to engage students in the exploration of mathematical concepts and connect the content to real-world problems. In contrast, the proposed examination approach requires students to invent and solve their own mathematical tasks based on their personal interests and experiences. By actively engaging with mathematical concepts and relationships, students deepen their understanding while developing essential skills such as communication, self-assessment, and peer feedback. Anonymized peer correction is also introduced as a means of minimizing bias and promoting objectivity and a wider understanding. The study investigates student perceptions of the examination based on their experiences regarding its effects on creativity and problem-solving skills. The findings suggest that the new way of examining may not only enhance students’ mathematical understanding and problem-solving abilities but also foster a collaborative learning environment that encourages communication and peer support. The paper concludes that the adoption of this new method has the potential to transform traditional assessment practices and promote more engaged, creative, and collaborative learning experiences for students in a wide range of subjects. Full article

While the motivational effect of educational gamification is largely recognized, the impact of the gamification element virtual currency (VC) is underexplored, especially in an educational setting. To address this gap, the goal of the presented multi-case empirical study was to systematically explore the impact of virtual currency on learners’ engagement, motivation, and academic performance across different contexts and to uncover potentially generalizable results. Accordingly, this paper presents the outcomes of a multi-perspective analysis of students’ experiences in out-of-class practicing in a learning environment gamified with VC and the effect of this game element. The work builds on previous case studies with analogical goals, which the authors have conducted in different contexts, including the university type, student population, subject area, etc. The provided comprehensive cross-case analysis integrates and extends the previous results tracing the path to generalizable knowledge about the potential of VC. While the results of this multi-case study demonstrate a significant increase in student engagement in out-of-class practicing gamified with virtual currency, they fail to show a significant increase in students’ intrinsic motivation and students’ final course grades. This study is a step forward in enhancing our understanding of the multifaceted effect of virtual currency on learners’ experience. Full article

This study presents the development and validation of a new measurement tool, the Marburg Self-regulation Questionnaire for Teachers (MSR-T). The questionnaire measures the self-regulatory processes of planning, monitoring and reflection in teacher-relevant contexts and aims to help assess and understand teachers’ self-regulatory skills in a broader context. In order to provide a reliable and valid instrument, an integrative framework model was developed and items were generated. In two online studies (N = 255; N = 356) involving German-speaking (trainee) teachers and student teachers, the psychometric properties were examined and the items were revised after conducting confirmatory factor analysis. Further, discriminant and convergent validity was examined by administering our scale along with indicators of professional restraint, self-efficacy and other constructs that are related to self-regulation. The MSR-T encompasses 27 items and showed acceptable to good internal consistencies. Moreover, validity analyses indicated good convergent and discriminant validity, making it an economical yet specific tool that can be used to assess self-regulatory processes, including planning, monitoring and reflection, within a specific context. The context-unspecific wording of the questionnaire allows for transferability to other professional contexts, opening up avenues for the examination of self-regulation research in different fields. Full article

The accuracy of students’ judgments has important implications for their learning and performance in educational settings. However, little is known about how students make these judgments. This study explored university students’ justifications for making their judgments of learning in a developmental psychology course. Two independent samples were involved, including a total number of 115 senior sport students. Participants responded to a knowledge test and provided their judgments at the local (Sample 1) or at the global level (Sample 2) and then provided their justifications for making these judgments. Students’ justifications for making their judgments were classified in ten categories, including the study of the learning materials, the confidence for answering (or not) correctly, the memory, the general knowledge, the knowledge of the answer and a general reference to common sense, experience, lectures, and judgment. Variations in the frequency of these justifications were found across the local and the global level, low and high accurate students, and low and high performers. These results are discussed regarding their theoretical and practical implications for undergraduate students’ learning. Full article

Mental health concerns are common among university and college students. Digital mental health resources and support are offered through university websites. However, the content and type of mental health activities of these institutions have not been analyzed. The aim of this study was to conduct a content analysis of mental health commitment and practices listed on Canadian postsecondary institutional websites. A 27-variable codebook was developed to map the content of all Canadian postsecondary institutions (n = 90). Descriptive statistics were applied to provide a broad snapshot of current institutional wellbeing activities. Nearly all institutions offered crisis response options, and multiple mental health supports through various modalities. However, few institutions had a wellbeing framework (34%), engaged in recent campuswide anti-stigma campaigns (33%), tracked campus wellness activities (13%), monitored student mental health outcomes (13%), and solicited feedback through the wellness center webpages (14%). These outcomes were similar across all geographic regions but statistically significantly different between small, medium, and large institutions. Findings suggest institutions need to address these gaps, provide smaller institutions with greater governmental support for building mental health capacity, and work towards developing a centralized hub for mental health that is accessible, navigable, and considers student needs and preferences. Full article

The goal of this research was to gain a holistic understanding of factors that support or inhibit graduate student success, with a particular interest in the experiences of underrepresented minorities, females in STEM, and first-generation college students. The Graduate Student Success Survey (GSSS) was developed and validated with 537 M.S. and Ph.D. students at a research-intensive university in the southeastern United States. Guided by Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and informed by salient factors described in the literature and published surveys, items were developed to measure students’ perceptions of imposter syndrome, microaggressions, microaffirmations, mentoring, sense of belonging, financial support, and mentor relationships. This manuscript details the development of these items and validation of the GSSS with full- and part-time thesis-based graduate students across twelve colleges, six of which were STEM-focused. Validity and reliability were tested with exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, resulting in a survey with seven subscales. Findings revealed significant differences in these graduate students’ experiences based on their gender identity, racial and ethnic group, citizenship status, and program area. The findings of this study report the experiences of graduate students at one institution. However, the validated survey and the recommendations resulting from the findings could be used to scaffold student success and provide insight for faculty and administrators on how to better support students. Full article