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Although the support provided by extended family members to university students has recently been more investigated, it is rarely considered as an element worthy of analysis in its own right. Situated in an international context, this literature review provides a map of research on the support of extended family members to university students and links research to university practitioners and policy makers as a way to promote diversity. The argument is that by facilitating students' support networks, more effective diversity policies can be implemented at the institutional level. Employing the concepts of extended family, funds of knowledge and social support, the review identifies social support that achieves positive outcomes and support which outcomes are less effective. Selected articles (22) were classified, synthesised and analysed by the author. The paper discusses the role of extended families in relation to four sub-groups of students: traditional; non-traditional; international and dropout. The review shows that: a) social support is a cultural-based practice; b) research emphasises positive effects of social support; c) research tends to focus on ethnic minorities, and d) there is an unclear separation between parental and the support provided by extended family members. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications for further research and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although in recent years, researchers have shown increasing interest in achievement-related emotions, academic boredom included, still the vast majority of the studies that have been carried out on the issue, so far, employed solely or primarily quantitative methods, were largely confined to the field of psychology and were conducted in a limited number of countries. The purpose of this work is to bridge the gap in the literature by presenting a case from an Eastern/Central European country (Poland), based on the qualitative mode of data collection and processing. The paper offers a detailed sociological description and alanysis of university students' behavours when bored in class applying the taxonony of boredom coping strategies proposed in the relevant literature. The study also introduces the notion of classroom social morphology and its relationship with the employment of various boredom coping strategies and also readdresses the concept of class-related anticipatory boredom and the idea of educational burnout experienced by some students at the end of their studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Learning Management Systems (LMSs) have a strong effect on the teaching-learning process in higher education. However, specific research on the factors that affect students´ satisfaction and their perceptions of learning outcomes derived from Moodle use is still scarce. Therefore, this study uses the theoretical underpinnings of the Technology Acceptance Model and the Information Systems Success model to contribute to the existing literature in two respects, focusing on the Moodle usage context. First, it analyses the relative impact of pre-acceptance and other e-learning quality-related variables as predictors of students´ satisfaction. Second, it investigates whether communicativeness and students' satisfaction are both determining factors of students´ perceived learning outcomes. The proposed relationships were tested with a partial least squares (PLS) regression technique, using survey data from 151 undergraduate business students at University of Cantabria (Spain). The findings reveal that information quality is the most relevant predictor of students´ satisfaction, while satisfaction is the most relevant determining factor of perceived learning outcomes. Moreover, the effect of communicativeness on perceived learning outcomes could be very dependent on the educational context, e.g. blended versus virtual learning. These findings can help instructors to implement Moodle efficiently, and suggest the need to develop friendly courses with up-to-date and structured learning materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first year of university is often considered challenging and difficult for students who are adjusting to different academic and social demands. In this context, teacher-student interactions can play a crucial role in fostering student motivation, engagement in learning, a sense of belonging to the university and academic persistence. Although the benefits of teacher-student interactions have been researched, to date few studies have examined in-depth the characteristics, role and value of these interactions from students' perspectives in the Australian higher education context. Through semi-structured interviews, this study investigated the experiences of 21 undergraduate students who reflected on their interactions with teaching staff (lecturers and tutors) in the first year, particularly the type and frequency of interactions they had with teachers and the influences these interactions had on their learning and engagement in the subject as well as the broader university. Overall, students reported that the majority of interactions were positive and helpful in influencing their engagement in learning. However, the benefits of their interactions with teachers were not perceived to extend beyond the classroom to help them develop a sense of belonging to the university. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of 'competence' has gained traction in recent years because of its power in informing broader educational objectives, such as readiness for transition to later educational stages. The responsibility for developing competencies in learners is increasingly laid onto educational institutions via accountability arrangements. As a result, competency frameworks are value-laden and motivated by interrelated purposes including construct definition, the development of assessment criteria, and workplace readiness. The present article introduces a methodological approach for constructing a competency framework that accounts for these underpinning motivations. The present article first introduces three binary distinctions that developers can utilise in making structural decisions on a competency framework: binary vs continuum; atomistic vs holistic, and context-specific vs context-general. We argue that decisions made by developers in terms of the three binary distinctions influence their additional responsibilities in order to achieve a high degree of utility for practitioners using a competency framework. The decisions regarding framework purpose and its structural features inform the alignment between the intended constructs being targeted and a framework's use. The present article then focuses on a worked example in relation to one competency area that commonly resides within a competency framework – collaboration. We conclude that conceptual and structural alignment can help inform a competency framework's validation process, by enabling more specific usage claims to be articulated that can form the basis of empirical analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of international returnees is increasing in emerging economies. However, very little has been known about their career development in their home country. This study explored how Vietnamese returnees from Australia developed their career after returning to Vietnam. The study deployed a qualitative approach using in-depth interviews with 15 returnees of Australian universities. The findings revealed the returnees faced a range of barriers hindering their career progression amongst which 'the rigid working culture' was the most significant and 'stereotyped perceptions about Australian qualifications' was an emerging issue due to recent changes in economy and society in Vietnam. The findings revealed three main strategies that the returnees utilised to negotiate their employability including being 'navigator', being 'rebels, and being 'retreatist'. The findings also revealed that there was not a simple answer to whether Australian education outcomes were useful and applicable in Vietnam or not because the usefulness and application were determined by the extent to which the returnees could be able to use their overseas skills and knowledge. The study provided insights about constraints and opportunities in the home market and enrich the current literature about the returnee phenomenon. These insights would support international students to better support their plans for career development upon their return. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this empirical study was to explore the extent and the determinants of management accounting practices' (MAPs) adoption in UK universities. In this vein, the current study serves as a 'stock-take', first reference study for future studies investigating the effects and impact of HE funding changes on accounting systems and practices in universities. In order to contribute to understanding the determinants of MAPs' adoption in the UK HE sector, a theoretical framework consisting of contingency theory, institutional theory and particular organisational attributes was adopted. A questionnaire survey was distributed to all 125 UK universities, of which eventually fifty-nine fully completed questionnaires, which represents 47% of all UK universities, were collected. Almost all institutions have implemented MAPs relating to cost determination and financial control, and information for management planning and control. The regression analysis concludes in a final model, which includes only seven of the initial twenty-nine variables. Prospector strategy orientation, innovative culture, trialability, mimetic and normative institutional factors and type of university are determined as the predictors of enhanced MAPs in UK universities. The findings of the current study are useful for consideration when looking into adopting new management accounting practices at Higher Education institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]