Editorial

In this issue of Innovations in Education and Teaching International we have a game of two halves. We begin with a collection of essays exploring student engagement, and end with a collection focusing on teaching approaches and the impact of teaching awards.

Our first article from Tünde Varga-Atkins, Jaye McIsaac and Ian Willis presents the case for a combined methodology when investigating student satisfaction. The authors argue that the use of focus groups combined with nominal group technique is more effective than focus group or nominal group technique alone.

Jennifer Vu Huong, Marti Casadesus, and Frederic Marimon examined the relationship between learner satisfaction, learner loyalty, learner attitudes and service quality. They discovered a correlation between learner motivation and learner attitude, and similarly between learner motivation and service quality. Service quality impacted on learner satisfaction and the latter impacted on learner loyalty. However there was no link between either learner motivation or learner attitude, and learner satisfaction. Their results may have bearing on our understanding of the criteria that impact students’ perceptions of satisfaction.

Marilena Antoniadou describes the impact of a house system which was implemented with a group of business students with the aim of improving the student experience. While there were challenges, not least in making the students aware of the house system, she concludes the benefits include improved student friendships and opportunities for students to be mentored by instructors. This is a model that may work beyond the pages of Harry Potter novels.

The benefits of student faculty/instructor interaction described by Antoniadou, are investigated further in Tomás Dwyer’s examination of the impact of student faculty interactions on student persistence. Dwyer argues for greater consideration of the student faculty relationship and interactions in particular, as a key piece in solving the persistence puzzle.

Kay Devine and Karen H. Hunter turn their attention to PhD students’ vulnerability towards emotional exhaustion during the supervision process. They explored the relationship between PhD student and supervisor through a lens of impression management and facades of conformity. They argue that in order to get through the process students often use tactics such as behaving in ways that they believe their supervisor will value. This comes with a cost for the student, and can lead to emotional exhaustion. Whereas being oneself reduces emotional exhaustion, but may be perceived as a barrier in achieving the PhD. Devine and Hunter recommend enabling the students to be themselves in order to achieve improved student outcomes.

Brett Williams and David Nguyen examined the model of near peer teaching in a paramedic course. Near peers are students further along in their education who support students who are at an earlier stage. The results of their investigation showed that the near peer learners valued the opportunity provided by the experience as they found the near peer teachers’ feedback to be more honest realistic and helpful than that of their instructors. The near peer teachers valued the experience in part because they recognised the expectation that as paramedics they should support in the education of their colleagues.

Turning our attention to online learning, Brenda Ravenscroft, Ulemu Luhanga and Bev King adapted Bangert’s online teaching questionnaire for use in a Canadian institution. As a result of a pilot study reported here, the institution is now looking at not only online student evaluation but re-examining in class evaluation too. This paper not only describes the outcome of adapting an existing questionnaire but also shows how a relatively small pilot project can act as a catalyst within an institution to bring about wider than anticipated change.

Many of us are challenged in our quest to find effective methods to engage large classes in meaningful group activities. Raúl de Arriba reports on an innovative use of wikis for just this purpose. The key advantage of using wikis in collaborative learning rather than standard group work, is the ability to identify each student’s level of engagement and their individual contribution de Arriba argues that even in a large class this is possible, and for this reason among others he recommends the use of wikis as an effective teaching tool.

Cara Wrigley and Kara Straker share an innovative resource called the educational design ladder which can be used to support the teaching and assessment of design thinking. Wrigley and Straker argue that there has been a recent increase in demand for graduates who are able to adopt design thinking but that those who are tasked with teaching these skills are not always design trained professionals.

There is a body of research into the impact and effectiveness of teaching awards. However as Ronald Smith, Denise Stockley, Arshad Ahmad, Amber Hastings, Laura Kinderman and Launa Gauthier report, until now the impact of the 3M award, the highest available in Canada, has not been investigated. Findings from focus groups reveal that while some award winners reported some minor negative experiences, the impact of becoming a 3M award holder was overwhelmingly positive. In particular winners value the sense of becoming part of a larger community where they could have conversations about teaching and learning, an experience that can be lacking in their home institutions. This article will be of interest to those who are considering creating or enhancing their own award as the 3M contains some unusual aspects.

We end this issue of the journal with an account from Sasan Baleghizadeh and Maryam Shakouri of their investigation into the relationship between teachers’ sense of self efficacy and their teaching style, in the context of teaching English for Specific Purposes. Their results support the practice of many teacher training programmes for instructors which include an emphasis on teaching style and teaching practice. The greater the sense of self efficacy a teacher has the more effective their teaching tends to be. Baleghizadeh and Shakouri therefore advocate for early support for novice university teachers.

Celia Popovic
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