Reflecting on the value of resources for internationalising the curriculum: exploring academic perspectives
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Date
2017-08-21Author
McKinnon, Sabine
Hammond, Angela
Foster, Monika
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McKinnon, S., Hammond, A. & Foster, M. (2017) Reflecting on the value of resources for internationalising the curriculum: exploring academic perspectives. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 43 (1), pp. 138-147.
Abstract
Increased interest in internationalisation of the curriculum (IoC) has led to the
development of a range of resources designed to support staff in translating
theory into practice. Studies on how such resources are actually used and
impact on academic practice are scarce. This article aims to fill the gap by
reporting on a cross-institutional study of academics' perceptions of the
value of such resources; specifically, two examples designed in-house in two
UK universities. The study adopted a qualitative approach, conducting 18
semi-structured interviews with academics in two universities and analysing
20 scripts from participants on a postgraduate programme in learning and
teaching in higher education in a third. It explores how such resources can be
used to inform individual approaches to IoC and what their value might be
for wider curriculum development. Results show that reflective engagement
with the resources can lead academics to analyse and benchmark their
own practice and critique entire programmes but that they still struggle
with translating pedagogical concepts into practical innovations. Critical
comments included objections to generic resources that are too abstract
and too far removed from practice in the subject disciplines. Participants
also voiced concerns about time pressures and suspicions that they might be
used by senior management to exert unwelcome control over academic staff
on the ground. The article suggests that university policy makers need to
adapt IoC resources to their institutional context and provide clear guidance
on how to use them. Linking them to other staff development opportunities
could ensure maximum benefits.