FSP - Higher Education

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://localhost:4000/handle/123456789/61

Browse

Browsing FSP - Higher Education by Title

Filter results by typing the first few letters
Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Analysis of the factors influencing the favorable participation of students with special needs in public tertiary education in Romania
    (MDPI, 2022) Stăiculescu, Camelia ; Dincă, Mihaela Violeta; Gheba, Andreea
    Even though research focused on inclusive education in Romania for institutions within the primary and secondary education system has been carried out, there are not many studies that approach the factors determining a favorable inclusion of students in higher education institutions. The central goal of the article consisted in investigating what impacts the willingness and openness for inclusive education for Romanian universities and the potential impact of five constructs of variables applied on fifteen universities from Romania. The outcomes of the quantitative (econometrical) analysis (a survey based on a questionnaire) showed the major impact of the variables of “policies and structures of the university”, “curriculum and pedagogy/teaching strategies”, “community and social integration”, and “accessibility and resources for students” (all focused on students with special needs) on the “willingness and openness for inclusive education” for Romanian universities. The variable of “communication and transparency” (focused on students with special needs) was associated with a medium influence on the “willingness and openness for inclusive education” for Romanian universities. This paper underlines the importance of incorporating the necessary training, support, flexibility, and resources to respond to a variety of student needs in order to improve inclusive education within higher education institutions in Romania.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Cultivating Civic Engagement: The Role of Universities in Promoting Democratic Values to Social Science Students
    (UJ MANDATUM KONYVKIADO, 2024) Albulescu, Magdalena
    In contemporary society, the concept of civic engagement appears as an essential condition for the functioning of democracy and social well-being. Civic engagement transcends simple participation in the electoral process and encompasses a wider spectrum of activities: civic and community participation, activism, and public dialogue. Thus, cultivating civic engagement is a mission, duty, and responsibility for universities, particularly for social science programs. They derive from the need to form and shape not only professionals but also responsible and involved people from a civic and social point of view. However, the mechanisms by which higher education institutions can effectively cultivate such engagement among students remain a subject of debate and investigation. This study seeks to bridge this gap by exploring the strategies used by universities to promote civic awareness among students. Methodologically, this article proposes a study on one of the most important universities in the field of social, political, and administrative sciences in Romania. By analyzing the perceptions and experiences of students, the research provides new empirical data on how educational practices influencing civic and political engagement are evolving, or, conversely, reveals institutional shortcomings in fulfilling the mission of promoting civic engagement among students. In this sense, a standardized questionnaire was distributed to the students from the political science bachelor's degree program to analyze their perceptions and experiences regarding how the study programs and the teachers' activity incorporate the component of civic and political involvement. Data analysis highlights how and if higher education programs cultivate and shape student engagement through academic programs, extracurricular activities, or community partnerships.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Students’ attitudes towards technology‐enabled learning : a change in learning patterns? : the case of a master’s course in political science
    (Sciendo, 2013) Păunescu, Mihai
    This article sets to explore the attitudes of higher education students enrolled in a political science programme at Master level towards e-learning facilitated by the introduction of a Moodle platform. The students have been surveyed at the end of public management course in the first semester of the programme asking them to evaluate both the contents (resources) available on the virtual learning environment, as well as the type of activities and the general interaction with technology. The objectives of our survey were twofold: first to carry a thorough evaluation of the course in order to collect evidence for further improvement, but also, more importantly, to unravel the established patterns of students’ learning and their attitudes towards a set of technology facilitated type of learning activities. We conclude that the implementation of a VLEs definitely not likely to immediately change existing learning/teaching practice. It is seen mainly as a support and complementing activity of face-to-face course deliveries, but does not yet change the pedagogical underpinnings of the learning practices. On the other hand, a thorough evaluation of students’ attitudes towards technology-enabled learning is crucial for consistently planning course designs and for embedding a quality culture at course level.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Teaching Careers from the Perspective of Graduates of Training Programmes for Teachers (Pilot Study: ASE)
    (2024-07-03) Stăiculescu, Camelia; Dincă, Violeta Mihaela; Gheba, Andreea
    The article aims to identify how graduates of the psycho-pedagogical training program of the Department for the Preparation of Teaching Personnel (DPPD) and of the Master’s in Teaching (MD) at the Bucharest University of Economic Studies (ASE) relate to the idea of a teaching career, their level of interest and motivation to continue in this professional direction, as well as their satisfaction with these programs and the skills acquired, using as a case study the graduates of the two programs at the ASE. Teachers’ motivation is considered an important factor both for job satisfaction and for the level of teaching performance, or the degree of retention in the field, less addressed in the human resources policy at the level of teaching staff in state institutions. Thus, the discussion can also be considered relevant in the context of the precarious salaries in Romanian education, a problem that can generate difficulties in attracting qualified people with a high level of skills in the field in which they teach. The main results of the pilot study showed that a large part of the respondents consider that their teaching career path is one that suits them, with an increasing interest in training and documentation, as well as in interacting with learners. The study concludes with the idea that intrinsic and altruistic factors are most important to graduates, in choosing a career in this field.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    The socio-economic challenges in access to Romanian higher education : student perception and funding policy directions
    (Springer Nature, 2022) Dervis, Oana Alexandra; Trifan, Elena; Jitaru, Gabriela
    Access to education, specifically in relation to socio-economic background, is one of the enduring issues in educational research. The theme is particularly salient for the Romanian case from a policy perspective, given the increase in social polarisation specific to the post-communist transition and its effect on access to higher education. Recent reforms in university funding have started to address this issue, with the inclusion of several mechanisms that allocate financial resources according to university efforts towards social equity. The main objective of our research is to provide an overview of the policies concerning the inclusion of students from low socio-economic backgrounds and assess the degree to which progress has been made towards reaching current national targets regarding access to higher education. We argue that although significant improvements have been made at the level of policy initiative, more precise targeting is needed in order to meet labour market demands, given that most current efforts are directed either at fresh high school graduates or at diminishing the dropout rate. These efforts, even if 100% successful, will not prove sufficient given current demographic trends. Therefore, we consider another potential avenue for increasing student numbers, suggesting that an orientation towards non-traditional students (adult students) might be beneficial. With this in mind, in the second half of the paper, we explore the main characteristics and trends concerning Romanian mature students using the results from the EUROSTUDENT VI and EUROSTUDENT VII studies, with the goal of formulating policy proposals that aim to unlock the potential of this demographic.