Teaching for Democracy in Higher Education

Britain, South Africa and Russia all have national policies that acknowledge that higher education should play a role in the development of democracy. This paper reports how a group of teaching staff in British, South African and Russian universities view the relationships between their teaching and their understandings of its democratic purposes. There are some common ways in which the relationship between teaching and democracy is understood. These point towards a concern for greater equality between teachers and learners. There is also a widely held view that globalisation may impact in ways which are counter to lecturers' educational and democratic purposes. However, the different cultures and histories of the countries heavily influence such understandings. The study suggests that professional development of university teachers might pay more attention to the democratic purposes of higher education.     

Joining the Learning Society and working in the NHS: some issues

In this paper we discuss the concept of the Learning Society in relation to staff working in the NHS (National Health Service) and taking part in formal courses. We outline the changing context within the NHS and draw on evidence from interviews with 38 participants on two courses. While motives for participation in courses were mixed, many staff felt under some pressure to engage in formal courses and in some cases undertook work‐related training in their own time and at their own expense. We conclude by discussing the implications of these findings for the development of a Learning Society.     

Transforming the College through Technology: A Change of Culture

In this article we address the implementation of sustainable technological change among the faculty, staff, and students in the College of Education and Human Services at a mid-western urban institution. We examine cultural factors common to institutions of higher education and then describe particular planning and implementation processes employed at one institution to move faculty and staff from a state of minimal technology use to one of substantial technological competence over a period of years. The process turns out to be robust and stable despite growth over time. We conclude with recommendations for other educational institutions facing similar needs for cultural change in the use of technology. James A. McLoughlin has been Dean of the College of Education and Human Services at Cleveland State University since 1995 and Interim Provost from 2000 to 2001; he received his Ph.D. in Special Education from the University of Arizona. Lih-Ching Chen Wang is a Fulbright Scholar. She is currently an Associate Professor of Education in the Department of Curriculum and Foundations at Cleveland State University. Her work focuses on the integration of technology into teacher education. She holds a Ph.D. in Instructional Technology from Kent State University. William A. Beasley is a Professor of Education who specializes in Educational Technology and runs the Center for Teaching Excellence at Cleveland State University. He holds an Ed. D. in Gifted Education from the University of Georgia.     

Theories of staff development: Progress and power

Abstract

This is the second of two papers which together consider a range of theoretical frames for the interpretation of educational and staff development. The first paper (Webb, 1996c) considered origins of the word ‘development’ and some of the problems caused by its association with ideas of growth and evolution. An alternative approach was presented from the tradition of hermeneutics and human understanding. However, the possibilities for human understanding in staff development and teacher‐student relationships are put at risk by power inequalities. In the present paper this point is developed in terms of a critical theory of society, education and staff development and the associated methods of action research. Claims that critical theory and action research offer a progressive path for staff development are discussed. The question of power is then revisited in terms of post‐modernism, and some consequences for educational and staff development when viewed from this standpoint are outlined.     

The application of Gestalt to organizational interventions in universities

Abstract

This paper will outline the Gestalt cycle, (Perls, 1947) used as the basis for modelling the process of Gestalt therapy and counselling. Then we will go on to describe how it (Gestalt) can be used as a way of understanding organizational processes and culture. For staff developers to be effective in influencing the organizations in which they work they have to be able to make appropriate interventions. The necessary skills and attributes required of a staff developer operating in a Gestalt role will be discussed. Gestalt offers one model that can help the staff developer decide what interventions are appropriate when and why.

The paper will then move on to look at what happens if an organization gets stuck at any point in the Gestalt cycle and what this will feel like for employees and students. We will then offer intervention strategies for moving the organization on round the cycle.

Finally we will draw some general conclusions about how staff developers have a key role in helping universities cope, manage and adapt in these times of rapid change in Higher Education.     

Faculty development: Experiences and issues in a Norwegian perspective

Abstract

Good teaching can be construed from two perspectives. From one point of view, teaching is seen as a developmental process in which the individual acquires knowledge and skills through practice. Recognition is then based on the teacher meeting specified proficiency criteria as measured by such procedures as student evaluation of teaching questionnaires and colleague appraisal. A second perspective is to view good teaching in terms of instructional achievements. Here judgements are often based on a teacher's portfolio submission where assessments are made on the extent to which the teacher has contributed to the quality of teaching within the institution. This paper describes developments at the University of New South Wales in recognizing and rewarding good teaching based on the second perspective, and on how teaching staff are assisted in developing teaching portfolios to document teaching achievements. These developments are discussed in relation to the issues of what constitutes evidence for ‘good teaching’ and concerns that teaching staff have raised about the process of documenting teaching.     

Measures for inclusion: coping with the challenge of visual impairment and blindness in university undergraduate level language learning

This paper develops from previous research ( Orsini‐Jones et al., 2005 ) and reports on the experience of three students, two visually impaired and one blind, reading languages at Coventry University, on the adjustments made to meet their needs and on the challenges encountered on their learning journey both from their point of view and from the point of view of the staff involved. It focuses on three students' experience of their languages course and considers the challenges they met in each of their years of study. It concludes by evaluating these students' language learning journey at Coventry University, reporting on their feedback on their experience and on whether or not they feel that staff have successfully catered for their individual needs. It is argued here, as in the previous related work ( Orsini‐Jones, et al., 2005 ) that ‘there still exists some tension between the reasonable anticipatory adjustments that lecturers can put in place and the necessary ad hoc ones that will be needed for a disabled student with very specific needs’.     

Preparing for new academic roles: An holistic approach to development

Abstract

In recent years there has been sustained emphasis in many countries on preparing academic staff for their teaching role. However, the necessary emphasis on teaching has distracted attention from the fact that university teachers are facing many other complex demands. University teachers are being appointed from a greater range of backgrounds and types of experience and performing an increasingly diverse range of roles. Moreover, while the emphasis has tended to be on the needs of full‐time tenurable staff, the numbers of casual and contract staff have grown. While much has been achieved, staff development provision is not coordinated, resources are not necessarily provided, centralized schemes do not link with departmental activities and responsibilities are often ambiguous.

The paper identifies some of the influences on preparation for academic roles being faced today and argues that new frameworks are needed. It suggests that a holistic view should be adopted: one which places as central the staff members and their roles, and which emphasizes negotiation and flexibility in response to the diversity of academic activities. The paper outlines the dimensions of such an approach.     

Assessing wellbeing at school entry using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire: professional perspectives

Emotional and behavioural disorders in early childhood are related to poorer academic attainment and school engagement, and difficulties already evident at the point of starting school can affect a child’s later social and academic development. Successful transfer from pre-school settings to primary education is helped by communication between pre-school staff and primary school teachers. Typically, in Scotland, pre-school establishments prepare individual profiles of children before they start school around the age of five years, highlighting their strengths and development needs, for transfer to primary schools. There is, however, no consistent approach to the identification of potential social, emotional and behavioural problems. In 2010, in one local authority area in Scotland, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was introduced for children about to start school as a routine, structured, component of the transition process to help teachers plan support arrangements for classes and individual children. The SDQ assesses emotional, conduct, hyperactivity/ inattention and peer-relationship problems as well as pro-social behaviour. In order to be an effective means of communicating social and emotional functioning, the use of instruments such as the SDQ needs to be practicable. Finding out the views of pre-school education staff with experience of assessing children using the SDQ was, therefore, essential to establish its future utility.

Aim

The purpose of this study was to explore the views of pre-school education staff about assessing social and emotional wellbeing of children at school entry using the SDQ. The objectives were to examine the opinions of pre-school workers about completing the SDQ and to elicit their thoughts on the value of doing this and their perceptions of the usefulness of the information collected.

Method

Pre-school establishments were approached using a purposive sampling strategy in order to achieve a mix of local authority (n=14) and ‘partnership’ establishments (n=8) as well as different socio-economic areas. Semi-structured interviews (n=25) were conducted with pre-school head teachers (n=14) and child development officers (n=11) in order to explore the process of completing the SDQ along with perceptions of its value. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically.

Results

In general, staff in pre-school establishments viewed the use of the SDQ positively. It was seen as a chance to highlight the social and emotional development of children rather than just their academic or educational ability. Most felt that the SDQ had not identified anything they did not already know about a child. A minority, nevertheless, suggested that a previously unrecognised potential difficulty was brought to light, most commonly emotional problems. Completing the SDQ was felt to be relatively straightforward even though the staff felt under pressure from competing priorities. Concerns were, however, raised about the potential of labelling a child at an early stage of formal education.

Conclusion

The findings from this small scale study suggest that, from the point of view of pre-school education staff, it is feasible to assess children systematically for social and behavioural problems as part of the routine transition process at school entry.     

Using educational design research methods to examine the affordances of online games for teacher learning

Abstract

A Teacher's Guide to the Holocaust is a large, instructional Web site with over 1,000 HTML pages. It was designed and developed by graduate students at the University of South Florida and the staff of the Florida Center for Instructional Technology at the University of South Florida. This article provides background information on the evolution of the site, design considerations, and development issues on the site.     

An analysis of higher education staff attitudes in a dynamic environment

Abstract

Since 1980 the staff student ratio in the UK has halved. This has been contributed to, amongst other factors, by the massification policy of the UK government. The requirement to publish, the view of students as consumers, an increase in managerialism, and reduction in real pay levels as well as the threat of compulsory redundancies have also been changes which have affected the attitudes of staff. As a result of these factors, the experience of both academics and students has deteriorated, and this is likely to continue. This paper uses survey data from three higher education institutions, which indicates a reduction in the satisfaction of staff over a number of years. Interviews with key informants and a literature review also support the view that levels of stress are increasing amongst academic staff within UK Higher Education institutions.     

No Easy Answers: the dilemmas and challenges of teacher research

ABSTRACT

Our aim in this article is to analyse the research process developed in the ANTEC project (The Application of New Technology in Science Teaching) both by the university research team that promoted the project and the groups of teachers that participated in it. We attempt to provide answers to the following questions. Can we characterise the research carried out as being action research? Or should the process rather be considered as being ‘classroom case‐studies'? And lastly, supposing that teachers really did manage to write something resembling classroom case‐studies, what relation was observed between the action research process and the process in which the classroom case‐studies were produced? In order to answer these and other questions we delve into the history of the events that probably occurred during the 3 years that the project lasted – at least, that is, from our own point of view (the authors were themselves involved in the research team in their respective capacities of project director and research collaborator).     

Training Teachers to Use Computers in Third World Schools

ABSTRACT

This paper draws on research on the use of computers in Third World schools undertaken with the help of a grant from the Harold Macmillan Trust and the assistance of teachers and others in 23 Third World countries. In it we stress tfft importance of training all staff concerned in the introduction of computers into Third World schools, including the policy makers. We discuss training in the early days of introducing the innovation, and how a training cascade may or may not help. We examine the link between motivation to be trained and the prospect of leading change. We point out the virtues of teachers learning about computers in private and the need for software evaluation criteria for teachers to use. We look briefly at the links between training, the curriculum and assessment and at the training of programmers and technicians. We conclude that policy makers need to share with school principals, teachers, teacher educators and computer education specialists or consultants the task of reframing policy while reliable understanding of the state of the innovation emerges and the innovating group matures as a training resource in its own right     

The Development of Professional Attitudes Among Administrative Staff in Universities and Colleges of Advanced Education in Australia

This paper reviews the situation of administrative staff in universities and colleges of advanced education with a view to assessing the degree to which they have a professional attitude to their work or might be described in more common terms as professionals.

The numbers and functions of such staff in tertiary institutions are surveyed in the first section and some of the factors affecting the attitude of these staff are noted. The second section looks at the definition of a profession and at the alternative terms professionalism and professionalisation in order to establish a basis of comparison. The establishment and subsequent history of the Australian Institute of Tertiary Educational Administrators is then examined to see what light it throws upon the changes of attitude which have taken place in the last few years. In the fourth section the various criteria by which professionalism is judged are reviewed to determine to what extent the attitudes of administrative staff may be regarded as professional. Finally, I give my views on the degree of professionalisation existing at present.     

Injecting Inquiry-Oriented Modules into Calculus

Abstract

Implementing inquiry-based modules within a course can be effective and enable instructor experimentation, without completely transforming an entire course. For instructors new to inquiry-based learning (IBL), we state hallmarks of the practice and point out the merits of strong IBL communities. An inquiry-based approach may alleviate some current common issues in Calculus I. We present two activities and evidence of their effectiveness and adaptability, and describe their POGIL style of guided inquiry learning that raises awareness of the learning process. We share the experience of a “traditionally-oriented” faculty member transitioning to a more student-centered pedagogy, reflecting on advantages of using a combination of pedagogical styles.     

The importance and degree of implementation of the European standards and guidelines for internal quality assurance in universities: the views of Portuguese academics

Abstract

The article aims at critically discussing the role and position of a buffer agency from the point of view of some of its different tasks, viz. accreditation, quality audit, support of academic leadership and internal quality enhancement The contribution seeks to illuminate the conflicting roles of a buffer orgamsation in the light of these tasks and pressures from the government and higher education institutions. It concludes that the different roles can support and complement each other, and that change is best accomplished by emphasising support in the early stages of the establishment of a national quality assurance system.     

Marketing graduate employability: understanding the tensions between institutional practice and external messaging

ABSTRACT

Do the narratives of employability constructed by higher education institutions for marketing purposes differ from the conceptualisation and/or the realisation of employability within those institutions? The study reported here drew on interviews with 16 senior academic and student support staff who were tasked with developing student employability at one of nine institutions in Australia, Canada and the UK. We employed Holmes’ conceptions of employability as possessional, positional or processual to analyse how the interviewees conceptualised employability and the presentation of employability on the institutional websites. We found that most institutions’ employability marketing narratives were inconsistent with the institutional practice reported by staff. We explain this tension in the context of two competing characterisations of higher education: a university-student transaction view; and a learning view. We emphasise the need for internal and external narratives to align and advocate the need for engagement in a constructive and critical dialogue involving all stakeholders.     

The juxtaposition of Māori words with English concepts. ‘Hauora,Well-being’ as philosophy

Abstract

Within the New Zealand curriculum, hauora has been co-opted as an underlying and interdependent concept at the heart of the learning area of health and physical education. Hauora is identified as a Māori philosophy of well-being, advocating a Māori world view of hauora. Contemporary understandings of hauora as a Māori philosophy of health are constructed within dominant English-medium curriculum discourses. At first glance the juxtaposition of ‘hauora’ with ‘well-being’, and hauora being defined as ‘a Māori philosophy of health’ seems like an opportunity to promote an indigenous perspective of health into English-medium curriculum, but the philosophical questions of what knowledge is valued, why we should teach it, and its worth of what is taught for human well-being, remain fraught. The notion of hauora is much richer than the word ‘health’ allows. I explore some issues associated with the equivalence between hauora and health, and some of the potential nuances of hauora in light of a counter-colonial Māori philosophy of holism. I invite the reader to consider the terms ‘whakapapa’ and ‘wairua’ in light of a proposed metaphysics. I show that the terms—and the objects they point to—share a relationship with each other and that recognition of that interdependence are necessary to their well-being.     

'Scholarship is the word that dare not speak its name' Lecturers' Experiences of Teaching on a Higher Education Programme in a Further Education College

The article examines provision of higher education within further education institutions from the point of the view of lecturers working on an HE programme. It is based on a small-scale research project carried out by a full-time practitioner/part-time researcher. Focusing on a Combined Studies degree programme, a series of interviews explored the experiences and perceptions of lecturers teaching on a non-vocational higher education programme within a predominantly further education environment. In the context of low morale within colleges of further education, the staff interviewed demonstrated a remarkable level of enthusiasm and personal commitment to HE teaching. There was a strong sense of pride in the value of higher education in an FE college. The research indicates there are key differences between the lecturers in this study and their colleagues in pure HEIs in terms of professional identity. A number of difficulties in managing the FE/HE divide were referred to by the respondents. These focused on difficulties in relation to swapping between levels, the degree of commitment the lecturers felt the college management gave to HE provision, and isolation from colleagues internally and externally. Inevitably, more general resource issues arose. Whilst acknowledging the reality of the cumulative underfunding of FE, the recommendations are in terms of practicable actions to address some of the other issues raised by the research.