Teaching in another country: Trans-national education and the importance of staff development

1. Teaching in another country:Trans-national education and the importance of staff development Joan WhieldonCertEd; LLB; LLM; M(CIArb); Mediator; Senior Fellow HEA Sheffield Hallam University, Thursday 5th February 2015

2. UK HEI’s – fiscal necessity for TNE? 2010 onwards - government funding cuts £7.1bn to £4.2bn Increase in tuition fees from September 2012 Initial Government capping of student numbers UK Border Agency and visa controls; from April 2012, foreign students have faced stricter visa regs, HEI’s feeling financially threatened – need other source(s) of income

3. Financial and commercial reality: a growing demand for UK education from abroad - not being exploited to the full narrow financial dependency – too risky Education exports: currently worth £14bn+ estimated rise to £21.5bn by 2020 estimated rise to £27bn by 2025 3

4. Government incentives: PMI2 – “to position the UK as a leader in international education and manage a sustained growth of students undertaking UK education” Jan 2013 BIS established “Education UK” to target fast-growing markets

5. HEI/staff incentives: Reduction in student recruitment home students overseas students at UK HEI’s decreased by 4,595 - the first fall in 29 years [2012/13] – particularly PG ‘Knock-on’ effect: less staff required?; SSR’s; financial viability less choice of programme options for students Opportunities: professional development travel; experience other cultures research links

6. Competition? 100+ foreign universities operate in the Caribbean [Gift et al. 2006] Some countries, e.g., Malaysia aim to be HE hubs[Hatakenaka 2004] UK HEIs are accessing geographical regions and international students via partners (e.g. African students studying UK courses in Eastern Europe)[Drew et al. 2006]

7. UK HEI’s motivations to export via TNE? HEIs want to promote an “international brand” HEI’s and staff want to work with world class academia – TNE links into international research activities & curriculum development to be able to recruit a diverse student (& staff) body to generate income Kwan (2005) traditional international recruitment to UK is “fading” and TNE is a way of making up shortfalls in income Drew et al. (2006)

8. Quotes: "It is essential that we realise the potential of the largely untapped resource that is our education exports”. “There is a fast-growing demand for high-quality education, and we are lucky to have a dynamic and entrepreneurial sector that is well placed to contribute.” [Skills Minister Matthew Hancock - Jan 2013]

9. Student applicant status Employment status of potential TNE students [Student Insight 2012]

10. TNE student priorities Factors of importance to TNE students [Student Insight 2012]

11. What sort of TNE? There are differences in understanding exactly what TNE provision is. Data collected as part of the research for the DIUS Report (2008) identified 10 models of TNE provision: in-country/flying faculty distance learning (DL) blended delivery on-campus provision overseas (Hubs) validation articulation franchise joint award dual award partial credit (2008, p 28)

12. TNE by Distance Learning?

13. How TNE students want to study UK programmes “students intending to study for a TNE degree valued the practicality ofbeing able to combine study with employment, over and above the reputation, brand and rank of the awarding institution…….. most important and significant quality measure for the students was the amount of face-to-face teaching involved”. [‘Portrait of a TNE student’: Survey 2007-2012 British Council] “It is likely that, in the long term, traditional student mobility will be eclipsed by study-programme mobility as more TNE programmes are offered. It is becoming cheaper relatively to move courses rather than students”. [Adam,2001] 13

14. What is TNE by IMD? IMD = Intensive Modes of Delivery Block Accelerated; Time-shortened Flexible Compressed by Flying Faculty and/or in-country tutors “…… a specific instructional approach that utilizes a non-conventional effective methodology. To successfully achieve the planned Learning Outcomes, ….... instructors ..… should be specially prepared for teaching and learning in this innovative, productive and attractive but quite demanding format”[Serdyukov, 2008]

15. The challenge for staff “Teaching offshore is an intellectual challenge and an emotional journey, one which requires academic staff, as strangers in a strange land, to come to terms with the perceptions that staff and students have of them, with the difference and similarities that confront them and challenge their stereotypes and prejudices, and which can lead to feelings of frustration, confusion and disorientation”. (Leask 2004) “TNE should be delivered for the students and the community in which they live” Prof. Dame Joan Stringer, 2012 Global Education Dialogue, Kuala Lumpur

16. TNE delivery – innovative pedagogy? “with universities under increasing pressure to demonstrate the ways in which they ensure the quality of teaching and learning, institutions must develop ways of supporting and encouraging the professional development of staff who teach off-shore…… to heighten their level of attention to the preparation of lecturers in trans-national programmes in order to be able to demonstrate that they are able to ensure the quality. There is no room for lack of preparation or ‘learning as they go along’’ [Gribble, 2003]

20. Planning and Timing Check VLE regularly – critical teaching support Master Teaching File – consistency; reflection; re-scheduling Plan delivery schedule – specific timings; re-time day by day Preparation – critical: diagrams, in-country examples etc, Follow the 12-minute rule – attention span; activities No colloquialisms; clarity of speech; vocabulary Use a ‘team-agreed’ developing glossary of terms Teaching teams and Team-teaching for succession-planning? Consider potential benefit of UK IMD delivery*

21. Staff Development • Preparing staff; TNE often involves • a different model of delivery • intensive teaching blocks • cultural differences A single point of contact back in the UK, who can help deal with issues faced on the ground, eg, accessing resources – including weekends! • Linking staff TNE experience with CPD • Reward and recognition; recognise & celebrate staff achievements • Use staff experience to ‘internationalise’ the curriculum

22. ‘since the delivery of the intensive course is off-shore, other difficulties can be magnified as tutors are subjected to additional challenges. Jet lag, differences in climate, culture, diet and health issues and the logistical concerns of transport and accommodation are present from the moment of arrival.’ [Gribble, 2003]

23. STAFF & HEI DEVELOPMENT

24. CHECKLISTS: TNE Programme Design Checklist TNE Programme Delivery Checklist Personal Planning Checklist Staff ‘Survival Pack’ Checklist Partner Institution – staff; communication; culture Pedagogical methodologies; techniques “Top Tips” for sharing Debriefing – each day, each module, programme

25. Right first time! Every time! Benefit! Programmes Materials Structured staff development and support Academic Administrative Capacity building Student experience Alumni; Doctoral applicants; new links

26. Quality control and self-help consider specialist training for TNE staff succession planning develop a ‘Community of Practice’ within your HEI a corporate style for TNE rather than ad hoc across university/faculty/schools an ethos of sharing ideas/best practice; database

27. QAA Quality Code Chapter B10 Indicator 17: ‘The awarding institution should be able to satisfy itself that staff engaged in delivering or supporting a collaborative programme are appropriately qualified for their role, and that a partner organisation has effective measures to monitor and assure the proficiency of such staff.’

28. QAA Quality Code Chapter B10 Indicator 17: ‘Recognising that inexperienced staff are not necessarily properly qualified from the outset, this Indicator should be taken to include the responsibility of an awarding institution for ensuring that staff are properly trained and developed.’

30. Lead for HEA SIG on Staff Development for TNE delivery J.A.Whieldon@ljmu.ac.uk

31. Gordon: A CASE STUDY Good Practice in Off-shore Delivery: A guide for Australian Providers prepared for the International Education Association of Australia, 2008.

32. Onshore, Gordon is considered a popular teacher with most students in his classes. He knows everyone’s names. He is funny, moves about a lot and often makes humorous asides. Rather than deliver lectures, Gordon expects students to do the reading and learning activities set out in the subject guide, then he questions them on what they have learned. Sometimes he asks rhetorical questions. Sometimes he asks questions with very complex answers that he goes on to answer himself. He also fires questions at unsuspecting students and often dramatically asks, ‘Why?’ or ‘How?’ when someone offers an answer. He also demands students to ‘Give an example!’ every time he introduces a new concept or model. If students answer incorrectly, he might say, ‘And what planet are you on?’or he might look blankly at them and say, ‘Moving right along …’ No one is offended by these remarks and most students are willing to ‘have a go’, despite the possibility of being laughed at. He doesn’t mind if a student being asked a question says something like, ‘Not today, Gordon, please!’ Offshore during his one-week burst mode delivery in China, Gordon behaves in the same way. He thinks the students are quiet but receptive and assumes that students understand him.

33. Gordon tells an Australian colleague, ‘I ask, ‘Any questions?’ every so often, and there never is. The students just love my dynamic teaching style’. A Chinese teacher sitting in on his class offered another interpretation of the students’ silence: “To begin with, only a few students can understand him. He ranges away from the words and ideas on his Power Point and the students never know where they are up to. He speaks quickly and uses so many Australian references—I mean, I have been there, I know some of the references—but the students are lost. For example, in the last class, he said one student had won the Trifecta when she got top marks for three tests in a row. She didn’t know what he meant and spent ages figuring out how to spell it and what it meant. When he asks students questions, they don’t know what he expects them to say. They are all nervous to give responses, as the last student who did—well, Gordon didn’t understand what she said and everyone was embarrassed. Really, many students believe he is a bad teacher—that he doesn’t know anything because he doesn’t tell them anything—just asks questions!”