Higher education, as a field, gained steam in the 1960s and has continued to grow (Hendrickson, 2014). Data from the National Center for Education Statistics reveal and increase of 26% in master’s and doctoral degrees conferred in the area of higher education or higher education administration between 2011-2012 and 2015-2016. (NCES, 2013; NCES, 2017). The majority of these degrees are master’s level with over 3,000 master’s degrees awarded in 2015-2016. While scholars debate the classification of higher education as a discipline, the increasing pursuit of degrees in this area exemplifies the demand and raises questions about expected outcomes (Hendrickson, 2014; Wright, 2007).
The study of the field of higher education is complex and continually evolving (Wright, 2007). Scholars have proposed core domains of knowledge that should be integrated into program curriculum and reflected in expected program outcomes (Hendrickson, 2014; Goodchild, 2014). Hendrickson (2014) suggests five core domains (p. 233):
- History and evolution of higher education institutions and systems
- Structure and functions of higher education organizations and the interplay with the external environment
- Organizational theory applied to higher education organizations
- Development of curriculum to foster learning
- Students and their development
Research advancing knowledge in these domains is supported by a host of professional associations including the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE). The theme of the 2018 ASHE annual conference was “envisioning the woke academy” with program sections in seven areas aligning closely with relevant research cited above:
- Students
- Organization, administration, and leadership
- Faculty
- Contexts, methods, and foundations
- Policy, finance, and economics
- International
- Community-engaged research
Education research such as that supported by ASHE must focus on complex issues within education in order to advance the field. Ball and Forzani (2007) describe this as focusing on instructional dynamics, which requires researchers to consider the interactions between learners, teachers, and environmental contexts. The research presented at the 2018 ASHE conference exemplifies this exact focus by challenging higher education administrators and faculty to critically consider the history and ongoing oppression and its impact on teaching and learning. Individual sessions align well with the overall theme as exemplified by session titles such as “Mystery of Iniquity: Exploring the Career Advancement of Minoritized Faculty” and “Addressing Power in Data Collection by Incorporating Participant-Generated Visual Methods into Research Designs: A Woke Workshop.” The conference provides a well-rounded program covering major domains related to the study of higher education as highlighted in the literature. From a review of the program, it does not appear that any gaps exist in the topics presented at the conference.
Reviewing literature and conference proceedings in this area revealed a possible outlet for my own research on organizational learning to facilitate ongoing innovation at colleges and universities. My research directly aligns with the topical programs at the 2018 ASHE conference, specifically with the organization, administration, and leadership area including sessions such as “In the News: Public Perception Influences on Higher Education,” “Networks and New Approaches,” and “Institutional Agents and Power Dynamics.” Additionally, one session “Beyond Main Hall: Collaboration and Community Engagement” includes numerous presenters with research on institutional decisions and processes as well as promoting cross-departmental collaboration for innovation. This exploration into the study of higher education has provided sources from which I can gain new insights and connect with potential future collaborators. I share this in hopes that others may find similar pathways to sharing ideas and collaborating with colleagues.
References
Ball, D. & Forzani, F. (2007). What makes educational research “educational”? Educational Researcher, 36(9), 529-540.
Goodchild, L. (2014). Higher education as a field of study: Its history, degree programs, associations, and national guidelines. In S. Freeman, L. Hagedorn, L. Goodchild & D. Wright (Eds.), Advancing higher education as a field of study: In quest of doctoral degree guidelines (pp. 13-50). Sterling, VA: Stylus.
Hendrickson, R. (2014). The core knowledge of higher education. In S. Freeman, L. Hagedorn, L. Goodchild & D. Wright (Eds.), Advancing higher education as a field of study: In quest of doctoral degree guidelines (pp. 229-240). Sterling, VA: Stylus.
NCES. (2013). Digest of education statistics. Retrieved from https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d13/tables/dt13_318.30.asp.
NCES. (2017). Digest of education statistics Retrieved from https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d17/tables/dt17_318.30.asp.
Wright, D. (2007). Progress in the development of higher education as a specialized field of study. In D. Wright & M. Miller (Eds.), Training higher education policy makers and leaders (pp. 19-34). Charlotte, NC: Information Age.
