Transforming the Culture of LearningTransforming the Culture of Learning

Race to Globalize Higher Race to Globalize Higher Education in CanadaEducation in Canada

OCUFA Conference / Toronto 2011OCUFA Conference / Toronto 2011

People within institutions are not People within institutions are not spectators to the story being written by spectators to the story being written by

those at the top…they actively make their those at the top…they actively make their own meaning when a radical departure is own meaning when a radical departure is

takentaken

What we “see” depends on who we ask What we “see” depends on who we ask what questions what questions

WhatWhat: Complexity of the Concept: Complexity of the Concept InternationalizationInternationalization involves … involves …

Knowledge about Knowledge about alternative alternative constructions of constructions of knowledge and knowledge and worldviewsworldviews

Alterations in how one Alterations in how one responds to cultural responds to cultural differencedifference

Awareness of culture Awareness of culture within our thinking as within our thinking as it (silently) informs it (silently) informs ways in which our ways in which our worldview is privileged worldview is privileged over the “other” over the “other”

How to maintain How to maintain

one’s own cultural one’s own cultural identity while identity while understanding and understanding and working with othersworking with others

Conceptual FrameworksConceptual Frameworks

Internationalization at Home (IaH)Internationalization at Home (IaH) Campus-wide environment (Wachter,1999) Campus-wide environment (Wachter,1999)

Internationalization of the Curriculum (IoC)Internationalization of the Curriculum (IoC)UnUndergraduate curriculum and classroomdergraduate curriculum and classroom

(Mestenhauser, 2000)(Mestenhauser, 2000)

Population & Methodologies

Faculty members holding full-time academic appointments at 12 universities (n=1200)

Institutional ethnography involving multiple methods including focus groups, survey, and content analysis of policies and course outlines.

The challenge of internationalizing learning …

Who

What

Where

How

Who finds the concept of internationalization meaningful?

Administrative voice Faculty voice Student voice Public voice

Where does leaning occur?

Mobility-based approaches

Internationalization-at-Home

In courses/extra-mural sites

•

How:How: Conflicting AssumptionsConflicting Assumptions … …

Knowledge is universal and implicitly Knowledge is universal and implicitly superior because it is based on objectivity, superior because it is based on objectivity,

truth, and rationalitytruth, and rationality

Knowledge is culturally constructed and as Knowledge is culturally constructed and as such truth is subjective, contextualized by such truth is subjective, contextualized by

context and historical moment context and historical moment

Different PerspectivesDifferent Perspectives

We tend to hold that scientific principles We tend to hold that scientific principles underling our curriculum are universal and underling our curriculum are universal and thus transcend the notion of thus transcend the notion of internationalization (154)internationalization (154)

I attempt to work in international I attempt to work in international perspectives at least to counteract the perspectives at least to counteract the tendency that there is only one way to tendency that there is only one way to accomplish our objectives (129)accomplish our objectives (129)

Internationalization reshaping …Internationalization reshaping …

OURSELVESOURSELVES

OUR INSTITUTIONSOUR INSTITUTIONS

OUR GRADUATESOUR GRADUATES

The guiding research questionThe guiding research question … …

Overall, how are faculty and students Overall, how are faculty and students experiencing the internationalization experiencing the internationalization

of the curriculum and classroom?of the curriculum and classroom?

Factors influencing participation in the Factors influencing participation in the internationalization of undergraduate internationalization of undergraduate

curriculumcurriculum

Prior international experiencePrior international experience Language competency Language competency GenderGender Disciplinary affiliationDisciplinary affiliation

Teaching is an isolated activityTeaching is an isolated activity

Most faculty report they do not see their Most faculty report they do not see their teaching as a source of research and teaching as a source of research and publication.publication.

Most faculty report they are not likely to Most faculty report they are not likely to collaborate with colleagues, let alone collaborate with colleagues, let alone professional staff including international professional staff including international student advisorsstudent advisors

Faculty are cautious about drawing on Faculty are cautious about drawing on student knowledge and expertise student knowledge and expertise

Preference for Teaching Preference for Teaching Strategies / GenderStrategies / Gender

ActiveActive

Case StudiesCase Studies

Group DiscussionGroup Discussion

Problem SolvingProblem Solving

Role PlayRole Play

SeminarSeminar

InactiveInactive

LectureLecture

WomenWomen MenMen

70% 35%70% 35%

30% 65%30% 65%

Student Voices …Student Voices …

Active Learning Most Active Learning Most Preferred (92%)Preferred (92%)

Lecture is least preferred Lecture is least preferred teaching style (90%)teaching style (90%)

Student VoicesStudent Voices

Prior to University …Prior to University …

52% lived or worked in another 52% lived or worked in another cultureculture

35% have been on exchanges35% have been on exchanges

International/Intercultural Experiences of International/Intercultural Experiences of Undergraduate StudentsUndergraduate Students

1.1. International Students in English ProgramsInternational Students in English Programs2.2. International students in degree programInternational students in degree program3.3. Exchange students who have come to CanadaExchange students who have come to Canada4.4. Domestic students who have been on exchanges and Domestic students who have been on exchanges and

returned to Canadian classroomsreturned to Canadian classrooms5.5. Aboriginal studentsAboriginal students6.6. Student groups/NGOs with international experienceStudent groups/NGOs with international experience7.7. Students who as part of their degree have studied in Students who as part of their degree have studied in

universities abroad.universities abroad.8.8. Recent immigrantsRecent immigrants9.9. Canadian students raised in multicultural contextsCanadian students raised in multicultural contexts

CommentaryCommentary

In a class of 60, I ask how many have In a class of 60, I ask how many have traveled to a country outside of North traveled to a country outside of North America, ¾ of the hands go up. I ask how America, ¾ of the hands go up. I ask how many have lived in another country for many have lived in another country for more than six months, more than 1/3 of more than six months, more than 1/3 of the hands go up. That did not happen the hands go up. That did not happen before but it does now. (10)before but it does now. (10)

The emperor has no clothes …

What do faculty mean when they say they internationalize their courses?

He said, she said …He said, she said …

Institutions report their faculty are infusing Institutions report their faculty are infusing an international/intercultural perspective an international/intercultural perspective in coursesin courses

Faculty report they are more likely to use Faculty report they are more likely to use the add-on approachthe add-on approach

Faculty who have lived or worked abroad Faculty who have lived or worked abroad or who are literature in more than two or who are literature in more than two languages or who are women are more languages or who are women are more likely to report they infuse/transform their likely to report they infuse/transform their curriculum.curriculum.

How can I internationalize the content of the How can I internationalize the content of the course?course?

Three approaches were identified:Three approaches were identified:• 1. Add-on1. Add-on• 2. Infusion2. Infusion• 3. Transformation3. Transformation

Add-on ApproachAdd-on Approach

The add-on approach to internationalizing The add-on approach to internationalizing curriculum is the easiest to do and has curriculum is the easiest to do and has the most narrow focus.the most narrow focus.

Examples: Examples: • Invite a guest speakerInvite a guest speaker• Add a reading from an author from a different Add a reading from an author from a different

cultural contextcultural context• Add an assignment whose focus is a Add an assignment whose focus is a

international /intercultural perspective of the international /intercultural perspective of the subject mattersubject matter

Infusion approachInfusion approach Infusion requires more preparation by the Infusion requires more preparation by the

faculty member and involves introducing faculty member and involves introducing international/intercultural perspectives in international/intercultural perspectives in all aspects of the course.all aspects of the course.

Examples:Examples:• Rethinking course goals to include Rethinking course goals to include

international/intercultural issues and international/intercultural issues and approachesapproaches

• Selecting course readings that reflect diverse Selecting course readings that reflect diverse points of view on events/issue points of view on events/issue

• Introduce students experience into the courseIntroduce students experience into the course

Transformation approachTransformation approach

For those of us who teach in For those of us who teach in disciplines that are not already disciplines that are not already internationalized, this approach is internationalized, this approach is the most demanding and difficult to the most demanding and difficult to achieve. It also produces the achieve. It also produces the greatest results and is the closest to greatest results and is the closest to an immersion experience such as a an immersion experience such as a study abroad where the student lives study abroad where the student lives with the local people. with the local people.

Transformational strategiesTransformational strategies

Enable students to move between two or Enable students to move between two or more worldviews comfortably.more worldviews comfortably.

This requires embedding the different This requires embedding the different ways of seeing and organizing the world in ways of seeing and organizing the world in all aspects of the course.all aspects of the course.

It also requires that the faculty member It also requires that the faculty member and students move easily between the and students move easily between the different worldviews. different worldviews.

Encouragement & Obstacles (Faculty)Encouragement & Obstacles (Faculty)

Lack of discussion & debate about critical issuesLack of discussion & debate about critical issues

• There is no money, no recognition, noThere is no money, no recognition, nocontinuing professional educationcontinuing professional education

• There is no discussion about what kind of student we should be nurturingThere is no discussion about what kind of student we should be nurturing

Doing more with less or doing things differentlyDoing more with less or doing things differently

Given all the changes that have already occurred in the curriculum, I don’t have Given all the changes that have already occurred in the curriculum, I don’t have enough time to undertake an internationalization of my coursesenough time to undertake an internationalization of my courses

In theory this would be a good idea, time constraints on likely participants In theory this would be a good idea, time constraints on likely participants probably would limit the usefulness of this exercise,especially lunch-time sessions probably would limit the usefulness of this exercise,especially lunch-time sessions

Few faculty have time for lunch outside their office Few faculty have time for lunch outside their office

To internationalize the curriculum, you have to internationalize the faculty.To internationalize the curriculum, you have to internationalize the faculty.

• Faculty are being expected to internationalize the curriculum without any resources, Faculty are being expected to internationalize the curriculum without any resources, not even continuing professional education (10)not even continuing professional education (10)

Most faculty use pedagogical approaches to Most faculty use pedagogical approaches to teaching that work against students learning from teaching that work against students learning from

one anotherone another

Departments are seen to encourage students to go Departments are seen to encourage students to go abroad but do little to support internationalization at abroad but do little to support internationalization at

home.home.

Individual faculty members are making a strong Individual faculty members are making a strong contribution to the intl. of learningcontribution to the intl. of learning

but the university does not support them. but the university does not support them.

Peer-based interactions make the strongest Peer-based interactions make the strongest contribution to the internationalization of learning.contribution to the internationalization of learning.

THANK YOU

For detailed information on any of the studies, you can contact me at slb2@queensu.ca