Journal of Computing in Higher Education: Scope, Impact, and Research Trends

The Journal of Computing in Higher Education is a research publication focusing on the intersection of computing and tertiary education. Since its inception in 1990, the journal has served as a platform for researchers and practitioners to explore how technology can be leveraged to enhance teaching, learning, and administration within higher education settings. Published semi-annually by Springer US, the journal boasts an ISSN of 1042-1726 (print) and 1867-1233 (electronic). This article delves into the journal's scope, key metrics, prominent research topics, and its significance within the academic landscape.

Overview of Ranking and Metrics

The Journal of Computing in Higher Education holds a noteworthy position within the academic community, as reflected in its rankings and metrics. In the field of Computer Science, it is ranked at position 548, with the best scientists associated with the journal having 12 publications and a D-index of 11. In Social Sciences and Humanities, the journal is ranked 664, with 9 publications from top scientists and a D-index of 8.

Additional metrics that underline the impact and reach of the journal include:

Number of Best Scientists: 28
Documents by Best Scientists: 35
Top 100 Ranked Scientists: 0
SCIMAGO H-index: 56
SCIMAGO SJR: 1.623
Impact Factor: 4.9

These figures collectively showcase the journal's influence and its role in disseminating high-quality research in the domain of computing in higher education. The Impact Factor of 4.9, updated in June, reflects the frequency with which articles from the journal are cited, indicating its importance and relevance in the field. The 5-Year JIF stands at 5.2.

Core Research Areas

The Journal of Computing in Higher Education primarily focuses on the following research topics:

Educational Technology
Higher Education
Mathematics Education
Pedagogy
Multimedia

Educational Technology

The journal's exploration of Educational Technology encompasses various sub-disciplines, including teaching methods, instructional design, knowledge management, and distance education. Research in this area often addresses the integration of technology to improve learning outcomes and accessibility. The work on Educational technology tackled in the journal brings together disciplines like Teaching method, Instructional design, Knowledge management and Distance education.

Higher Education

Studies on Higher Education within the journal contribute to areas such as computer-assisted instruction, information technology, public relations, and the World Wide Web/Internet. These studies examine the impact of technology on various facets of higher education institutions. The studies on Higher education discussed can also contribute to research in the domains of Computer-Assisted Instruction, Information technology, Public relations and World Wide Web, The Internet.

Mathematics Education

While Mathematics Education is a central theme, the journal also provides insights into assessment and contextual language use within this field. This includes research on how technology can aid in the teaching and learning of mathematics. While Mathematics education is the focus of Journal of Computing in Higher Education, it also provided insights into the studies of Test (assessment) and Context (language use).

Pedagogy

Research on Pedagogy in the journal frequently intersects with computer-mediated communication, exploring how technology influences teaching practices and student-teacher interactions. Research on Pedagogy addressed in it frequently intersections with the field of Computer-mediated communication.

Multimedia

The journal's coverage of Multimedia applies to human-computer interaction, examining how multimedia technologies can enhance learning experiences and engagement. The studies tackled, which mainly focus on Multimedia, apply to Human-computer interaction as well. Hypermedia and Hypertext are closely related fields of research discussed in Journal of Computing in Higher Education.

Read also: Engaging Science Education

Highly Cited Papers

Several papers published in the Journal of Computing in Higher Education have garnered significant attention and citations within the academic community. Some of the most cited papers include:

"Classtalk: A classroom communication system for active learning" (425 citations)
"The Laptop and the Lecture: The Effects of Multitasking in Learning Environments" (387 citations)
"Design research: A socially responsible approach to instructional technology research in higher education" (345 citations)

These articles generally focus on subjects such as Educational technology, Higher education, Pedagogy, Mathematics education and Knowledge management. The most cited papers are focused mainly on Educational technology, particularly Technology integration. While work presented in the published papers provide substantial information on Higher education, it also covers topics in Computer-mediated communication, Class (computer programming), Distance education, World Wide Web and Academic achievement.

These papers highlight the journal's commitment to publishing impactful research that addresses critical issues in the field.

Recent Research Trends

The previous edition focused in particular on issues such as Law, The Internet, and Social science.

The journal investigates studies in Educational technology, Higher education, Mathematics education, Perception and Artificial intelligence. Issues in Educational technology were discussed, taking into consideration concepts from other disciplines like Test (assessment), Context (language use), Learning analytics, Cognitive load and Qualitative research. While Journal of Computing in Higher Education focused on Higher education, it was also able to explore topics like Knowledge management, Teaching method, Self-efficacy, Instructional design and Process (engineering).

Read also: Planning Education Research

In the Journal of Computing in Higher Education, Educational attainment and Agency (sociology) are investigated in conjunction with one another to address concerns in Mathematics education research. It addresses concerns in the field of Perception by exploring it in line with topics in Vocabulary which intersect with Exploratory research, Questionnaire, Business English, Virtual learning environment and Mobile-assisted language learning subjects. The journal focuses on Artificial intelligence but the discussions also offer insight into other areas such as Pronunciation and Natural language processing.

The most cited articles from the last journal are:

The effects of video lecture viewing strategies on cognitive load (6 citations)
Perceived user satisfaction and intention to use massive open online courses (MOOCs) (5 citations)
The COVID-19 pandemic and E-learning: challenges and opportunities from the perspective of students and instructors (4 citations)

Analysis of Publication and Authorship Trends

Top Authors

The top authors publishing in the Journal of Computing in Higher Education (based on the number of publications) are:

Carol B. MacKnight (13 papers)
Gary R. Morrison (8 papers)
William J. Gibbs (7 papers)
Mick O’Neil (6 papers)
Michael J. Hannafin (6 papers)

Top Affiliations

The top affiliations publishing in the Journal of Computing in Higher Education (based on the number of publications) are:

University of Massachusetts Amherst (25 papers)
Old Dominion University (18 papers)
University of Georgia (17 papers)
Pennsylvania State University (17 papers)
Purdue University (16 papers)

Publication Chance Based on Affiliation

During the most recent edition, 6.82% of publications had an unrecognized affiliation. Out of the publications with recognized affiliations, 24.39% were posted by at least one author from the top 10 institutions publishing in the journal. Another 7.32% included authors affiliated with research institutions from the top 11-20 affiliations. Institutions from the 21-50 range included 7.32% of all publications and 60.98% were from other institutions.

Returning Authors and Institutions

The Returning Authors Index illustrates the ratio of authors who participated in both a given as well as the previous edition of the journal in relation to all participants in a given year. The Returning Institution Index illustrates the ratio of institutions that participated in both a given and the previous edition of the conference in relation to all affiliations present in a given year.

Experience to Innovation Index

The experience to innovation index was created to show a cross-section of the experience level of authors publishing in a journal. The authors were divided into the following groups:

Novice - P < 5 or C < 25
Competent - P < 10 or C < 100
Experienced - P < 25 or C < 625
Master - P < 50 or C < 2500
Star - P ≥ 50 and C ≥ 2500

Significance for Researchers and Academics

Career Pathways in Education and Technology Research

For those interested in pursuing a career in educational technology or related fields, it may be beneficial to understand the research landscape, including prominent topics such as those covered in the Journal of Computing in Higher Education. Engaging with these research areas can significantly advance your understanding and provide insights into your potential career trajectory. Knowing the research landscape can equip and inspire you to contribute to the field, either by participating in cutting-edge research or transitioning to an instructional role in higher education. Further, understanding the prevalence of certain research topics can illuminate trending areas in your field and assist in setting your career and research goals. Alongside, make sure to keep abreast of the most-cited papers in prestigious journals such as the Journal of Computing in Higher Education. This will help you gain insights into the topics of highest interest and increase your proficiency in the field.

Choosing the Right Journal

Finding the right journal for research is crucial for maximizing its scholarly impact and contribution to the field. The choice of journal can significantly affect an academic career, making researchers more competitive for grants, tenure, and other professional opportunities.

Journal Information

Journal Title: Journal of Computing in Higher Education
Publisher: Springer US
ISSN: 10421726, 18671233
Journal Scope: Social Sciences
Country of Publisher: United States
Scopus CiteScore: 14.7
Scopus Coverage: 1989-2025
H-Index: 56
SJR: 1.623
Quartile: Education (Q1)
Open Access: No
Indexing: UGC CARE, Scopus, Web of Science (SSCI)

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