Programme Leaders (PLs) in Higher Education (HE) hold a complex role that has responsibilities that link to external performance metrics. This role, existing outside of the traditional teaching/research view means it often lacks visibility and esteem (MacFarlane, 2007). How this influences role-holders' understanding of the role, and how they can…

This qualitative case study with added autoethnography investigated how White women literacy instructors conceptualized their professional roles, responsibilities, and identities while teaching in Texas postsecondary institutions near the U.S. southern international border. Postsecondary institutions in Texas continually serve a growing number of…

Managing boundaries between students' work and study roles is crucial for success at university. Little research has examined the strategies used to manage these roles, the factors that relate to implementing them, and the outcomes associated with their use. Boundary management theory, an identity-based perspective, explains boundary management…

The purpose of this study was to determine if and when activism is a choice or a responsibility to understand identity-based activism and the impact it has on Black and African American students in higher education. Through a qualitative research approach, this study examined the experiences of six Black and African American students who…

Motivated by growing trends to require doctoral students to be supervised by panels rather than single supervisors, our study investigates how these resulting structural changes affect students' and supervisors' agency and the co-construction of their identity. Using role theory as a framework to analyze the narratives of a matched sample of…

This phenomenological study focuses on how mother-learner-workers perceive and describe their experience. By conducting a three-interview series, the author investigates the experiences of six working mothers who were also enrolled in a doctorate program. This research expands the knowledge of mother-learner-workers by considering the interplay of…

Theory of Mind (ToM), a central feature of social cognition, impacts social functioning and academic competencies. Yet, the interplay of ToM and self-concept in academic context remains unknown. This study examines how ToM shapes adolescents' academic self-concept and its association with academic competence, while considering the role of gender…

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological research study was to explore the meanings volleyball student-athlete alumnae (SAA) from a doctoral granting research institution in the Rocky Mountain region (Rocky Mountain Regional University or RMRU) associate with their lived experiences and how those interpretations shape their engagement…

The integration of student-centered learning (SCL) practices in higher education, particularly in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields, is essential for addressing persistent challenges such as high failure rates among underrepresented groups. Institutions of Higher Education are increasingly emphasizing evidence-based,…

Background: Identifying as an engineer is essential for belonging and student success, yet the social context and professional norms make it more difficult for some students to establish an identity as an engineer. Purpose/Hypothesis: This study investigated whether first-generation college students' funds of knowledge supported their engineering…

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to understand how context may shape multiple goal negotiation. Prior research has focused on identifying variables that influence goal pursuit in general, but little attention has been given to how these principles operate in different circumstances. This study adopted the Dynamic Systems Model of…

The expectations students bring to Higher Education (HE) are explored, as well as the way they handle the clash between what they expect and what they actually find when attending Engineering programs. This study intends to understand if dissimilar engineering student profiles can be identified when considering the centrality of the student's role…

The work of student affairs professionals has been happening since the inception of western higher education. The profession has shifted a great deal since that time, with an emphasis now on student affairs professionals as 'educators' alongside their faculty counterparts. Regardless of change, research has consistently demonstrated the impact…

The marketization of higher education and focus on graduate employability and earnings data has raised questions about how students perceive their roles and responsibilities while studying for their degree. Of particular concern is the extent to which students identify themselves as consumers of their higher education, for example, whether they…

In this paper, we share the results of a cross-institutional study considering the impact serving as a peer mentor has on upper-level undergraduate students. Using a focus group methodology, we interviewed students in peer mentoring programs at two universities with the goal of identifying commonalities between the two sites regarding the benefits…