This case study examines the key steps and challenges that were involved in a mixed methods research project relating to Japanese first-year medical students' English academic vocabulary learning. Conducting mixed methods research can be both conceptually and administratively challenging under any circumstances. However, this study was especially…

The purpose of this study was to describe how Japanese adapted physical education (APE) graduate students engage themselves in learning research skills through masters' research thesis projects. In this study, andragogy theory was utilized, which allowed the researchers to understand Japanese graduate students' learning experiences of master's…

This study explores the multifaceted concept of "public good(s)" in the context of Japanese higher education. Through interviews with 11 stakeholders, including policymakers, representatives from academic associations, and institutional leaders from two national universities, the research reveals that "public good(s)" are…

The flexibility of the Delphi Technique has enabled its application across a wide range of fields to facilitate problem solving, decision-making and consensus-building. However, flexibility brings with it a corresponding lack of detailed methodological guidelines, and the rigour of Delphi studies has been questioned. This paper presents a recent…

Japan's operating budget for its national universities has been reduced since 2004 year by year, leaving a tight competition among universities in securing research funding. Urban universities with several prominent researchers can operate by securing competitive funding, joint research with companies, and donations, whereas small rural…

This paper is based on a study conducted ten years ago at one university in Japan aiming at collaborative development through reflection among a teacher educator, two in-service teachers, and four pre-service graduate students. Collaborative reflection involved methods, such as the graduate students' observation of the in-service teachers' English…

Diary methods have long been used as pedagogic tools in learning, and as part of reflective practice in teacher education, but less often as data collection instruments in educational research. This is in part due to implementation challenges emerging from the time and literacy demands they place on participants. To illustrate the use of diary…

The "International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning" (IRRODL) published its first issue in 2000. This paper provides an overview of the journal's development over its 25-year history using bibliometric indicators. We analyzed IRRODL's performance relative to other journals in the field and have highlighted key…

Second language (L2) writing is a subfield within the field of applied linguistics concerned with applying knowledge and insights from linguistics, psychology, and education to develop teaching approaches for those who need to acquire L2 writing skills for academic or work purposes (Belcher, 2012). Much research on L2 writers over the past five…

The aim of this study is to analyze the emerging trends in related research in English for Academic Purposes (EAP) from 2020 to 2024 using a systematic literature review (SLR). In higher education, the concept of EAP has expanded due to globalization and internationalization, providing essential language skills to enhance students' learning…

Interdisciplinary education and education for sustainable development provide a complementary approach to enhancing learners' interdisciplinary and sustainability competencies. An interdisciplinary approach is considered a crucial method for enhancing university students' competencies in sustainability. However, the use of integrating…

The U.S. R&D enterprise relies on businesses, federal and nonfederal governments, higher education institutions, and other nonprofit organizations. This report identifies trends in R&D performance and funding and compares them to those of the world's other major economies. The U.S. annual total of R&D has expanded steadily since 2010…

In this article, we report on a National Science Foundation-funded immersive international summer research program for biology students. Six students, representing Cohort 1 of a three-year program, spent 9 weeks at one of three institutes in Japan, working on related molecular, cellular, and developmental research projects under the mentorship of…

This study investigated the role of virtual reality (VR) in computer science (CS) education over the last 10 years by conducting a bibliometric and content analysis of articles related to the use of VR in CS education. A total of 971 articles published in peer-reviewed journals and conferences were collected from Web of Science and Scopus…

Given the perceived imbalance in resource allocation and the recognized disparities in degree completion rates across academic disciplines in Japan's higher education system, this study explores the perceptions and experiences of graduate students through a comparison between graduate students in Humanities and Social Sciences and those in…