Education in a Changing Environment: Conference Book Vol. 4

Eamon O'Doherty

• Paperback: 414 pages
• Publisher: Informing Science (October 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1932886133
• ISBN-13: 978-1932886139
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.9 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Price on Amazon $49.99
  

The papers are presented in four themes, the first of which is Diversity, Internationalisation, and Intercultural Learning. Dealing with internationalisation, Caruana presents evidence from a Higher Education Academy sponsored literature review. The findings suggest that although there is still a reliance on a deficit model when dealing with aspects of internationalisation, there is evidence of an approach to teaching and learning that aspires towards genuine ‘cultural inclusion’. There is evidence from the review that researchers and teachers are engaging in a dialogue with international students about a range of issues related to cultural adjustment, learning, teaching and assessment. Jones indicates the strategic approach taken since 2003 at Leeds Metropolitan University and provides examples that are evocative of the values driven orientation to internationalisation adopted. Etherington and Spurling, use an action research study centred around a cultural project during a pre-sessional language programme at one UK HE institution. They suggest that students’ perceptions of knowledge or learning as process or transmission are critical to engagement with different forms of pedagogic practice. At a different level of curriculum design and evaluation, Sola and Wilkinson, drawing on their involvement in the Erasmus/Socrates funded IICEE project (Interpersonal and Intercultural Competence for the Enlarged Europe) outline a module to prepare people for work and leadership in a European context. Their focus for the module is intercultural competence that develops awareness of relevant concepts and equips learners with practical skills which enable them to manage and work in multicultural teams. Accordingly, the IICEE module is structured around three learning units: interpersonal and intercultural communication, teamwork and presentation skills; creative problem solving strategies; and cross-cultural project management and team facilitation. In chapter 5 the issue of diversity is taken up by Lloyd-Jones, Odedra and Neame from the perspective of a postgraduate institution. The findings from the staff consultation emphasised the different lives and experiences of taught course and research students and the consequences for educational needs. For the former, competence in the English language, particularly written skills, was a major concern. Students’ preparedness for the autonomy and self-reliance of UK Masters studies was another issue which was attributed to cultural differences and the variety within undergraduate education.