Institutional Research in South African Higher Education - Intersecting Contexts and Practices, 2016
Research focused on universities as institutions in the broader context of research on higher edu... more Research focused on universities as institutions in the broader context of research on higher education Universities are among the oldest social organisations in the world. Few would doubt that universities are crucially important social organisations. The public and private good of universities is generally recognised (and widely debated, cf. Singh 2001). The broad range of purposes ascribed to universities and society's expectations of the value added by universities add up to form an intriguing phenomenon which is the object of research in a range of academic disciplines and professional practices. Castells (2001:206-2011) distinguishes four major functions of universities. Despite the ideology of a value-free role for universities, they function, firstly, as ideological apparatus, that is, as producers of values and social legitimation. They are responsible for the shaping of civic values and the development of "flexible personalities" and "prospective identities". In order to do this, universities "use future-orientated narratives to construct a new basis for social belonging and citizenship" (Cloete & Maasen 2015:3). Secondly, universities play a key role in the selection of the dominant elite through the formation of networks and the establishment of the codes that distinguish between the elite and the rest of society. In recent decades, as a result of the massification of higher education, the notion of 'elite' has changed from the selection of students from a political and social elite class to an academic elite, those with the highest academic talents. Thirdly, universities are responsible for the higher levels of education and for the training of the labour force. In the earliest times, the role of universities was to train the clergy. This has developed to include the selection and preparation of those responsible for the state bureaucracy and the training of professionals (in medicine, law, engineering and other professions). More recently, universities have become institutions where students "learn to learn", therefore, the functions of universities are reaching beyond the reproduction and transmission of knowledge. Fourthly, in the most recent phase in its development, going back to the German research university and the American land-grant universities of the 19th century, universities are expected to produce scientific knowledge and to support society in the application of knowledge for the sake of socioeconomic development and the general well-being of humanity and the environment. It comes as no surprise, therefore, that such a venerable and important social institution would be the object of extensive and ongoing research. Institutional research (IR) is a component of this research. IR has a specific focus: it is research aimed at the understanding
Building Capacity in Institutional Research and Decision Support in Higher Education, 2018
The volume of data, fast-changing technology, and the diverse student population require orchestr... more The volume of data, fast-changing technology, and the diverse student population require orchestrated collaboration with campus colleagues and with IR in a central and authoritative position. Due to current organizational practices and stakeholder expectations, particularly in the US, IR leaders should remain central to senior leader discussions because of their skills in data knowledge and context. Following a brief summary of key points from previous chapters, discussion in this chapter also proposes that the ‘Federated’ model for distribution of data, in its purest form, will not serve to build the capacity of IR but instead diminish its perceived and real value. A variety of professional development offerings related to IR activities are available and more need to be developed. Knowledgeable, skilled IR leaders who possess a high level of organizational intelligence serve their institution well, and in doing so, should strive to have a seat at the table.
This study examined differences in personality type for college freshmen and the effects of parti... more This study examined differences in personality type for college freshmen and the effects of participation in undergraduate research on critical thinking and reflective judgment scores. Participants were 266 undergraduate students. While correlations between personality and the thinking measures were low and of little practical significance, a repeated measures analysis revealed a two-way interaction between research participation and major for change in critical thinking score. A second repeated measures analysis with simple contrasts revealed a two-way interaction between research participation and gender for change in reflective judgment score. Findings thus indicate that participation in undergraduate research affects critical thinking and reflective judgment for some students. The paper also discuses implications and limitations of the study. (Contains 5 figures, 4 tables, and 39 references.) (SLD) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original do...
This document contains formal papers, keynote speeches and selected panel presentations delivered... more This document contains formal papers, keynote speeches and selected panel presentations delivered at a Conference that addressed the issues, responsibilities and challenges faced by institutional researchers now and in the future. Papers.are as follows: "Attrition and C.I.R.P. Correlates of a Measure of President's Message "I'M 1991 annual confereme of the North East Association for Institutional Research was innovative and enlightening and in every way a success. Early reviews of the conference evaluations conducted by Ellen Armstrong Kanarek indicate this conference received the highest overall ratings of any conference in recent memory. The credit fir the success of this conference goes first to the presenters and program participants whose contributed papers, panel discussions, demonstrations, workshares and workshops provided the substance. Special thanks and credit are also due the excellent organization and planning of Mike Maguire, Program Chair, and Susan Font, Chair for Local Arrangements. From the outset their intent was to host a conference that was innovative and informative, even provocative, in addressing the issuer, responsibilities and challenges we face as institutional researchers. To their credit and to the credit of all who participated, this conference succeeded. The conference theme, Instinaional Reseatrh in a Changing Society, was explored from multiple perspectives. Monday's General Session presentation by guest speaker, Elizabeth Graham Cook, Executive Director of the Ad Club of Boston, focused on the subject of Marketing Higher Education in a Changing Society. Tuesday's General Session panel of CEO's explored "Fantasies and Forecasts for the Year 2010"; the panel included
Institutional researchers frequently use national datasets such as those provided by the National... more Institutional researchers frequently use national datasets such as those provided by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The authors of this chapter explore the adjustments required when analyzing NCES data collected using complex sample designs.
Page 1. The number of instruments and Web sites related to measuring campus climate has increased... more Page 1. The number of instruments and Web sites related to measuring campus climate has increased dramatically in just the past few years. Many campus officials are becoming involved in discussions of, and choosing instruments to measure, campus climate. ...
Classified employees are frequently the first representatives of the college or university whom p... more Classified employees are frequently the first representatives of the college or university whom prospective students, parents, and others encounter. Their frontline position makes them highly important members of the campus community. This chapter contends that the satisfaction of classified staff contributes to productivity and overall institutional effectiveness.
Although time and resource intensive, longitudinal studies offer the ability to examine the direc... more Although time and resource intensive, longitudinal studies offer the ability to examine the direction and magnitude of causal relationships that cannot be accomplished through cross-sectional design.
To demonstrate a relationship between the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale (PHCSCS) and... more To demonstrate a relationship between the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale (PHCSCS) and observable behavior, the PHCSCS scale scores of 52 high school students were related to three target behaviors thought to be reflective of a positive self-concept: verbal participation in a small group discussion, nonverbally-expressed self-confidence, and participation in extra-curricular activities. The nonverbal self-confidence measure was positively associated with the PHCSCS, as was a composite measure of the three target behaviors. Private Self-Consciousness did not moderate any of the scale-behavior relationships.
Assessment of undergraduate research (UR) programs using participant surveys has produced a wealt... more Assessment of undergraduate research (UR) programs using participant surveys has produced a wealth of information about design, implementation, and perceived benefits of UR programs. However, measurement of student participation university wide, and the potential contribution of research experience to student success, also require the study of extrinsic measures. In this essay, institutional data on student credit-hour generation and grade point average (GPA) from the Uni-versity of Georgia are used to approach these questions. Institutional data provide a measure of annual enrollment in UR classes in diverse disciplines. This operational definition allows accurate and retrospective analysis, but does not measure all modes of engagement in UR. Cumulative GPA is proposed as a quantitative extrinsic measure of student success. Initial results show that extended participation in research for more than a single semester is correlated with an increase in GPA, even after using SAT to cont...
ED457747 - The Effect of Participation in Undergraduate Research on Critical Thinking and Reflect... more ED457747 - The Effect of Participation in Undergraduate Research on Critical Thinking and Reflective Judgment. AIR 2001 Annual Forum Paper.
Along with a rapid increase in government funding for academic research in the 1960s came concern... more Along with a rapid increase in government funding for academic research in the 1960s came concerns that research activi-ties of faculty in American universities were becoming not only in-creased, but separated from, and elevated far above, their teaching. Clark Kerr (1963) ...
Institutional Research in South African Higher Education - Intersecting Contexts and Practices, 2016
Research focused on universities as institutions in the broader context of research on higher edu... more Research focused on universities as institutions in the broader context of research on higher education Universities are among the oldest social organisations in the world. Few would doubt that universities are crucially important social organisations. The public and private good of universities is generally recognised (and widely debated, cf. Singh 2001). The broad range of purposes ascribed to universities and society's expectations of the value added by universities add up to form an intriguing phenomenon which is the object of research in a range of academic disciplines and professional practices. Castells (2001:206-2011) distinguishes four major functions of universities. Despite the ideology of a value-free role for universities, they function, firstly, as ideological apparatus, that is, as producers of values and social legitimation. They are responsible for the shaping of civic values and the development of "flexible personalities" and "prospective identities". In order to do this, universities "use future-orientated narratives to construct a new basis for social belonging and citizenship" (Cloete & Maasen 2015:3). Secondly, universities play a key role in the selection of the dominant elite through the formation of networks and the establishment of the codes that distinguish between the elite and the rest of society. In recent decades, as a result of the massification of higher education, the notion of 'elite' has changed from the selection of students from a political and social elite class to an academic elite, those with the highest academic talents. Thirdly, universities are responsible for the higher levels of education and for the training of the labour force. In the earliest times, the role of universities was to train the clergy. This has developed to include the selection and preparation of those responsible for the state bureaucracy and the training of professionals (in medicine, law, engineering and other professions). More recently, universities have become institutions where students "learn to learn", therefore, the functions of universities are reaching beyond the reproduction and transmission of knowledge. Fourthly, in the most recent phase in its development, going back to the German research university and the American land-grant universities of the 19th century, universities are expected to produce scientific knowledge and to support society in the application of knowledge for the sake of socioeconomic development and the general well-being of humanity and the environment. It comes as no surprise, therefore, that such a venerable and important social institution would be the object of extensive and ongoing research. Institutional research (IR) is a component of this research. IR has a specific focus: it is research aimed at the understanding
Building Capacity in Institutional Research and Decision Support in Higher Education, 2018
The volume of data, fast-changing technology, and the diverse student population require orchestr... more The volume of data, fast-changing technology, and the diverse student population require orchestrated collaboration with campus colleagues and with IR in a central and authoritative position. Due to current organizational practices and stakeholder expectations, particularly in the US, IR leaders should remain central to senior leader discussions because of their skills in data knowledge and context. Following a brief summary of key points from previous chapters, discussion in this chapter also proposes that the ‘Federated’ model for distribution of data, in its purest form, will not serve to build the capacity of IR but instead diminish its perceived and real value. A variety of professional development offerings related to IR activities are available and more need to be developed. Knowledgeable, skilled IR leaders who possess a high level of organizational intelligence serve their institution well, and in doing so, should strive to have a seat at the table.
This study examined differences in personality type for college freshmen and the effects of parti... more This study examined differences in personality type for college freshmen and the effects of participation in undergraduate research on critical thinking and reflective judgment scores. Participants were 266 undergraduate students. While correlations between personality and the thinking measures were low and of little practical significance, a repeated measures analysis revealed a two-way interaction between research participation and major for change in critical thinking score. A second repeated measures analysis with simple contrasts revealed a two-way interaction between research participation and gender for change in reflective judgment score. Findings thus indicate that participation in undergraduate research affects critical thinking and reflective judgment for some students. The paper also discuses implications and limitations of the study. (Contains 5 figures, 4 tables, and 39 references.) (SLD) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original do...
This document contains formal papers, keynote speeches and selected panel presentations delivered... more This document contains formal papers, keynote speeches and selected panel presentations delivered at a Conference that addressed the issues, responsibilities and challenges faced by institutional researchers now and in the future. Papers.are as follows: "Attrition and C.I.R.P. Correlates of a Measure of President's Message "I'M 1991 annual confereme of the North East Association for Institutional Research was innovative and enlightening and in every way a success. Early reviews of the conference evaluations conducted by Ellen Armstrong Kanarek indicate this conference received the highest overall ratings of any conference in recent memory. The credit fir the success of this conference goes first to the presenters and program participants whose contributed papers, panel discussions, demonstrations, workshares and workshops provided the substance. Special thanks and credit are also due the excellent organization and planning of Mike Maguire, Program Chair, and Susan Font, Chair for Local Arrangements. From the outset their intent was to host a conference that was innovative and informative, even provocative, in addressing the issuer, responsibilities and challenges we face as institutional researchers. To their credit and to the credit of all who participated, this conference succeeded. The conference theme, Instinaional Reseatrh in a Changing Society, was explored from multiple perspectives. Monday's General Session presentation by guest speaker, Elizabeth Graham Cook, Executive Director of the Ad Club of Boston, focused on the subject of Marketing Higher Education in a Changing Society. Tuesday's General Session panel of CEO's explored "Fantasies and Forecasts for the Year 2010"; the panel included
Institutional researchers frequently use national datasets such as those provided by the National... more Institutional researchers frequently use national datasets such as those provided by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The authors of this chapter explore the adjustments required when analyzing NCES data collected using complex sample designs.
Page 1. The number of instruments and Web sites related to measuring campus climate has increased... more Page 1. The number of instruments and Web sites related to measuring campus climate has increased dramatically in just the past few years. Many campus officials are becoming involved in discussions of, and choosing instruments to measure, campus climate. ...
Classified employees are frequently the first representatives of the college or university whom p... more Classified employees are frequently the first representatives of the college or university whom prospective students, parents, and others encounter. Their frontline position makes them highly important members of the campus community. This chapter contends that the satisfaction of classified staff contributes to productivity and overall institutional effectiveness.
Although time and resource intensive, longitudinal studies offer the ability to examine the direc... more Although time and resource intensive, longitudinal studies offer the ability to examine the direction and magnitude of causal relationships that cannot be accomplished through cross-sectional design.
To demonstrate a relationship between the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale (PHCSCS) and... more To demonstrate a relationship between the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale (PHCSCS) and observable behavior, the PHCSCS scale scores of 52 high school students were related to three target behaviors thought to be reflective of a positive self-concept: verbal participation in a small group discussion, nonverbally-expressed self-confidence, and participation in extra-curricular activities. The nonverbal self-confidence measure was positively associated with the PHCSCS, as was a composite measure of the three target behaviors. Private Self-Consciousness did not moderate any of the scale-behavior relationships.
Assessment of undergraduate research (UR) programs using participant surveys has produced a wealt... more Assessment of undergraduate research (UR) programs using participant surveys has produced a wealth of information about design, implementation, and perceived benefits of UR programs. However, measurement of student participation university wide, and the potential contribution of research experience to student success, also require the study of extrinsic measures. In this essay, institutional data on student credit-hour generation and grade point average (GPA) from the Uni-versity of Georgia are used to approach these questions. Institutional data provide a measure of annual enrollment in UR classes in diverse disciplines. This operational definition allows accurate and retrospective analysis, but does not measure all modes of engagement in UR. Cumulative GPA is proposed as a quantitative extrinsic measure of student success. Initial results show that extended participation in research for more than a single semester is correlated with an increase in GPA, even after using SAT to cont...
ED457747 - The Effect of Participation in Undergraduate Research on Critical Thinking and Reflect... more ED457747 - The Effect of Participation in Undergraduate Research on Critical Thinking and Reflective Judgment. AIR 2001 Annual Forum Paper.
Along with a rapid increase in government funding for academic research in the 1960s came concern... more Along with a rapid increase in government funding for academic research in the 1960s came concerns that research activi-ties of faculty in American universities were becoming not only in-creased, but separated from, and elevated far above, their teaching. Clark Kerr (1963) ...
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