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Transnational Higher Education Networks for Learning and
Teaching (TNLTs) in Geography
Dr Kelly Wakefield
Contents
O 1. Context
O 2. Research aims
O 3. Methodology
O 4. Motivations to participate
O 5. Conclusion2
3
Geographical locations of IGU-CGE organisers and participants
1. Context…cont.
4
1. Context…cont.
Geographical locations of CGB organisers and participants 5
1. Context…cont.
Geographical locations of Herodot organisers and participants 6
1. Context…cont.
7
1. Context…cont.O Little research on social networks
and networking practices (Larson et al, 2006)
O Movement of people long distance in a work context has been neglected
O Little literature on non-student centred learning and teaching
O Not optimistic that online social networking will help the ‘periphery’ make international contacts (Gibbons et al, 1994)
8
O Decrease in primary interest in teaching since 1992
O 9% increase in primary interest and time spent in research since 1992
O Comparatively fewer UK academics reported a primary interest in teaching compared with international peers
Source: Locke (2007) The changing academic profession in the UK and beyond, Centre for Higher Education Research and Information
1. Context…cont.
9
2. Research aimsO How is knowledge about learning
and teaching exchanged within TNLTs?
O How are technologies used to facilitate this exchange?
O Motivations to participateO Experiences of participationO Outcomes of participationO The role that technology plays in
facilitating10
3. Methodology
O Grounded Theory approachO Mixed method
O 134 questionnaires O Self-administeredO Online
O 40 semi-structured interviewsO Face-to-faceO Online Skype
11
3. Methodology…cont.
Geographical locations of interview respondents 12
3. Methodology…cont.
Geographical locations of questionnaire respondents 13
4. Motivations to participate
O Intrinsic interest in learning and teachingO Enhancing scholarshipO Teaching resourcesO Sharing informationO New ideas and innovation
O NetworkingO International linkagesO Access to the ‘core’ and ’periphery’
O Publication and promotionO International collaborationO Career advancement
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4. First motivationOIntrinsic interest in learning and teachingOEnhancing scholarship
OTeaching resourcesOSharing informationONew ideas and innovation
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0
20
40
60
80
100
4. First motivation…cont.
General networking
%
n=117
44
76
16
0
20
40
60
80
100
4. First motivation…cont.
Exchange of teaching resources
%
n=117
76
33
17
4. First motivation…cont.
Keep updated
0
20
40
60
80
100
%
n=117
74
34
18
4. First motivation…cont.
Share ideas
0
20
40
60
80
100
%
n=117
36
87
19
4. First motivation…cont.
020406080
100
General networking
020406080
100
Exchange of teaching resources
020406080
100
Keep updated
020406080
100
Share ideas
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4. First motivation…cont.OIntrinsic interest in learning and teachingOCommon variable of
geographical locationOMotivated to share and
exchange rather than just one-way learning
21
4. Second motivation
ONetworkingOInternational linkagesOAccess to the ‘core’ and ’periphery’
22
4. Second motivation…cont.
O ‘You can get an international dimension talking to and meeting up with like-minded individuals who are interested in learning and teaching’ (Q82)
O ‘For many years I have been thinking to connect and organise an international rather than national dimension between geographical educators’ (Q84)
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4. Second motivation…cont.
O ‘Well, in fact, during my research work in Chile I had the opportunity to contact [TNLT organiser] to work in USA on [TNLT project]’ (I26)
O ‘I make friends with other geographers in [English speaking] country through [TNLT]. They contacted me about co-operation working between my department and their department. They visited my department and asked my department to help their students when they go to [country] for field trip and can exchange lecturers’ (I17)
24
4. Third motivation
OPublication and promotionOInternational collaboration
OCareer advancement
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4. Third motivation…cont.O ‘It looked from the start like an exciting initiative, I
expected also that the [TNLT] would open up opportunities for collaborative research and publication’ (Q70)
O ‘For my own selfish career development, was I guess the main motivation in that thinking, at [university] there are different routes to professor and I’m a principal lecturer at the top of my scale and so the next obvious move for me is to move to professor. One of the routes is the learning and teaching route and so you have to provide evidence of lots of things you have done, so things like having an international reputation’ (Q117)
26
5. ConclusionO Geographical location makes a
difference to motivation
O Problematises the ‘core’ and ‘periphery’ debate as native English-speaking geographers seek non-native English speakers to collaborate with
O An intrinsic interest in learning and teaching is not the only motivation
27
