Education with(out) distinction: beyond graduate attributes for Chinese international students

The recent explosion of Chinese students in Australian universities presents serious challenges for staff in higher education as we try to meet the conflicting demands of our positions. On one hand, we must offer diverse international students opportunity to compete equitably with their Australian counterparts and to receive an appropriate ‘Western’ education; on the other, we must work within the university's education policies which, ironically, have become increasingly homogenising. We here suggest that Confucian philosophy can offer us two-fold insight: first, into the ‘educability’ of international students and, second, into our roles as education providers. In this paper we present the philosophy, curriculum and outcomes of a 3rd-year Asian Studies course targeted exclusively to speakers of Chinese, in order to evaluate the importance of providing these students with fair and rigorous opportunities that are directly relevant to their educational aspirations. This course was specifically designed to meet the university's mandated ‘graduate attributes’ by developing students' command of written critique following ‘Western’ conventions of logical argument and without plagiarism. It is based on a theoretically transcultural ‘pedagogy of connection’ and, significantly, it is conducted bilingually in English and Chinese. Through a qualitative, constructivist analysis of this course, we argue the importance of dismantling the dominant, invisible, monolingual framing of Australian higher education in the strategic practice of course design, delivery and assessment so that prescribed Anglo-Celtic institutional goals can be realised equitably for international students.     

Students as partners in evaluation: student and teacher perspectives

Most course evaluation in higher education is designed and conducted by university staff and rarely are students given central responsibility for planning and implementing an evaluation. Involving students as partners in educational evaluation may offer them authentic ways to develop professional skills. We describe an ‘education option’ that involved five students in designing and conducting an evaluation of the Virtual Anatomy Tutor (VAT), an online learning resource for medical students, and report both student and staff reflections on the process. The experience gained by the five students can be transferred to other settings which provide opportunities for student designed and conducted evaluation of learning resources.     

Health Science Curriculum Reform: A framework for evaluation

This paper presents a framework for evaluating curriculum changes undertaken in the University of Sydney's Faculty of Health Sciences. In a climate of shrinking resources for higher education in Australia and an international move away from 'mono-disciplinary' educational practices, the Faculty of Health Sciences has undertaken curriculum reform to decrease the staff time associated with preparing and delivering many versions of similar units of study and increase the opportunities for disciplinary mingling at an undergraduate level. Twenty-nine cross-disciplinary units of study in which students from a range of disciplines will work together have been introduced to replace 100 units of study unique to individual disciplines. It is expected that the curriculum changes will create savings in terms of staff time that can be diverted to other activities, such as research, reduce the workload demands of assessment on staff and students and improve students' learning experiences, particularly with regard to working in teams, multidisciplinary teaching and learning environments and overall course satisfaction. The paper presents a framework of cost-consequence analysis for evaluating the curriculum changes and presents some preliminary comparative data.     

Simultaneous Delivery of a Face-to-Face Course to On-Campus and Remote Off-Campus Students

The purpose of this case study was to determine the feasibility of delivering a course on-campus and in real time, simultaneously transmitting it to students who were remotely accessing the same course. In future years, it is anticipated that universities will have inadequate physical facilities to meet the demands of an increasing student population. Additionally, with warnings of impending pandemics, universities need to be prepared to deliver courses in alternative ways to ensure continuity of instruction. Thus, this pilot project was designed to deliver a course to a large section of students while also allowing off-campus students access to the course in real time. The planning and delivery of the course is described, including the technology used, the support provided by the university and technology support staff, the course that was used for the pilot project, and how students were selected to participate as the off-campus students. The perspectives of the instructor, teaching assistant, students (both on- and off-campus), and technology support personnel are summarized.     

Learning by Doing

We argue that a simple research project based on the model of apprenticeship research characteristics of natural science education can supply some of the qualities valued in social science and humanities education. This paper describes the execution of one such project with second year students in political science in enough detail to allow others to use it as a model of departure. The discussion is informed by the relevant literature. Care is taken to identify generic problems that may be expected. Our experience was that the project was a success for both students and staff.     

Preparing academic staff to use ICTs in support of student learning

There is pressure on academic staff to respond to changes produced by the increasing globalization of education markets, and the capacities of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to transform the ways education is delivered. This presents a serious challenge for many academics whose own formative educational experiences and professional orientations were shaped under different circumstances. This paper will focus on an innovative scheme designed to support university staff in their understanding and application of ICTs in student learning. The course was delivered to a small pilot group of experienced teaching staff who wished to explore the uses of ICTs. It aimed to provide an understanding of the available technologies, and how these might be utilized in the support of teaching, learning and assessment. Throughout the course's duration, one of the authors conducted an independent evaluative programme of research involving confidential questionnaires and observation sessions. The paper's two remaining authors have made further contributions as participant and course leader. Combining these sources of data, the paper reviews the course evaluation and discusses how staff approached the development and use of ICTs with varying levels of confidence, and with different practical issues and agendas concerning the incorporation of ICTs in teaching and learning. Placing the study's major themes within the changing contexts facing university staff, it concludes with a discussion of its wider implications for all practitioners involved in staff development that is both general and ICT-specific.     

The Complexities of Effective Mentoring in Initial Teacher Education

Mentoring is now widespread in initial teacher education. However, it is by no means clear that research identifying the complexities of the role, the demands it places on teachers, and what they seem able and unable to do is either keeping pace with, or informing, change. This paper attempts to identify both problematic and unproblematic issues related to the role through the development of case studies of mentors working with students on a one year secondary mathematics PGCE course. The research points to a need for all those engaged in initial teacher education to support mentors in recognising students as learners who are best served by discussing with them the realities and difficulties of practice in school rather than presenting them with idealised views of teaching.     

学前教育专业钢琴即兴伴奏课的效能审视

＂弹＂是学前教育专业学生应该具备的弹、唱、跳、说、画五项专业基本功之一,它包含两个方面的内容,即钢琴曲的演奏和为幼儿歌曲即兴配伴奏。其中,为幼儿歌曲即兴配伴奏是＂弹＂的主要内容,这是由其专业性质和学时决定的。对于学前教育专业的学生而言,熟练地掌握这一技能,将会给其未来的工作带来极大的惠利。目前,学前教育专业学生在钢琴即兴伴奏上存在思想上不够重视、技能偏低、理论欠缺的问题,教学中把即兴伴奏课等同于钢琴教学、过分强调选配和弦的合理性、重理论轻实践等现象制约着学生即兴伴奏能力的提高。培养信心、改革课程、强化实践可以有效提高学生的即兴伴奏能力。     

Cooperation in European Construction Education: The Development of the Master's Degree Course in European Construction Engineering

The Master's degree course in European Construction Engineering has many unique features. Its students come from several different European countries, each student studies in at least three different European locations, and the teaching staff are drawn from seven different European universities. The course is therefore genuinely multinational and European. The development and delivery of the course over the past 6 years has revealed fundamental differences in European education practices which have provided a learning experience for both students and staff. This paper describes the course development and discusses some of the issues that have arisen during the development process, many of which are yet to be finally resolved.     

Addressing the Transition to Tertiary Education in Engineering

The transition to university is considerably more complex for both students and staff than it was a few years ago. For example, class sizes and the cultural diversity of students have increased, while the academic ability of students has decreased. If we are to produce engineering professionals who possess the necessary attributes for lifelong learning, then there needs to be a paradigm shift in the way first‐year students are treated. To this end, an orientation programme designed to break the ice between students and staff and among students, and a staff‐student mentoring scheme have been implemented in the School of Mechanical, Manufacturing and Medical Engineering at the Queensland University of Technology. A new course unit, Technology and Society, designed specifically to improve the teamwork and communication skills of students, has also been implemented. This unit is designed to increase students’ awareness of the university's facilities and its expectations and to provide an overview of the many facets of the engineering discipline. Each programme has been considered to be a success by both students and staff. This paper emphasizes the need to accommodate the growing cultural and educational diversity of first‐year students, the impersonal feeling of a university, the ‘little fish in a big pond’ feeling, the feeling of not knowing any university staff, especially academics, and not knowing what is really expected of them, especially in terms of learning strategies and how their chosen field of study fits into the more global aspects of the community.     

基于QFD的高校经管类课程教学质量改进——以《质量管理》课程为例

课程是组成高校教学的基本单元,保证每门课程的教学质量是提高高等教育质量的关键。将QFD方法运用到提高课程教学质量的过程中,以《质量管理》课程为调查对象,获取学生所关注的质量需求,通过需求分析,构造教学质量设计和教学模块质量屋,确定关键的质量要素,并针对这些要素设置改进目标,提出重塑教师角色、增进互动交流、加强实践环节、采取多元化评价和全方位考核等具体措施。     

定向化:普通高校办成人教育的一种好形式

“定向化设班” ,指高校成人教育中 ,学校对特定单位团体专门设班进行教学和管理。它能展现普通高校的长处和优点 ,开拓生源 ;使教学从被动到主动———有的放矢 ,兼顾工学 ,活跃第二课堂 ;能提高管理效能———加强师生沟通 ,丰富考勤管理手段 ,培植办学资源 ;能显效提高单位部门职员的学历水平和综合素质 ,把教育培训纳入日常的管理工作之中 ,将管理延伸到八小时以外。学校要立足需求 ,灵活操作 ;单位的观念及配套政策是学习成效、价值能否体现的关键。     

关于高职院校思政理论课教学方法的几点思考

近年来,随着我国各高职院校教育水平的不断完善与提高,其思政理论课教学质量在改革上同样也取得了一定的成效.但是,当前社会对实用型和复合型人才需求迫切,而高职院校思政理论课还未充分发挥其对学生思想政治教育的作用,因此,思政理论课的教学改革还有待于提高.文章从几个方面入手,阐述了高职院校思政理论课教学改革中出现的问题并提出相应的解决方法.     

高校体育专业学生思想政治教育模式探析

高校体育专业学生的思想政治教育工作是高校学生工作的难点,由于各种因素的影响导致实效性较差,始终困扰着许多高校的教育管理工作者。为解决此难点,需要在教育与管理相结合模式的基础上,制定科学的规章制度、完善管理机制、建立一支高素质的管理队伍,以提高高校体育专业学生思想政治工作的实效性。     

高校思想政治理论课师资队伍建设研究——以福建省为例

高校思想政治理论课师资队伍建设非常重要,既是社会主义荣辱观教育、构建和谐社会的必然要求,又是高等教育改革和发展的重要内容,关系到大学生思想政治教育的落实及其质量的提高。调查发现,高校思想政治理论课师资队伍整体良好,同时也存在不少问题。作为一项系统工程,高校思想政治理论课师资队伍建设必须多管齐下,通过健全管理机制、提供制度保障,创建良好氛围、落实扶持政策,增加教学投入、改善教学条件,加大培训力度、优化师资结构,改进教学方法、提高科研能力等途径,最终促进思想政治理论课教师整体素质的提高,优化师资队伍。     

Monitoring the Use of a Staff Student Liaison Committee for Feedback in Quality Engineering Education

The paper explores the use of a staff student liaison committee (SSLC) as one of the mechanisms for assuring quality in civil engineering education. The School of Civil Engineering at the Queensland University of Technology, Australia, is used as a case study. The school has a SSLC which meets about six times per year and has representatives of all undergraduate courses and some academic staff. It was thought that the SSLC was well regarded by staff and students and contributed to the learning experience of students within the school. A questionnaire was used to ascertain the views of staff and students regarding the effectiveness of the committee in promoting good quality education. The findings indicated that the SSLC was playing an important role, but that it was not as well regarded as academic staff thought, and that many students were not fully aware of its activities. The school has used the findings to adopt new methods of distributing information to the student body and for ascertaining student opinion, principally electronically.     

高职公共英语与专业英语教学的衔接与融合

当前高职公共英语和专业英语的教学存在着较为严重的脱节,主要表现在教学理念、师资配备和课程设置等几个方面。由此提出高职公共英语与专业英语教学的衔接对策,拟促进两者的融合,使高职英语教学更好为培养职业性和专业性人才服务。     

四川民族学院实施体育选项课的调查研究

通过学生对四川民族学院公共体育选项教学模式的认知态度、兴趣趋向性、项目的选择方面进行随机抽样调查;对师资队伍状况与发展方向进行分析。结果表明：有75%的学生认为有必要继续开设体育选项课;学生的兴趣趋向依次为休闲娱乐性、竞技性、健美性和健身性;学生选项排列在前三项的依次为羽毛球、乒乓球、健美操;学生在第三学期的选项中存在随意、轻率等现象。教师队伍呈年轻化,职称结构趋于合理,专业特点集中于球类、健美操,高学历人才匮乏,应把更多的精力投入到体育教学理念和教学方法的研究与实践上。     

The Implementation of Progress Files in Higher Education: Reflection as National Policy

Progress files, involving personal development planning (PDP), are becoming a feature of many higher education systems internationally. In the UK they will become mandatory for all undergraduate students from 2005. This presents a major implementation challenge, because while reflection has been a cornerstone of practice in some areas of higher education for a considerable time, its generalisation as national policy changes its discursive location. The paper presents findings from a case study of the implementation of PF in one UK Higher Education Institution (HEI). It reports on how staff in one institution understand PF in the context of national policy, and on how they interpret the challenges they face in facilitating reflection for all students. The paper argues that pedagogical innovations take on a different meaning when applied to the system as a whole.