Artículos indexados

Capital aspiracional académico-familiar: experiencias de estudiantes universitarios chilenos de primera generación., Magis, Revista Internacional de Investigación en Educación.

Autores: Carolina Guzmán, Andrea Flanagan-Bórquez, Stephen Darwin, Andrés Rojas-Murphy-Tagle y Almendra Aguilera.

Abstract: Este estudio analiza las experiencias de estudiantes de primera generación (EPG). Para ello, se llevaron a cabo 29 entrevistas con EPG de distintas universidades en Chile. Los resultados revelan que cada trayectoria es el resultado de la interacción de múltiples catalizadores entrelazados: (i) aspiraciones, temores y niveles de apoyo familiar, (ii) contextos facilitadores u obstaculizadores de las experiencias; y (iii) características de la universidad. De este análisis emerge lo que denominamos capital aspiracional académico-familiar, que apunta a las capacidades de resistencia y navegación de los EPG para escoger y transitar por la universidad.

Evaluar el pensamiento social: Desarrollo de un instrumento de evaluación de desempeño de aula., Revista mexicana de investigación educativa.

Autores: Nicole Abricot Marchant, María Verónica Santelices, Carmen Gloria Zúñiga, Lucía Valencia Castañeda, Paloma Miranda-Arredondo.

Abstract: Para contribuir a la evaluación en ciencias sociales en el aula, este artículo presenta evidencias de validez sobre un instrumento diseñado siguiendo el método Bear Assessment System para retroalimentar el pensamiento social. Participaron 175 estudiantes universitarios que escribieron un discurso sobre un problema social, el cual fue corregido con la rúbrica creada para ello. Como evidencia de su validez se reconocen la fiabilidad entre jueces y su consistencia interna, además de observarse cuatro dimensiones en su estructura de acuerdo con la expectativa teórica. No se identificaron relaciones entre el puntaje y el género, y aunque se esperaba una relación positiva con el desempeño escolar, esta no fue apoyada por la evidencia. Las conclusiones destacan la viabilidad de medir el pensamiento social como un constructo multidimensional para retroalimentar el aprendizaje y presentan ideas para mejorar el instrumento.

Making research (more) real for future teachers: a classroom-based research model for initial teacher education., Educational Action Research.

Autores: Stephen Darwin y Malba Barahona.

Abstract: Action research is characteristically used to provide research experience for late-stage, pre-service teachers as a means of breaching the perceived divide between theoretical knowledge and contexts of practice. However, aside from the considerable methodological challenges of enacting action research itself, pre-service teachers also enter schools as ‘outsiders’, therefore often simultaneously struggling to make sense of both their research mission and school context. This anxiety is amplified by the characteristic relationship of action research outcomes to summative, programme-level assessment of prospective teacher capability. Following research that confirmed negative experiences of a group of late-stage, EFL pre-service teachers using action research-based projects in two Chilean universities, potential alternative methods of encouraging research practice was investigated and piloted. Based on the outcomes of this research, a new classroom-based model was designed to provide a more useful and ultimately productive research experience for pre-service teachers, particularly those in the challenging environment of EFL teaching. This model stresses the need for pre-service teachers to be offered more research autonomy, to be less ‘problem’ focussed and to be more actively supported in the planning and enactment of achievable research to ensure the learning outcomes sought for this type of research-based inquiry were achieved.

Developmental trajectories during doctoral study: identifying heterogeneity in psychosocial factor’s development., Studies in Higher Education.

Autores: Paula Clasing-Maquian, Heeyun Kim, Nabih Haddad y John Gonzalez.

Abstract: Despite their importance to the research enterprise, doctoral students are an underexamined population in higher education. Several studies have emphasized the importance of psychosocial characteristics in academic success and scholarly identity formation. However, few studies have explored their developmental trajectories across a range of disciplines to give an overall perspective of the scholarly identity formation process and its nuances. We argue that doctoral education is a socialization process that, if successful, helps doctoral students to develop a disciplinary identity. We propose that this identity development process is mediated by how students internalize their socialization experiences. Therefore, we integrate concepts from self-determination and identity development theory into socialization theory. Using a three-year longitudinal sample at a single institution (n = 1264), we identify doctoral students’ developmental trajectories in perceptions of competence, autonomy, relatedness, knowledge, and recognition. We identify six different developmental groups according to baseline levels and developmental trajectories during the first two years of doctoral studies. Further, we find that sex, family income background, and anticipatory socialization experiences are associated with membership in these groups. Lastly, we observe that these trajectories are associated with socialization outcomes. Findings highlight a non-monolithic socialization process that calls for a systematic approach to measure these psychosocial characteristics over time. Implications for theory, research, and practice are discussed.

Curriculum analytics adoption in higher education: A multiple case study engaging stakeholders in different phases of design., British Journal of Educational Technology.

Autores: Isabel Hilliger, Constanza Miranda, Sergio Celis, Mar Pérez‐Sanagustín.

Abstract: Several studies have indicated that stakeholder engagement could ensure the successful adoption of learning analytics (LA). Considering that researchers and tech developers may not be aware of how LA tools can derive meaningful and actionable information for everyday use, these studies suggest that participatory approaches based on human-centred design can provide stakeholders with the opportunity to influence decision-making during tool development. So far, there is a growing consensus about the importance of identifying stakeholders’ needs and expectations in early stages, so researchers and developers can design systems that resonate with their users. However, human-centred LA is a growing sub-field, so further empirical work is needed to understand how stakeholders can contribute effectively to the design process and the adoption strategy of analytical tools. To illustrate mechanisms to engage various stakeholders throughout different phases of a design process, this paper presents a multiple case study conducted in different Latin American universities. A series of studies inform the development of an analytical tool to support continuous curriculum improvement, aiming to improve student learning and programme quality. Yet, these studies differ in scope and design stage, so they use different mechanisms to engage students, course instructors and institutional administrators. By cross analysing the findings of these three cases, three conclusions emerged for each design phase of a CA tool, presenting mechanisms to ensure stakeholder adoption after tool development. Further implications of this multiple case study are discussed from a theoretical and methodological perspective.

Fostering the use of online learning resources: results of using a mobile collaboration tool based on gamification in a blended course., Interactive Learning Environments.

Autores: Luis Ramírez-Donoso, Mar Pérez-Sanagustín, Andrés Neyem, Carlos Alario-Hoyos, Isabel Hilliger, Felipe Rojos.

Abstract: Over the past years, higher education institutions have been exploring different mechanisms to adapt their learning and teaching practices to increase students’ engagement. One of the proposals has been to reuse Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs) as Small Online Private Courses (SPOCs), or as complementary resources in traditional courses through blended learning practices, such as flipped classroom. However, the integration of online courses as a complement to face-to-face courses poses some challenges. First, students are not used to such blended learning approaches and it is generally difficult for teachers to motivate them to access online resources for the preparation of face-to-face sessions. Second, students are not used to the dynamics of blended learning scenarios, which are less teacher-centered and require their active participation. We propose the use of the mobile application MyMOOCSpace (MMS) to meet these challenges and increase students’ motivation and use of learning resources in blended learning courses that use SPOCs as a complement. MMS is a mobile learning application based on gamification mechanisms to promote collaboration and motivation of students in the use of digital resources as a complement to blended learning courses. In this paper, we present the results of a quasi-experiment in a blended course with 294 students that uses a SPOC as a complement, with the aim to assess the effect of MMS on students’ motivation and learning resources consumption. In particular, the behavior of two groups of students with the main digital resources of the SPOC (videos and formative assessments) was analyzed: one using the MMS (GTest group), and the other not using MMS (GTrad group). The results suggest that the use of MMS had a positive correlation with the videos consumption, besides increasing student’ interaction with assessment exercises in the SPOC.

Balancing being a ‘good teacher’ and a ‘motivating teacher of English’: Analysing the sense of professional responsibility of pre-service EFL teachers., Language Teaching Research.

Autores: Stephen Darwin y Malba Barahona.

Abstract: The professional responsibility of teachers has been primarily understood in international literature in terms of external obligations, primarily from an accountability perspective. Alternatively, more recent approaches have begun to propose that teacher responsibility is more appropriately understood as an internal drive toward their work and its contribution to broader social development, which is seen as crucial to the design of effective pedagogical practices. However, within this continuing dialogue, limited attention has been given to how professional responsibility develops and is nurtured within the unique contexts of English language teacher education. This mixed-method study investigated the sense of professional responsibility held by pre-service teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL) context, framed by an online survey (n = 611) based on a teacher responsibility scale and a series of semi-structured interviews (n = 17). Results demonstrated that there was a comparatively higher sense of responsibility felt in two critical areas: building positive student relationships and ensuring an equitable classroom and society. However, lower levels of responsibility were demonstrated toward the discipline-specific issues of encouraging student engagement, student motivation or success in learning English. This suggests a critical tension that develops in the sense of pre-service teacher responsibility between the abstract and affective notion of being the ‘good teacher’ and the more concrete objectives of building learning environments for language development..

Student aid programs and institutional change in Chilean universities., Revista Iberoamericana De Educación Superior.

Autores: José Miguel Salazar,Gonzalo Zapata, Pete Leihy.

Abstract: Durante las últimas décadas, las universidades chilenas han desarrollado programas de apoyo estudiantil en el pregrado a propósito de la creciente diversificación de sus estudiantes en un contexto de masificación. A partir de información recogida desde un grupo de universidades tradicionales (integrantes del Consejo de Rectores de las Universidades Chilenas), este estudio examina y analiza los distintos programas existentes. Junto con documentar la evolución de los programas existentes y su relación con la política pública, el estudio observa que la trayectoria que han seguido estos programas no se conforma con las categorías y paradigmas de cambio documentados en la literatura académica. Más bien, tal trayectoria sugiere un proceso de modernización de las universidades chilenas sui generis cuyo resultado todavía resulta difícil de observar con plenitud pero que, sin embargo, están reconfigurando sus dinámicas internas y dando lugar a experiencias de gestión académica novedosas.

Acceso y uso de información sobre compromiso estudiantil para la gestión en docencia universitaria., Revista Calidad en la Educación.

Autores: Gonzalo Zapata, Carla Förster, Catalina Letelier, Rodrigo Del Valle, José Miguel Salazar, Daniel Uribe.

Abstract: Este artículo aborda el desafío de promover el acceso y uso de información sobre compromiso y experiencia estudiantil para mejorar la gestión de la docencia de pregrado. Para lo anterior, se documentan las percepciones de especialistas en una muestra de instituciones pertenecientes al Consejo de Rectoras y Rectores de las Universidades Chilenas (CRUCh), respecto de las capacidades de generación, distribución y uso de la información obtenida en el proyecto “Encuesta Nacional de Compromiso Estudiantil (ENCE)”. A partir del análisis de un caso específico de levantamiento de evidencias sobre la experiencia y aprendizaje en los estudiantes, se identifican diversas brechas y dificultades organizacionales, al mismo tiempo que buenas prácticas y potencialidades en el uso de información para impactar en una formación universitaria de calidad. El estudio ofrece, finalmente, algunas orientaciones para fortalecer las capacidades de gestión de información y promover una cultura organizacional basada en el uso de evidencias.

Dismantling new and old forms of colonialism: border thinking in Latin American universities., Globalisation Societies and Education.

Autores: Carolina Guzmán-Valenzuela.

Abstract: Latin American universities have been subject to old and new forms of colonialism that act concurrently. Old forms of colonialism are based on a matrix of race and labour divisions that universities have inherited, reproduced, and reinforced. New forms of colonialism are attaching to global forces that promote a world class university model based on prestige, competition and international rankings. By means of both a bibliometric and a thematic analysis, this paper examines scholarly work on colonialism and internationalisation in Latin American universities and suggests that Latin American universities have developed both local and global-oriented mechanisms so as to deal with old and new forms of colonialism. Both mechanisms take place within universities although one is oriented to local actions, while the second has a more reflective nature. It is argued that both mechanisms are part of what has been called ‘border thinking’, that is collective and contesting narratives and actions that aim to dissolve colonial forces in the periphery. Although Latin American universities have been proactive in developing concrete initiatives to cope with older local forms of colonialism, a further task remains of promoting and instituting initiatives that confront the newer and global forms of academic colonialism.

Analyzing Learners’ Perception of Indicators in Student-Facing Analytics: A Card Sorting Approach., Responsive and Sustainable Educational Futures. EC-TEL 2023.

Autores: Esteban Villalobos, Isabel Hilliger, Mar Pérez-Sanagustín, Carlos González, Sergio Celis y Julien Broisin.

Abstract: Many studies have explored using different indicators to support students’ self-monitoring. This has motivated the development of student-facing analytics, such as dashboards and chatbots. However, there is a limited understanding of how learners interpret these indicators and act on that information. This study evaluates different indicators from a student perspective by adapting the card sorting technique, which is employed in Human-Centered Design. We chose eight indicators based on different comparative reference frames from the literature to create 16 cards to present both a visual and a text representation per indicator. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected from 21 students of three majors at two Latin American universities. According to the quantitative results, students’ agreement level about the indicators’ interpretability and actionability was relatively low. Nonetheless, the indicators that included temporality were found to be less interpretable but more actionable than those that did not. The analysis indicates that several students would use this information to improve their study habits only if their performance in the course is lower than expected. These findings might be used as a starting point to design student-facing analytics. Also, adapting the card sorting technique could be replicated to understand learners’ use of indicators in other TEL contexts.

Academic performance and adjustment of first-generation students to higher education: A systematic review., Cogent Education.

Autores: María José López, María Verónica Santelices y Carmen Maura Taveras.

Abstract: Scholarly work conducted before 2010 consistently reported a gap between first-generation and continuing-generation students in college success, as measured by grades, persistence, and graduation rates. Through a systematic literature review, this study aimed to examine the most recent findings, from 2010 until 2020, regarding the academic adjustment process of first-generation students to higher education institutions and the institutional factors that help them in the process. The results report lower performance of first-generation (FG) students and compared to that of continuing-generation (CG) students and measured by grades and persistence. When looking at other variables, such as learning outcomes, intellectual development, learning skills, integration and engagement with the academic environment, we find scarce and mixed evidence. There is also an increased interest in the academic process, and not just in describing academic outcomes of first-generation students. These findings suggest that interventions promoting social belonging, support from peers, parents´ involvement and a welcoming campus climate should be fostered by institutions interested in the access and graduation of FG students.

Globalising or assimilating? Exploring the contemporary function of regionalised global university rankings in Latin America., Higher Education.

Autores: Stephen Darwin y Malba Barahona.

Abstract: Global university rankings (GUR) have become increasingly influential as a proxy measure of higher education quality. The more recent development of regionalised forms of rankings has increased their global reach, drawing a greatly expanded range of institutions into their orbit. As a result, regionalised GUR have developed an increasing potential power to shape social perceptions, institutional actions, and everyday academic practices. In this paper, the perceived impact of regionalised forms of GUR is analysed from the perspective of Latin American higher education. Based on a critical meta-synthesis framed by a glonacal heuristic(Marginson and Rhoades, Higher Education 43:281–309, 2002), the tensions arising around the application of regionalised forms of global rankings are mapped. Specifically, the impact of rankings on conceptions of the mission of universities is foregrounded. The meta-synthesis identifies three primary tensions around the regional application of GUR in Latin American contexts: how conceptions of regional higher education quality are most effectively developed, how the local university is imagined under the weight of global expectations, and the relativised value of local agency in assessing quality outcomes. The findings suggest that GUR have created strong fissures in Latin American higher education regarding the missions of institutions, particularly in confronting the powerful hegemonies of the epistemologies of the Global North imposing themselves on Latin American higher education. The paper concludes that the stratification and social anxiety caused by the regional applications of GUR may not be necessarily productive in encouraging regional institutional diversity or in enhancing the local relevance of higher education.

Analysing preservice teachers’ enactment of the UDL framework to support diverse students in a remote teaching context., System.

Autores: Malba Barahona, Viviana David, Francisca Gallegos, José Reyes, Ximena Ibaceta-Quijanes y Stephen Darwin.

Abstract: Internationally, the investigation of inclusive education in foreign language teaching and foreign language teacher education is a relatively new phenomenon. Part of this imperative has been the pressing need to research how teachers perceive inclusion and learn to support a diverse range of students. Responding to this challenge, this paper reports on the results of a case study that investigated the perceptions and attitudes toward inclusion of a group of Chilean preservice teachers of English (n = 6) enacting the Universal Design for Learning(UDL) in ELT. The study drew on qualitative data generate through interviews, focus group discussion and an artefact analysis, and was conducted within a remote teaching context due to COVID pandemic during 2020 and 2021. The outcomes suggested that preservice teachers conceptualised inclusion as ‘not-segregation’, expressing positive attitudes toward diversity and a commitment to principles of inclusion in their teaching. The enactment of UDL allowed participants to diversify the representation of contents and making language more comprehensible. However, participants also experienced frustration and anxiety as they felt their practices were sometimes ineffective. The findings also made visible the complex challenges and struggles preservice teachers confront as they attempt to teach inclusively, particularly in remote learning environments.

Demographic characteristics of participants in graduate college professional and sociocultural development programming., Studies in Graduate and Postdoctoral Education.

Autores: Laura Schram, Emma Flores-Scott y Paula Clasing-Manquian.

Abstract: Purpose. The USA’s higher education leaders and professional organizations have called for increased professional development programming at graduate colleges to better prepare US graduate students for their future careers. This study aims to investigate the demographic characteristics of graduate students participating in co-curricular professional development (PD) and sociocultural development (SD) programming at a graduate college at a large, selective and research-intensive public university in the Midwestern USA. Design/methodology/approach. Using institutional data from six semesters, the authors examined the characteristics of students that attended the graduate college’s programs at one university. The authors analyzed which students were most likely to attend PD and SD programs using multinomial logistic regression models. Findings. Female students, students from US historically marginalized racial groups, and US Pell Grant recipients (low-income students) were found to have a higher likelihood of attending both PD and SD programs at the centralized graduate college. Practical implications. The findings will be of interest to graduate deans and educators who support graduate students. Further evaluative research on the usefulness of such programs at other institutions would help graduate colleges better understand the role they play in meeting graduate students’ needs.

Lacking time: A case study of student and faculty perceptions of academic workload in the COVID-19 pandemic., Journal of Engineering Education.

Autores: Isabel Hilliger, Gabriel Astudillo y Jorge Baier.

Abstract: Background. To avoid the spread of COVID-19, most engineering programs rapidly shifted to emergency online education, and prior research has associated online education with academic overload. Before the pandemic, engineering curricula were already packed with content and course assignments, so more studies should explore how the unprecedented conditions of remote learning affected the intensive academic workload of engineering programs. Purpose/Hypothesis. This study addresses the following research question: How did the COVID-19 pandemic affect the perceptions of engineering instructors and students regarding their academic workload? Thus, the main research objective is to explore the influence of COVID-19 on the perceived academic workload, extrapolating lessons learned for engineering education settings. Design/Method. During 2020, we developed a single-case study to understand academic workload in 22 engineering majors at a large Latin American university. We triangulated different sources of institutional and research-focused evidence, including two instructor surveys (n = 110), two student surveys (n = 2218), two student focus groups (n = 18), and workload measurement surveys (n = 3131). Results. Both instructors and students experienced academic overload since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout the first year, instructors became capable of accommodating course activities and assignments to students’ particular circumstances. Regardless of these efforts, students continue perceiving academic overload, particularly affecting those who experience connectivity issues or frequent problems with their personal computer or tablet. Conclusions. Further efforts are needed to support course planning and self-regulated learning in engineering education. In these lines, lessons learned were captured and shared to inform engineering education research and practice beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.

Technology-scaffolded peer assessment for developing critical thinking in pre-service teacher training: the importance of giving feedback.,  Educational technology research and development.

Autores: Camila Barahona, Miguel Nussbaum, Vicente Martin, Alejandra Meneses, Silvana Arriagada, Angela Di Serio e Isabel Hilliger.

Abstract: Developing critical thinking is becoming increasingly important as is giving and receiving feedback during the learning process. The aim of this work is to study how technology can scaffold peer assessment activities to develop critical thinking among pre-service teachers and study the relevance of giving and receiving feedback. A series of practice and application activities were introduced using technology-scaffolded peer assessment. Technological scaffolding minimized classroom logistics, while at the same time resolved any personal issues between peers as the tasks were assigned at random. Mixed-methods analysis revealed that technology-scaffolded peer assessment with anonymous feedback aided the significant development of critical thinking activities. It also showed that the feedback that was given was a predictor of the success of these activities. The added value of this work is that we show that for pre-service teachers, in a Reading Methods course, we can improve critical thinking skills with technology scaffolded peer assessment, and that giving feedback shows to be more relevant than receiving it.

Apoyo estudiantil y cambio institucional en el contexto universitario chileno., Revista Iberoamericana De Educación Superior.

Autores: José Miguel Salazar, Gonzalo Zapata y Pete Leihy.

Abstract: Durante las últimas décadas, las universidades chilenas han desarrollado programas de apoyo estudiantil en el pregrado a propósito de la creciente diversificación de sus estudiantes en un contexto de masificación. A partir de información recogida desde un grupo de universidades tradicionales (integrantes del Consejo de Rectores de las Universidades Chilenas), este estudio examina y analiza los distintos programas existentes. Junto con documentar la evolución de los programas existentes y su relación con la política pública, el estudio observa que la trayectoria que han seguido estos programas no se conforma con las categorías y paradigmas de cambio documentados en la literatura académica. Más bien, tal trayectoria sugiere un proceso de modernización de las universidades chilenas sui generis cuyo resultado todavía resulta difícil de observar con plenitud pero que, sin embargo, están reconfigurando sus dinámicas internas y dando lugar a experiencias de gestión académica novedosas.

Pathways to the creation of research capacities in Universities in developing countries: perspectives from a literature review., Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management.

Autores: Daniela Véliz, Andrés Bernasconi, Sergio Celis, Monserratt Mella y Constanza Miranda.

Abstract:  Universities seeking to establish or expand their research missions in developed countries have at their disposal well-established literature on strategies to foster research capacity in universities. On the contrary, the literature on these processes in the context of developing countries is quite recent and scarce. We offer a descriptive, narrative review of the literature on research capacity building in universities in developing countries, both in terms of the conceptual models or theoretical frameworks used and of strategies reported. We also compare this corpus with recent literature on this set of issues coming from developed countries, covering 40 papers overall. On the theoretical side, we find substantial differences in density and content across both sets of papers. The empirical dimension suggests universities in developing countries tackle the problems of fostering research capacity piecemeal and idiosyncratically without the benefit of an overall conceptual model or blueprint to guide them.

Teachers’ experiences of teaching online during COVID-19: implications for postpandemic professional development., Educational technology research and development.

Autores: Carlos González, Daniel Ponce y Violeta Fernández.

Abstract: As a result of the Great Online Transition (GOT) that occurred during COVID-19, it is increasingly necessary to understand the digital competencies that are required for online and blended learning in the postpandemic era. Postquarantine, higher education institutions must return to on-campus face-to-face learning, a situation which raises questions concerning how to retain the lessons learned from this period of the forcedacquisition and innovation of online teaching competencies. In this article, we present the results of an interview-based study of teachers’ experiences of online teaching during the pandemic. One hundred fifty-one teachers were interviewed over a period of 2 years during the pandemic. We conducted a hybrid thematic analysis to systematize teachers’ experiences. Our results show that despite the problems faced due to the disruption caused by the pandemic, several lessons were learned: teachers employed an array of digital tools to maintain content delivery and promote interaction, deepened their understanding of course design and assessment, and developed an empathic disposition to understand students’ situations. We build upon these experiences to generate recommendations for developing digital competencies following the GOT.

Student motivation in learning mathematics in technical and vocational higher education: Development of an instrument., International Journal of Education in Mathematics, Science, and Technology (IJEMST).

Autores: Farzaneh Saadati y Sergio Celis.

Abstract: Mathematics is a challenging subject for most students in technical and vocational institutions. The institutions apply great effort towards developing mathematics knowledge and skills, mainly by influencing students’ motivations. This study tries: (1) to present evidence for the validity of an instrument for measuring students’ motivational beliefs as their beliefs, self-efficacy, and intrinsic-extrinsic goal orientations regarding mathematics; (2) to explore the relationship between institutional context and the instrument’s scores as students’ motivational beliefs. The data collected from 1,239 students from two different Chilean institutions were analyzed. The psychometric analysis provided evidence of the reliability and validity of the instrument. The instrument suggests differences in the level of motivational beliefs associated with students’ age and the type of institutions. The instrument allows educators to study the relationships between motivational beliefs and the institutional context of technical and vocational schools. It can also be used for the prediction of student success in their mathematics course by the understanding of their motivational beliefs towards mathematics.

WIP: Exploring differences in student sense of belonging inside and outside the engineering classroom., 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition.

Autores: Isabel Hilliger, María de los Ríos, Germán Astudillo y Jorge Baier.

Abstract: This Work-in-Progress (WIP) aims to explore differences in engineering students’ sense of belonging. By sense of belonging, researchers have referred to the feeling of mattering to a community in consequence of the received support and the social ties created in a particular context. In engineering education, different types of interventions have been designed and implemented over the past few years, aiming to boost underrepresented students’ sense of belonging. However, few studies have accounted for the impact of these initiatives on student social ties. Considering that the sudden shift to remote and hybrid environments since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, more research is needed to understand how minority student relationships have been affected by the current course formatting. In these lines, this WIP describes an effort to measure the construct of mattering at an engineering school in a Latin American university, besides analyzing gender differences. To meet this objective, an online survey was conducted during October 2021, which was voluntarily answered by 977 undergraduate students (out of 5,000 undergraduates). The results obtained show validity and reliability indicators within an acceptable range, revealing the existence of two latent variables: institutional mattering and classroom mattering. Concerning classroom mattering, we observed statistically significant differences concerning gender, particularly favorable for students who identified themselves as female. Future work should explore the contextual nuances that might explain this finding to inform the design of interventions aimed at promoting equitable academic experiences in engineering education programs.

Dismantling new and old forms of colonialism: border thinking in Latin American universities., Globalisation Societies and Education.

Autor: Carolina Guzmán-Valenzuela.

Abstract: Latin American universities have been subject to old and new forms of colonialism that act concurrently. Old forms of colonialism are based on a matrix of race and labour divisions that universities have inherited, reproduced, and reinforced. New forms of colonialism are attaching to global forces that promote a world class university model based on prestige, competition and international rankings. By means of both a bibliometric and a thematic analysis, this paper examines scholarly work on colonialism and internationalisation in Latin American universities and suggests that Latin American universities have developed both local and global-oriented mechanisms so as to deal with old and new forms of colonialism. Both mechanisms take place within universities although one is oriented to local actions, while the second has a more reflective nature. It is argued that both mechanisms are part of what has been called ‘border thinking’, that is collective and contesting narratives and actions that aim to dissolve colonial forces in the periphery. Although Latin American universities have been proactive in developing concrete initiatives to cope with older local forms of colonialism, a further task remains of promoting and instituting initiatives that confront the newer and global forms of academic colonialism.

Celebrating Higher Education’s 50 years: trends, absences, and opportunities., Higher Education.

Autor: Carolina Guzmán-Valenzuela.

Abstract: The journal,Higher Education(HE), was established in 1972 and is currently one of the leading international journals in higher education studies. By using bibliometric techniques, a systematic review, and a social network analysis, this review article provides an overview of the main patterns of publications inHEduring its history. The findings show that (i) the volume of articles has been continuously increasing, with a particular marked uplift since 2007; (ii) while single-authored articles have dominated the publication pattern, collaborative articles have shown a particular growth over the last decade; (iii) the USA, the UK, and Australia have dominated the journal in terms of the number of articles, international collaboration, and the most prolific authors; (iv) while Chinese authors have become more evident, there has been a near-absence of contributions from Latin America, Eastern Europe, and most of Africa; (v) in the entire history ofHE, there has been a gender imbalance (in favour of male authors) across the most cited articles, but this pattern has changed in the last decade and; (vi) both teaching and learning and system policy have been key research themes in the journal although internationalisation and the student experience have recently gained traction. These patterns of publication inHE, with their imbalances and absences, suggest several challenges ahead.

Trustworthy remote assessments: A typology of pedagogical and technological strategies., Journal of Computer Assisted Leaning.

Autores: Isabel Hilliger, José Ruipérez-Valiente, Giora Alexandron y Dragan Gasevic.

Abstract: Online learning has grown significantly during the past two decades, and COVID-19 pandemic has expedited this process. However, previous research has shown how academic dishonesty is more prevalent under these modalities. Therefore, there is the challenge of performing trustworthy remote assessments, in order to obtain valid and reliable measures of students’ knowledge.ObjectivesThe research question that drove this research was: what actions have been proposed in contemporary research to improve remote assessment trustworthiness from a technological and pedagogical perspective?MethodsWe analysed the papers accepted for the special issue titled “Trustworthy Assessment and Academic Integrity in Remote Learning” following a deductive qualitative category coding methodology to find the main approaches.Results and conclusionsWe identified eight approaches to improve trustworthiness in remote assessment: four for exams and high-stake tests, one exclusively for performance-based assessments, and three for any type of assessment. Our findings shift attention from academic dishonesty to trustworthy assessment, integrating recent findings of papers accepted to this special issue.ImplicationsOur findings deepen current understanding of trustworthy remote assessments, inviting practitioners and researchers to explore different types of assessment methods and different moments related to assessing learning.

What Kind and How Many?: Exploring Feedback in Remote Training of Procedural Skills in Physiotherapy., EC-TEL 2022: Educating for a New Future: Making Sense of Technology-Enhanced Learning Adoption.

Autores: Ignacio Villagrán, Rocío Hernández, Javiera Fuentes, Gustavo Torres, Diego Silva, Nicolás Araya, Mauricio Delgado, Constanza Miranda, Andrés Neyem, Julián Varas e Isabel Hilliger.

Abtract: Practical learning in physiotherapy education became challenging during the pandemic. Socio-sanitary constraints limited hands-on scenarios and instructors’ opportunities to provide timely feedback to their students. Asynchronous remote training through a feedback-oriented platform is an alternative with potential benefits beyond emergency distance learning. This preliminary quantitative study analyzes the results of the implementation of an asynchronous remote strategy for teaching manual techniques to Physiotherapy undergraduate students. Sixty-one students reviewed a procedure video, recorded their execution of the procedure, and uploaded it to an online platform. An instructor assessed the video through an observation scale, providing students with different feedback inputs. Students repeated the process if they did not meet the cut-off score. In the development of two procedural skills, the results showed that students with lower performance received more feedback, especially in the form of “common mistakes videos”. Finally, instructors showed significant differences in the number of feedback inputs assigned to students with the same performance. This strategy allowed students to train in practical skills remotely, receiving feedback in a specific and unique way. While feedback in different formats was valued, we believe that further research is needed on feedback content and its impact on learning beyond just quantity and format.

Towards Effective Blended Learning Through the Eyes of Students: A Survey Study in Transition into Face-to-Face Education., EC-TEL 2022: Educating for a New Future: Making Sense of Technology-Enhanced Learning Adoption.

Autores: Gabriel Astudillo, Isabel Hilliger, Fernanda Rodríguez, Jorge Baier.

Abtract: Many researchers consider that blended or hybrid learning implies a meaningful combination of online and face-to-face activities. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, studies had shown promising results of blended learning to improve student performance. However, the design and implementation of effective combinations is far from trivial, considering students’ differences regarding their demographics and self-regulatory capacities. This paper presents a survey study developed in an Engineering school of a Latin American university that transitioned from online learning to a hybrid format in mid-2021. Quantitative data was collected throughout an online questionnaire applied to a convenience sample of 1,124 students. Subgroup differences were identified by means of exploratory factor analysis and clustering. Two different subgroups emerged from the data: those who prefer online learning and those who prefer face-to-face activities. This difference is particularly observed in students from different cohorts and regions of origin: students who are closer to graduation preferred online activities, as well as students who come from regions outside the campus location. Students’ preferences varied regarding feedback delivery and collaboration with peers, which are usually synchronous activities. Further implications are discussed to inform instructional design of blended and hybrid approaches beyond COVID-19.

Guest Editorial: External evaluation of university quality in Latin America., Quality Assurance in Education.

Autores: Pete Leihy, Oscar Espinoza, José Miguel Salazar.

Introduction: It may distress regular readers of Quality Assurance in Education, but neither the Spanish nor the Portuguese language offers a good translation of the concept ofaccountability. In Latin America, either we borrow the English word as if so preserving its export-grade powers, or we adjust the notion to less trusting native customs, as “rendering accounts” (Portuguese:prestação de contas; Spanish:rendición de cuentas). Certainly, Latin American universities will often assert theirautonomy, sometimes in an institution’s very name. Perhaps we could considerautonomíaandautonomiaas Spanish and Portuguese equivalents of accountability? Indeed, autonomy is often proffered as a common and vital thread within Latin American academia (IESALC, 2018),although the aspirational nature of such claims has not gone unnoticed (Bernasconi, 2021).No, especially because so much effort goes into the celebration of autonomy, we immediately wonder to what extent institutions really have it and how wisely and fully their members are represented in the process. In Latin America, it may be best not to rely on professions of autonomy as guarantees of inspired academic values and high-quality experiences; from beyond the cloisters of a particular institution’s political machinations, we need accounts to be rendered even to begin to understand how well it is conducting higher education. In that spirit, this special issue consists of ranging accounts of different aspects of the various stages at which Latin American higher education systems find themselves in the already eventful 2020s…

Student Dataset from Tecnologico de Monterrey in Mexico to Predict Dropout in Higher Education., Data.

Autores: Joanna Alvarado-Uribe, Paola Mejía-Almada, Ana Luisa Masetto, Roland Molontay, Isabel Hilliger, Vinayak Hegde, José Montemayor, Renato Ramírez y Hector Ceballos.

Abstract: High dropout rates and delayed completion in higher education are associated with considerable personal and social costs. In Latin America, 50% of students drop out, and only 50% of the remaining ones graduate on time. Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify students at risk and understand the main factors of dropping out. Together with the emergence of efficient computational methods, the rich data accumulated in educational administrative systems have opened novel approaches to promote student persistence. In order to support research related to preventing student dropout, a dataset has been gathered and curated from Tecnologico de Monterrey students, consisting of 50 variables and 143,326 records. The dataset contains non-identifiable information of 121,584 High School and Undergraduate students belonging to the seven admission cohorts from August–December 2014 to 2020, covering two educational models. The variables included in this dataset consider factors mentioned in the literature, such as sociodemographic and academic information related to the student, as well as institution-specific variables, such as student life. This dataset provides researchers with the opportunity to test different types of models for dropout prediction, so as to inform timely interventions to support at-risk students.

Building Institutional Capacity for Learning Analytics: Top-Down & Bottom-up initiatives., IEEE Revista Iberoamericana de Tecnologias del Aprendizaje.

Autores: Mar Pérez-Sanagustín, Isabel Hilliger, Jorge Maldonado-Mahauad y Ronald Pérez-Álvarez

Abstract: Capacity building for Learning Analytics (LA) in Higher Education Institutions requires the coordination of organizational aspects and infrastructure development. This also depends on the organizational maturity of the institution and its leadership regarding LA adoption. LA capacity building can follow two approaches: (1) top-down, led by institutional managers; and (2) bottom-up, led by ground-level staff. This article studies two LA initiatives of each type conducted in the same institution to compare the deployment of organizational processes and infrastructure. The lessons learned that were captured from each approach are shared to inform other universities in Latin America on developing LA capabilities.

NPM of the masses: the expansion and modernisation in Chilean higher education, 1999–2016., Policy Reviews in Higher Education.

Autores: José Miguel Salazar, Mauricio Rifo y Pete Leihy

Abstract: This study reviews the performance of the Improvement of Quality and Equity in Higher Education programme (MECESUP). MECESUP was executed in three stages between 1999 and 2016 by Chile’s Ministry of Education and its directly state-subsidised university sector, with World Bank financing and advisory. The account explores achievements and failures in pursuing the twin expansion and modernisation of Chilean universities under a New Public Management (NPM) consciousness. A review of primarily European understandings of policy rationalisation in the context of the massification of higher education informs and contrasts with the Chilean case, which in turn may be instructive for similar initiatives in other Latin American and developing world contexts. The study tables illustrative interview data from personnel contemporaneously embedded in government, quasi-autonomous regulatory agencies and universities. The data falls into four key dimensions: first, participants’ initial expectations of the programme; second, issues that stem from the throwing open of substantial contestable funding; third, how an NPM philosophy would be planted within universities through MECESUP’s influence; and, lastly, the ways in which quality assurance attained centrality within Chilean higher education policy.

Does the Public-Private Higher Education Institution Distinction Influence Academics’ Societal Engagement? Evidence from Chile and Turkey., International Journal of Comparative Education and Development.

Autores: Pamela Guzmán, Daniela Véliz, Baris Uslu, Paulina Berríos y Fatma Nevra Seggie.

Abstract: Purpose. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between the participation in commercially- and socially-oriented Academics’ Societal Engagement (ASE) activities, partnership choices, and funding preferences of academics working in public and private universities from Chile and Turkey. Chile represents a private-dominant higher education system (HES), while Turkey is public-dominant. This article presents the results of an international survey, the Academic Profession in Knowledge-based Society (APIKS), applied to academics from over 20 countries, including Chile and Turkey. Design/methodology/approach. Through a quantitative analysis the authors analyse how the dominant institutional type influences ASE activities, partnership choices, and funding preferences. Findings. Results from the analysis show that being part of a public or private university does not solely explain the activity type that academics engage with. Moreover, the rate of Chilean academics participating in ASE activities is more than twice that of Turkish academics regardless of the public-private distinction.

Transitioning to higher education: students’ expectations and realities., Educational Research.

Autores: Gonzalo Cifuentes Gómez, Pamela Guzmán y María Verónica Santelices.

Abstract: The transition from school to higher education (HE) involves multiple challenges including academic issues, motivation and identity adaptation. In this scenario, the role of family, peers and institutions can be fundamental in the success of the transition process. Purpose We sought to deepen our understanding of the transition phenomenon by studying students’ perceptions on HE expectations versus the reality encountered, identifying the main challenges they faced and analysing the strategies used to cope with the difficulties encountered in adjusting to HE. Method This is a follow-up interview study that examined the perceptions of 14 first- and second-year HE students in Chile, who had participated in a previous research study two years earlier whilst in secondary school. Interview data were analysed using a qualitative approach. Findings The analysis identified contrasts between students’ expectations and what occurred during the first two years of HE. Associated with academic difficulties, the students felt that the main challenges included increased complexity of content, time management and study strategies. To cope with these challenges, the evidence suggested that the students adapted their academic strategies and relied strongly on their families and peers. Conclusions Our findings draw attention to a mismatch that can occur between the expectations and the reality that students face once they have transitioned to HE. Implications for institutions include building a transition bridge between secondary and postsecondary education, which goes beyond providing information about funding or the labour market. In terms of supporting successful transition, issues such as academic demand, studying time, study strategies and prior familiarity with HE staff and peers are all relevant aspects for consideration.

The role of an equity policy in the reproduction of social inequalities: High School Ranking and university admissions in Chile., Journal of Sociology.

Autores: Ximena Catalán, María Verónica Santelices, Catherine Horn

Abstract: The High School (HS) Ranking is an equity policy aimed at increasing the enrolment of students from underprivileged contexts in selective higher education institutions in Chile. However, HS Ranking is considered as an admission criterion for all applicants, regardless of their contextual characteristics. In this study, we delve into how students from different high school settings interpret and deploy actions to increase their HS Ranking score. Through a Structural Equation Model with validated survey data (9 schools, N = 1.831), our results show that the role of the schools’ context in the deployment of academic strategies to increase HS Ranking score is significant, even after controlling for academic individual motivation. In a scenario of a highly segregated secondary system these results are relevant for the discussion of the role of HS Ranking – an equity-oriented admission policy – in maintaining the higher education inequalities.

Chilean University Students’ Digital Learning Technology Usage Patterns and Approaches to Learning., ECNU Review of Education.

Autores: Carlos González, Dany López, Lina Calle-Arango, Helena Montenegro, Paula Clasing

Abstract: Purpose: This study aims to explore Chilean students’ digital technology usage patterns and approaches to learning. Design/Approach/Methods: We conducted this study in two stages. We worked with one semester learning management systems (LMS), library, and students’ records data in the first one. We performed a k-means cluster analysis to identify groups with similar usage patterns. In the second stage, we invited students from emerging clusters to participate in group interviews. Thematic analysis was employed to analyze them. Findings: Three groups were identified: 1) digital library users/high performers, who adopted deeper approaches to learning, obtained higher marks, and used learning resources to integrate materials and expand understanding; 2) LMS and physical library users/mid-performers, who adopted mainly strategic approaches, obtained marks close to average, and used learning resources for studying in an organized manner to get good marks; and 3) lower users of LMS and library/midlow performers, who adopted mainly a surface approach, obtained mid-to-lower-than-average marks, and used learning resources for minimum content understanding. Originality/Value: We demonstrated the importance of combining learning analytics data with qualitative methods to make sense of digital technology usage patterns: approaches to learning are associated with learning resources use. Practical recommendations are presented.

Lessons learned from designing a curriculum analytics tool for improving student learning and program quality., Journal of Computing in Higher Education.

Autores: Isabel Hilliger, Camila Aguirre, Constanza Miranda, Sergio Celis y Mar Pérez-Sanagustín

Abstract: Curriculum Analytics (CA) emerged as a sub-field of Learning Analytics, aiming to use large amounts of educational data to drive curriculum decision-making and program improvement. However, it is still an open question how the use of CA tools impacts student learning and program quality. To advance this field, this paper describes the lessons learned from having designed and implemented a CA tool to help managers and teaching staff reflect on curriculum and teaching practices. This CA tool was developed under a design-based research approach called The Integrative Learning Design Framework. We implemented a two-cycle building-testing structure to evaluate the perceived usefulness and usability of this tool. The first cycle consisted of designing a first version of the tool and evaluating its use throughout a case study involving 5 managers and 124 teaching staff members who participated in a 3-year continuous improvement process in one Latin American university. The second cycle consisted of redesigning the tool according to the lessons learned during the first cycle and evaluating its use throughout workshops with 16 managers and 9 teaching staff members in two Latin American universities. Findings indicate that the CA tool helped teachers collect a greater number and variety of evidence regarding students’ attainment of competencies, allowing staff to be more aware of the learning situation of their students when redesigning course assessment methods and course sequences. Currently, this CA tool is being used by 20 Latin American universities, guiding curriculum renewal strategies beyond the current global pandemic.

Influence of global rankings on strategic planning from the perspective of decision-makers: A case study of a Chilean research university., Higher Education Quarterly.

Autores: Daniela Véliz y Pío Marshall

Abstract: This paper complements and extends the literature analysing the relationship of global rankings on universities’ strategies, missions, structures, and functions. Specifically, it examines the extent to which global rankings have influenced development strategies of one Chilean university through administrator’s perception and changes in the strategic planning. Interview and documentary data were collected at two points in time (2014 and 2017), mainly through semi-structured interviews with 18 university administrators and college deans. Findings suggest a relationship between the university’s ranking position and its perception of academic excellence. However, rankings have effects that are not only perceptual. High ranking positions increase global visibility, promote international partnerships and collaborations that benefit academic staff. At the same time, the university finds itself increasingly bound by the current global standards on academic search, appointment, promotion, and evaluation. Findings suggest that universities are rarely passive recipients of the influence of rankings, they seek opportunities to leverage them to their strategic advantage, more when the ranking benefits their visibility

Disciplinary diversity in Chilean undergraduate student engagement., Education Policy Analysis Archives.

Autores: Gonzalo Zapata, Peodair Leihy, José Salazar y Daniela Espinoza.

Abstract: There is growing interest in investigating the student experience in higher education, particularly given the considerable widening of access and, so, diversity. Chile’s Encuesta Nacional de Compromiso Estudiantil (ENCE) has been applied since 2017 by a group of universities of the Council of Rectors of the Chilean Universities (CRUCh), eliciting a battery of evidence covering the student experience. This study documents current efforts to organize information about the student experience into student engagement profiles, reported here with reference to selected undergraduate disciplines. The results of ENCE 2019 are analyzed, as applied to 9869 undergraduates in their first year and in their fourth year since commencing, in nine universities. Cluster analysis of the entire sample of students in all fields, and subsets of those respondents in the fields of Civil Engineering, Law, Medicine and Teaching, yield diverse patterns of student engagement. Further consideration follows of the current and potential use of student engagement data in Chile and other countries, and the differences across different study fields and professional traditions.

Internal migrant students in Chile transitioning to the university: Experiences in a triple rupture scenario., Education Policy Analysis Archives.

Autores: Fernanda Goñi, Catalina Moraga, Macarena Sanhueza, Ximena Catalán, María Soledad Cruz, Gonzalo Gallardo, Daniela Veliz.

Abstract: Students who migrate to pursue higher education face many challenges in their adjustment to university. It is necessary to know the specific barriers that internal migrant students face in order to design policies and strategies for institutional support of these students. This article investigates the process of transition to university life for internal migrant students in Chile through an intervalidation process of two exploratory studies aimed at knowing about displacement and transition-to-university experiences from the perspectives of the migrants themselves. This collection of testimonies, and the subsequent identification of shared experiences among internal migrant students, highlights the triple rupture they experienced (change of city, place of study, and residence). According to their testimonies, students reported perceiving greater independence, self-regulation, and self-knowledge. This article discusses these topics and offers university policy orientations based on the findings, as well as aspects of these processes to explore in future research.

Introduction to the special issue: Student experience in Latin American higher education., Education Policy Analysis Archives.

Autores: María Veronica Santelices y Sergio Celis

Abstract: In this introduction, the guest editors present an overview of the 11 articles that make up the special issue on student experience in Latin American higher education. The introduction provides context about the higher education sector in Latin America, draws attention to the main features of the articles, and highlights common themes across them. The guest editors also comment on the parallels and contrasts with the student experience discussed by the literature from other geographical locations. Based on the preparation and publication of the special issue, suggestions for further research are provided.

More ideational than material: Exploring the contemporary role of student voices in Chilean universities., Education Policy Analysis Archives.

Autores: Stephen Darwin

Abstract: A key promise of neoliberalist ideologies in higher education is the valorization of student choice as a means of (re)shaping practices and improving the responsiveness of institutions. The power of this neoliberal imaginary (Ball, 2012) was grounded in market-like policies that demanded institutional accountability to both afford competition and maximizing prospects of student satisfaction. A key consequence of this imperative has been burgeoning institutional and system-level investment in metric-based instruments designed to measure and compare student experiences, engagement or satisfaction. However, how effective of these neoliberal policies been in empowering student choice and in producing more reflexive institutions? The research reported here investigated the influence of student voices in one of the earliest adopters of this neoliberal imaginary: the Chilean higher education system. This qualitative study explored the contemporary institutional role and function of student voices using a university typology, with data developed through artefact analyses and interviews with educational leaders. The findings suggest that institutions have heterogeneous orientations ranging from pseudo-democratic to instrumental forms of engagement, reflecting the distinctive sociocultural histories of institutions. However, the outcomes suggest that student voices are not a substantial presence in quality assurance or improvement practices.

(Un)Limited choice: analysing the strategic choices of first-in-generation students in neoliberal higher education.,
British Journal of Sociology of Education.

Autores: Carolina Guzmán-Valenzuela, Stephen Darwin, Andrea Flanagan, Almendra Aguilera-Muñoz y Andrea Geldres.

Abstract: In highly marketised higher education systems, massification has afforded greater access, particularly for first-in-generation students. Generally, this expansion has been fuelled by neoliberal ideologies that valorise the notion of choice and promise of social mobility. In this study, using interviews with 25 first-generation students, the issue of choice is critically examined in one of the earliest arenas of neoliberal experimentation: the Chilean higher education system. The study found that these first-in-generation students encountered complex and multi-levelled challenges in making higher education choices. Such choices were firmly anchored in differing levels of aspiration, and were strongly mediated by both family and school social capital. As a result, we propose an addition to traditional conceptions of choice: students (and their families) who act as strategic choosers. This outcome challenges the notion that first-in-generation students encounter unitary trajectories or equitable choices in encountering higher education.

Gender-biased evaluation or actual differences? Fairness in the evaluation of faculty teaching., Higher Education.

Autores: Edgar Valencia.

Abstract: How do we know if a faculty teaching evaluation is biased? Biasing factors studies are an influential source of evidence for arguing about biased teaching evaluations. These studies examine existing evaluation data and compare the results by gender, race, or ethnicity, interpreting a significant difference between subgroups as evidence of bias. However, only a difference explained by irrelevant aspects embedded in the evaluation would compromise its fairness. The study aims to amend how practitioners and researchers address gender bias concerns in faculty teaching evaluations by defining fairness, disparate impact, and statistical bias from an educational measurement standpoint. The study illustrates the use of differential item functioning (DIF) analysis, a strategy to examine whether the meaning of an item changes depending on the gender of the instructor. The study examines instructor’s gender bias using responses to a course evaluation questionnaire from education graduate students from two academic departments within the same institution. In one of the departments, the analysis suggested a fair evaluation and no gender gap. In the other department, four of the eight items in the rating scale were easier for women than men with similar teaching ability, and women achieved better evaluations than men. The discussion addresses the conceptual and methodological advantages of adopting an educational measurement perspective on fairness in faculty teaching evaluation. Findings encourage practitioners and administrators to use the best available tools to strengthen the credibility of faculty teaching evaluations and prevent unfair personnel decisions affecting underrepresented subgroups in academia by gender, race, or ethnicity.

Aligning teacher assessments and teacher learning through a teacher learning progression., Educational Assessment.

Autores: María Verónica Santelices y Mark Wilson.

Abstract: This theoretical piece discusses the concept of a teacher learning progression in an attempt to integrate teacher learning and assessment. From the authors’ perspective, the main features of the teacher learning progression are the longitudinal understanding of teacher knowledge and practice, and the opportunity to align teacher evaluations’ formative and summative purposes. Criteria to assess existing teacher learning progressions are proposed and used to examine examples of teacher assessment systems implemented in different parts of the world. The concept of teacher learning progression has national and international implications for teacher training, for teaching assessment and for the design and implementation of educational policies.

Exploring tensions in integrating core practices into initial EFL teacher education programs in the Chilean context., Language Teaching Research.

Autores: Malba Barahona y Stephen Darwin.

Abstract: Internationally, there is increasing interest in the value of incorporating core practices into second language (L2) teacher education programs. This article reports on a research project that investigated how a set core practices are integrated into the Methods courses and practicums in Chilean language teacher education programs for English as a foreign language (EFL). The study was framed by a two-stage, sequential data collection strategy based on a questionnaire (n = 48) and semi-structured interviews (n = 21) to university-based, Chilean English teacher educators. The questionnaire identified teaching practices in use, whilst the interviews sought to understand how teacher educators taught these identified teaching practices, as well as the rationale for these choices. Two practices – facilitating target language comprehensibility and building discourse communities – emerged as the most prominent practices. Primarily, these practices were taught through modelling, decomposing, planning and simulations. However, potentially more complex issues around translanguaging, inclusion strategies and cultural practices tended to be framed using more directive and teacher-centred pedagogies. The outcomes of the study highlight several critical issues for L2 teacher education: the relative balance between theoretical and practical domains often compounded by the lack of meaningful opportunities for authentic classroom practice; and the significant challenges faced by teacher educators by engaging in ‘practice’ in a crowded program structure.

Making research (more) real for future teachers: a classroom-based research model for initial teacher education.,Educational Action Research.

Autores: Stephen Darwin y Malba Barahona.

Abstract: Action research is characteristically used to provide research experience for late-stage, pre-service teachers as a means of breaching the perceived divide between theoretical knowledge and contexts of practice. However, aside from the considerable methodological challenges of enacting action research itself, pre-service teachers also enter schools as ‘outsiders’, therefore often simultaneously struggling to make sense of both their research mission and school context. This anxiety is amplified by the characteristic relationship of action research outcomes to summative, programme-level assessment of prospective teacher capability. Following research that confirmed negative experiences of a group of late-stage, EFL pre-service teachers using action research-based projects in two Chilean universities, potential alternative methods of encouraging research practice was investigated and piloted. Based on the outcomes of this research, a new classroom-based model was designed to provide a more useful and ultimately productive research experience for pre-service teachers, particularly those in the challenging environment of EFL teaching. This model stresses the need for pre-service teachers to be offered more research autonomy, to be less ‘problem’ focussed and to be more actively supported in the planning and enactment of achievable research to ensure the learning outcomes sought for this type of research-based inquiry were achieved.

Secondary students’ expectations on transition to higher education., Educational Research.

Autores: Pamela Guzman, Gonzalo Cifuentes y María Verónica Santelices.

Abstract: Background: The transition of high school students to higher education can be an overwhelming experience which may impact on academic outcomes. Despite increases in access, course completion rates remain problematic in Chile. Students’ expectations of higher education can play an important role in their decision-making, especially in terms of choices made about programme and institution. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to better understand Chilean high school students’ expectations of the benefits and costs involved in the transition process from secondary to postsecondary education. Also, it aimed to examine the factors that influence those expectations. Method: We used a qualitative design to collect information from 76 university-tracked high-school seniors through nine focus groups. All focus group data were double coded using a directed content analysis approach. Findings: The analysis indicated that students mentioned expectations of non-monetary benefits frequently, and in all focus groups. Though monetary benefits were not referred to directly, students identified them implicitly through non-monetary benefits. Expectations about costs were mentioned less often than were benefits. Conclusions: Our study highlights that the construction of expectations appeared chiefly influenced by the information obtained through family and peers. The findings from this study should help focus institutional and educational policymakers’ efforts in supporting the decision-making process of students transitioning to higher education.

Aggregated Results of Access Programs Implemented by Universities in Chile: Students’ Persistence using a Matched Sample., Higher Education Policy.

Autores: María Verónica Santelices, Catherine Horn, Ximena Catalán y Alejandra Venegas.

Abstract: During the last ten years, a group of selective universities in Chile has started admission programs to increase equity in higher education that consider the achievement of students in the context of educational opportunities they have had, thus reducing reliance on the national college entrance exam. This study explores persistence rates of students admitted through these programs using matching procedures and inferential analyses; in particular, logistic regressions and hazard models were conducted in a matched sampled based on students´ demographic characteristic. Although results vary slightly depending on the methodology used and the specific period of time under analysis, we observe non-statistically significant differences between students admitted by these programs and matched counterparts. These results are auspicious considering the different academic profile of students enrolled in higher education through equity access programs.

Disrupting curricula and pedagogies in Latin American universities: six criteria for decolonising the university.,Teaching in Higher Education.

Autores: Carolina Guzmán

Abstract: Since the colonial era, Latin American universities have been subjected to narratives about what it means to be a university. Drawing on the concept of coloniality, this paper examines curricular and teaching practices in higher education that aim to decolonise Latin American universities, a particular topic that has been under-investigated. By means of a systematic literature review and a thematic analysis, 40 papers authored by at least one scholar affiliated to a Latin American university were examined. The analysis identified three levels of educational practices (macro, meso and micro) that revolve around the principle of intercultural indigenous education. Further, six essential criteria (cultural, epistemological, relational, ecological, economic, political) in decolonising university education are proposed. The paper concludes by offering insights about decolonising curricula and teaching practices in universities and the ways in which decolonial educational initiatives based on critical border thinking and socialisation of power might transform Latin American universities.

Commentary: Large-Scale Assessment and Legitimacy beyondthe Corporate Responsibility Model., Educational Measurement: Issues and Practice.

Autores: David Torres y María Verónica Santelices.

Abstract: In their article, Koljatic, Silva, and Sireci (2021) highlight the need to consider and respond to the mounting criticisms aimed at standardized assessment in the context of college admissions, and particularly to the unintended negative consequences accompanying its use. To do so, the authors propose adopting a model of corporate social responsibility to improve both large-scale standardized assessments (LSAs) themselves and their public standing….

Information sources and transition to higher education: Students, teachers and school counselors´ perspectives., International Journal of Educational Research , 103.

Autores: Maria Verónica Santelices, Magdalena Zarhi, Catherine Horn, Ximena Catalan & Alicia Ibanez

Abstract: Despite the increase in higher education enrollment observed in Chile in past decades, there are significant differences among the quality of institutions in which students from different socioeconomic level enroll, and a system-level dropout issue. Initial results from the literature suggest a relationship between high-school advising and enrollment. This research explores students’ knowledge about higher education and the role that different actors play in the college-decision making process in Chile using mixed methods approach. Most respondents felt informed about higher education programs but felt only partially informed about financial aid, tuition costs, and labor outcomes. Results should inform policies aiming to increase access and persistence in higher education. Implications for literature on human capital and college-choice are discussed.

Aggregated Results of Access Programs Implemented by Universities in Chile: Students’ Persistence using a Matched Sample., Higher Education Policy

Autores: Maria Verónica Santelices, Catherine Horn & Ximena Catalan

Abstract: During the last ten years, a group of selective universities in Chile has started admission programs to increase equity in higher education that consider the achievement of students in the context of educational opportunities they have had, thus reducing reliance on the national college entrance exam. This study explores persistence rates of students admitted through these programs using matching procedures and inferential analyses; in particular, logistic regressions and hazard models were conducted in a matched sampled based on students´ demographic characteristic. Although results vary slightly depending on the methodology used and the specific period of time under analysis, we observe non-statistically significant differences between students admitted by these programs and matched counterparts. These results are auspicious considering the different academic profile of students enrolled in higher education through equity access programs.

Epistemic polyphony of research on the students’ experiences: The Latin-American case, Education Policy Analysis Archives, 28(96)

Autores: Carolina Guzmán-Valenzuela, Andrés Rojas-Murphy Tagle & Carolina Gómez-González

Abstract: In this article, the production of knowledge about what is known in the international literature as ‘the student experience’ is examined. This construct has been researched in the United Kingdom while, in the United States, the “student engagement” has gained traction. Although in Latin America the production of knowledge in higher education has been increasing in the last decade, studies on student experiences are rather scarce, although there are abundant literatures on higher education in general. By means of a bibliometric analysis and a content analysis of articles published between 2000 and 2017 by Latin American authors in two recognized indexes (Web of Science and SciELO), this article examines the production of knowledge about higher education students’ experiences from a geopolitics of knowledge perspective. The results show that, in Latin America, there is a diverse production of knowledge about higher education students, and given this plurality, the concept of “epistemic polyphony” is proposed. On the one hand, there is an epistemic predominance of Anglo-Saxon influences but, on the other hand, it also presents specific features related to higher education systems in the region. The article ends with a reflection on the ways in which knowledge is produced in the Latin American region and how such production has an impact on policies.

Becoming a Successful International Faculty Member in a Striving University, Current Issues in Education, 21(3)

Autores: Daniela Veliz, Carolina Guzman & Astrid Pickenpack

Abstract: Hiring academics from abroad is one of the strategies that contemporary universities employ to become international institutions. At the same time, a growing number of academics are considering a wider range of academic opportunities, which has contributed to an increase in transnational academic mobility. However, most universities are not yet prepared to support the unique needs of international faculty members. Despite the crucial roles that international faculty play in colleges and universities, relatively little is known about their experiences since most of the studies on the topic are quantitative in nature. The purpose of this qualitative study was to better understand the ways in which international faculty members navigate academic life at a striving university – defined as an institution that aspires to become a world-class university. Our findings show that the international faculty members who participated in this study underwent processes of adjustment in which their agentic responses intermeshed with institutional structures, posing challenges to both the faculty members and their host institution. However, it was found that the burden of adjustment is being placed upon individual academics. Therefore, we examined agentic responses to challenging academic environments that were not ideally suited for internationalization and will provide insights into how universities might better support international academics as they navigate uncertainty.

Bajo el péndulo de la Historia: Cinco décadas de masificación y reforma en la educación superior chilena (1967-2019), Economia y Politica, 7(1) 27

Autores: Jose Miguel Salazar & Mauricio Rifo

Abstract: Desde un prisma histórico, este artículo interpreta la trayectoria de las políticas para la educación superior chilena durante los últimos 50 años. Usando fuentes secundarias, se propone una nueva organización del periodo y de las tensiones que emergen entre las diferentes etapas observadas. En vez de enfatizar los aspectos adjetivos de las políticas, el análisis se concentra en la configuración interna de las agendas sectoriales y su relación con el entorno en que operan. El resultado permite poner en perspectiva los importantes desafíos que hoy enfrenta la educación superior.

Crisis de la Educación Superior en el Chile neoliberal: mercado y burocracia, Educar em Revista, 36.

Autores: Nicolas Gregorio Fleet, Peodair Seamus Leihy & Jose Miguel Salazar

Abstract: Este artículo analiza los conflictos y dilemas de la Educación Superior chilena, construida y masificada bajo políticas neoliberales desde 1980 hasta nuestros días. En particular, el trabajo se centra en los efectos de la reforma impulsada por el gobierno de Michelle Bachelet en 2016, la que tuvo como objetivo declarado quitar centralidad al mercado y garantizar la gratuidad de los estudios superiores, intentando con ello responder al movimiento social en 2011, protagonista del mayor ciclo de protestas conocido desde el retorno a la democracia en 1990 en Chile hasta ese momento. Basado en un análisis socio-histórico, con énfasis en el análisis de la transformación del Estado, se concluye que la Educación Superior mantiene su inercia mercantil, blindada por una burocracia estatal de estrecho vínculo con los poderes de mercado e ideológicos que controlan la enseñanza superior privada. En este arreglo, la crisis generada por la expansión de mercado -de legitimidad de la Educación Superior y sentido de su proyecto- sigue irresuelta.

Outing class in the process of internationalisation, Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education. 42 (1): 102-113.

Autores: Ana Luisa Muñoz-Garcia

Abstract: This article focuses on the ways in which international students from Chile narrate their experiences in the US, and the extent to which mobility across national borders reshapes social class understandings and privilege. To complete this study, I conducted 13 in-depth interviews and a focus group with five Chilean graduate international students who enrolled in an elite research university in the Northeastern region of the United States. The data raised questions about how social class is negotiated in both education and space, challenging how we understand the relationship between social class and education in a global context. I argue that through a process of international mobility, upper-class students from Chile lose class privilege, which in turn influences them to denaturalise their class constructions. Based on discussion of social class within the sociology of education and insights from whiteness studies, the results of my study enable a dialogue about how mobility affects individuals within an international context. I conclude that while international mobility demands students to rethink their class constructions, the affective disruption of silence and guilt emerge as two strategies to justify and perpetuate social class privilege.

A Decade of Chilean Graduate Program Accreditation: A Push for Internationalization and Issues of Multidisciplinarity, Higher Education Policy.

Autores: Sergio Celis & Daniela Veliz

Abstract: Chile implemented a new national quality assurance system for its higher education institutions in 2006 that included a set of policies and procedures for graduate education. Ten years after its implementation, this study looks at the perceived alignments and misalignments between the national accreditation goals and the graduate programs’ visions of improvement. By using the concept of loosely coupled systems, we studied eight science and technology master’s and doctoral programs at four research-oriented Chilean universities. In total, we conducted 26 interviews, visited all campus sites, and analyzed related documents. The results indicate that the national accreditation system improved academic quality across programs by strengthening the influence of university central administrations and raising faculty productivity standards. In particular, the accreditation meant a push for internationalization, which was welcomed at all institutional levels. However, after a decade, the accreditation system seems misaligned with programs’ new improvement efforts, such as the promotion of multidisciplinary work. To some extent, accreditation standards, based on strong disciplinary orientations, penalize a diverse student body and curricular innovation and do not consider the challenges of publishing multidisciplinary research.

Engaged Versus Disengaged Teaching Staff: A Case Study of Continuous Curriculum Improvement in Higher Education, Higher Education Policy.

Autores: Isabel Hilliger, Sergio Celis & Mar Pérez-Sanagustín

Abstract: Over the past two decades, external influences over continuous curriculum improvement have increased, so universities have implemented centralized approaches to respond to external accountability demands, such as national and international accreditations. These approaches have diminished teaching staff engagement with continuous curriculum improvement, without necessarily improving student outcome attainment. To illustrate mechanisms that engage and disengage teaching staff, we present a case study of a 3-year continuous improvement process implemented in a selective university in Chile. Throughout the process, 61 teaching staff members were involved in outcome assessment tasks and curriculum discussions. By triangulating three sources of evidence (97 assessment plans, 27 meeting minutes and 11 interviews), we identified engagement mechanisms that were related to staff members’ motivation to improve student outcomes, and disengagement mechanisms that were related to their reticence towards misaligned and externally imposed policies. Teaching staff’s perspectives on continuous improvement were discussed for further generalization of these mechanisms.

The influence of early experiences and university environment for female students choosing geoscience programs: a case study at Universidad de Chile, Advances in Geoscience, 53: 227-244.

Autores: Tania Villaseñor, Sergio Celis, Juan Pablo Queupil, Luisa Pinto & Maisa Rojas

Abstract: This case study addresses the experiences of female undergraduate students in the geology and geophysics programs at Universidad de Chile. These majors are part of the Faculty of Physical Sciences and Mathematics (FCFM) and have a relatively large proportion of female representation compared to the other engineering and science majors at FCFM that are dominated by male students. We interviewed 12 female students in geoscience majors to understand (a) the reasons for choosing geoscience as a major and (b) their experiences both at FCFM and in geoscience in an institution with a strong masculine environment that aims to increase women’s undergraduate enrollment. We found that the decision to pursue a geoscience career was made during high school, and they maintained this decision during the first years of college, which is heavily focused on mathematics and physics, with no geoscience-related courses. During this early period in college, known as the common core program, students perceived a hostile environment due to high academic demands and gender-based discrimination. Their experiences had a positive shift once they started the geoscience courses in their fifth or sixth semester. The relatively large proportion of female students in the geoscience majors at FCFM creates a positive environment in which the participants developed a sense of belonging in the geoscience community. Students also felt that the feminist movement during 2018 in Chile positively influenced their perspectives on their path at FCFM. These findings give insights for developing strategies to increase early interest, participation, and satisfaction of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines at various educational levels.

From the local fringe to market centre: analysing the transforming social function of student ratings in higher education., Studies in Higher Education.

Autores: Stephen Darwin

Abstract: Student ratings are now an accepted orthodoxy in global higher education environments. They form an increasingly important metric that has been assimilated as a robust proxy measure of quality for evaluating individual, institutional and even system-level performativity. Although the technical design aspects of student ratings have received extensive attention, the broad sociocultural contexts of their use in higher education settings have had considerably less attention. In this study, a meta-synthesis framed by a critical sociocultural perspective was used to investigate the social evolution of student ratings over the last four decades. The outcomes suggest that student ratings have developed through three primary motives: an originating democratic improvement imperative; a dominating quality assurance assimilation and the emerging drive of satisfying the student-as-consumer. This analysis suggests that student ratings cannot be understood only in their benign technical form but must also be considered as performing significant functions in supporting the changing social imperatives of evolving higher education policy.

The changing topography of student evaluation in higher education: mapping the contemporary terrain, Higher Education Research & Development.40(2): 220-233.

Autores: Stephen Darwin

Abstract: The transforming contexts of higher education are heightening the imperative for more sophisticated understandings of student learning. An increasingly critical challenge is how to most effectively engage with student perspectives to more effectively understand the nature of their learning experiences. Traditionally, student ratings have been the primary means with which to understand the student voice. Although approaches to student ratings have fragmented in recent years with diversifying research interest in student satisfaction, experience and engagement, relatively limited attention has been given to the epistemological underpinnings of ratings-based surveys or toward emerging alternative approaches to engaging the student voice. This paper analyses the epistemic foundations of ratings-based methods in the context of other emerging strategies that attempt to engage with student voices more collaboratively. From this analysis, a map of the range of current and emerging approaches to the capturing of the student evaluative voice is proposed to identify their key characteristics in understanding and prospectively shaping practice. This analysis demonstrates that although alternative methods possess a clear potential to respond more effectively to the ever more complex pedagogical demands, their potential is limited by the hegemony of the ‘surveyed voice’ and the resource challenges of sustaining heightened student engagement.

Experiences of International Women Faculty at One Striving University, Journal of Women and Gender in Higher Education , 13 (1) 37-55

Autores: Daniela Véliz

Abstract: This study examined how the professional experiences of international women faculty are shaped by the institutional culture at one striving university. A qualitative design allowed for capturing unanticipated phenomena through three data sources: interviews, a focus group, and document analysis. All 12 participants in this study held tenure-track appointments, were foreign-born, and were raised outside the United States. Findings suggest that the institution studied exhibits many elements of a striving institutional culture. International status influenced the experiences of these faculty in different ways. Issues of gender were also present in their experiences, with many participants believing that being a woman was not professionally advantageous.

Higher education research in Chile: Publication patterns and emerging themes, Education Policy Analysis Archive (EPAA), 27, 100.

Autores: Álvaro Luis Salinas, Tamara Rozas, Pablo Cisternas & Carlos González

Abstract: Este artículo describe la frecuencia con la cual estudiantes de pedagogía realizan prácticas reflexivas, y analiza factores que pueden explicar esta frecuencia. Para ello se empleó una perspectiva cuantitativa que incluyó una encuesta a una muestra de 650 estudiantes de 134 programas de formación de profesores en Chile. Los resultados muestran que los factores más importantes para explicar la práctica reflexiva se relacionan con el supervisor. Los factores relacionados con los compañeros de estudio y con la discusión sobre la profesión docente contribuyen menos a la práctica reflexiva.

Factores asociados a la práctica reflexiva en estudiantes de pedagogía, Magis. Revista Internacional de Investigación en Educación, 11(23) 95-114 

Autores: Álvaro Luis Salinas, Tamara Rozas, Pablo Cisternas & Carlos González

Abstract: Este artículo describe la frecuencia con la cual estudiantes de pedagogía realizan prácticas reflexivas, y analiza factores que pueden explicar esta frecuencia. Para ello se empleó una perspectiva cuantitativa que incluyó una encuesta a una muestra de 650 estudiantes de 134 programas de formación de profesores en Chile. Los resultados muestran que los factores más importantes para explicar la práctica reflexiva se relacionan con el supervisor. Los factores relacionados con los compañeros de estudio y con la discusión sobre la profesión docente contribuyen menos a la práctica reflexiva.

Desarrollo de una escala de prácticas y concepciones de evaluación de profesores universitarios, Formación Universitaria, 12 (6) 15-26

Autores: Percy Peña, Carlos Gonzalez & Helena Montenegro

Abstract: Objetivo de este estudio fue el diseño y validación de un instrumento que mide concepciones y prácticas de evaluación de profesores universitarios (EPCEP). Se aplicó en una muestra (n=237) de académicos de una universidad privada tradicional regional pertenecientes a las facultades de Medicina, Ingeniería y Humanidades. El Análisis Factorial Confirmatorio sugiere una estructura de cuatro factores con un buen ajuste que coincide con lo hipotetizado en la literatura. Se concluye que el EPCEP posee adecuadas propiedades psicométricas para su uso en población docente. Sin embargo, se debe continuar la investigación para mejorar su confiabilidad. Este instrumento de fácil aplicación puede contribuir a la comprensión de los perfiles de evaluación de los académicos en el contexto de la educación superior.

Undergraduate research or research-based courses: Which is most beneficial for science students? Research in Science Education. 49(1), 91 – 107

Autores: Olivares, R; & González, C.

Abstract: Over the last 25 years, both research literature and practice-oriented reports have claimed the need for improving the quality of undergraduate science education through linking research and teaching. Two manners of doing this are reported: undergraduate research and research-based courses. Although there are studies reporting benefits of participating in these experiences, few synthesize their findings. In this article, we present a literature review aimed at synthesizing and comparing results of the impact of participating in these research experiences to establish which approach is most beneficial for students to develop as scientists. Twenty studies on student participation in undergraduate research and research-based courses were reviewed. Results show that both types of experiences have positive effects on students. These results have implications for both practice and research. Regarding practice, we propose ideas for designing and implementing experiences that combine both types of experiences. Concerning research, we identify some methodological limitations that should be addressed in further studies.

Reaction Is Not Enough: Decreasing Gendered Harassment in Academic Contexts in Chile, Hong Kong, and the United States. Educational Philosophy and Theory, Vol 69 (1), 17-33  

Autores: Liz Jackson & Ana Luisa Muñoz‐García

Abstract: In diverse academic spaces around the world, sexual and gendered harassment is increasingly recognized as a problem. High‐profile cases continue to emerge that underscore how gendered harassment is normalized in elite research contexts. In this article, Liz Jackson and Ana Luisa Muñoz‐García analyze three recent policy cases for decreasing sexual and gendered harassment. These cases involve three levels of analysis and three cultural contexts. The first is that of the higher education community in Chile; the second is the University of Hong Kong; and the third is the Philosophy of Education Society, an international academic society based in North America. In each case we analyze how sexual and gendered harassment has been (1) conceptualized, (2) responded to, and (3) contextualized. Through their analysis of these cases, Jackson and Muñoz‐García invite readers to reflect on practical and philosophical recommendations for moving forward antiharassment policies and programs, seen broadly.

La investigación en educación superior en Chile: una perspectiva sobre patrones de publicación y temas emergentes. Education Policy Analysis Archives (EPAA), Vol 7(100),  

Autores: Muñoz, A.L., Queupil, J.P., Bernasconi, A. & Véliz, D.

Abstract: En el contexto de un aumento en los últimos años de la producción de conocimiento en el área de estudios de educación superior en Chile, este artículo busca develar algunas de las tendencias que esa producción exhibe, así como los principales temas de investigación que ella aborda. Para ello, se revisan el número y distribución institucional de los proyectos de investigación financiados en el área, se presenta un análisis bibliométrico de las publicaciones del campo en Web of Science (WoS) y Scopus, y se ensaya un análisis de contenido de los trabajos indexados en WoS y en Scopus, todo ellos para el período 2005 a 2015. Nuestros resultados muestran una clara tendencia al alza en la cantidad de proyectos financiados y de artículos publicados. Las capacidades de investigación en este campo muestran estar distribuidas a través de varias universidades a lo largo de Chile, e involucrar no sólo a escuelas y facultades de educación, sino a otras unidades de diversos campos disciplinarios y profesionales. Los temas que emergen del análisis de contenido pueden agruparse en cuatro líneas principales de investigación: currículum, enseñanza y aprendizaje, trayectorias y experiencias de los estudiantes, profesión académica, y políticas de educación superior. Palabras clave: investigación educacional; investigación en educación superior; América Latina; universidades; análisis bibliométrico; análisis de contenido.

Intellectual Endogamy in the University: The Neoliberal Regulation of Academic Work Learning and Teaching 

Autores: Ana Luisa Muñoz-García

Abstract: This article aims to analyse the multiple ways in which the neoliberal regulation of knowledge is negotiated by returning Chilean scholars. The data gathered suggest the construction of knowledge is highly regulated by a principle of intellectual endogamy. Intellectual endogamy is characterised by conservatism, reflected in a lack of diversity in research themes and problems and maintained by a peer-review system that controls scholars’ access to research funds. However, it is also characterised by instrumentalism, which is reflected in the requirements for obtaining research funds, such as publications in indexed journals and discourses of efficiency and productivity. Both facets engender a neoliberal regulation of academic work. This research encourages an expansion of the conversation about how academic mobility affects knowledge construction.

Patterns of theory use in qualitative research in higher education studies in Latin America: a geopolitical interpretation. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, Vol 32 (5),
477-492

Autores: Guzmán- Valenzuela, C. & Barnett, R.

Abstract: The relationship between theory and qualitative research has been extensively examined in the literature and has emerged as a problematic matter. This debate has been driven forward mainly in Anglo-Saxon countries and has done scant justice to an understanding of these issues in regions of the South. This paper addresses this matter by drawing on a geopolitical perspective. The study here provides an analysis of 24 papers by Latin-American researchers in higher education, as included in the Web of Science between 2006 and 2015. Theories in Latin America are mainly produced in the North and exhibit two patterns: (i) critical perspectives are used to address local problems – ‘epistemic problematization’; and (ii) a nuancing of Northern theories so as to contextualize them – ‘epistemic nuancing’. Suggestions are also made for a new configuration of knowledge production in higher education studies – a model of knowledge from and for the South.

Generational Perceptions of Promotion and Tenure Expectations by Faculty in a Striving University: A Quest for Legitimacy? Higher Education Quaterly. Vol 73, 359–373.

Autores: Daniela Véliz, Susan K. Gardner

Abstract: Striving universities seek to gain prestige in the academic market. One characteristic of striving universities is a change in the faculty reward system. In this study, we examined historical promotion and tenure criteria in five disciplinary units at one striving university and then conducted interviews with senior faculty and recently tenured faculty in each unit to better understand the striving dynamics at play. Findings demonstrated that pressures to seek legitimacy were a result of the faculty themselves, the institution’s desire to gain legitimacy through an increased research profile and the disciplinary ties outside the university.

The role of women scholars in the Chilean collaborative educational research: a social network analysis.Higher Education: The International Journal of Higher Education Research, v78 n1 p115-131

Autores: Queupil, Juan Pablo; Muñoz-García, Ana Luisa

Abstract: Collaboration is an indispensable tool to promote and increase research. However, little is known about the role of women in collaborative efforts among educational scholars, especially in developing countries, such as Chile. We apply social network analysis (SNA) to examine the relationships and patterns that emerge from a dataset retrieved from Web of Science (WoS) of coauthored scholarly publications. Using sociograms and networks’ centrality indicators (density, degree, betweenness, and closeness) and bibliometric results, this study focuses on detecting the role of women in the collaborative networks. Our results show that the presence of women in the research space is stable across time, but they tend to collaborate more than men, acting as important “bridgers” since 2000, and that their contribution is relevant in promoting networking. This paper invites a reflection about the policies of research and gender, as well as the positionality of women doing knowledge on education.

Neoliberalism, Gender and Education Work. Routledge, 1st Edition

Autores: Sarah Ann Robert, Heidi Pitzer, Ana Luisa Munoz Garcia.

Abstract: How does neoliberalism in the education field shape who teachers are and what they can be? What are the effects of neoliberal logic on students? How is gender at the core of what it means to teach and learn in neoliberal educational institutions? Neoliberalism, Gender and Education Work examines the everyday labour of educating in a variety of contexts in order to answer these questions in new and productive ways. Neoliberal ideals of standardisation, accountability and entrepreneurialism are having undeniable effects on how we define teaching and learning. Gender is central to these definitions, with care work and other forms of affective labour simultaneously implicated in standards of teacher quality and undervalued in metrics of assessment. Gathering research from across four continents and education settings ranging from elementary school to higher education, to popular social movements, the methodologically diverse case studies in this book offer insight into how teachers and students negotiate the intertwined logics of neoliberalism and gender. Beyond an indictment of contemporary institutions, Neoliberalism, Gender and Education Work provides inspiration with its documentation of the creative practices and selfhoods emerging in the “cracks” of the neoliberal ideological apparatus.

Undergraduate students’ approaches to studying and perceptions of learning context: A comparison between China and Chile. Higher Education Research & Development. 37(7), 1530 – 1544.

Autores: Hongbiao, Y. & González, C.

Abstract: Based on responses from 2043 Chinese and 1669 Chilean undergraduate students, this study compared Chinese and Chilean students’ approaches to studying and perceptions of the learning context. The results show that Chinese students and male students were generally in a more unfavorable situation in terms of their approaches to studying and course experiences than their Chilean and female counterparts, and that students who were pursuing majors in science and engineering performed worse than students who were pursuing majors in the humanities and social sciences. Although the results regarding the relationship between approaches to studying and course experiences were largely consistent with previous findings, we highlight the different roles of good teaching and appropriate workload in the two samples. In our opinion, these findings reflect the characteristics of student learning in these two higher education systems and may relate to the cultural traditions of learning in China and Chile.

Biology and medicine students’ experience of the relationship between teaching and research. Higher Education. 76(5), 849 – 864.

Autores: Olivares, R; & González, C.

Abstract: In this study, we aim to deepen our understanding of how biology and medicine undergraduate students experience the relationship between teaching and research. Employing a phenomenographic approach, 34 final-year students of a Bachelor in Biological Sciences and a Bachelor of Medicine, from one research-oriented Chilean university, were interviewed. Four categories of description emerged from interviews analysis. These categories range from experiencing teaching and research as disconnected activities to experiencing the relationship between teaching and research as a space to develop higher order thinking skills. Additionally, three dimensions of variation presented a more detailed picture of their experience: role of students in the research process, teaching focus and learning spaces where research is experienced. Also, when comparing the students’ experiences, we found that medicine students, unlike those of biology, do not experience teaching and research as disconnected activities (category A). Besides, although both biology and medicine students experience the relationship between teaching and research as a space to develop thinking skills (category D), there is a difference between them regarding the type of skills that they can develop: analysis and problem-solving in biology and the ability to make informed decisions and raise scientific questions in medicine. These results provide useful insights on how students experience teaching and research activities and its relationship. This might prove useful to the university community to improve the way in which teaching and research are linked in the curriculum of undergraduate programmes, particularly in the biological sciences.

The impact of a university teaching development programme on student approaches to studying and learning experience: evidence from Chile. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education. 43(5), 597 – 709.

Autores: Marchant. J., González, C. & Fauré, J.

Abstract: In this paper, we analyse the impact of teacher participation in a University Teaching Diploma on student approaches to studying and learning experience. A quasi-experimental and multilevel design was employed. University teachers answered the Approaches to Teaching Inventory and students completed the Course Experience Questionnaire and the Study Process Questionnaire. In addition, contextual variables were included for both teachers and students. The total sample included 44 teachers and 686 students. Of these, 25 university teachers had completed the University Teaching Diploma and 19 had not; 373 students were in courses with a diploma teacher and 313 in courses were not. Results show that those university teachers who have completed the programme have, in their courses, students who were more likely to declare having adopted a deep approach to studying than those teachers who have not participated in the diploma. At the same time, no significant impact was found on the student learning experience. For practical purposes, this investigation provides evidence for the value of teaching development programmes in promoting deeper approaches to studying. For research purposes, it proposes the use of multilevel models to evaluate the impact of university teaching diplomas.

Acquiring skills in malignant hyperthermia crisis management: Comparison of high-fidelity simulation versus computer-based case study. Brazilian Journal of Anesthesiology. 68(May-June), 292 – 298.

Autores: Corvetto, M., González, C., Mejía, V., Altermatt, F. & Delfino, A.

Abstract: The primary purpose of this study was to compare the effect of high fidelity simulation versus a computer-based case solving self-study, in skills acquisition about malignant hyperthermia on first year anesthesiology residents. Methods: After institutional ethical committee approval, 31 first year anesthesiology residents were enrolled in this prospective randomized single-blinded study. Participants were randomized to either a High Fidelity Simulation Scenario or a computer-based Case Study about malignant hyperthermia. After the intervention, all subjects’ performance in was assessed through a high fidelity simulation scenario using a previously validated assessment rubric. Additionally, knowledge tests and a satisfaction survey were applied. Finally, a semi-structured interview was done to assess self-perception of reasoning process and decision-making. Results: 28 first year residents finished successfully the study. Resident’s management skill scores were globally higher in High Fidelity Simulation versus Case Study, however they were significant in 4 of the 8 performance rubric elements: recognize signs and symptoms (p = 0.025), prioritization of initial actions of management (p = 0.003), recognize complications (p = 0.025) and communication (p = 0.025). Average scores from pre- and post-test knowledge questionnaires improved from 74% to 85% in the High Fidelity Simulation group, and decreased from 78% to 75% in the Case Study group (p = 0.032). Regarding the qualitative analysis, there was no difference in factors influencing the student’s process of reasoning and decision-making with both teaching strategies. Conclusion: Simulation-based training with a malignant hyperthermia high-fidelity scenario was superior to computer-based case study, improving knowledge and skills in malignant hyperthermia crisis management, with a very good satisfaction level in anesthesia residents

Centralized student performance prediction in large courses based on low cost variables in an institutional context. The Internet & Higher Education. 37(April), 76 – 89.

Autores: Sandoval. A., González, C., Alarcón, R., Pichara, K. & Montenegro, M. 

Abstract: An increasing number of higher education institutions have deployed learning management systems (LMSs) to support learning and teaching processes. Accordingly, data-driven research has been conducted to understand the impact of student participation within these systems on student outcomes. However, most research has focused on small samples or has used variables that are expensive to measure, which limits its generalizability. This article presents a prediction model based on low-cost variables and a sophisticated algorithm, to predict early which students attending large classes (with more than 50 enrollments) who are at risk of failing a course. Therefore, it will enable instructors and educational managers to carry out early interventions to prevent course failure. The results overperform other approaches in terms of accuracy, cost, and generalization. Moreover, LMS usage information improved the model by up to 12.28% in terms of root-mean-square error, enabling better early identification of at-risk students.

Enhancing Equity in Higher Education: Institution-level Admissions Initiatives in Chile, Studies in Higher Education.

Autores: Santelices, M. V., Horn, C. & Catalán, X.

Abstract: During the last 10 years, a group of selective universities in Chile has started to implement admissions programs that consider the achievement of students in the context of the educational opportunities they have had, thus reducing reliance on the national college entrance exam. This study explores the program theories in a sample of these programs and their effects on access and academic outcomes. We use a mixed method approach: program theory is explored through the analysis of program documents and interviews, and the effects on access and outcomes are explored through descriptive and inferential statistics of institutional data. This study aims to contribute to the research exploring the evolution and outcomes of institutional admission reforms intended to tackle the problem of equity in higher education.

High School Ranking in University Admissions at a National Level: Theory of Action and Early Results from Chile. Higher Education Policy

Autores: Santelices, M.V., Catalán, X., Horn, C., Venegas, A 

Abstract: Alternative university admissions models like the recent consideration of high school ranking by universities in Chile offer the promise of increasing access to higher education by considering academic performance in context of opportunities to learn. The intent is to employ this policy without sacrificing predictive validity of college success. This study explores the theory of action of the high school ranking policy, as well as the high school ranking’s ability to predict students’ persistence in higher education system and in Chile’s higher education institutions using logistic regressions with fixed and random effects (intercepts) and country-wide data. The theory of action shows a main focus on access and a less intense emphasis on the goal of predicting academic success. The access goal is addressed through considerations during the admission process, and there are few efforts geared toward recruitment and graduation. Results also suggest that the high school ranking marginally helps predict college persistence at the institutional level, but only among students attending traditional universities. In light of results, it is recommended that traditional institutions keep working collaboratively to provide new admissions processes that are transparent, equitable, efficient and predict college success.

Academic Language as a Predictor of Reading Comprehension in Monolingual Spanish‐Speaking Readers: Evidence From Chilean Early Adolescents. Reading Research Quarterly, 53(2), 223–247. 

Autores: Meneses, A., Uccelli, P., Santelices, M. V., Ruiz, M., Acevedo, D., & Figueroa, J. 

Abstract: Although literacy achievement has improved in Chile, adolescents’ underperformance in reading comprehension is still a serious concern. In English, core academic-language skills (CALS) have been found to significantly predict reading comprehension, even controlling for academic vocabulary knowledge. CALS are high-utility language skills that support reading comprehension across school content areas. Guided by an operational definition of Spanish CALS (S-CALS), three goals drove this study: to develop two psychometrically reliable tests, the S-CALS Instrument and the Spanish Academic Vocabulary (S-AVoc) Test; to explore the dimensionality of core academic-language proficiencies, as measured by these two tests; and to examine the contribution of core academic-language proficiencies to reading comprehension. A cross-sectional sample of 810 Chilean students (grades 4–8) participated in four assessments that measured standardized reading comprehension, word-reading fluency, Spanish academic vocabulary, and S-CALS. Using classical test theory and item response theory analyses, results yielded robust reliability evidence for both instruments. Consistent with prior research, S-CALS and academic vocabulary scores displayed upward trends in higher grades yet considerable within-grade variability. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that S-CALS and S-AVoc were best conceptualized as part of a higher order construct, the Spanish core academic-language and vocabulary skills (S-CALVS). The aggregated S-CALVS scores predicted reading comprehension, beyond the contribution of grade, school factors, and word-reading fluency. This study advances our scientific understanding of CALS as relevant for adolescent literacy beyond the English language. The high-utility school-relevant language and vocabulary skills offer promising tools to inform and evaluate innovative reading comprehension interventions for Spanish-speaking adolescents.

Impacto de la Ayuda Financiera en la Persistencia: el Caso de la Universidad de Chile. Revista Iberoamericana De EvaluacióN Educativa, 11(2). 

Autores: Alarcón Valenzuela, M., Santelices, M., Horn, C., & González Soto, P. 

Abstract: La literatura internacional acerca de la persistencia en la educación superior sugiere que la ayuda financiera entregada a los estudiantes afecta positivamente sus resultados académicos. Sin embargo, en Chile existe escasa investigación respecto a este tema, y en particular no se diferencian los efectos de los distintos tipos de ayuda. De acuerdo a esto, el presente estudio tiene por objetivo explorar en qué medida los diferentes tipos y cantidades de ayuda financiera impactan la probabilidad de persistencia de los estudiantes de la Universidad de Chile. Métodos: se utilizó el modelo cuantitativo de supervivencia para el análisis de eventos históricos, el cual permite, a partir de datos longitudinales, estudiar cómo distintos factores se relacionan con la aparición de un evento en diferentes momentos del tiempo y determinar si estos tienen efectos que cambian en función del tiempo. Las variables utilizadas fueron académicas (carrera, notas, etc.), financieras (tipo de ayuda, montos, etc.) y socio-económicas (región de origen, tipo de establecimiento de educación secundaria, etc.). La información se obtuvo de tres bases de datos de la Universidad de Chile y se analizaron las cohortes de ingreso 2009 y 2010. Resultados y Discusión: los resultados muestran que el otorgamiento de una combinación de becas y préstamos estatales, institucionales y/o de origen privado aumenta la probabilidad de permanecer en la Universidad. En particular, se destaca que las becas de mantención tienen un mayor efecto que las ayudas de arancel, y, a su vez, el crédito tiene un mayor impacto que las becas.

Institution-level Admissions Initiatives in Chile: Enhancing Equity in Higher Education?, Studies in Higher Education, 44(4) 733-761

Autores: María Verónica Santelices, Catherine Horn & Ximena Catalán

Abstract: During the last 10 years, a group of selective universities in Chile has started to implement admissions programs that consider the achievement of students in the context of the educational opportunities they have had, thus reducing reliance on the national college entrance exam. This study explores the program theories in a sample of these programs and their effects on access and academic outcomes. We use a mixed method approach: program theory is explored through the analysis of program documents and interviews, and the effects on access and outcomes are explored through descriptive and inferential statistics of institutional data. This study aims to contribute to the research exploring the evolution and outcomes of institutional admission reforms intended to tackle the problem of equity in higher education.