In education, "dialogue protocols," or "protocols," are structured guidelines that were developed to promote meaningful and efficient communication and learning. They are "vehicles for building the skills--and culture-- necessary for collaborative work. The authors share protocols that were found to transform practices…

The ability to share knowledge is an important attribute that students develop in learning communities (LCs), enabling them to succeed in their education and careers. Insufficient research addresses the development of such knowledge sharing in LCs though, including whether it aligns with students' success (i.e., grades). To address this gap, the…

Action research shifts the paradigm of contemporary educational reform by emphasizing inquiry and placing teachers at the center of research-into-practice. By situating teachers as learners, action research offers a systematic and intentional approach to changing teaching. When working as part of a community of practice, action researchers engage…

Stories can be employed in a variety of ways in college classrooms--such as in case studies, simulations, and problem-based learning (PBL) activities. Sometimes these stories are historically accurate, while in other instances they are fictional. What might be the benefits and challenges of using fictional narratives? This article draws upon data…

A sense of belonging (SoB) is a valued concept in campus-based learning, being firmly linked with improved student attainment, increased learner satisfaction, and reduced attrition rates. Some researchers, echoing the work of Maslow (1962), even assert that learners cannot fulfill the goals of higher education without acquiring SoB. This study…

The growing competitive environment in which Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are immersed has caused them to be constantly focused on implementing new strategies that allow them to consolidate student loyalty. Among the strategies are those related to the use of social media, virtual brand communities and Brand Fan Pages (BFPs). This research…

As a profession, we must have a shift in both perspective and practice to transform teaching at all levels. Are pre-service education classrooms preparing students to be flexible, adapt to new situations, and rely on their own expertise and understanding while seeking support when needed? Lieberman and Miller (2004) identify the following shifts…

An engineering professor of a first-year thermodynamics course and a PhD student with a focus in engineering education in a large research university in Canada participated in an ethnographic action research study with the intention of increasing active learning in the classroom to enhance student engagement and learning. Unexpected findings…

The U.S. Department of Education, national organizations, and accrediting bodies require that teacher candidates be ready to effectively integrate technology in their instruction. In order to ensure this preparedness, teacher educators must model and teach the use of technology across educator preparation programs. Development of the Teacher…

This paper seeks to offer insights and gentle suggestions for higher education leaders, particularly those teaching and supervising new doctoral students. Graduate students experience stress and anxiety, making entering the academic sphere an often emotionally taxing move. In response, a great deal of research examines how university faculty might…

The purpose of this study was to explore the key characteristics of learning communities and how they have impacted student success for academically diverse learners in an undergraduate medical environment. The study was conducted at two minority serving institutions regarded for their social mission and ability to provide a critical mass of…

This mixed methods study explores the work of five small writing communities formed within a university-based preservice English language arts writing methods course. Fifteen preservice English language arts teachers took part in the study and participated across five peer writing groups. The study shares the instructional design of the course as…

This qualitative study explored the experiences of professional academic advisors at three broad access regional public universities as they worked in the policy environment of the completion agenda. Employing a narrative inquiry approach through single-session semi-structured interviews, I gathered the stories of the nine participants about their…

During its inception in the Colonial Era, higher education was founded for the purpose of educating aristocratic white men (Cohen & Kisker, 2010). Today, men continue to hold the majority of institutional leadership positions and white men surpass the representation of women and men of all other races in professorial positions (Albertine,…

This study examined the impact of case-based discussions on students perceived cognitive presence, learning and satisfaction in online courses. Forty-four online graduate students enrolled in an instructional design course completed an online survey. The quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and a paired-samples t-test.…