This article explores students' experiences of intellectual, social, and emotional growth during the first year at university and the extent to which these experiences can be considered transformative (Mezirow, 1981). The study is a qualitative interpretive multiple-case study built on semi-structured interviews with students in two higher…

This practitioner reflection explores our integration of the Relational Employability Framework within the Health Research Project capstone unit of a Bachelor of Health Science degree. To address the historically low quality of student reflections, we incorporated image-based reflective activities to improve engagement and depth. These activities…

Purpose: This paper aims to explore the potential of implementing an action competence teaching model as a framework for achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs) in higher education. The paper seeks to draw insights from the students on the potential of this teaching model. Design/methodology/approach: The study adopted a quantitative…

For many years, technological developments and innovations such as artificial intelligence (AI) has forced the education system to adapt and modernise. This new reality requires people to develop critical thinking (CT) skills to promote sustainable development and provide solutions to contemporary problems. However, traditional learning and…

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of college students regarding their knowledge of professional development competencies by classification and area of academic study. The study sought to answer the following questions: 1) was there a difference in the perception of college students towards professional development…

Purpose: In the digital age, the development of students' career intentions requires serious concentration since these are associated with the students' future employment and, ultimately, their survival. This study attempted to demonstrate in Pakistan's Higher Educational Institutes ("HEIs") the role of soft skills towards the students'…

International higher education is growing in response to diversity, globalization, and internationalization. The US is a prime destination for international students, the majority of whom speak English as Second Language. Although research in adult education holds the use of prior experience in learning as foundational, little research has been…

In environmental and sustainability education, critical thinking is important for the pluralistic teaching tradition, creating opportunities for student autonomy, deliberation and participation. However, focusing on student participation can also result in relativism or reproduction. Consequently, this article aims to investigate how different…

We report on a case study using Positioning Theory as the basis for the design of a course to support Chinese international master's students understand and apply critical thinking (CT) within the context of higher education (HE) in the United Kingdom. Our aim was to understand the extent to which students found this helpful in their understanding…

To prepare students for contributing to societal development and growth, 21st century or future skills like critical thinking and problem solving were identified to be essential. However, it seems that while discussing skill development, knowledge of the skill, willingness to act with the skills, and self-belief are often neglected. In addition,…

Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) is traditionally valued for its developmental benefits for youth, such as enhancing leadership and critical thinking skills. However, this brief evidences that YPAR's potential extends significantly beyond individual growth, serving as a powerful mechanism for organizational development and academic…

Background: Vocal music education is a skill-oriented course. Students not only need to improve their skills through repeated practice, but also need to learn self-reflection on their singing skills to achieve improvement in their vocal music performance. To promote students' reflection, previous studies have introduced peer assessment (PA) in…

There is a growing need for more effective interdisciplinary science instruction across undergraduate degree programs. In addition to supporting students' connections between disciplinary concepts, interdisciplinary learning can develop students' critical thinking skills and allow them to evaluate scientific investigations and claims between…

Objective: Although most community college students intend to transfer to a 4-year college, few ultimately do. We sought to assess how student experiences of the Exploring Transfer (ET) program influenced transfer rates. The ET program was offered by a private, 4-year liberal arts college. Methods: We used data from a cross-sectional survey of…

Online collaborative learning (OCL) has become a common instructional strategy in higher education for developing students' skills in collaboration, problem-solving, and critical thinking. Cognitive engagement in OCL evolves dynamically, but we do not yet fully understand which patterns of cognitive engagement are conducive to OCL and when to…