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Research on co-teaching in higher education often focuses on the benefits to the apprentice, but co-teaching partnerships should benefit both team members. As part of our institution's recent membership in a professional development network for future STEM faculty, we developed a postdoctoral certificate in teaching excellence that includes co-teaching with a faculty mentor. In spring 2021, we piloted a co-teaching model with two postdoc/faculty teams; in spring 2022, eight teams co-taught in the program. For this study, we analyze our findings on the mentorship relationship and explore the factors that led to better reflection, improved teaching, and more meaningful mentoring.

A minimal amount of information is known about how adolescents and emerging adults construe purpose and meaning in life, leaving many researchers to assume youth think about these constructs consistent with scientific understandings. In this preregistered study, we compared adolescent and emerging adult conceptions of purpose and meaning using directed content analysis. High school and college students were randomly assigned to write about purpose, meaning, or a control topic. Themes mentioned within the written samples did not significantly differ across purpose and meaning conditions, and this pattern did not significantly vary between adolescents and emerging adults. However, many who wrote about meaning mentioned purpose explicitly, suggesting nuanced differentiation. These findings can inform how purpose and meaning are studied and the development of future interventions.

The Career-related Programme (CP) is an innovative education programme by the International Baccalaureate (IB). Designed to promote college and career readiness equally in the last two years of high school, the CP combines rigorous university preparatory coursework with targeted career-related studies. This study examines the patterns of higher education enrolment, destination and persistence of all CP graduates from high schools in the US between 2013 and 2015. The results indicate that CP graduates enrol in higher education at higher rates than do all high school graduates nationally and career and technical education concentrators specifically: 81% versus 68% versus 70%, respectively. They persist for 1 year at higher rates than do all high school graduates: 89% versus 72%, respectively. Results of logistic regression show that the number of IB exams and the completion of the CP certificate are significant predictors of postsecondary enrolment and that higher mean IB exam scores predict higher odds of a student attending a 4-year institution over a 2-year institution. The results suggest that students who engage in career and technical education alongside rigorous university preparatory coursework within the CP are well-prepared to succeed in higher education.

To determine the logistics, benefits, and challenges of developing and implementing an international undergraduate research network, the authors analyzed the Matariki Undergraduate Research Network (MURN). MURN attempted to connect undergraduate students from four countries across two years, with 21 and 23 students respectively. Using mixed methods, the authors explored faculty and student experiences of MURN. Although MURN worked well at the local level, it had limited success at a global level. Teaching across time zones and academic-year differences posed the biggest challenges. Students and faculty reported a range of benefits typical of engagement with undergraduate research but noted weak international connections. A credit-bearing program with partners in similar time zones and academic-year systems, as well as a requirement for collaborative projects across institutions, are recommended.

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) potentially challenge the traditional dominance of brick and mortar institutions as providers of quality higher education. The benefits for students include reduced education costs and global access to exclusive institution courses and instructors. However, the benefits for institutions are less clear as there is a financial overhead required to develop and deliver content that is suitable for mass student consumption. In this article we examine the opportunities that MOOCs provide and identify several different business model challenges for offering MOOCs.

Administrators at a large, public university launched a mandatory success course for freshmen placed on academic probation at the end of their first semester. We compared the rates of course participant and nonparticipant return to good academic standing; persistence to the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th years; and graduation (within 4 to 5 years). The chi-square test for independence revealed significant differences across all measures of persistence and graduation between the control and treatment groups. We call for an increase in credit-bearing success courses using applied retention theories in the curriculum for students on academic probation. (Contains 3 tables and 2 footnotes.)

This article presents an investigation into the usage of shareable feedback tags as a way of delivering feedback to three different cohorts of programming students. A series of research questions are examined; these include investigating any perceived benefit from students using feedback tags and exploring how students interact with their feedback. Results indicate that students with both the lower and higher marks in a cohort are more likely to opt to share their feedback and programming work than students with mid-ranged marks. A variety of reasons, both for and against sharing, given by students are discussed. Six categories of student behaviour exhibited during interaction with their feedback have been identified in this article. This article has shown that feedback tags can be used successfully as a form of shareable feedback and that a number of future research possibilities exist that can extend this topic. (Contains 3 tables and 5 figures.)

This article describes an approach whereby patterns are used to describe management issues and solutions to be used during the project management of team-based software development. The work describes how web 2.0 technologies have been employed to support the use and development of such patterns. To evaluate the success of patterns and the technologies supporting their dissemination the work of 12 software development teams over 2 years is explored. The results of the research describe how students find access to the experiences of their predecessors useful to guide their actions and how they find patterns particularly useful as a way of expressing social issues concerned with the management of student groups. (Contains 2 tables and 7 figures.)

Current technology enables schools to provide remote or virtual computing labs that can be implemented in multiple ways ranging from remote access to banks of dedicated workstations to sophisticated access to large-scale servers hosting virtualized workstations. This paper reports on the implementation of a specific lab using remote access to dedicated workstations and supporting students enrolled in degree programs in management. Such a lab can be implemented at relatively low cost by reallocating resources dedicated to existing physical labs.Virtual computing labs pose significant challenges in configuration, operation, and administration. All of these challenges can be adequately addressed with sufficient planning and management. These authors provide direct comparisons of physical and virtual computing labs in the areas of security, administration, and cost. They report generally positive student perceptions of the virtual computing lab as compared to the previous physical computing lab with respect to accessibility, usability, and value, though those perceptions vary depending on student background and technical skill. Non-technical students can be overwhelmed or disoriented when using a virtual computing lab. Addressing this problem requires devoting sufficient resources to training, user interface design, and ongoing support for both student and faculty users. (Contains 3 figures and 6 tables.)

Analyzes President Clinton's actions on higher education during his eight years in office. Notes progress on issues such as funding for middle-class students, biomedical research, and technology. Points out possible missed opportunities, including issues surrounding affirmative action. Concludes that Clinton helped make higher education a prominent and bipartisan issue. (EV)

The implications of the 1998 Higher Education Act Amendments for students and institutions are summarized, including those for federal student financial aid programs, loan guarantee agency reforms, distance-education programs, student and institutional eligibility, campus crime, college costs, federal outreach and student service programs, institutional aid, teacher education, international education, and miscellaneous programs. (MSE)

On any given day, higher education is represented in Washington, by not only lobbyists, but also students, administrators, experts on a variety of related issues, and professors turned legislators. A typical day finds these groups in varied activities directed at influencing policy. The American Council on Education is at the center of higher education lobbying efforts. (MSE)

Pressure is growing for Congress to overhaul the student loan consolidation program which has allowed borrowers to lock in low interest rates over the loan life. Lenders and student groups are in opposition over the program; colleges are tending to take a neutral stance. (SLD)

Describes how, as he seeks re-election, President Bush is considering issuing a scathing critique of higher education early next year, demanding greater accountability from colleges. He may use the renewal of the Higher Education Act to attack colleges for high costs and dropout rates. (EV)

If some lawmakers and community college leaders have their way, the amount of federal aid received by students at elite private colleges may be reduced. Private colleges say they will fight to protect federal aid that other institutions want for needy students. (SLD)

Explores how for-profit colleges want to be defined as higher education institutions, for both the prestige and the money. The institutions are pushing Congress to change a key definition that prevents them from receiving certain kinds of federal aid. (EV)

Discusses a suggestion by the Bush administration that colleges be held accountable for their effectiveness in retaining students, which has some college leaders worried. (EV)

Reports on continued growth of Sallie Mae, the nation's largest financer of federal student loans. Notes the company's purchase of the USA Group, the nation's largest student loan guarantee agency, competition with the federal direct loan program, political contributions to legislators who set loan policies, and development of Laureate, a Web-based loan application and processing system. (DB)

Discusses issues addressed by a Congessionally mandated panel to identify and evaluate options for infusing market forces into the student loan program. Notes possible advantages. Conflicting views of the panel's student representatives, college administrators, and lenders are reported concerning reductions of lenders' profits, removal of restrictions on marketing practices, and the government's role. (DB)

Reports evidence that the federal government's three campus-based student aid programs are no longer serving needy students well, but rather benefit a select group of institutions. Urges changing the 20-year-old financial aid formula to better reflect changing college demographics. Contrasts aid received by students attending the University of Southern California and California State University at Los Angeles. (DB)

The student loan default rate was 9.6% in 1996, a decline of 12.8% since the 1990 peak, saving the federal government $3 billion over six years. Since 1993 the Department of Education has barred 1065 institutions, mostly for-profit trade schools, from participating in federal student loan programs; institutions with a 40% default rate can lose eligibility. (MSE)

Small liberal arts colleges that want to remain in the field of teacher education must: (1) respond to needs of a specific geographic area and of individual students; (2) maximize use of education and liberal arts faculty without overextending; and (3) tap students' own resources. (Author/RJG)

Describes how supporters for TRIO and Gear Up, the two main federal programs that encourage low-income students to prepare for college, are girding for a battle over a proposed budget merger. (EV)

Discusses how President Bush's 2004 budget proposal would erase the shortfall in Pell Grants, but many programs would receive no increases, and two would be eliminated. (EV)

Describes how college lobbying groups are squabbling over how much students should be able to borrow in federal student loans. (EV)

Explores the divide among those who study higher education policy over whether preparation or money is the primary obstacle to college attendance for underprivileged students; federal policies could hinge on which side of the debate is favored. (EV)

Describes how, as new competitors lobby for legislation for further open the student loan market to them, Sallie Mae and other lenders have responded by attacking the loan consolidation program. (EV)

Reports that the Education Department has cancelled Access America, a pilot program which allowed students to control their financial aid accounts over the World Wide Web. Finds that many colleges objected to lack of federal consultation with colleges. However, supporters say the pilot has shown the value of using the Web for this purpose. (DB)

The Department of Education's Inspector General has identified and prosecuted 17 cases where borrowers received large amounts in student loans by claiming falsely to be pursuing studies at foreign institutions. Officials see serious statutory, regulatory, and program deficiencies that may expose programs to more fraud and abuse. Critics feel the agency has not been aggressive enough in combating fraud. (MSE)

Introduces A. Lee Fritschler, the new Assistant Secretary leading the Office of Postsecondary Education at the Department of Education. Notes that although the position has lost power and influence since the rise of the department's "performance-based organization" unit which runs student aid programs, Fritschler and others see opportunities in focusing on issues other than student aid. (DB)

The federal Department of Education will help college students save money on loan interest if they consolidate loans in the direct lending program while in college. Some college lobbyists feel the administration has not done enough to cut fees and help students and colleges and, as a result, may lose direct-loan participants to bank-loan programs. (MSE)

Despite Democrats' and educators' concern over the first Republican-led reauthorization of the Higher Education Act this year, Republicans supported the bill. Some observers feel the support is a G.O.P. survival strategy, and will not continue; some conservatives feel the party is caving in to higher education interest groups' demands. (MSE)

Increasingly, lawmakers are treating proprietary institutions like traditional colleges. Only six years ago, the for-profit trade schools were battling to avoid being thrown out of federal student aid programs. As reauthorization of the Higher Education Act approaches, signs suggest the schools may be treated as members of the higher education community. (MSE)

The National Commission on the Cost of Higher Education has rejected calls for federal intervention to reduce college costs, but warned that if institutions do not control costs, the government will be forced to intervene, which could destroy academic quality. While colleges appreciate the panel's sensitivity to college autonomy, some observers fear the report will not be heeded. (MSE)

College students are complaining that Congress has made it too difficult to demonstrate financial independence to qualify for federal financial aid. Legislation in 1992 tightened the policy on financial independence to prevent affluent students from cheating the system. Colleges are reluctant to step in for fear of state-conducted audits of colleges' federal student aid programs. (MSE)