Search Results for
"Higher education"

This study investigated the integration of andragogical and pedagogical strategies in critical thinking training to enhance analytical and ethical decision-making skills among business students at Makerere University Business School (MUBS). While critical thinking is globally recognized as essential in higher education, limited research has explored structured instruction tailored to the Ugandan business education or broader African context. This study addresses this gap by examining the deficiency in current training, particularly in fostering both analytical reasoning and ethical awareness among learners. The study explored four questions: (1) To what extent does critical thinking training improve analytical abilities? (2) How does it impact message crafting skills? (3) What is its effect on ethical decision-making? and (4) How does critical thinking proficiency relate to the effectiveness of business communication in professional contexts? Using a convergent parallel mixed methods design, the study combined quantitative assessments through quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test evaluations with qualitative insights from semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions to deepen interpretation. Statistical analysis using SPSS and thematic analysis via NVivo showed significant improvements in the trained groups (p < 0.001) including gains in analytical reasoning (26.3%), persuasive communication (21.7%), and ethical decision-making (26.6%). These findings provide practical implications for curriculum reform aimed at equipping graduates with essential 21st-century competencies for the modern workplace. © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

This study investigates the underlying mechanisms of Design Thinking and Project-Based Learning (DT-PBL) in engineering education through a grounded theory approach. Based on classroom observations and semi-structured interviews, four interdependent dimensions—self-confidence, reflective interaction, knowledge integration, and iterative refinement—were identified, forming a closed-loop learning ecology. The findings reveal that DT-PBL operates as a recursive, dynamic process: self-confidence drives participation, reflection deepens understanding, and iteration progressively transforms knowledge into actionable insights. Beyond generating project deliverables, DT-PBL cultivates reflective judgment, integrative thinking, and sustainable problem-solving competencies vital for contemporary engineering practice. This study contributes a theoretically grounded and pedagogically actionable framework for advancing DT-PBL implementation in higher education. © 2025 SEFI.

Purpose – This paper explores how authentic assessment and adult learning principles can shape meaningful curriculum design within higher education criminology and policing programmes. It reflects on how degree apprenticeship development has influenced pedagogy and professional learning for adult learners. Design/methodology/approach – Adopting a reflective practitioner and autoethnographic approach, the paper draws on the author’s experience of designing and delivering a work-integrated policing degree apprenticeship. Analysis of curriculum documents, feedback and professional reflections illustrates how assessment practices connect theory with operational realities. As no participant data were collected, the study did not require formal ethical approval and complies with Leeds Trinity University’s Research Ethics Policy and BERA (2018) guidelines. Findings – Authentic assessment promotes engagement, critical reflection and professional identity formation. Integrating workplace challenges within academic study enhances adaptive expertise and supports evidence-based decision-making while highlighting the importance of flexibility and recognition of practitioner knowledge. Research limitations/implications – As a single-institution reflective study, findings are context-specific. Broader, multi-institutional research would extend and test this framework further. Practical implications – The paper provides practical guidance for embedding authentic assessment in programmes for work-based learners and demonstrates how collaboration between universities and employers can ensure curricula remain academically robust and professionally relevant. Social implications – Embedding authentic assessment fosters ethical, accountable policing by preparing officers to reflect, adapt and engage meaningfully with diverse communities. Originality/value – This study offers a reflective, evidence-informed model for curriculum design that aligns academic learning with professional practice. It illustrates how authentic assessment can transform learning for adult and professional learners by creating purposeful connections between higher education and workplace contexts. © 2025 Emerald Publishing Limited

This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of digital textbooks incorporating local indigenous content in enhancing academic writing skills among students in Indonesian Language education. Employing a quasi-experimental method with a non-equivalent control group design, the research involved pretests and posttests with 71 participants from two institutions. The findings revealed a statistically significant improvement in the experimental group using indigenous-based digital books compared to the control group. This improvement occurred because the materials integrated local values, enabling students to write contextually by linking cultural relevance to their academic tasks. While overall performance increased, the aspect of sentence accuracy showed no significant gain, indicating areas for improvement. These results highlight the potential of culturally contextualized digital materials to support Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by promoting inclusive, quality education through localized pedagogy. Further refinement of digital textbooks is recommended, particularly to enhance linguistic accuracy and broaden language competencies in higher education contexts. © 2025, Universitas Negeri Makassar- Faculty of Languages and Literature. All rights reserved.

Our era calls for purposeful teachers to reimagine a sustainable and just society. This study investigated the influence of volunteer teaching, a form of service learning, on teachers’ purpose development in the context of teacher education in China. The life purpose of volunteer student teachers was examined and compared with that of their non-volunteer peers using the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (N = 601) and two open-ended questions (N = 524). Student teachers also reported how their purpose was connected to their teaching career. The findings revealed that volunteer teachers exhibited a higher sense of purpose, and the nature of this purpose differed from that of non-volunteers. Volunteer teachers were more capable of incorporating their professional purpose into their personal purpose. This study suggests that service learning has the potential to strengthen student teachers’ life purpose and identity as moral teachers with a beyond-the-self orientation in teaching. © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

This study examines the evolution of blended learning (BL) research in higher education, focusing on its impact on English language proficiency (ELP) and alignment with Sustainable Development Goals. Using 200 Scopus-indexed articles published from 2020 to 2025, we applied Publish or Perish and VOSviewer for bibliometric analysis. Results show a pandemic-driven research surge, followed by a decline as institutions adapted. Thematic gaps emerged in the underuse of AI and gamification in ELP contexts. Geographic disparities were also evident, with minimal contributions from Global South regions. These patterns occurred because structural inequities limit digital access and research capacity in under-resourced areas. This analysis contributes by identifying emerging research priorities, supporting inclusive blended learning policies, and promoting South-South collaboration. The study has implications for advancing equitable and data-informed language education practices within hybrid learning models in alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 4 (Quality education) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities). © 2025, Universitas Negeri Makassar- Faculty of Languages and Literature. All rights reserved.

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into higher education is reshaping learning practices globally, including in Indonesia, where technological advancement intersects with the need to preserve local cultural values. This study examines Indonesian university students’ readiness for AI-based project learning that reinforces local wisdom. A quantitative survey was conducted across four universities to assess students’ technological literacy, attitudes toward AI in learning, and awareness of cultural value integration. The findings reveal that although students generally possess high levels of technological literacy, their readiness to apply AI-based project learning within culturally grounded contexts varies considerably. Key influencing factors include access to technological resources, prior exposure to AI applications, and institutional support. A significant positive correlation was identified between technological literacy and readiness, indicating that strengthening digital competence may enhance students’ preparedness for culturally contextualised AI learning. The study highlights the need for context-sensitive curricula and training that simultaneously foster technological fluency and cultural awareness, supporting inclusive and future-oriented educational practices. © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

This study investigates the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in personalized learning within tertiary and higher education contexts worldwide. Guided by the PRISMA 2020 framework (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses), a systematic literature review of 25 Scopus-indexed articles published between 2019 and 2024 was conducted to map publication trends, identify dominant AI technologies, and synthesize the benefits, challenges, and future directions of AI-enabled personalized learning systems. The findings reveal a rapid shift from early rule-based systems to sophisticated models that integrate machine learning, natural language processing, intelligent tutoring systems, and large language models such as ChatGPT. AI has been shown to enhance student engagement, motivation, and performance by providing adaptive learning pathways, real-time feedback, and tailored content. However, several challenges persist most notably data privacy and ethical concerns, technological infrastructure constraints, educator readiness, and limited scalability across diverse educational contexts. While AI-driven personalization improves learning effectiveness compared to traditional methods, long-term impacts and issues of equity and inclusion remain underexplored. This review highlights the need for ethical frameworks, robust teacher training, and integrating emerging multimodal AI technologies to support more inclusive, sustainable, and human-centered personalized learning ecosystems. The study provides strategic insights for researchers, educators, and policymakers to guide future deployment of AI in education. © 2025 The Authors.

In South Africa, the term transformation covers various aspects of change in society, including inter alia race, gender, religion, and socio-economic change. The rest of the world uses the DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) terminology to address these matters of change. The paper unpacks aspects of diversity and inclusion in the tourism sector in South Africa and interrogate lessons for higher education institutions (HEIs) in preparing employable graduates for an ever-changing sector. There is a growing focus on the employability of graduates and the role that HEIs must play in this regard. The paper further explores whether the development of soft skills should include aspects of DEI training. Arguably, it remains unclear who is ultimately responsible for the employability of graduates but a collaborative approach between HEIs and industry could result in improved talent development and selection for the tourism sector. Key conclusions in the paper are that the challenges for HEIs in South Africa will include having a better understanding of the aspirations of their students; ensuring that teaching practices are agile to new learning styles; that the curriculum content is updated to reflect DEI matters; and that industry experiences and exposure remain core to the learning process. © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Entrepreneurship education is increasingly recognized as an essential element in shaping the entrepreneurial mind-set of university students. This study examines the relationship between entrepreneurship education, entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE), and entrepreneurial intention (EI) among university students in Zhejiang Province, China. Grounded in Social Cognitive Theory, it explores how personal beliefs, shaped by education and experience, influence entrepreneurial behavior. It also investigates how demographic factors such as gender, grade level, school type, and entrepreneurial experience affect students’ entrepreneurial outcomes. A quantitative approach was adopted, surveying 482 students from various universities. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS. Statistically significant differences were observed by grade level and entrepreneurial experience. Senior students reported higher EI (M = 3.85) and ESE (M = 3.81) compared to freshmen (EI M = 3.42; ESE M = 3.67; p < 0.001). Similarly, students with prior entrepreneurial experience scored significantly higher in opportunity recognition (M = 3.98) than those without (M = 3.52; p < 0.001). The study suggests tailoring entrepreneurship education by academic level and experience, emphasizing practical, experiential learning. © 2025 FahrenHouse. All rights reserved.