Considering the growing importance of lecturers' academic motivation as a key socio-psychological attribute, this study examined the psychometric properties of the Lecturers' Academic Motivation Scale originally introduced by Machado-Taylor et al. (2016). Using data collected from lecturers in Malaysian and Japanese public and private universities, the Graded Response Model (GRM) within the Item Response Theory (IRT) framework was applied. The analysis refined the original six-item scale into a refined five-item version, with item and test information curves indicating that the scale provides the most useful information within the academic motivation range of approximately theta = -3 to theta = 2. Although a moderate dip in information values was observed near the mean, the scale offered substantial coverage across this effective range. Beyond theta = 2, the amount of information diminished sharply, which is less consequential in practice given that only a very small proportion of respondents are likely to exhibit such high levels of academic motivation. Overall, the refined scale proved to be reliable and informative across the range where the majority of individuals in the population are expected to fall. Importantly, none of the five items showed bias by gender or university type, highlighting the scale's consistency and fairness across different groups. The implications of these findings are discussed, along with the scale's limitations, and the importance of incorporating cross-cultural perspectives in future research on academic motivation.
The purpose of this study was to investigate how students' experiences of their teaching-learning environment, academic self-efficacy, approaches to learning and study-related burnout differed in emergency remote teaching compared to on-site teaching. Data were collected from social science and education students on four separate occasions via the electronic HowULearn questionnaire: namely during on-site studying (spring 2018 and spring 2019) (N = 207) and remote studying (spring 2020 and spring 2021) (N = 166). The data were subjected to factor analysis, the t-test, variance analysis and regression analysis. In general, the students perceived their studying to be constructively aligned even during remote studying. They also found the feedback more rewarding during remote teaching, which indicates that its role is emphasised in that the teaching may be less direct and less readily available or accessible to the recipient. Moreover, the students encountered more difficulties finding opportunities for peer collaboration during remote studying than during on-site teaching, and they felt more exhausted emotionally compared to the students who responded to the survey before the shift to remote. Finally, the academic self-efficacy of students studying remotely was affected by unreflective studying as well as increased cynicism, which differed from the experiences of the cohort observed during on-site teaching. It seems that online teaching is here to stay, and educators need to adapt quickly to change without compromising learning.
The lack of empirical evidence limits the rigorous evaluation of active methodologies' effects on students' competencies and skills. Without a solid research base, educators struggle to design effective strategies. Although theoretical frameworks support these methods, the gap between theory and practice hinders their real-world implementation. Therefore, the aim is to study the perceived competence to carry out a task from an active learning methodology, such as the development of a project, and the effects on academic self-efficacy and academic engagement in two moments in time. The participants are 140 students attending university master's degree in occupational risk prevention. A longitudinal model of evolution is proposed with panel data using the PLS-SEM methodology. A variance-based structural equation model is carried out. The results obtained show both direct and indirect effects of perceived competence and self-efficacy on the academic engagement of the participants. A causal mediation effect of self-efficacy is observed (beta = .05, p < .001), increasing engagement at the second measurement moment (Delta R-2 = .30; p < .001). From the results, it can be deduced that designing significant activities for students, linked to the professional future and addressing them from active methodologies, improves perceived competence, levels of self-efficacy and academic engagement. Theoretical and practical implications are addressed in this study.
This study examined the contributions of the six forms of capital - human, social, cultural, psychological, identity, and agentic - in shaping the employability of Indonesian graduates. The study deployed a mixed-method approach incorporating a survey of 98 graduates and in-depth interviews with 10 selected participants. Bourdieusian theories and a capitals-based approach were utilised as complementary theoretical perspectives. The quantitative findings reported that psychological, human, and agentic capital significantly contributed to the graduates' employability, whereas social, identity, and cultural capital had a comparatively lesser impact. The qualitative analysis further highlighted the crucial role of professional skills, positive psychological attributes, and agentic strategies in enhancing employability. However, the findings also revealed that the graduates tend to lack effective professional networks, a strong career identity, and comprehensive knowledge of diverse cultures. These results underscored the need for Indonesian students to be guided in developing a diverse set of resources to enhance their employability at an early stage.
The PhD viva represents a high-stakes culmination of doctoral study, yet the perspectives and challenges of examiners remain underexplored. This study addresses this gap by examining examiners' experiences in the PhD viva and highlighting their implications for practice. Using a narrative inquiry approach, twelve experienced doctoral examiners at a Malaysian university were interviewed. Informed by Lave and Wenger's community of practice (CoP) and Lukes's power theory, the findings reveal an assessment 'tug of war' with three main challenges: inter-examiner power dynamics, candidate-examiner interactional tensions, and difficulties in reaching consensus. By conceptualising these challenges through a 'tug of war' metaphor, the study contributes an understanding of examiner practices in the oral examination. The study also offers implications for enhancing examiner training and institutional guidelines to support more transparent and equitable PhD viva.
In today's world of intensifying pressures of academic life, doctoral scholars are more and more susceptible to mental health challenges. The spotlight of this study focuses on the impact of Psychological Capital (PsyCap) on mental well-being and academic performance. Grounded in the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, the investigation also tests Emotional Intelligence (EI) as a mediator and Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a possible moderator. Utilising first-hand data from 403 Indian research scholars, the results suggest that PsyCap significantly predicts improved well-being and academic performance, with EI as a crucial mediator. Although AI positively impacts well-being, its role as a moderator remains statistically insignificant. This study advances theoretical understanding by incorporating the psychological and technological landscape and proposes practical insights for higher education institutions. Developing PsyCap and EI, alongside judicious use of AI, enables institutes to support psychologically resilient scholars in highly complex academic settings.
The conceptions of teaching held by higher education instructors have been a long-standing focus of research. However, the existing discourse has primarily centred around findings that align strictly with either completely teacher-centred or entirely learner-centred categories. This study aims to address this gap by drawing on Kember's conceptualisation of intermediate teaching conceptions to examine how a cohort of Vietnamese instructors situate themselves within this transitional space, with particular attention to how such conceptions are translated into classroom practice. Utilising a mixed-methods research approach comprising surveys (n = 310), interviews (n = 27), and classroom observations (n = 7), this current research shows that the study participants have already left the purely teaching-centric, manifesting their discernment of learner-centred principles. Nevertheless, their classroom practices remain predominantly situated within a transitionary mode rather than a genuinely learner-centred enactment. A closer analysis suggests that this is not simply a matter of delayed conceptual development, but is shaped by recurrent pedagogical decision-making processes in response to structural and instructional considerations. The study offers a more refined explanation of the persistence of intermediate teaching patterns. The findings contribute to ongoing debates on learner-centred reform by illuminating the importance of instructors' decision-making during implementation. The implications for both theories and practice of pedagogical change aimed at supporting sustainable learner-centred practice are critically discussed.
This study investigates international students' personal experiences with intercultural competence within the distinct, culturally homogeneous environment of an Iranian public university. Employing a phenomenological approach, the research explores the lived realities of 15 international students to understand how this specific sociopolitical context shapes intercultural development. Through a constant comparison method, the study identifies three critical dimensions organisational, educational, and relational where intercultural competence is currently lacking. The findings emphasise that in homogeneous settings, institutional conditions significantly constrain individual intercultural growth. The study contributes novel empirical insights from a non-Western context and advances a systemic conceptualisation of intercultural competence. Practical recommendations are offered for universities seeking to promote inclusive and transformative internationalisation.
In university settings, preservice teachers engage with academic mathematics while simultaneously preparing for future teaching roles. Highlighting the relevance of content to future job responsibilities can positively influence preservice teachers' views on academic content. This study investigates whether preservice teachers' perceptions of a specific content differ when its academic relevance versus job-related relevance is emphasised. Using a between-subject experimental design with two sample groups, 101 German preservice elementary teachers were presented with an introductory text to a fictitious mathematics course. This text either highlighted the academic or job-related relevance of the course topic in a brief introductory text representing a low-threshold relevance framing intervention. Participants' appreciation of and views on the academic content were subsequently evaluated, including subscales of the motivated strategies for learning questionnaire (MSLQ). The results indicate no significant differences between groups in their appreciation of the academic content. However, views on the academic content varied, with more participants expressing negative evaluations of the academic content when its academic relevance was emphasised, citing a lack of job-related relevance. Thus, in this study a brief relevance-framing text did not significantly increase participants' appreciation of the content. At the same time, the findings indicate that how relevance is framed may shape how preservice teachers articulate the role of academic content in relation to their future profession.
Loneliness is very common during young adulthood and can be both a precursor to and outcome of psychological distress. The changes in social networks that occur during university may contribute to the prevalence of loneliness among university students. This qualitative study aimed to understand young students' perspectives on loneliness. Nineteen young adults attending university in Ireland participated in qualitative interviews about loneliness. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse the interview transcripts. We generated three major themes (1) transitions as a difficult time, reflecting the natural situational or transient loneliness associated with student life, particularly as transitions prompted comparison processes that exacerbated loneliness, and as long-standing social support systems became less salient or accessible (2) loneliness is universal but not equal, capturing the common experience of loneliness, while recognising that some groups were more vulnerable to loneliness than others and (3) the importance of quality connections to alleviate loneliness, reflecting the potential for even a small number of high-quality connections to mitigate emotional loneliness. The typical university lifestyle does not necessarily support the high-quality connections needed to mitigate loneliness. Facilitating multiple opportunities for connection could prevent common situational loneliness from developing into significant mental health challenges.
