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CALPIU 2012CALPIU 2012

Re-defining communication and change of pedagogy

for international scholars

Docent Meeri Hellstén (Södertörn, Sweden) (hon. Senior Lecturer, Macquarie University, Australia)

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definitions and theorisationdefinitions and theorisation

Research into internationalization of higher education is varied. Emphasis on economic and comparative system analyses informing educational policy (Altbach, Marginson, Stromqvist, Teekens, and others), but less on the pedagogical aspects (but see Singh, Svensson & Wihlborg , Hellsten & Reid, & others)

• International- : focus on learning in international spaces, involving teachers and learners alike, cross-border, on-shore and off-shore and distance learning . Conventions, conditions, communication, ICT, inclusion/exclusion etc

• Intercultural-: nexus between language, culture & learning. Problematizes, critiques the taken for granted, macro- and micro-analyses of social structures and systems

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issues of 'ill-fit'issues of 'ill-fit'

3 decades of expansion in the sector has made remarkable changes to:

• Study/Working conditions• Transnational mobility for students, but also for academics• Fast expansion caused lack of quality pedagogy• Unrealistic academic demands?• Rhetoric of crises, high cost and attrition rates, staff

fatigue, conflicting values, dissilutionment• Ill-fit between expectations and individual- experiences,

globally -students and staff are disillusioned• At the centre lies the intentions of well meaning and

committed academics (Leask, Trahar and others)

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the identity crisis in the identity crisis in international educationinternational education

• Transforming traditional HE systems to accommodate internationalization?

• Early day practices centred on immersing the incoming 'others' to 'our local pedagogy'

• Later, Biggs, Volet & Ang (et al. studies) shifted the paradigm, forcing 'us' to look at our own practices to accommodate international aspects

• International transformation at local level is still a challenge• Identity and ownership of internationalized curriculum • (Leask) - is the teaching & learning of international

students everyone's responsibility?• Hellsten & Reid: international teaching community is in

need of more dialogue

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Complexity of pedagogiesComplexity of pedagogies

What (are) international pedagogies (about)?

1. Curriculum innovation

2. Teaching and Learning theory and practice

3. Focus on language as a medium of learning internationally

4. ICT in supporting pedagogy

(Hellsten & Reid, 08)

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Case examplesCase examples

Refuting the deficit-models

Research shows that contrary to early claims, international students have high capabilites

• Problemsolving• Intercultural communication • Adaptation and personal development• Organization, objectivity and perspective

taking

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Pedagogies in actionPedagogies in action

• Lundegård and Wickman state that the human social fabric habitually demands our involvement and responsibility in any interactive event, and that we bring to these meeting spaces, the histories of our identities which together transform and construct new social (and professional) identities.

• In the knowledge society such culmination of new social identities are collectively characterized by ‘innovation’ and ‘new thinking’.

• Social experiences are constructed in and by stories which in turn guide all human action (e.g. Bruner)

• International scholarly activity is likewise embedded in the stories that are told in-situ

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Interpreting international pedagogiesInterpreting international pedagogies

• Asked academics within the community of scholars (international/intercultural/cross-border education) how they make/have made/would like to make sense of pedagogy in and for such contexts

• invited both written and spoken narratives, anecdotes, examples, informal talks

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Communicating international Communicating international pedagogiespedagogies

My main influence has been 'surprise', for example surprise of the difference between situations of Swedish Romani ('gypsies') and Tibetan refugees regarding education. This is connected with my own personal experiences of having grown up in family with a father who had to escape from Nazi Germany, not being allowed to continue his education. Since my father was a refugee we always had persons visiting or living with us from many different countries. Not being able to understand the language of most of the people I met seemed to be a very natural thing. Having grown up in a culturally very mixed social environment has both given me personal experiences and an interest in intercultural education and research.

(Professor of Education in Sweden)

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Implementing international pedagogies Implementing international pedagogies in-situin-situ

Working in intercultural context has challenged me in a good way. It forces me to reflect on who I am, why you do as you do and also could this be done in some other way. At the same time I realize that I have a very strong native Finnish identity - even when I am not in Finland. It is also part of my academic identity. Today, I had the most interesting discussion through Skype with my PhD student who is in Sydney at the moment. We were discussing an article we are writing together and how her work is going - normal supervision things. Then I asked "please tell me how you are doing in general, how it feels to live there downunder?" She told me, that when I first mentioned that there might be a possibility for her to take part in an exchange program and study in Sydney -  she was afraid. She never told that before. She felt that she might not have the courage to do that. But she is now very happy that I was sure she will manage and trusted she will do fine. It made me feel that without my own experience of working in international contexts I might not have been able to convince her to go - maybe some kind of tacit knowledge or "tacit supervision". Interesting.

(Professor of Education in Finland)

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summarysummary

• Focus on what pedagogy might look like in international settings, as based on available research and publications

• Issues of an 'ill-fit' between 'assumptions' and 'educational delivery' exist, it ought not to place blame on the recipients

• Introducing the collective voice of the international educator-community-of-scholars needing more dialogue

• Do we accept the complex nature of T & L 'internationally'?• =Curriculum innovation, Teaching and Learning theory and

practice, Focus on language as a medium of learning internationally, ICT in supporting pedagogy

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‘I have learned that it is not that either each person must be treated as unconnected to his or her cultural group, or that assumptions should be made about individuals based on knowledge of the characteristics of their cultural group.

It is that both can be used judiciously in order to effect greater understanding.’ Trahar, 2008

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Thank you!Thank you!

Your questions and comments

Meeri.hellsten@sh.se