Journal of Higher Education Theory and Practice
The Journal of Higher Education Theory and Practice (JHETP) is dedicated to the advancement and dissemination of academic and intellectual knowledge by publishing, through a blind, refereed process, ongoing results of research in accordance with international scientific or scholarly standards. Articles should combine disciplinary methods with key insight to contemporary issues central to faculty, administrators, and industry specialists. Articles of regional interest are welcome, especially those dealing with lessons that may be applied in other regions around the world. Accepted manuscripts should make strong empirical and/or theoretical contributions and highlight the significance of those contributions to the higher education field.​
“Mind the Gap” – Early Academics’ Experiences of the Transition From Research Studies to Research Careers
In recent decades, doctoral education in Sweden has become more formalized, shifting supervision responsibilities to higher education institutions (HEIs) and introducing challenges for early-career academics, including competition, precarious employment, and demands for grants and publications. This study explores the experiences of 24 associate senior lecturers and postdoctoral fellows transitioning from doctoral studies to independent research careers at five Swedish HEIs. Using reflexive thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews, three themes emerged: research, teaching, and career support. Research support is often inadequate, with limited guidance, funding difficulties, and heavy teaching loads. Teaching support is lacking, leaving participants unprepared for teaching responsibilities. Career support is a critical gap, with many experiencing uncertainty and isolation post-PhD due to insufficient mentorship and structure. The findings highlight the need for tailored support, including mentorship, training, and institutional resources, to bridge gaps during this vulnerable phase. HEIs should enhance professional development through formal mentorship, targeted training, and structured systems to support early-career academics’ career progression.
Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Higher Education Theory and Practice
Student-to-Faculty Connectedness as a Dominant Predictor of First-Year Student Satisfaction: A Post-Pandemic Services Marketing Perspective
Higher education institutions have long debated the fundamental problem of whether student connectedness or student involvement plays a more crucial role in first-year student satisfaction. Analyzing National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) data for first-year cohorts before and after the COVID-19 pandemic (n = 2,306), we empirically test hypotheses related to the guiding research question: Which one is a bigger predictor of student satisfaction in higher education: student connectedness or student involvement? In addition to applying services marketing to higher education, we compared pre-pandemic and post-pandemic student satisfaction data. Regression results suggest that while both student connectedness and involvement positively impact satisfaction, student connectedness emerges as the stronger predictor. Specifically, student connectedness to faculty (versus to other students) matters more to satisfaction than student involvement. A lot more.
A Novel Approach to Teaching and Assessing Students’ Critical Thinking in University Mathematics
This paper investigates the attitudes of the university mathematics lecturers towards the use of deliberately misleading mathematics questions in teaching and assessment as a pedagogical strategy with their students. The intention of using such questions is to enhance students’ critical thinking. Critical thinking is understood here as “examining, questioning, evaluating, and challenging taken-for-granted assumptions about issues and practices” as defined by the New Zealand Ministry of Education. The study is based on a survey of university lecturers who have been introduced to the suggested pedagogical strategy. Their attitudes are compared with the attitudes of secondary school mathematics teachers.
Grading Classroom Participation in Higher Education: A Review and Proposed Taxonomy
The purpose of this study was to explore the practice of grading students’ classroom participation in higher education environments. The author sought to synthesize current scholarly research to determine the definable characteristics of classroom participation, the assessment barriers it presents, and the current practices employed in the classroom. After exclusions, 126 articles were collected from the Scopus, ERIC, Sage, and ProQuest databases. The articles were systemically coded and analyzed to integrate, organize, and prepare the article’s review. According to the reviewed literature, the defining characteristics of classroom participation encompassed emotional engagement, cognitive engagement, and behavioral engagement. Barriers to assessing classroom participation pertained to student challenges, instructor challenges, and environmental challenges. Current grading practices encompass grading criteria, rubrics, syllabi, policies, weightage, assessment methods, technological integration, and teacher professional development. Synthesizing the reviewed literature, the author proposes a taxonomy for classroom participation suitable for practical application.
Education and Disaster: Experiences of College Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic
To gain insight into the ways crises impact college students, we examine the experiences of students during the COVID-19 pandemic. While COVID-19 was a complex event, other natural and man-made disasters occur with regularity and can similarly impact students’ lives. What educators learn about student experiences during times of crisis will contribute to a holistic understanding of students’ needs. Using survey results from 790 students who attended a midwestern university, the findings reveal substantial levels of student stress related to illness, family responsibilities, changes in work and school environments, access to technology, healthcare, housing, and the ability to pay bills.
On the Design of a Graduate-Level Future-Driven Introduction to Information Systems Course Focused on Key Technical and Organizational Issues of the Digital Age
This manuscript describes the design of a graduate-level information systems course offered at a regional public university. The course emphasizes the technical and organizational issues of the digital age, including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, ethics, and social impact, with an explicit recognition that organizations are increasingly focused on shifts in the labor market and workplace brought about by new developments in generative artificial intelligence. Additionally, students are prepared for cybersecurity threats that pose organizational challenges. Emphasis is placed on teamwork and analysis and application of course concepts. The course goals, required text, readings, and assignments, as well as additional resources for instructors, are discussed.
Using Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Principles to Boost College of Business Students’ Helping Behaviors
Helping behavior is an important component of organizational citizenship behaviors that has been found to enhance performance among employees and students. However, despite its established benefits, business schools often prioritize technical skills over these prosocial, soft-skill competencies, which may hinder the development of well-rounded organizational leaders. The field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), with its empirically validated approaches to behavior modification offers promising opportunities to address these shortcomings in business education. In this paper, we propose a framework for applying ABA principles to enhance helping behavior among business school students. Although tailored to a business school, these recommendations can easily be modified to fit other non-business school learning environments.
Chronopolitics of Time: Delays, Power, and Inequality in Higher Education
Often seen as technical issues, delays profoundly shape higher education by reinforcing structural inequalities and asserting temporal control. This position paper examines how waiting affects access to academic resources, administrative services, and learning opportunities—especially for marginalized, international, and socioeconomically disadvantaged students. It identifies three key dimensions: temporal asymmetries that perpetuate inequality; cultural and psychological meanings associated with waiting; and the strategic use of delays as instruments of institutional power. In contexts such as enrollment, grading, or pedagogical access, delays can compromise student well-being, sense of belonging, and academic success. Drawing from immigration, labor, and geopolitics, the position paper reframes delays as socially constructed. It calls for inclusive, time-sensitive policies to foster equity in globalized academic settings.
More Alike Than Different: A Qualitative Analysis of Parental Moral Instruction Across Ethnicity and Gender in an HSI
This paper examines whether American students at a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) report receiving similar parental guidance rooted in universal moral values, such as respect, education, and self-discipline, despite differences in ethnicity and gender. Using qualitative data from 380 self-identified student groups (n = 1,850) and analyzed through Grounded Theory and Moral Foundations Theory (MFT), the findings reveal strong moral convergence across Hispanic and non-Hispanic populations. Core values, including respect for elders, avoidance of drugs, personal responsibility, and the importance of education, were consistently emphasized, regardless of cultural framing. These results challenge DEI narratives that emphasize division and instead affirm a shared ethical foundation among American youth. Our study promotes constructive cultural pluralism without embracing moral relativism or identity essentialism and supports value-based pedagogy as a unifying approach to teaching business ethics. Drawing on key Industrial-Organizational Psychology theories and empirical literature, we illustrate how early moral socialization predicts ethical alignment, workplace citizenship behavior, and common value systems— especially in relation to employee socialization, leadership development, and principled diversity initiatives.
Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB)
Water Quality CURE: Creating a Chemistry Success Course With a Focus on Place-Based Education and Social-Emotional Support
It is essential to engage and retain first-year undergraduates within STEM majors to fulfill the growing workforce requirements in the United States. Both academic and non-academic factors, such as social-emotional support, affect a student’s ability and willingness to continue pursuing a STEM major. The Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) has been shown to improve student engagement; however, combining this with place-based education to connect students with their physical space and community has not been thoroughly investigated. We designed a Chemistry Success Course using various student engagement tools and employed qualitative analysis to evaluate both the perceived and actual benefits of this approach.
Mathematics Word Problems: What Do Students Recall?
Mathematics instructors incorporate various word problems to illustrate the wide-ranging practical applications of mathematical concepts. Premadasa and Bhatia (2013) categorized math word problems into three main categories: I (curiosity-driven), R (relatable), and U (unrelatable). The study reveals a clear preference among students for problems in categories I and R over those in category U. Building on this categorization, we conducted a survey in which students were asked to recall the word problems they encountered throughout the semester. Our findings confirm that students notably recall and engage more with category I problems compared to those categorized as U.
Using Kruskal Wallis H Tests to Compare Citation Differences Among the Leading Leadership Theories
When a leadership theory appears in the title of the article, will Google’s Cited By counts differ among the leading topics in leadership theory? We tested this research question by comparing Google Scholar “Cited By” citation counts for 400 articles across 10 leading leadership theories, using a control group as the baseline, and splitting the articles into high- and mid-volume tiers. Using Kruskal–Wallis H tests, we found that when a leadership theory appeared in the title of the article, articles consistently outperformed controls with (p < .001) with large effect sizes for Tier 1 (η² = 0.283) and Tier 2 (η² = 0.162). The takeaway is clear: strategic, well-crafted titles with theory-specific keywords don’t just describe your work, they can meaningfully amplify its visibility and scholarly impact. We make two recommendations for authors seeking ways to improve the impact of the leadership theory articles they write.
The Ethics of Using Hidden Prompts to Detect AI Generated Writing in Student Submissions in Asynchronous Online University Classes Cultural Proficiency
The technological advancement and rapid adoption of artificial intelligence programs have created problems with using writing assignments in university courses. A response is using hidden AI prompts embedded in instructional material. This paper explains the rationale for using hidden AI prompts and examines the ethical implications. Drawing on three ethical frameworks (consequentialism, deontological ethics, and principles of justice and equity) this paper briefly evaluates the ethics of using hidden AI prompts. This paper considers alternative strategies, including AI use statements, oral follow-ups, version-controlled drafts, redesigned assessments, and emphasizes the need for clear institutional policies.
The Impact of Short-Term Study Abroad on Graduate Students’ Cultural Proficiency
This study examines the impact of a short-term study abroad program in China on the cultural proficiency of graduate students enrolled in a Higher Education Leadership Ph.D. program at a research university in the U.S. Midwest. Seventeen students participated in the program during spring break as part of an optional international component embedded in their coursework. To evaluate changes in cultural proficiency, the instructors employed a range of assessment tools, including a pre-trip questionnaire, reflective journal prompts during the trip, and a post-trip reflection essay. Findings indicate increased global awareness, a deeper understanding of Chinese culture and education systems, and enhanced self-awareness regarding the students’ own cultural backgrounds. The study highlights the value of intentional instructional strategies in maximizing the impact of short-term international experiences.
Becoming a Care-Ready Institution: Operationalizing a Relational Framework for Student Success
In contemporary higher education, outcomes-driven imperatives often privilege efficiency, data, and technology over relational dynamics that underpin student thriving. This article advances the argument that care, understood relationally, institutionally, and structurally, constitutes a form of capital with measurable impact on equity. Building on Bourdieu’s (1986) theory of capital and Yosso’s (2005) framework of community cultural wealth, I introduce the C.A.R.E. Framework (Community and Connection, Accountability and Advocacy, Reflection and Relationships, Equity and Empowerment). Developed through years of leadership practice, this model conceptualizes care as a value and a resource, positioning care-readiness as a strategic and moral imperative for higher education.
Measuring the Psychological Outcomes of Empowerment Evaluation’s Practices and Principles
This study contributed to a small body of research on empowerment evaluation, viewed here as a social intervention. It examined its processes and principles to determine whether historically conceptualized empowerment and self-determination outcomes resulted from a sample of 131 empowerment evaluations. Objectives included: determining implementation fidelity to each empowerment evaluation model; determining evidence of empowerment evaluation process principles; determining whether empowerment evaluation outcome principles resulted from sample evaluations; and determining whether variation in empowerment and self-determination was explained by interaction between model fidelity and percentage of steps implemented, process principles in evidence, outcome principles in evidence, and evaluator characteristics. Results indicated that, as hypothesized, individual empowerment and self-determination were the likely outcomes of the sample evaluations, that empowerment and self-determination outcomes were more likely when the empowerment evaluations were conducted by female evaluators living and working in an African country, and that a new instrument, Survey on Empowerment Evaluation Practice, Principles, and Outcomes (SEEPPO) was a successful first attempt at assessing the processes, principles, and outcomes of empowerment evaluation work.
Enhancing Digital Literacy in Higher Education: A Comprehensive Analysis of Digital Skill Development Among College Students
This study investigates the development of digital skills among college students, examining their self-perception and the influence of various elements on their digital literacy. We surveyed 305 participants, and covered areas such as Information and Data Literacy, Communication and Collaboration Skills, Digital Content Creation, Digital Safety, and Technology Agility. Using paired t-tests and regression analysis, our study demonstrated significant improvements in digital skills compared to pre- and post- college education. A majority of participants recognized the importance of technology in education and regression analysis showed that higher education levels positively correlated with digital skill proficien-cy, and e-learning interactivity was essential in skill enhancement. Surprisingly, the COVID-19 pandemic did not significantly affect digital skill development. The findings highlight the crucial role of college edu-cation, particularly e-learning and course digital technology requirements, in advancing digital compe-tencies, suggesting that factors beyond the pandemic are more influential in shaping digital skills.
Developing and Managing Non-Traditional Academic Programs: A Case Study of Northeastern State University’s Environmental, Health, and Safety Management Program
Traditional academic programs such as chemistry, engineering, and business administration have long been the backbone of higher education institutions. These programs are well-established, recognized by students and parents, and supported by a strong faculty and student body. However, as workforce needs evolve, traditional academic programs may need to be modified or new programs developed to suit to emerging industries and specialized professional demands. Northeastern State University (NSU), a regional teaching university in Oklahoma with campuses in Tahlequah and Broken Arrow (BA), recognizes the importance of adapting to these changes. NSU’s Environmental, Health, and Safety Management (EHSM) program is an example of a non-traditional academic program designed to cater to regional employment needs with a student body largely populated with working adults and experienced professionals. This article aims to share key learnings, tips, and challenges encountered while developing and managing the EHSM program. While the case study focuses on EHSM at NSU, the strategies discussed can be applied to other non-traditional programs at universities aiming to meet the demands of today’s dynamic workforce.
Finding Community in Crisis: Service-learning Mentoring and Transformative Outcomes
This study explored whether mentors in a tiered service-learning mentoring program served as a bridge to develop critical outcomes in service-learning, focusing on mentors’ transformative learning experience. As part of a larger study, this study used a consensual qualitative research method to assess outcomes for service-learning mentors. Findings analyze how service-learning mentors engaged in a transformative learning process. This study, conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlights the importance of community in times of crisis.
Conceptualisation of a Transdisciplinary Resource Theory for Social Work
Focusing on resources and thinking in a resource-orientated way has become a standard in social work, psychology, and psychotherapy. Various disciplinary strands are dedicated to fundamental questions of resources but are hardly connected to each other. Resource-orientation has been a fundamental element in the thinking and action approaches of social work from the very beginning. However, no resource the-ory conceptually incorporates and shapes the transdisciplinary approach of this discipline. Basic questions about what is meant by a resource, what makes a resource a resource or what significance re-sources have or should have in social policy or social work thinking and action are rarely asked. This article takes up relevant aspects from existing sociological, philosophical, psychological and social work concepts of resources, establishes conceptual links between them and develops a transdisciplinary concept of resources that can be fundamental, especially in the theory and action spectrum of social work, but not only there.
The Strategic Use of Data in High-Performing Colleges
With the dramatically increasing capabilities of information technology, the effective use of data has become critical in higher education. Nevertheless, extant literature on how top-performing institutions foster data-based decision making is limited. We examined how institutions with higher-than-predicted graduation rates use data in decision-making. Site visits were conducted with in-depth interviews and focus groups at 5 institutions with 172 participants. Recurrent themes included: 1) senior leadership’s embrace of data, 2) emphasis on data relevance and its accessibility, and 3) strategic use of data. The findings may be helpful to policymakers and practitioners seeking effective ways to improve college graduation rates.
Honoring the Trust: Exploring the Relationship Between Higher Education Institutions and Endowment Donors
Society has entrusted higher education institutions (HEI) with three specific functions: instruction, research, and public service. The unique nature of these functions makes communicating success in honoring the inherent social contract challenging. This study explores a novel combination of nonfinancial measures and financial indicators, and how they correspond with donations of gifts with perpetual restriction to HEI endowments. These unique gifts signal that the receiving HEI is fulfilling its social contract and this study helps scholars and practitioners alike understand the correspondence between the activities of HEI and this important funding source.
Partnering for Impact: Insights From a Strategic HBCU-PWI Collaboration
While collaborative partnerships between Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs) do occur, they are rarely discussed in the literature. In this piece, the authors provide an overview of a collaborative partnership between two HBCUs—Alabama A&M University and Winston-Salem State University —and one PWI—Michigan State University—to improve science teaching and learning in rural Alabama and North Carolina. This article serves as a reflection of what it means to truly create and sustain collaborative partnerships in higher education. Lessons learned, and insights gained from the first years of the developing partnership, will also be discussed.
Asian American College Major Choice: Median Salary Information Intervention and Analysis of Six Key Influence Categories
This study examines how six influence categories and 18 factors shape Asian American students' college major selection. Rising sophomores at US colleges (N=150) identified their top major choices and estimated corresponding median salaries. After reviewing actual salary data, 46% changed their selections. Students ranked six influence categories: personal interest, intrinsic major characteristics, major-related information, family, college, and high school factors. They rated 18 specific factors—including salary data, social media, YouTube, and family members—on a 5-point Likert scale. Findings showed improved salary estimation accuracy and reduced influence from high school factors, books, grandparents, and family friends. A Probit regression model confirmed Bankrate salary data significantly predicted major-switching likelihood post-intervention. A linear regression model identified personal interest, intrinsic major characteristics, salary data, YouTube, and books as significant predictors of actual median salary estimates, while parents and siblings were not.
MBA Student Performance on the ETS Exam: Assessing Student Performance on an Exit Exam That Is Not a Degree Requirement
Our MBA program has required the ETS Exit Exam for many years. The exam is given during our capstone course. Results are used for programmatic assessment. The ETS exam cannot be used as a “graduation requirement,” nor is it part of course grades. Anecdotal evidence indicates students are aware of this, which may affect the extent to which they do or don’t prepare for the exam. This study examines the effectiveness of this type of “exit exam.” We compare student performance to de-identified student data. This study will inform our faculty about potential changes for programmatic assessment.
Web Videos in Teaching Asian History: A Study of Effectiveness on Learning and Performance
This study aims to describe the effectiveness of the teaching strategy, Web-videos Time, among five intact classes of Grade 7 students. Students’ performance was measured by their scores in formative and summative assessments. A 10-item survey questionnaire was given to measure students’ perception of how Web-videos Time help in learning. The quantitative data gathered was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Student self-evaluations and open-ended questionnaires were given to collect students’ perceptions of how Web-videos Time affects their learning and performance. Thematic analysis was used to analyze students’ responses. The results of formative and summative assessments yielded an average of 86.14 and 87.17, respectively. The averages indicate proficiency based on the La Salle Green Hills (LSGH) Assessment Evaluation used by the LSGH Academic Cluster. The research also found that students perceive web videos to be visually entertaining and informative. This matches the survey results that 72% of students strongly agree that web videos were useful in understanding topics in Asian History and contributed to gaining important knowledge about the subject.
The Vanishing Safeguard: Economic Forces Behind the Global Decline of Tenure in Higher Education
Historically essential for academic freedom and job security in higher education, the tenure system is facing a global decline driven by economic pressures and neoliberal policies. This paper explores the historical development of tenure in the United States and worldwide, focusing on how financial constraints and market-oriented reforms are reshaping academic employment. The study highlights the reduction in tenure-track positions, increased reliance on adjunct (part-time) and contingent faculty, and the resulting challenges to academic freedom, research quality, and institutional stability. It also examines the impact of these trends on various regions, including Europe, Asia, and Australia, where similar shifts are occurring due to austerity measures and market-driven approaches. The paper argues for a balanced approach that maintains academic integrity while adapting to financial realities, providing insights into the broader implications for the future of higher education.
Understanding the Link Between Virtual Reality Immersion and Sensory Integration: Recognizing Opportunity- and Risk Potential for School-Age Users, and How to Address Them
Sensory integration is central to perceptual processing of real-world stimuli, and thus to understanding how virtual reality (VR) “tricks” the senses. Based on literature review and expert-interviews, we discussed (1) how sensory functions relate to body self-image, (2) how sensory experiences affect identity-development, and (3) what opportunities and risks VR-immersion presents for schoolchildren. Results strongly advise VR-users ’ development-age should be considered before VR-immersion, to minimize development-disruption potential. This mandates, (i) age-appropriate VR-software selection, based on immersion-criteria descriptors, and (ii) application of detailed use-recommendations, including sensory-intervention strategies. Both, descriptors and use-recommendations are introduced here, and support safe VR-use with schoolchildren.
Understanding the Impact of Gender and Migration Background on High-Ability Students’ Behavior: Exploring Behavioral Differences in Business, Law, and Engineering Students Throughout Their Academic Careers
Using a large sample with detailed information on 32,296 high-ability business, law, and engineering students, we explore gender- and migration-related differences in behaviour to better understand the persistent under-representation of women and migrants in the executive suites of German companies. Since in this homogenous group of ‘high-achievers’, students are quite similar in their intellectual abilities, observable differences in behaviour can be mainly attributed to differences in gender- and migration-related preference patterns. We find that irrespective of migration background, men are more likely to pursue activities that increase their human capital, such as completing a doctorate. At the same time, women tend to engage in lower-level temporary jobs and complete their studies faster. In contrast, in this selective sample of high-ability students, migration background has a marginal effect on students’ behaviour only. Perhaps most surprising, we find that the behaviour of women with a migration background – who potentially face ‘double discrimination’– is not different from that of their male peers.
Exploring Students’ Responses to Faculty Formative Feedback in the Online Learning From a Higher Education Practitioner’s Perspective
This study explored students’ responses to faculty formative feedback in the online learning environment from a higher education practitioner’s perspective. the study examined the meaning of students’ responses and formative feedback, as well as how we can determine that students are responding to their faculty’s formative feedback. The study provided some specific factors influencing students’ responses to faculty formative feedback, some of the potential challenges associated with the formative feedback examined by the practitioner, the effects of using faculty formative feedback on students’ learning and responses in the online learning space, some of the practitioner’s observations, some of the practitioner’s faculty formative feedback statements, some observed challenges to faculty formative feedback by the practitioner, students’ responses to faculty formative feedback during and after class completion. The study hypothesized that faculty formative feedback, which includes timely, specific, clear, encouraging, motivating, and constructive criticism with actionable steps, enhances students’ perception of feedback, engagement, positive relationship with the instructor, and promotes positive responses to student learning success.