Lietuviškai Foreword
Contents
Research
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Jean-Luc Patry
Teaching through research - research through teaching: comparing scientific and subjective theories More -
Gintautė Žibėnienė, Izabela Savickienė
Acceptability of the conceptions of higher education quality to first year students of the study field pedagogy More -
Fernando Cardoso Sousa, Ileana Pardal Monteiro, René Pellissier
The development of small-world network of higher education students, using a large-group problem-solving methods More -
Rasa Tamulienė
Support needs of the most vulnerable student groups in non-university higher education More
Realities
Abstracts
Jean-Luc Patry
University of Salzburg
Teaching through research - research through teaching: comparing scientific and subjective theories
Abstract
Teaching through research has a great potential for Master’s studies. The paper presents how this has been done in a particular case, comparing scientific and subjective theories, and how this course was simultaneously used to do research about this topic. The course proved to be a win-win-situation for the students and for the teacher/researcher. The rational and the method of the assessment and analysis of subjective theories through the dialogue-consent method is described and applied to the analysis of scientific theories. The procedures with the students is then presented, which differs slightly from the standard dialogue-consent procedures. In the result section, first, some outcomes of the data analysis are presented, then based on the students’ papers their experiences are described. The discussion section shows in what regard the course was beneficial to the students and for research.
Key words
Theory, Scientific theory, Subjective theory, Praise, Teaching through research, Research through teaching, Structure formation technique, Transition matrix, Modal matrix.
Gintautė Žibėnienė, Izabela Savickienė
Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas university of Technology
Acceptability of the conceptions of higher education quality to first year students of the study field pedagogy
Abstract
The article presents which conceptions of higher education quality are most acceptable to first-year students of the study field of pedagogy. It is significant to analyse students’ opinions as more than 10 years ago the EU member states agreed that higher education institutions bear responsibility for the quality of higher education. Being members of an academic community, students are also an important integral part of this process. There is a lack of research that would focus on which conception of higher education quality students believe to be the most acceptable to them. Respondents (students of the study field of pedagogy) are currently important actors in the system of higher education quality assurance and once they become teachers, they will be an important part of the system of teaching quality assurance. The article introduces the following conceptions of higher education quality: 1) quality as improvement; 2) quality as excellence; 3) quality as transformation; 4) quality as conformance to set requirements, norms and criteria; 5) quality as fulfilment and/or exceeding clients’/consumers’ needs; 6) quality as fitness for purpose; 7) quality as value for money. An empirical research conducted in 2012 and 2013 helped to identify which conceptions of higher education quality are most appropriate to the first-year students from the study field of pedagogy. 326 first-year students from three Lithuanian higher education institutions participated in the research. The research revealed that the two most acceptable conceptions of higher education quality to first-year students of the field of pedagogy are quality as continuous improvement and quality as excellence.
Key words
The conception of higher education quality, Higher education quality assurance.
Fernando Cardoso Sousa, Ileana Pardal Monteiro, René Pellissier
University of the Algarve, University of the Algarve, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Abstract
This article presents the development of a small-world network using an adapted version of the large-group problem-solving method Future Search. Two management classes in a higher education setting were selected and
required to plan a project. The students completed a survey focused on the frequency of communications before and after the project. The findings support the successful development of a small-world network using the selected problem-solving technique in a collaborative project, thus constituting an innovation in a higher education setting.
Key words
Innovation in Teaching, Future Search, Higher Education, Large-Group Methods, Small-World Networks.
Rasa Tamulienė
Kaunas University of Applied Sciences
Support needs of the most vulnerable student groups in non-university higher education
Abstract
This article presents the research on support needs of the most vulnerable students in nonuniversity higher education. The research results have revealed that older, part-time students who have family and/or work responsibilities focus on academic information and counselling, foreign language training, distance study centre, legal counselling and psychological counselling services. It has also been found that traditional age, full-time students who have no work and/or no family responsibilities and whose motivation to study is low require more career designing, psychological counselling, student accommodation, financial support and legal counselling services.
Key words
Student support, Academic student support, Non-academic student support, Non-traditional age students, Most vulnerable students, “First generation” students, Traditional age students.