Dynamics of the Contemporary University

Dynamics of the Contemporary University
Author: Neil J. Smelser
Publisher: Univ of California Press
Total Pages: 149
Release: 2013-03-15
Genre: Education
ISBN: 0520275810

This book is an expanded version of the Clark Kerr Lectures of 2012, delivered by Neil Smelser at the University of California at Berkeley in January and February of that year. The initial exposition is of a theory of change—labeled structural accretion—that has characterized the history of American higher education, mainly (but not exclusively) of universities. The essence of the theory is that institutions of higher education progressively add functions, structures, and constituencies as they grow, but seldom shed them, yielding increasingly complex structures. The first two lectures trace the multiple ramifications of this principle into other arenas, including the essence of complexity in the academic setting, the solidification of academic disciplines and departments, changes in faculty roles and the academic community, the growth of political constituencies, academic administration and governance, and academic stratification by prestige. In closing, Smelser analyzes a number of contemporary trends and problems that are superimposed on the already-complex structures of higher education, such as the diminishing public support without alterations of governance and accountability, the increasing pattern of commercialization in higher education, the growth of distance-learning and for-profit institutions, and the spectacular growth of temporary and part-time faculty.

The Dynamics of Change in Higher Education

The Dynamics of Change in Higher Education
Author: Svein Kyvik
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 224
Release: 2008-12-25
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1402092482

In most Western European countries, higher education has to an increasing extent been developing outside universities, partly through the establishment of new ins- tutions, and partly through the upgrading of professional and vocational schools into higher education colleges. The main trend in countries with a binary system has been that student numbers have increased more in the college sector than in the university sector. Yet, there is a shortage of in-depth studies on the changes that have taken place in this part of the educational system, and on the processes that have driven this development. The aim of this book is to improve our understanding of these processes, through developing concepts and theoretical perspectives which might offer new insights of complex phenomena. This book is based upon a large number of studies on college education in Norway and in other Western European countries. I have studied change processes in this field over a period stretching back to the late 1970s (Kyvik 1981), and this book synthesises my former publications, as well as updates the development until August 2008, and presents new analyses based on my gradual attainment of deeper insight into the processes that have taken place.

Reform and Change in Higher Education

Reform and Change in Higher Education
Author: Consortium of Higher Education Researchers. Conference
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 392
Release: 2005-04-05
Genre: Education
ISBN: 9781402034022

This volume offers a comprehensive discussion of implementation analysis in higher education and an extensive review of relevant recent literature. Coverage analyzes the effective and specific complexities of the implementation of higher education policies in several countries, including: Australia, Austria, Finland, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, South Africa, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Managing Reform in Universities

Managing Reform in Universities
Author: B. Stensaker
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
Total Pages: 248
Release: 2013-01-01
Genre: Education
ISBN: 9781349336203

This collection, now in paperback, explores how universities are coping with the range of reforms and changes taking place across higher education today. Analyzing areas such as leadership, quality management, strategic thinking, collegiality and academic work, and from the perspective of different agents within higher education including students, academics and management, this book examines the various differences between reform attempts and the actual changes happening in universities.

Student Activism and Curricular Change in Higher Education

Student Activism and Curricular Change in Higher Education
Author: Mikaila Mariel Lemonik Arthur
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 213
Release: 2016-04-01
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1317048970

While higher education is still far from universal in the United States, it plays an increasingly large role in shaping our collective understanding of what knowledge counts as legitimate and important. Therefore, understanding the college curriculum and how it is changed and shaped helps us to understand the overall dynamics of knowledge in contemporary society. This book considers the emergence of three curricular fields that have developed and spread over the past half century in American higher education - Women's studies, Asian American studies and Queer/LGBT studies. It details the broader history of their development as knowledge fields and then explains how, when, and why individual colleges and universities may choose to adopt such innovations. Based on in-depth case studies of curricular change processes at six colleges and universities across the United States, the book demonstrates that social movements targeting colleges and universities play a major role in curricular change and sets forward a new model for understanding what it takes for social movements targeting organizations to make an impact.

Handbook of Research on Administration, Policy, and Leadership in Higher Education

Handbook of Research on Administration, Policy, and Leadership in Higher Education
Author: Mukerji, Siran
Publisher: IGI Global
Total Pages: 707
Release: 2016-09-27
Genre: Education
ISBN: 152250673X

The creation of a sustainable and accessible higher education systems is a pivotal goal in modern society. Adopting strategic frameworks and innovative techniques allows institutions to achieve this objective. The Handbook of Research on Administration, Policy, and Leadership in Higher Education is an authoritative reference source for the latest scholarly research on contemporary management issues in educational institutions and presents best practices to improve policies and retain effective governance. Addressing the current state of higher education at an international level, this book is ideally designed for academicians, educational administrators, researchers, and professionals.

Technical Universities

Technical Universities
Author: Anders Broström
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 245
Release: 2020
Genre: Comparative education
ISBN: 3030505553

This Open Access book analyses the past, present and future of the technical university as a single faculty independent institution. The point of departure is a view of changing academic realities, through which the identity as a technical university is challenged and reconstituted. More specifically, the book connects the development of technical universities to changes in the structure and dimensioning of national higher education systems, to changes in the disciplinary basis of academic research and to changes in the governance of higher education institutions. Introduced in the age of industrialization, polytechnical schools rose to prominence in many national settings during the second half of the 19th century. Over time, new technologies have been developed and incorporated into the repertoire, and waves of academisation have swept over the former polytechnics, transforming them into technical universities. Their traditions and brands, however, prevail. Several technical universities are included among the most prestigious academic institutions of their nations and the training of engineers and engineering research still enjoys a high level of prestige and national priority, e.g. in the context of innovation and industrial policy. But the world keeps changing, and the higher education sector with it. Will technical universities have an equally attractive position within university systems in the decades to come? .--

University Dynamics and European Integration

University Dynamics and European Integration
Author: Peter Maassen
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 248
Release: 2007-07-23
Genre: Education
ISBN: 140205971X

This book explores the visions underlying the attempts to reform the European University as well as two European integration processes. It presents a framework for analyzing ongoing modernization reforms and reform debates that take place at various governance levels and a long-term research agenda. It convincingly argues why the knowledge basis under the current University reforms in Europe should be considerably strengthened.

Dynamics of Organizational Change and Learning

Dynamics of Organizational Change and Learning
Author: Jaap Boonstra
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 512
Release: 2008-04-15
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 0470751924

This handbook focuses on the complex processes and problems of organizational change and relates current knowledge of individual and group psychology to the understanding of the dynamics of change. Complementary and competing insights are presented as overviews of theory and research Offers helpful insights about choosing models and methods in specific situations Chapters by international authors of the highest quality

Promoting Inclusive Classroom Dynamics in Higher Education

Promoting Inclusive Classroom Dynamics in Higher Education
Author: Kathryn C. Oleson
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Total Pages: 206
Release: 2023-07-03
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1000978028

This powerful, practical resource helps faculty create an inclusive dynamic in their classrooms, so that all students are set up to succeed. Grounded in research and theory (including educational psychology, scholarship of teaching and learning, intergroup dialogue, and social justice theory), this book provides practical solutions to help faculty create an inclusive learning environment in which all students can thrive. Each chapter focuses on palpable ideas and adaptive strategies to use right away when teaching. The first chapter consider professors’ intersecting personal and social identities and their expectations for themselves and their students. Chapter 2 considers students’ backgrounds, including class, race, disability, and gender, and focuses on what students bring to the classroom, exploring their basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and belonging; their approaches to learning; and their self-doubts and uncertainties. Chapter 3 draws on universally-designed learning in combination with educational design rooted in social justice and multiculturalism to describe ways to design spaces in which students flourish academically. Two chapters focus on classroom dynamics. Chapter 4 primarily focuses on preparation for having difficult conversations in the classroom, considering how instructors can create a shared understanding between themselves and their students. Chapter 5 focuses on in-the-moment strategies to both create and manage discomfort about sensitive and controversial topics while supporting students of various social identities (such as gender, race, disability). In the closing chapter, the author integrates all the elements in the preceding chapters, and also presents more general college-wide programs to help faculty develop and improve their teaching.