Exploring Quality in a University Department: Perspectives and Meanings

Alienation, agency and authenticity: a synthesis of the literature on student engagement

“…Yet engagement as autonomy also reflected student agency in terms of the need to disengage, to take time out (Case, 2007). Agency was also expressed as recognising power imbalance (Houston et al, 2008) However, there was also evidence of autonomy as disillusionment;…”

“… of students feeling churned out through the system, none the wiser (Houston et al, 2008)  of students expressing a diminished interest for their subject and career (due to intense engagement and work overload) (Case, 2007)  of a student gaining good grades yet being left with a sense of 'bluffing her way through the course' (Case et al, 2010:427) Disillusionment was also experienced due to students concern regarding tutors' responses towards their learning and growth (Bryson & Hand, 2007). Students were seen to hold expectations of what was acceptable to them in terms of their tutors behaviour, thus when a lack of respect or attention was demonstrated, students willingness to invest their time and effort was reciprocated.…”

“…In the context of disjunction, students expressed a sense of alienation, of feeling isolated within or from a group or activity to which they felt they should belong (Haggis & Pouget, 2002). Injustice was also reflected by an externalised cynicism and sense of unfairness (Houston et al, 2008). For example, one student expressed their disjunction as follows:…”

“…Then we are sucked out the other end, exhausted, disillusioned and sometimes none the wiser. (Houston et al, 2008:220) Barnett (2007) has argued that being a student is to be in a state of anxiety, not only over assessment, and feedback, and workload pressures, but also self-doubts about personal ability, of being able to contribute, of being able to grapple with uncertainty. It has come to light here that HE imposes a severe set of demands upon students, there is no hiding place, and disjunction is a reality for many, for which resilience is required by the student to endure and succeed.…”

Modeling systems thinking in action among higher education leaders with fuzzy multi-criteria decision making

“…4. Modeling systems change and improvement (Houston, Robertson and Prebble, 2008) depicts that leader has a structural approach to view each system and its component, knowing the 'problem map'. 5.…”