Planning and Strategic Management of Higher Education Considering the Vision of Latin America

A scoping review on what constitutes a good research culture

Background

The crisis in research culture is well documented, covering issues such as a tendency for quantity over quality, unhealthy competitive environments, and assessment based on publications, journal prestige and funding. In response, research institutions need to assess their own practices to promote and advocate for change in the current research ecosystem. The purpose of the scoping review was to explore ' What does the evidence say about the 'problem' with 'poor' research culture, what are the benefits of 'good' research culture, and what does 'good' look like?'

Aims

To examine the peer-reviewed and grey literature to explore the interplay between research culture, open research, career paths, recognition and rewards, and equality, diversity, and inclusion, as part of a larger programme of activity for a research institution.

Methods

A scoping review was undertaken. Six databases were searched along with grey literature. Eligible literature had relevance to academic research institutions, addressed research culture, and were published between January 2017 to May 2022. Evidence was mapped and themed to specific categories. The search strategy, screening and analysis took place between April-May 2022.

Results

1666 titles and abstracts, and 924 full text articles were assessed for eligibility. Of these, 253 articles met the eligibility criteria for inclusion. A purposive sampling of relevant websites was drawn from to complement the review, resulting in 102 records included in the review. Key areas for consideration were identified across the four themes of job security, wellbeing and equality of opportunity, teamwork and interdisciplinary, and research quality and accountability.

Conclusions

There are opportunities for research institutions to improve their own practice, however institutional solutions cannot act in isolation. Research institutions and research funders need to work together to build a more sustainable and inclusive research culture that is diverse in nature and supports individuals' well-being, career progression and performance.

Information and Communication Technologies for Education Considering the Flipped Learning Model

Technology development has been integrated into the educational environment and has led teachers to become much better trained in educational, technological tools. Currently, education is being transformed; for this, there are new methodological approaches, and education needs the integration of digital tools. Previously and still today, traditional and not very creative strategies are applied in the teaching–learning process, which does not fully contribute to the progress of education. The present work focuses on using Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), considering the Flipped Learning Model (FL), an active methodology. However, it is also essential to know the appropriate ICT to apply during the learning process. The Information and Communication Technologies articulated with the Flipped Learning Model benefits and motivates students; in this way, through collaborative learning, communication between classmates and teachers is favored; in addition, it encourages autonomous work, helps the analysis of the contents in each of the subjects, and favors the construction of new knowledge. Therefore, knowing which ICTs are incorporated as the most efficient in the Flipped Learning Model is necessary. In this way, it is required to obtain information about the ICTs teachers have preferred to apply within the Flipped Learning Model and which ones are recommended from the classroom experience. The work shows which ICTs are most used and which ones benefit students to obtain significant learning. Consequently, considering the application of ICT and Flipped Learning in educational communities is a way to innovate the teaching–learning process.

Methodological Experience in the Teaching-Learning of the English Language for Students with Visual Impairment

This document evidences an innovative methodological vision in the teaching-learning process of the English language focused on the inclusion of all its students in a heterogeneous learning environment. Learning a foreign language as a second language is a challenge that all students must overcome, but this challenge is more significant in visually impaired students. Therefore, the present research is based on a historical, descriptive process that reviews high-impact scientific articles supported by recognized databases. Later on, it warns about breaking down the stages of the process, supporting the analytical method, and then joining each stage, starting from the simple to the complex using the synthetic method, thus consummating a complete analytical-synthetic process. In this way, the present work shows a description of the methodological experience from a set of good practices for visually impaired students in the classroom environment. The proposed work systematizes the methodology applied in the educational process and categorizes the stages of the methodological process developed according to the skills and abilities required for learning by using typhlo-technical tools. On the other hand, the research determines a route map that allows and facilitates the management of the method implemented in learning the English language for students with visual impairment. Consequently, this constitutes a valid alternative for educational inclusion within an innovative environment that welcomes the use of information and communication technologies to achieve the natural inclusion and autonomous participation of students with visual impairment.

Educational Innovation in the Evaluation Processes within the Flipped and Blended Learning Models

Nowadays, several institutions and universities have employed Flipped and Blended Learning models in the educational context. Consequently, these models advance correctly in the classrooms; students become more able to build their knowledge and develop their skills with technological innovation that could be compared with studies based on technological achievements and accessible data Tics. Therefore, this article proposes educational innovation in the evaluation processes within the FL and BL learning models to ensure active and interactive education. In this work, a bibliometric analysis of 2000 scientific articles from the Web of Science and Scopus databases has been carried out, thus making it possible to identify countries and universities with constant and relevant use of these learning models, as well as a comparison with these databases of articles, citations and their global impact. On the other hand, a survey was conducted with 41 teachers of different subjects and 385 students from elementary school to high school using the Likert scale. The questions were represented in perception values with their respective analysis of results and evaluations about these learning models, technological resources, flexible curriculum, learning before class, autonomous learning, and future professional competencies, which will help us know the existing motivation between them.