Abdullah Kuzu

Student engagement scale: development, reliability and validity

In this study, the purpose was to develop a student engagement scale for higher education. The participants were 805 students. In the process of developing the item pool regarding the scale, related literature was examined in detail and interviews were held. Six factors – valuing, sense of belonging, cognitive engagement, peer relationships (emotional engagement-I), relationships with faculty members (emotional engagement-II) and behavioural engagement within the scope of the components of campus engagement and class engagement – made up of 41 items were identified. The total variance explained was 59%. A higher student engagement score was regarded as an indicator that the student had a high level of engagement with the university, campus and class, while a lower score demonstrated that the student’s engagement with the campus and class was weak or that disengagement could occur.

Confirmation of Campus-Class-Technology Model in student engagement

The Campus-Class-Technology (CCT) Model was confirmed.Valuing and sense of belonging predicted emotional engagement.Emotional engagement predicted behavioral engagement.Behavioral engagement predicted cognitive engagement.Use of technology in class and out of class increased student engagement. Student engagement is considered to be important for learning, performance, retention, persistence, experience and achievement. In order to understand and explain student engagement, some theories and models have been developed. The Campus-Class-Technology (CCT) Theory is one of these theories. The theory tries to explain the relationships between student engagement and technology theoretically. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of technology on student engagement and to examine the relationships between student engagement and technology use in class. For this purpose, the CCT Theory was tested with path analysis. The study was designed with the causal research method. The research sample was made up of 332 teacher students. Demographic Variables Form, Student Engagement Scale and Tendency Scale for Technology Use in Class were used as data collection tools. As a result of the analyses conducted regarding the test model, it was found out that the variables of valuing and belonging predicted emotional engagement while emotional engagement predicted behavioral engagement; lastly, behavioral engagement predicted cognitive engagement. Within the scope of the model, technology was found to be one of the causes which predicted and increased class engagement. The results of the study revealed that use of technology in class and out of class increased student engagement or had a facilitator role in the development of student engagement. Also, based on the results obtained, several suggestions were put forward for implementation, for higher education institutions and for future research to increase student engagement.

Change Readiness among Teaching Staff at Anadolu University, Turkey

Turkey’s Anadolu University is one of the world’s largest mega‐universities. It is engaged in strategic planning in response to changes in the expectations of the Turkish Higher Education Council and the community at large. In re‐examining its vision and strategic directions, Anadolu University needs to be informed on the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of its teaching staff, and the systems and support needed to assure their change readiness. This article examines the literature of organizational and educational change and its implications for the university. It reports on a study based on the relevant constructs from the literature and is designed to gauge the extent and nature of teaching staff knowledge, skills, practice, and research in educational and technological change, motivating and de‐motivating factors, change adopter types, and perceptions of the organizational climate for change. It considers the implications of these findings and draws conclusions about what would be needed to improve staff readiness for change.