The present study examined the attitudes of Filipino middle school students toward physical education and the associations between PE attitude and various personal and external correlates of PE. In total, 659 middle school students, aged between 12 and 19 years, participated in the study. The Physical Education Attitude Scale was used to measure affective, cognitive, and motivational/behavioral attitudes of adolescent students toward PE. Results showed that middle school students had moderate general attitudes toward PE. Female students (...) had more favorable attitudes toward PE when their teacher was male than female. When the teacher was female, male students were more satisfied with the PE curriculum than female students. When the teacher was male, female students were more comfortable with the PE curriculum than male students. Finally, students' PE attitude did not decrease as they got older, regardless of student sex. The findings provide a different perspective for the field and underscore the importance of not only the PE curriculum but also the student–teacher relationship. To prevent the decline in students' positive attitude and encourage positive behaviors toward PE and activities, teachers should be very considerate about their interactions with students of the same sex; school administrators, meanwhile, should focus at providing PE teachers with special training courses to enhance both their teaching and communication capabilities. (shrink)

In recent years, educational organisations have used different tools and strategies to enhance their services, such as gamification, flipped classroom and Project-Based Learning have been imple-mented to provide quality education. In this sense, enjoyment, which is focused on the emotional well-being of students, contributes to integral formation and academic performance. Therefore, the target was to explore students' perceptions about enjoyment, as a tool that allows identifying the needs, and weaknesses, addressing the risks of educational organisations of higher (...) class='Hi'>education as well, so that it provides educational agents to conduct improvement actions for the benefit of interested parties. A quantitative approach was assumed, with a non-experimental design and descriptive scope, in which a Scale of Enjoyment with Learning of Science Subjects was used, adapted to collect information concerning the enjoyment level of students in the first cycles of higher education. The results revealed that 78% of physics students experience high levels of en-joyment, evidencing a positive attitude towards the professor, concerning personal enjoyment and social as well. In conclusion, enjoyment of the teaching-learning process is essential for academic quality, as it helps students achieve significant learning. Furthermore, it enables higher education institutions to improve academic quality management and provide quality services. (shrink)

The aim of this paper was to analyze the relationship between attitudes toward physical activity and participation in water sports events and to recognize the main motives for involvement in these kinds of events. A written paper–pencil diagnostic survey was conducted among 394 participants in two traditional and two modern sports events on water held in Poland to ascertain whether innovative events are needed in society, and whether they cause an increase in interest in physical activity. The research (...) results showed that modern sports events on water did not have any more power to attract physically inactive people than traditional water events, did not produce a greater desire to lead an active lifestyle, and did not encourage people to more regularly practice water sports. Moreover, modern events, compared to traditional events, were only a one-time experience and the people who completed survey often wanted to return to traditional sports events which provided participants with greater positive emotions than a modern event. In the case of socio-demographical variables, there was no statistically significant relationship between gender and choice of modern or traditional event, but older people were more likely to choose a traditional event than younger people; modern water events were an attractive option primarily for young people under 30 years of age, furthermore, modern events more often attracted people who had completed higher education. However, it turned out that a modern event on water often attracted more people who had had no experience in this sport discipline rather than people who chose traditional water events. In a sense, modern events are therefore effective in promoting water sports in Polish society. We also distinguished five main groups of participants: healthy lifestyle managers, lovers of sports emotions, water sports malcontents, water sports enthusiasts, and neutrals to water sports. Additionally, we looked into gender-related motives for participation in modern and traditional water events: social and health-related motives proved to be more important for women and men who participated in modern water events. The research results presented in the article expand on the current state of knowledge about mass participation in sport, the impact of sporting events on the promotion of physical activity, and show the motivation behind participation in modern and traditional water sporting events. (shrink)

Background: Nurses providing 24-h care for the primary caregiver role have a number of significant roles to play in potential problems or conflicts associated with patient privacy and confidentiality. Research objectives: The objective of the study is to determine the prevailing attitudes towards gossip and the patient privacy practices of nurses working in paediatric units. Research design: A descriptive and cross-sectional design was used. A Descriptive Characteristics Form, a Gossip and Rumour Attitude Scale and a Patient Privacy Scale were used (...) to collect data. Participants and research context: A total of 112 paediatric nurses working in Turkey were included in the study. The response rate was 79.43%. Ethical considerations: Permission to conduct the study was obtained from the university’s ethics committee. The participants were informed of the aim of the study, and voluntary participation, anonymous response and confidentiality were explained to them. Findings: It was observed that nurses who had a higher education level, who were educated about patient privacy and who had read the patient rights regulations were more concerned about patient privacy. Negative correlations were found between the attitudes towards gossiping and the average scores on the patient confidentiality scale. Nurses who negatively defined gossip were more concerned about patient confidentiality. Discussion: Privacy is important for securing and protecting the personal, physical and psychological things that are important and special for patients. It is argued that obstacles to maintaining the privacy of hospitalized children and adolescents are a tolerant attitude towards gossiping, a lack of education about patient privacy and insufficient information about patient’s rights regulations and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Conclusion: A nurse’s knowledge about the provision of patient confidentiality affects their privacy practices. For this reason, regular training sessions are recommended in hospitals. (shrink)

This paper begins with a question: can concepts generated in the Chinese context in the sociocultural relations of the periphery contribute to the development of the social sciences in the field of Health and Physical Education (HPE) that have their roots in the metropole? Setting the scene in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), a postcolonial city reverted to the rule of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in 1997, this paper aims to develop a critical sociology (...) of HPE by having a dialogue among Continental philosophies (e.g., Bourdieu) and Chinese philosophies around embodiment concepts. Although HKSAR is a complex meeting point of Eastern and Western ideologies, the current HPE field tends to focus on Western and ‘scientific’ ways of knowing, such as the measurement of health and physical fitness, and often at the expense of sociocultural perspectives, social justice and diversity and inclusion in HPE. In other words, the (post) positivistic research paradigm underpins the HPE field. This paper argues that in order to reap the benefits of a more holistic health education for academics and students in HPE, it is vital to de-imperialise the positivistic ways of teaching and being in HPE. In doing so, this paper creates a space for Bourdieu’s habitus to meet Chinese perspectives on embodiment to engage in a dialogue for knowledge production that extends the current knowledge base in HPE. (shrink)

The paper addresses the issue of the potential for Russian higher education to become the core of an innovation-driven economy, an institution for the production of knowledge and its integration into society. In addition to the mission of learning, an indicator of this potential for Russian universities is the level of implementation of research and socio-economic development missions. The genesis of the second and third missions of universities is used as a theoretical basis in this study. The author (...) gives prominence to four historical stages that characterize the University 2.0 development (learning and research) in the formation of a research model of cognitive attitudes. In the context of a comparative analysis of higher education development in Russia and Europe, the article examines the emergence of University 3.0 – the key institution of a knowledge society that fulfills three academic missions (learning, research, socio-economic development). The author proposes the NCI&E-model of University 3.0, which includes the basic models of Network University, Creative University, Innovative, and Entrepreneurial University, and provides a brief description and interrelations of these models. This work discusses issues associated with the failure of the Russian “5–100” project in terms of listing its participants in the top 100 of global university rankings such as THE, QS, and ARWU. The authenticity of the formation of the entry list for the “5–100” project is called into question. A comparative analysis of Russian and foreign universities concerning the implementation of the third mission is provided, including the use of the index of University 3.0 development prerequisites proposed by the author. The author concludes that Russian higher education has low potential for the development of University 2.0 at the global level and for the creation of University 3.0. The author offers recommendations for addressing the problem of Russian higher education modernization, considering the development of its scientific and theoretical base and forming a strategic complex of development programs. (shrink)

The purpose of this study is to identify the requirements of computerized Management Information Systems and their role in improving the quality of administrative decisions in the Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education. The authors used the descriptive analytical method and the questionnaire method to collect the data. (247) questionnaires were distributed on the study sample and (175) questionnaires were collected back with a recovery rate of (70.8). The study showed a number of results, the most (...) important of which are: There exist a role for computerized management information system requirements in improving the quality of administrative decisions in the Ministry of Education and Higher Education. This result is due to the existence of the support and attention by the senior management in the Ministry of Education and Higher Education by 65.06%, the physical requirements available for the use of computerized Management Information Systems are available by (72.19%), and the software requirements for the use of computerized Management Information Systems are available at 67.74%. The results found that the human requirements available for the use of computerized Management Information Systems are available at (68.33%). The results showed that the organizational requirements that assist in the use of information systems are available at (64.19%). There are no statistically significant differences between respondents' responses to the role of computerized management information system requirements in improving the quality of administrative decisions in the Ministry of Education and Higher Education attributable to the variables(Gender, academic qualification, age, career level), while there are statistically significant differences in the role of computerized management information system requirements in improving the quality of administrative decisions in the Ministry of Education and Higher Education due to variable years of service. The study concluded that the Ministry of Education and Higher Education is able to cope with the external environmental changes rapidly and the limited time available for the collection and analysis of information. This means that administrative information systems should be used by increasing the approval of senior management on Management Information Systems in making their decisions, and to involve the employees in making any change and keep abreast of technical developments and try to use external bodies to advise in the field of computerized information systems, and work to increase coordination between the different departments of the ministry. (shrink)

Background: Adolescence is a period with physical, psychological, biological, intellectual, and social changes in which there is usually little perception of risk. COVID-19 has generated constant situations of change and uncertainty worldwide. During the pandemic, the acquisition of preventive behaviors has been relevant. Various studies carried out with adults associate risk perception and the implementation of preventive behaviors with knowledge about the COVID-19 and with age, but there are not many studies with adolescents. Therefore, the objective is to validate, (...) in Spanish, the questionnaire of the knowledge, attitudes, risk perceptions, and practices of adolescents toward the pandemic, and analyze it according to sociodemographic characteristics.Method: This study was a descriptive cross-sectional study, which included adolescents between the ages of 12–18. First, a translation and a back-translation of the questionnaire were performed. The questionnaire was presented in several high schools chosen by convenience sampling and following a non-probabilistic snowball sampling. Reliability and validity analyses were then carried out and the relationships between the different sociodemographic variables were analyzed.Results: The reliability of the questionnaire is acceptable. Knowledge was higher in women, and in those with a higher level of education; and were lower in those who lived in smaller towns, as well as in those who had a member of their family receiving financial aid. In terms of attitudes and risk perceptions, younger adolescents had higher scores, and those who had a member of their family receiving financial aid, lower.Conclusion: The questionnaire is a reliable tool in the Spanish adolescent population. Knowledge was influenced by gender, place of residence, level of education, and financial aid. Attitudes and risk perceptions were influenced by age and financial aid. For practices, no predictors were found. In general, adolescents scored lower on knowledge about COVID-19, but they scored higher on COVID-19 safety practices. (shrink)

Principles of research ethics, derived largely from Western philosophical thought, are spreading across the world of higher education. Since 2006 the Japanese Ministry of Education has required universities in Japan to establish codes of ethical conduct and ensure that procedures are in place to punish research misconduct. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with 13 academics in a research-intensive university in Japan, this paper considers how research ethics is interpreted in relation to their own practice. Interviewees articulated a range (...) of ethical issues connected with data gathering and interpretation, applying for and using research funds, relationships with peers and research subjects, and the dissemination of results. The paper also explores the effect of personal values and cultural norms on the Japanese interpretation of research ethics identifying the impact in terms of the treatment of graduate research students and decision-making processes. (shrink)

Portugal ranks fourth among countries with the highest rate of overweight population, considering that 67.6% of the Portuguese population over the age of 15 is overweight or obese. To our knowledge, limited studies have investigated students’ attitudes toward physical education in Portugal. Such research is necessary because it can provide valuable insights for policy and application in the curriculum development for physical education, which may eventually increase participation in physical and sports activities. This study analyzed (...) students’ attitudes toward physical education (PE) according to sociodemographic variables, including grade level, socioeconomic status, and gender, and their participation in extracurricular sports activities and respective PE grades. The sample comprised 476 high school students (from the 7th, 8th, and 9th-grade levels) from five public schools located in Portugal. The Students’ Attitudes toward Physical Education Questionnaire was adapted and validated for use with Portuguese students as a two-factor model. Findings show that students generally have a moderately positive attitude toward PE. However, students’ positive attitudes tend to decrease throughout high school, which is particularly significant in the 9th grade. Furthermore, students’ attitudes are influenced by gender, extracurricular sports practice, and grades. These findings may help stakeholders reflect on how to frame PE in a more meaningful way to create a solid foundation for maintaining an active lifestyle throughout life. Implications for further research and practice are discussed. (shrink)

I am going to speak of the problems of higher education, basing myself on the experience of the Moscow Physics-Technology Institute, which I have the honor to be representing here. I will speak as a practical worker and not a theorist: in this temple of philosophy I feel rather like a plumber among millionaires rather than an equal participant in the discussion. Our higher educational system took shape a long time ago. Its basic features were defined approximately (...) in the 1930s and were associated with the industrial development of our country, the mass scale of education, the need to master world experience in science and somehow increase the level and numbers of our scholars, technologists, engineers, and physicists of that day. (shrink)

Higher education institutions are mining and analyzing student data to effect educational, political, and managerial outcomes. Done under the banner of “learning analytics,” this work can—and often does—surface sensitive data and information about, inter alia, a student’s demographics, academic performance, offline and online movements, physical fitness, mental wellbeing, and social network. With these data, institutions and third parties are able to describe student life, predict future behaviors, and intervene to address academic or other barriers to student success (...) (however defined). Learning analytics, consequently, raise serious issues concerning student privacy, autonomy, and the appropriate flow of student data. We argue that issues around privacy lead to valid questions about the degree to which students should trust their institution to use learning analytics data and other artifacts (algorithms, predictive scores) with their interests in mind. We argue that higher education institutions are paradigms of information fiduciaries. As such, colleges and universities have a special responsibility to their students. In this article, we use the information fiduciary concept to analyze cases when learning analytics violate an institution’s responsibility to its students. (shrink)

The number of colleges and universities with campus agriculture projects in the US has grown from an estimated 23 in 1992 to nearly 300 today with possible increased numbers predicted. The profile emerging from campus agriculture projects looks a lot different from the traditional land grant colleges of agriculture. In spite of this emergent trend and staunch advocacy for campus agriculture projects, limited empirical research on agriculture-based learning in higher education exists outside agriculture degrees and theoretical work of (...) scholars such as Liberty Hyde Bailey and David Orr. This study explored the diversity of characteristics and pedagogical objectives of emerging campus agriculture projects through a nationwide compilation, surveying campus agriculture project directors and educators, and multiple case studies. Data collected gives empirical evidence supporting claims agriculture is taking on a different identity in higher education. Issues of sustainability, food, and agriculture are not only influencing the physical workings of colleges and universities, but pedagogy on a departmental and institutional scale. Findings illustrate a re-visioning of how higher education is interfacing with agriculture and agriculture-based education beyond traditional agriculture degrees at land grant colleges of agriculture to focus teaching sustainability, critical thinking and inquiry skills, and fostering a sense of belonging to community. (shrink)

This study explores the experiences and challenges of students with hearing impairment in a Colombian university within the framework of inclusive education. Through a qualitative approach, the perceptions of students and their caregivers regarding admission policies, academic participation, and institutional and curricular environments were analyzed. The findings indicate that, although inclusion policies exist, they are not fully effective, presenting significant barriers to the access and participation of deaf students, such as insufficient availability of qualified interpreters, lack of curricular adjustments, (...) and lack of adequate infrastructure. In addition, participants pointed to attitudes of exclusion on the part of peers and university staff, as well as an institutional culture that does not fully promote diversity. The study suggests the need to strengthen inclusive strategies to guarantee the right to education in conditions of equality and respect for diversity in higher education. (shrink)

Blended Learning Solutions for Higher Education explores the origins, empirical foundations, and implementation of blended learning in colleges and universities. Since emerging as a third-way solution to traditional and virtual higher education models, blended learning has become a predominant learning modality in an era of rapid technological proliferation. Offering an alternative to longstanding yet flawed methodologies and assumptions about its validity, this book conceptualizes blended learning as a complex social practice mediated by knowledge, institutional rules, policies, (...) and norms as well as material factors such as technology and physical spaces. The book's original MIRACLE framework offers a research-grounded, highly practical guide to blended learning design, improvement, and long-term efficacy. From demystified history and heuristics to digitized platforms and course content to reimagined governance and regulations, these insights provide a thoughtful exemplar of blended learning's challenges and affordances along with a firm basis for integrating face-to-face and online learning, teaching, and assessment innovatively and creatively. (shrink)

The objective of this article is to illustrate the issues and challenges which the higher education system in Bulgaria faces, with a particular accent on the phenomenon “education per kilogram”. The latter describes, in a popular language, the up-scaling of the university graduation, related to the mass proliferation of the higher education institutions, the facilitated access to enrolment through paid tuitions, etc. The big quantity of HEIs in the country is in a mismatch with the (...) low percentage of GDP which the government dedicates to education. The number of HEIs is also disproportionate against its population size - 54 HEIs in Bulgaria for population of 7.2 million. The research methodology includes a desktop study based on national statistical data and data from the governmentally-supported university rating system. An empirical survey, conducted among 250 tertiary education students enrolled in four Bulgarian universities, is a valuable contribution towards disclosing the pros and cons of the teaching practices in the tertiary education in the country. The first chapter describes at large the “education per kilogram” issue with regard to its possible origins, variations and consequences for the misbalance of labour market demand for certain qualifications and the universities supplies of qualified individuals. The second chapter reveals a comparative analysis by professional fields possible through the Ministry of Education and Science’s university rating system, i.e. students’ preferences for disciplines, universities and professions; the graduates’ professional fulfilment and how the income of the recent diploma-holders is a function of attending a particular HEI. The third chapter presents a sociological survey conducted among students in four Bulgarian universities which demonstrates learners’ attitudes towards various aspects of training, teaching methods and involvement in research assignments in the context of tertiary education. The main conclusion of the article is that the “universities per kilogram” trend brought about other corresponding characteristics, such as “students per kilogram”, “academic titles per kilogram”, etc. Hence, the large number of HEIs in Bulgaria has not led to improving the quality and efficiency of education, and yet does not respond adequately to the changing labour market demands for qualified professionals. (shrink)

Name der Zeitschrift: Semiotica - Journal of the International Association for Semiotic Studies / Revue de l'Association Internationale de Sémiotique Jahrgang: 2013 Heft: 197 Seiten: 171-201.

The present study is aimed at comprehensively assess tendency to neutralize (justify) academic cheating as a function of individual experience of teachers’ just behavior and new learning environments (NLE), while considering the Belief in a Just World (BJW) as a personal resource that has the potential to enhance those experiences. Data were collected from a sample of 193 second-year undergraduate college students. Path analysis main results showed that students who evaluated their teachers’ behavior toward them personally as just, held more (...) positive evaluation of the learning environment, and were less inclined toward academic cheating neutralization. Personal BJW was partly associated with the perceived NLE, this connection was primarily mediated by the experience of teacher justice. Moreover, students’ evaluation of their teachers’ just behavior was a stronger negative predictor of academic cheating neutralization than perceived forms of NLE. Interpretation of these results, applications and implications for future research are discussed. (shrink)

Physical education is often selected for applying multilingual initiatives through the use of the content and language integrated learning (CLIL) approach. However, it is still unclear whether the introduction of such approach might entail losing Physical Education’s essence and distorting its basic purposes. The aim of this study is to analyse the impact of CLIL on the Physical Education lessons. Given the purpose of this study, a mixed methodological approach based on a sequential exploratory (...) design divided in two different phases is used. We begin with an initial qualitative data collection (phase I) consisting in the analysis of interviews with 12 participants (8 teachers and 4 students). Based on its analysis, two foci are identified: social relationships and physical activity. Then, informed by the results obtained, a quantitative approach is used (phase II), differentiating these two sets of data to deepen on them. On one part, a sociometric questionnaire was applied to analyse the social relationships among CLIL students. On the other part, a quasi-experimental design (n = 49) was implemented using accelerometry to measure the MVPA of the PE sessions. Regarding physical activity, the results show that levels of MVPA are higher in the experimental group (CLIL) than in the control group showing light to the divergent viewpoints of interviewees. However, focusing on social relationships, the sociometric questionnaire results show that there were no statistical significative changes, although some signs of a slight effect on students’ relationships arise depending on their gender. Therefore, more research would be necessary to deepen on how CLIL affects in this regard. (shrink)

A call to advance integrative teaching and learning in higher education. From Parker Palmer, best-selling author of The Courage to Teach, and Arthur Zajonc, professor of physics at Amherst College and director of the academic program of the Center for Contemplative Mind in Society, comes this call to revisit the roots and reclaim the vision of higher education. The Heart of Higher Education proposes an approach to teaching and learning that honors the whole human (...) being--mind, heart, and spirit--an essential integration if we hope to address the complex issues of our time. The book offers a rich interplay of analysis, theory, and proposals for action from two educators and writers who have contributed to developing the field of integrative education over the past few decades. Presents Parker Palmer's powerful response to critics of holistic learning and Arthur Zajonc's elucidation of the relationship between science, the humanities, and the contemplative traditions. Explores ways to take steps toward making colleges and universities places that awaken the deepest potential in students, faculty, and staff. Offers a practical approach to fostering renewal in higher education through collegiality and conversation. The Heart of Higher Education is for all who are new to the field of holistic education, all who want to deepen their understanding of its challenges, and all who want to practice and promote this vital approach to teaching and learning on their campuses. (shrink)

This article examines trigger warnings, particularly the call for trigger warnings on university campuses, and from a Levinasian and Kantian ethical perspective, and addresses the question: When, if ever, are trigger warnings helpful to student's learning? The nursing curriculum is developed with key stakeholders and regulatory bodies to ensure graduate nurses are competent to deliver a high standard of care to patients and clients. Practical teaching practice and published research has uncovered an increasing use of ‘Trigger Warnings’ before a topic (...) is discussed, or used as warnings on core module texts. It is appreciated that some students have personal experience of psychological or physical trauma. However, apart from identifying these students through Mitigating Circumstances committees, or when the student feels confident to share this information with a personal tutor, this information remains strictly confidential. There is the potential for covert skills such as critical analysis and skilful discussion not being attained by the student. With the assistance of Kants moral theory, an argument will develop that the insidious use of Trigger warnings and the embargo of recommended reading, requires critical discussion with the public. This would involve the rationale and pedagogical justification for the use of texts, and the necessity within nursing education to address challenging clinical topics. To support students with PTSD this may involve the research discussed on personal educational needs analysis. (shrink)

The traditional teaching style in which the teacher is in control and there is a submissive attitude in students is predominant in Mexico. The development of identity in preadolescence is subjected to social groups, which could develop interpersonal difficulties through the controlling teaching style. Although the fear of negative evaluation in students and competitive sport has been studied in education, relatively little research has been done in the area of physical education in relation to the controlling style. (...) The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation and predictive relationship between controlling teaching and the fear of negative evaluation mediated by the frustration of the basic psychological needs, controlled motivation, and individualism/competitiveness through the theoretical framework of self-determination theory. Participants were 1132 students in the fifth and sixth grades in public elementary schools in the state of Chihuahua, Mexico, with ages between 10 and 13. Results indicate the perceived controlling teaching style positively predicted the fear of negative evaluation in students of this study through BPN frustration, that is positively related to low-quality motivation, which is related to a higher level of individualism/competitiveness. This, in turn, is proven to be a predictor of the fear of negative evaluation. The results also discuss the promotion of the autonomy support style, avoiding the controlling teaching style, for the minimization of negative results related to the perception of fear and the development of student well-being both within and beyond the school context. (shrink)

Driven and influenced by learning theory and information technology, the form of the classroom environment in higher education is constantly changing. While traditional lecture classrooms focus on efficient learning modes and economical space layouts, active learning classrooms focus more on active learning psychology and adaptive space perception. Although existing studies have explored the development of educational and technological domains in the classroom, a comparative study of these two classroom environments and students’ learning perceptions has not been conducted. Hence, (...) using a questionnaire, this study collected subjective perception reports from 316 students in traditional lecture classrooms versus active learning classrooms. By analyzing Likert scales of student satisfaction in two classroom environments, the study found the following: learning support dimensions in both classroom environments required improvements; space and furniture perception, physical and decorative environment are critical factors in improving students’ perceptions in the lecture classroom; space perception is the critical factor in enhancing students’ perception in the active learning classroom. These findings can serve as good references and useful insights for future classroom design and optimization to build enriched and inclusive learning environments to help students gain a more positive perception of learning. (shrink)

Academics using embodied approaches can be found across a wide variety of disciplines, fields and settings in the academy. Embodiment is however, a contested term and the literature is fragmented, particularly in the field of Higher Education. This has resulted in isolated silos of work that are not easily able to draw on previous or related knowledge in order to support and progress understanding. Embodiment in Higher Education brings a cohesive understanding to congruent approaches by drawing (...) on discussions between academic teachers, researchers and practitioners in order to explore how they have used embodiment in their work. Contributors to the volume hail from diverse subject areas, such as dance, drama, psychology, anthropology, physical education, philosophy and higher education research. Chapters question whether there is enough of a shared understanding of embodiment to inform Higher Education; whether an embodied approach can be accepted within the measured university; where difficulties and challenges lie in using embodied approaches for teaching, for research, in constructing an academic practice and identity; and how difficulties surrounding communication might be overcome. This book will appeal to academics, researchers and postgraduate students from a diverse range of disciplinary areas, as evidenced by the backgrounds of the contributors. It will be of particular interest to those in the fields of education, anthropology, dance and drama, well as other movement or body-orientated professionals who are interested in the ideas of embodiment. (shrink)

We aimed to analyze personality-related determinants of physical activity among Polish and Spanish physical education students. The study was conducted among 219 Polish and 280 Spanish PE students, using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire and the NEO-FFI Personality Inventory. Compared with Spanish PE students, their Polish counterparts are characterized by a higher level of extraversion and conscientiousness and a lower level of neuroticism. The level of total physical activity for all students was 8,697.21 METs, (...) and this value was higher among Polish students. Among Polish and Spanish PE students, the level of total, vigorous, and moderate physical activity increased along with the increase in extraversion, while a decrease occurred along with the increase in neuroticism. The level of each domain of physical activity also increased in line with the intensification of student conscientiousness. In moderation analyses, it was shown that the home country of students may be considered a moderator of the relationship between conscientiousness and total exercise in such a way that the physical activity increased along with the increase in conscientiousness only among the Polish students. In addition, the country is a moderator of the correlation between moderate physical activity and neuroticism, openness, and conscientiousness, with moderate activity only decreasing among Polish students and increasing along with the increase in openness and conscientiousness. Positive correlations among physical activity, extraversion, and conscientiousness, as well as negative ones with neuroticism, were demonstrated among Polish and Spanish students, and also the moderating impact of the country on the correlation between personality-related dimensions and physical activity. (shrink)

Studies about the Flemish voter's perceptions and attitudes revealed that the ecologist party "Agalev" and the radical right-wingparty "Vlaams Blok" were each other's antipodes. These two parties were perceived by the voters as extreme poles on dimensions that were mainly formed by the parties' viewpoint about the rights of immigrants, about Flemish political autonomy, and about materialistic versus postmaterialistic policy alternatives. According to the voters' attitudes, the two electorates were polarized by their attitudes towards immigrants, materialism, economic conservatism, and Flemish (...) nationalism. The electorates of these two 'extreme' parties were very similar in age composition, urban/rural environment, and church involvement. The voters of the ecologist party were more likely to have finished higher education and to have a high occupational status. Blue collar workers with little educational formation were over-represented among the electorate of the right-wing party.Using the data collected among 2,691 Flemisch voters after the 1991 General Elections, this study analyses relevant attitudes and socio-demographic characteristics within one global logistic-regression model. The focus is on the Vlaams Blok versus Agalev with the other electorates as reference category. Controlled for social characteristics, four attitudinal variables still show significant net effects on the likelihood of votingfor Agalev or for the Vlaams Blok and not for the other parties: the attitude towards immigrants, Belgian/Flemish nationalism, materialism, and readiness to make efforts for the preservation of the physical environment. This findings support Swyngedouw's thesis about the emergence of two new cleavages: the so called universalistic/particularistic and postmaterialistic/materialistic cleavages that are capable tocatch about 20% of the Belgian-Flemish voters in the early 90s. (shrink)

Research indicates that the perception of available resources is a key factor for the implementation of inclusive education. Regarding the teachers, a relatively high level of perceived personnel and physical resources is associated with more positive attitudes toward inclusive education and experiencing a higher level of self-efficacy. Thus, this study aims to examine the psychometric properties of the teacher version of the Perceptions of Resources Questionnaire. Data were collected from a sample of 1,078 in-service teachers in (...) Austria. Different statistical analyses were used, including Rasch analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. The results indicated good psychometric properties of the PRQ-T regarding internal consistency measured by person separation index and construct validity by both confirmatory factor analysis and the Rasch analysis. Moreover, the findings supported that the PRQ-T is a two-factor scale to measure teachers’ perceptions of personnel and physical resources in inclusive education. Further studies with different samples are necessary to confirm the findings. (shrink)

This article explores the concept of Society 5.0, originating from Japan, which envisions a future where the physical and virtual worlds merge to create a more sustainable and inclusive society. Building upon previous societal stages, Society 5.0 leverages advanced technologies like artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and robotics to address social challenges while prioritising human welfare. The article delves into the objectives of Society 5.0 and the need for a human-centered approach, accompanied by significant challenges and the imperative (...) for educational reform. Reshaping curriculum development in higher education by emphasising technological literacy, interdisciplinary approaches, ethics and social implications, entrepreneurship, and lifelong learning are changes aiming to prepare students to the rapid technological advancements in the society. (shrink)

School physical education has the potential to contribute to public-health promotion and well-being, but oftentimes students' lack of motivation toward PE or physical activity in general, especially during adolescence, diminishes, or eradicates the positive effects associated with PE. Therefore, practical approaches are required that help teachers to increase or awake students intrinsic motivation toward PE, for which self-determination theory may provide the conceptual framework. In that regard, the purpose of the present study was to examine whether the (...) use of real-time, heart rate feedback during regular PE lessons has the potential to increase students' autonomous motivation and physical effort. To achieve this, we had forty healthy adolescents between 16 and 17 years of age run for 30 min either with or without real-time, individualized heart rate feedback during a regular PE class and compared physical and perceived exertion as well as joy of running between the two groups. Participants were randomly assigned to the groups. Our data revealed that participants in the EG enjoyed running more than participants in the CG despite a higher physical and perceived exertion. That means, running with real-time, individualized heart rate feedback apparently increased participants' motivation to run and to enjoy running at higher levels of exertion. In that regard, real-time, individualized activity feedback should be implemented in regular PE classes systematically and repeatedly to create a controllable and attainable situation that allows students to actively adjust their own behavior to achieve appealing and realistic goals. (shrink)

The present study examined adjustment to higher education among students with disabilities immediately following their first year of study and onwards, with three primary objectives. First, we examined whether students with no disabilities adjust better to higher education than students with disabilities (mental health, physical, sensory, ADHD/LD). Second, we examined differences among the specific disability groups in adjustment to higher education overall and in specific subscales. Finally, we examined the unique pattern of adjustment (...) in each disability group, and sought to determine whether the groups differed with respect to this pattern. Of the 469 students who participated in the study, 234 had disabilities (mental health, sensory, ADHD/LD, physical) and 235 were matched controls. The results indicated that students with disabilities as a whole reported lower adjustment than did controls. A close examination of the differences between the disability groups on the four subscales demonstrated unique adjustment challenges for each of the groups. The findings demonstrate the importance of specifically examining each disability group, to learn about needs and support. (shrink)

The article highlights innovative technologies in the context of physical education as one of the main factors of postmodern society. The main features of innovative technologies as an effective way to develop personal competencies and the formation of value orientations are defined in the context of the study. Physical education contributes to the development of individual personality traits, as well as forming the health-saving foundations of the development of society in the perspective of evolution. Postmodern trends (...) in the formation of society are defined by new worldview manifestations, when people lose meaning in certain value aspects and realize that past achievements can be neutralized. The physical education of a person forms the idea of the value of health, both in the past and in the future. It is this principle that defined the research problem. It is determined that innovative technology is a sign of a postmodern society, because innovation is one of the characteristic features of the postmodern. Innovative technologies are most effective both in educational activities and in physical education. The theoretical and methodological foundations of the concept of postmodern society and innovative technologies were analyzed in the course of the study. Also identified the main aspects of physical education in the context of the modern dimension. The article explores the peculiarities of the use of innovative technologies in the aspect of physical education. In the course of the study we used methods of analysis and synthesis, descriptive method and method of content analysis. This study provided the basis for determining the conceptual basis for the effectiveness of innovative technologies as postmodern approaches in the process of physical education. (shrink)

This article discusses women's positions in higher education in Europe and compares these with a case study analysis of senior women at one `new' UK university. The study comprises interview data from 22 senior women in both academic schools and departments and in functional departments. The main findings include substantial differences between younger and older women in their career progression. While for both groups having children was a major in uence, the older women, especially the academics, had to (...) weave their career developments around those of their husbands and caring for their children. Nevertheless, they displayed strong entrepreneurial tendencies, becoming highly skilled at spotting and seizing opportunities. The younger women were more selfconfident in a `postfeminist' period where young women often assume equality has been achieved and material support systems such as childcare is well established. In contrast with the older women, they fitted their family lives around their careers. Balancing their gender had become central to both their private and their work lives. The older women were sensitive to the subtle homosocial culture, attitudes and norms in the university, while the younger women relied more on a meritocratic approach to their careers, and were seemingly less aware of the institutional gendered power relations. Neither group showed signs of collective working or networking in the interests of themselves or women generally in the university. These characteristics imply that while the proportion of senior women may continue to increase, the strongly gendered culture is less likely to be challenged. (shrink)

In order to improve early childhood physical education, in this study, the talent cultivation mechanism for undergraduates was explored under the “full-practice” concept, oriented by preschooler mental health. First, from the perspective of preschooler psychology, the mechanisms of ability training and talent cultivation for undergraduates majoring in early childhood education were explored under the “full-practice” concept. Considering that the physical, psychological, and intellectual development of preschoolers shall follow the rules of physical education, and current (...) early childhood education mainly focuses on intelligence education in China, early childhood physical education was analyzed further in this study. By investigating the undergraduate majors of early childhood education in Henan University, this study first summarized the current problems in early childhood education systems in universities. Secondly, combined with the form of physical education in kindergartens, strategies for talent cultivation and curriculum setting of early childhood physical education majors in colleges and universities were proposed. Finally, from the perspective of innovation and diversification of training forms, the cultivation of early childhood educators’ physical education ability was analyzed at multiple levels and multiple objectives, and the integrated training system of early childhood education talents was constructed. The results show that, among all the courses for early childhood education major, compulsory courses account for 81.2% and optional courses account for 18.8%. In addition, a survey on undergraduates’ attitudes toward the curriculum of their major demonstrates that 81.2% of the undergraduates thought that the range and content of practical courses should be increased, indicating that undergraduates majoring in early childhood education are dissatisfied with the current curriculum system, and they have an increased demand for practical courses. Correspondingly, it is vital to build and improve on the early childhood physical education. In terms of its talent cultivation, the “full-practice” concept helps combine theory with practice to improve the effectiveness of education and teaching, pushing forward the reform of the education system. Meanwhile, data- and intelligence-oriented teaching will become the new direction of modern sports development, as well as an important link for tracking and monitoring children’s sports teaching in China. Through the continuous introduction of wearable artificial intelligence products, real-time monitoring of children’s physical conditions can be realized, which helps improve the effectiveness of early childhood physical education. (shrink)

The study aimed to look into the organizational performance of Higher Education Institutions in the Philippines particularly in Zamboanga del Norte. The descriptive method of research was used. There were 95 respondents to the survey. Frequency count, percentage, and Mean were used as a statistical tool. The investigation revealed that organizational performance of the Higher Education Institutions involved was found to be very good along the areas of VMGO, faculty, curriculum and instruction, support to students, research, (...) extension, library, physical plant and facilities, laboratories and administration. The Higher Education Institutions met the standards of quality over and above the minimum requirement of government under Article XIV Accreditation, Section 60. There were areas need to focus such as congruent to the needs of the people in the community, monitoring of faculty adequacy and loading, sourcing out funds and other resources, and maintaining safety and security inside the campuses, even though all areas in organizational performance found very good, Further, the administration continuously requires planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation. (shrink)

Racial Battle Fatigue is described as the physical and psychological toll taken due to constant and unceasing discrimination, microagressions, and stereotype threat. This edited volume looks at RBF from the perspectives of graduate students, middle level academics, and chief diversity officers at major institutions of learning.

In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:Christopher SmallAlbi Odendaal and Heidi WesterlundNeville Charles Christopher Small, musician, composer, teacher, lecturer, and author, died in Sitges, Spain, on 6 September 2011 at the age of 84. A funeral was held close to Sitges, the community he had made home for the last 25 years of his life and where he had lived with his long-time partner Neville Braithwaithe (1927-2006).Christopher studied Zoology and completed a Bachelor of Science (...) degree in 1949 at Otago University in his country of birth, New Zealand, before deciding to study music. He completed a bachelor's degree in music at the newly-formed Victoria University in Wellington in 1955. A scholarship from the New Zealand government allowed him to pursue composition studies in England, which became his home for the next 25 years. He taught music and lectured at Alperton High School, Anstey College of Education, and Ealing College of Higher Education during this time. He also wrote his first book Music, Society, Education after the prompting of John Calder, who published the book in 1977. Two other books followed after an early retirement to Spain in 1986: Music of the Common Tongue (1987) and Musicking (1988). He also published several journal articles and recently contributed an afterword to Ruth Wright, ed., Sociology and Music Education (2010).Christopher will be remembered for his lucid writing and willingness to ask big questions. His three books (all of which are still in print) address significant [End Page 93] issues, notably the role of music in society and that of society in music. Perhaps his most enduring contribution to the thinking on music is the coining of the term, "musicking," which has been widely adopted by authors and researchers who wish to share his conception that music is not a noun but a verb, not a thing that has separate existence but an action that humans perform.A common theme in his writings is to challenge conventional wisdom, especially when he perceives it to be entrenched in an elitist position. In this vein he questions the scientific-industrial world view and the effects it has on music and education in his first book. Then he goes on to show the importance of community and communality for the musics of the African diaspora in his second book, a direct challenge to the individualist and elitist attitude that he found in Western classical music.His third book, Musicking, investigates a typical Western classical symphony concert in an attempt to answer the question, "What is really going on here?" Understanding music as human action allows him to interrogate aspects of this event that are usually unexamined and leads him to emphasize that all music has social origins and implications. He argues that the enjoyment that comes from musical events is directly related to the significance of the relationships that are either formed or pre-existing, real or imagined, between performers, audience, musical sounds, and physical space. He argues that the significance of these relationships, and thus of the musical experience, is related to how well they fit our image of who we are or want to be.In his writings, Christopher offers a positive and buoyant view of human society, one in which everyone musicks and where the musicking is communal and interactive. Writing with such a broad and positive perspective may sometimes lead him to oversimplify an argument or to gloss over inconsistencies that would show themselves with more careful analysis. However, many of the conclusions he draws from these glosses carry their own weight and do not weaken the argument significantly when a more complex understanding is substituted. This is partly because he is ultimately not writing as an ethnographer but, rather, as a visionary.It was our honor to meet him, for probably the last formal interview he gave, in March 2011. He was kind, generous, and friendly to a fault and, despite being in some discomfort, welcomed a group of eleven researchers from the Sibelius Academy to his house for some intense discussions. His thoughts still enliven ours and challenge us to think more deeply and widely about the world that we live in. [End Page 94]Albi Odendaal and Heidi... (shrink)

The academic standing of the staff working in vocational higher education must be judged as unsatisfactory according to two possible criteria: the traditional criteria, which are derived from the universities operating within the previous unitary higher education system; and the criteria outlined by the bill of the Law of Higher Education Institutions. The latter derive from the same historical institutional pattern.There are many reasons to conclude that, academically, in most fields of study, the new (...) institutions do not reach the level of the old ones. However, the mission of the new sector—the second-rank academic institutions in the eyes of the traditional academic community—is at least debatable, if not mistaken. The public university sector appears to be in deep crisis, with academics so attached to the Humboldtian university that they ignore the claims for social relevance in education.8 This is further complicated by deepening financial hardship.Using traditional criteria, it is possible that Estonia will be left with two socially irrelevant higher education sectors, instead of one functioning sector. It is also possible that the second sector, which does not fit these criteria, will be eliminated. However, the fault does not lie wholly with the dominance of traditional university attitudes. It also lies in a lack of vision on the part of the new institutions. As children of the proletariat society, they fail to recognise their vocational orientation as a benefit, and instead try to hide it. They are developing theoretically overloaded four- to five-year study programmes. None of these institutions has solved the problem of balancing the requirement of employing 50 per cent faculty full time and maintaining a satisfactory academic level. The need to demonstrate that part-time employees may actually benefit the vocational sector has not yet been understood.9As long as the sector continues to accept the rules forced upon it by the old universities, it probably has no useful role in Estonia. Its institutions, especially the public institutions, cannot compete with the traditional universities in academic fields. The universities, on the other hand, are beginning to understand that the policy they proclaimed some years ago, which was based on the clear distinction between two sectors on the German pattern, does not work in a small country with very limited resources, and an inheritance from the previous regime of a large university sector with an enrolment rate of more than 20 per cent of the age group. The universities have agreed to offer their own non-degree courses at diploma level, and now seriously threaten the small new institutions. From the financial point of view, the universities' expressed desire to swallow the small vocational institutions is beneficial since the small institutions have no clearly distinct role of their own.The private vocational higher education institutions do not conceal the fact that, according to their own vision, they have little place in the vocational sector. Some of them would like an official status equal to that of the universities, the right to offer graduate and postgraduate courses as well as diploma courses, and the registration of their diplomas and certificates on an equal basis with the public universities in the Register of Diplomas and Certificates at the Ministry of Culture and Education. In other words, they are interested in becoming fully accredited universities. This increases competition for students and—given the Estonian mechanism of public financing of higher education based on the number of students admitted provided by the Ministry of Culture and Education10—there will be less money for public universities. Here lies the origin of the principle that the universities are established by parliament and the vocational higher education institutions by executive action by the government.The existence of the new sector is seriously threatened. The current pattern of postgraduate studies has blocked the preparation of a sufficient number of research-degree holders, even at master's level.11 The new institutions cannot train their own faculty. The recent experience of Concordia International University—which depends greatly on staff with bachelor's and master's degrees from the United States, who form some 80 per cent of the faculty—demonstrates that the participation of first- or even second-rank Western academics in Estonian higher education can never be very high. If the system cannot accept experienced local staff for legal appointments in the vocational sector, unless they have a research degree, these institutions will not survive for long. Society will be back to the position where there are a large number of underpaid or unemployed academics, but a shortage of qualified individuals who could be self-employed and capable of running small and medium-size enterprises. (shrink)

Academic corruption (AC) is a threat to the world community that disturbs the mission of the university and negatively affects the quality of higher education (HE).This study aimed to design a model to reduce academic corruption (RAC) in HE. The qualitative research method is due to the grounded theory, which was implemented in the population of faculty members based on purposive random sampling with a sample of n = 22 until theoretical saturation. The research tool was a semi-structured (...) interview. The analysis method was based on open, axial and selective coding. The results showed that the causal variables of AC were identified in five main categories of Weak laws, and regulations, weak meritocracy, reduction in the quality of education, weak values and ethics and weakness in improvement and empowerment. The contextual factors were discovered across five categories: motivational weakness, time constraints and pressure, utilitarianism and one-sidedness, poor societal welfare, and weak attitude. The confounding variables of AC were identified in four categories of economic weakness, not focusing on society, cultural and political weakness, centralization and decision-making institutions, and strategies to RAC were proposed in eight transparency and accountability, equality and justice, quality of education and research, relationship between university and society, structural and organizational, spirituality and ethics, laws and regulations, psychological categories. Then, five consequential categories of organizational health, organizational excellence, social capital, strengthening participation, and excellence of cultural values were presented to RAC. (shrink)

“Critical thinking in higher education” is a phrase that means many things to many people. It is a broad church. Does it mean a propensity for finding fault? Does it refer to an analytical method? Does it mean an ethical attitude or a disposition? Does it mean all of the above? Educating to develop critical intellectuals and the Marxist concept of critical consciousness are very different from the logician’s toolkit of finding fallacies in passages of text, or the (...) practice of identifying and distinguishing valid from invalid syllogisms. Critical thinking in higher education can also encompass debates about critical pedagogy, i.e., political critiques of the role and function of education in society, critical feminist approaches to curriculum, issues related to what has become known as critical citizenship, or any other education-related topic that uses the appellation “critical”. Equally, it can, and usually does, refer to the importance and centrality of developing general skills in reasoning—skills that we hope all graduates possess. Yet, despite more than four decades of dedicated scholarly work “critical thinking” remains as elusive as ever. As a concept, it is, as Raymond Williams has noted, a ‘most difficult one’ (Williams, 1976, p. 74). (shrink)

Due to their role as a centre of knowledge and character development,public higher education institutions serve as the best platform for emphasisinghealth communication messages and promoting a healthy lifestyle. Highereducational institutions’ employees should have good physical and mentalhealth to enable them to demonstrate good values to the students. Thus,the social cognitive theory was specifically selected to take a closelook at how a conducive environment and knowledge influence employees’intention towards the tobacco-free policy. This study used the partial leastsquares (...) and structural equation modelling software to examinefactors influencing the adoption of tobacco-free policy among employeesin a Malaysian higher education institution. It also measured the impact ofworkplace health promotion on employees’ intention to comply with tobaccocessation regulations. Statistical results confirmed that all three constructsof employees’ environment, self-efficacy, and knowledge have a significant influence on employees’ intention to adopt the tobacco-free policy. The resultsof the study contribute to a better understanding of the effectiveness of highereducation institutions’ tobacco-free policy in Malaysia. The findings are usefulfor policymakers, higher education institutions, and practitioners in enhancingtobacco cessation policy in Malaysia. Limitations and suggestions for futureresearch are also included in this paper. (shrink)

Not only in Lithuania, but also in the other countries, there is a growing tendency among young people to choose a legal education. Law is a professional sphere of immense depth and breadth and it is evident that during several years in a school of higher education, designed to grant legal knowledge and skills, it is impossible to convey all aspects and nuances of the law. Legal education in a higher school is only the beginning (...) of a lawyer’s education, while on the other hand it provides a unifying experience among practising lawyers. Consequently, university law schools preparing lawyers certainly provide an important contribution to the creation of a legal state, while providing skills, modelling values and shaping attitudes for future judges, state officials, prosecutors, attorneys and other persons responsible for the implementation of legal mechanisms necessary for the proper functioning of the state. (shrink)

Observations have been made about branding’s shift from a material to conceptual focus. Consequently, corporate branding has become more focused on associating and imbuing corporate brands with supposedly positive values and attributes. This article locates this emphasis in the context of Singapore’s marketized higher education sector, and examines how conceptual values like flexibility, freedom and empowerment are expressed linguistically and, more significantly, symbolized in and through photographic images in corporate brand communication. It is argued that while the circulation (...) of conceptual values in branding has arisen in part due to the imperatives of branding, the privileging of values like flexibility, freedom and empowerment is symptomatic of neoliberal capitalist influence and the subjection of higher education in Singapore to a knowledge-based economic logic. This helps to shape stakeholders’ concepts and expectations of higher education as well as public attitudes towards the neoliberal knowledge-based market system more broadly. (shrink)

Resilience and digital skills could be considered necessary competencies for the individual of the twenty-first century, which the current social reality suggests. For this reason we carried out a research in the institution of higher education -IES- Corporación Escuela Tecnológica del Oriente, of Bucaramanga-Colombia, which had a dual purpose: to describe resilience and digital competence in 356 of its students and establish a comparison between the values of these two aspects and those reported in other HEIs in Mexico, (...) using a quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional design and descriptive scope approach, the SV-RES Resilience Scale instrument and a Questionnaire for the study of the Digital Competence of Higher Education Students. (shrink)

This research is devoted to the study of scientific and methodological aspects of providing students with physical education. The research is based on the works of Russian teachers who have adopted the experience of the new higher education program for bachelor's degree. The starting point for the development of new concepts is the latest edition of the Federal State Educational Standard for Higher Education. The purpose of the study is to analysis of the scientific (...) and methodological support of physical education of students under the Federal State Educational Standard program. In the course of the research, we study the most important aspects of the formation of physical skills with the help of basic and additional types of interaction between a teacher and students. Scientific novelty lies new look at complex education, which includes an expanded set of methods, technologies for the development of cognitive interest, activity, physical skills and motivation for active recreation, a healthy lifestyle. The design technology of 2021, based on the method of new generation projects by Evgenia Semyonovna Polat, is a separate factor. The result of the study was the definition of the scientific and methodological aspects of providing physical education in the main and additional types of interaction between the teacher and students, including physical culture, sports, elite sports, competitive tests, project technology and distance learning format. (shrink)