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Higher Education Review ProcessStriving for Quality: Learning, Teaching and Scholarship3. a changing context for teaching and learning
14 There have been numerous developments in society and the higher education system over the last decade that have had a significant impact on teaching and learning. It is not clear their significance for teaching and learning policy and practice have been generally comprehended. a. evolution to a mass higher education system
15 One of the most radical transformations in Australian higher education has been the move to a system that sustains mass participation. The number of students enrolled in Australian higher education courses has more than doubled from 357,373 in 1984 to 726,418 in 2001 (DETYA, 2001a; DEST, 2002a). Whilst this expansion brings with it difficult questions about the future financing of higher education, it also raises questions about the purposes of a higher education institution. 16 The ‘massification’ of higher education is a development that has occurred throughout the world – in the systems of the former state-socialist countries (Tomusk, 2000, p.175), in European Union countries (Geuna, 1999, p.3) and in the higher education systems of most developed countries (International Labour Office, 2000).
17 It is clear as Professor Lyn Meek has argued, that “the importance of the massive expansion of the higher education system in nearly all OECD nations is fundamental to any understanding of the possible futures which systems may face” (2000, p.31). 18 The catch-cry of ‘massification’ is often used in debates about higher education and it is important that we understand the full implications of this radical growth.
19 In an address in 1999, Diana Warwick, the Chief Executive of the United Kingdom’s Committee of Vice Chancellors and Principals of Universities of the UK (CVCP now known as Universities UK), called for academics and the community to understand the changed context of higher education. She argued that:
20 Mass higher education means a different sort of higher education system, with different parameters and expectations for students, academics and the community. It requires rethinking the design of learning experiences and courses, teacher-student contact, and the role of the academic. It necessitates re-examining the way courses are delivered, the implications of institutional policies and practices and recognising that systems of support for learning are as important as the delivery of subjects and courses. b. a global knowledge-based economy
21 The development of an international ‘knowledge-based economy’ has far-reaching implications for the way Australia develops into a ‘knowledge society’. The shift from economies in which the emphasis was on the production of material goods to those in which the focus is on information-processing activities has particular significance for our nation’s higher education system. It has meant an enhanced awareness of the role of the higher education sector in the national innovation system, and a demand for the preparation of ‘smart’ graduates with multiple and transferable skills and knowledge, suitable for employment in the new economy (Gibbons et al, 1994). 22 The changes that have transformed economies worldwide provide higher education institutions with the opportunity to gain much greater recognition, and increasingly they offer learning opportunities to meet the new knowledge-based demands. The challenges, however, are significant. Traditional curricula offerings, courses and modes of delivery need to be re-evaluated in light of emerging needs. Some of the existing curricula will remain relevant and necessary but may require reframing and repositioning to respond to the new skills and knowledge that will be required of graduates. Some of the existing curricula may no longer be relevant or appropriate. 23 The demand for new skills and knowledge is likely to drive adults either back to higher education or to a first experience of higher education. The UK Dearing Committee observed that higher education institutions would need to meet the aspirations of individuals to “re-equip themselves, as new knowledge and new skills are needed for economies to compete, survive and prosper” (NCIHE, 1997, 1.12). 24 The monopoly of the university over knowledge-production and certification of knowledge acquisition has ended. The emergence of new powerbrokers in the management and generation of knowledge, particularly international computer corporations, consultancy firms and publishing houses, has prompted a degree of convergence in knowledge-producing organisations. The growth of new providers in education, particularly private providers, has challenged the previously unrivalled position of universities in certification and raises new concerns about the quality of educational provision. New alliances between Australian universities and national and international partners have been forged in order to lead developments in the new expanding international education market. The impact that these collaborations will have on the learning experiences and outcomes of Australian students is as yet unknown. c. impact of information and communication technologies
25 The growth of the knowledge or digital economy has been accompanied by the promise of improved educational experiences through increased use of information and communication technologies (ICT). With their long tradition of providing high quality distance education courses, Australian universities are well placed to take advantage of the new technologies and the opportunities to better serve students by offering more accessible teaching and learning materials. 26 Australian universities have made significant investments in online teaching and services and processes. In many ways these have been at the forefront of innovation. Their commitment to ICT has included: the introduction of digital technology in lecture theatres and teaching spaces; provision of high bandwidth connections within and between campuses; increased numbers of computer laboratories with extended access hours; the creation of web-based learning environments; purchase or development of instructional resources; and provision of staff development in the use of technology and use in relation to teaching and learning. 27 Online delivery of education involves a range of new costs, many of which are not yet fully apparent. E-learning was initially seen as a cheaper way of delivering education to students, but substantial costs are involved in designing and delivering a high quality course and in providing the necessary infrastructure and technical support, particularly in terms of gaining access to adequate bandwidth. There can also be high costs involved in maintaining a reliable e-learning system for mass education. 28 Australian universities have embraced online technologies for teaching and administrative purposes, but the new technologies have raised many challenges. Not only does ICT affect how students might acquire knowledge, it fundamentally changes what students learn. It changes approaches to doing research, and it changes the way students analyse and solve problems within their discipline. This presents a challenge to universities to lead the way in how ICT can be utilised and applied to academic contexts. 29 Questions remain about equity of access, cost-effectiveness, the quality of courses, the impact on learning outcomes and the impact on academic work. Previously integrated activities undertaken by an individual academic - such as course design, materials preparation, lecturing and tutoring, assignment marking and assessment - are being ‘unbundled’. New specialisations of labour in relation to the delivery of teaching and learning have been established. The existence of the university as a physical space has been called into question as technologies create the potential for higher education to develop as an intellectual or virtual space. d. the internationalisation of Australian higher education
30 There is a strong recognition in Australian higher education institutions that the internationalisation of our education is fundamental to our social, intellectual and cultural enrichment and our economic and strategic engagement with other countries. This manifests itself in a variety of ways. There has been an increase in the number of international students in onshore and offshore programmes; some institutions have internationalised their curriculum; increasing numbers of Australian students now study abroad; and many Australian higher education institutions participate and lead strategic alliances with international partners. The presence of international students in Australian universities also benefits the learning experiences of Australian students, exposing them to other cultures and perspectives. 31 Australian universities have led the world in the export of higher education. The number of overseas higher education students has increased by almost 150 per cent from 43,721 in 1994 to 107,622 in 2000 (Australian Education International, 2001). Forty-one per cent of the growth in overseas student enrolments has been in offshore enrolments. However, the market for international students is volatile and increasingly competitive as new players from European and Asian countries emerge. The quality of learning and teaching is paramount to the continued success of marketing Australian higher education worldwide. 32 Effective internationalisation of higher education will need to involve much more than increasing the numbers of international students. McBurnie (2000) identifies two strategies that are essential in internationalising the learning experiences, namely “internationalising the curriculum and encouraging students to carry out parts of their study programmes overseas” (p.69). A recent report by the Asian Studies Association of Australia (2002) addressed a range of issues to “maximise Australia’s Asia knowledge”, and as one of its recommendations called for a new council to:… identify best-practice and actively encourage universities to create degree structures and “pathways” that enable students easily to incorporate study of Asia, and international experience, in their courses of study. (2002, p.xviii) 33 Whilst Australian higher education institutions are doing much to prepare students from other countries to be active participants in the international labour market, we need to ask whether higher education is equally effective in preparing Australian students for effective participation in a global economy.
34 The need for Australian citizens to be active participants in a global labour market, whether their employment is within Australia or overseas, will have implications for the nature of a higher education experience. In a digital age, in which there is increased trade in ideas, universities will face the task of helping Australian students to understand and embrace the challenges of globalisation. 35 Many institutions now have initiatives to further the internationalisation of the curriculum, but there is still work to be done to develop opportunities for Australian students to study overseas. According to an OECD study, Australian tertiary students are less likely to study in another member country than students from other OECD countries (OECD, 2000, p.177). Only the United States has a lower propensity to send students to other member countries. When Australians do travel overseas to study, they demonstrate a preference for the United States and the United Kingdom. Towards the end of the decade these two countries attracted over two-thirds of all Australians studying overseas within the OECD (OECD, 2000). 36 Other countries have identified the ‘internationalisation’ of their own students as an area worthy of government and institutional focus. A number have developed short-term overseas education initiatives, involving exchange or study abroad programmes. The European Union has established ERASMUS, which promotes the mobility of students and scholars within Europe. Students spend between three to twelve months in another participating country and generally receive a grant to help offset the costs of studying in another country, such as travel, language preparation and differences in the cost of living. 37 A similar programme in Australia is the University Mobility in Asia and the Pacific Programme (UMAP). According to AVCC figures, 8136 Australian students took part in formal overseas student exchanges from 1993 to 1999 (AVCC, 2000). In 2002, the Commonwealth sponsored 348 Australian students on UMAP exchanges and 2779 students have received government sponsorship since 1993. There are no national figures available on the number of Australian students studying overseas in study abroad programmes. The Australian Universities Teaching Committee (AUTC) submission to this review has proposed an increased national focus on “supporting more Australian students to include an international dimension to their studies, by means of semester abroad programs, professional placements overseas, and similar strategies”. The AUTC suggests the creation of a national scholarship programme to support Australian university students to spend a semester abroad. 38 There are a number of scholarship programmes for Australian students to undertake postgraduate studies overseas. The Commonwealth has recently announced substantial financial assistance to the General Sir John Monash Foundation to establish a new programme of postgraduate scholarships. Up to sixteen new awards will be available each year for outstanding Australian postgraduate students to study overseas and for international students to study in Australia. 39 The internationalisation of staff is another way to prepare students for effective participation in the global economy. Internationalisation can include the recruitment of international staff and the provision of international experience for Australian staff. 40 Australian institutions have also developed an international perspective through their leadership in establishing international strategic alliances with other higher education institutions. Universitas 21 was established in 1997 as a global network of research universities, initiated by the University of Melbourne. The Australian-European Network (AEN) was formed in 1999, linking seven Australian universities led by Edith Cowan University, with the Utrecht Network in Europe. La Trobe and Flinders Universities launched the International Network of Universities in 1999, with nine other members to broaden educational and research opportunities for staff and students. RMIT University and the University of South Australia in collaboration with online education company NextEd and seven other founding members, established the Global University Alliance (GUA) in 2000. Whilst each of these alliances has a different focus, all are evidence of the increasing global perspective of Australian universities. 41 In its recent response to Crossroads, Positioning Australia’s Universities for 2020 (June 2002), the AVCC identifies greater participation in the international educational market as one of its eight key elements of a dynamic university framework:
42 How this support might best be provided will be examined in a later discussion paper.
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Any comments or
queries should be sent to:
highered@dest.gov.au
Department of Education, Science and Training
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