‘Internationalising the Curriculum’ –
Engaging and Interacting with
Diversity
Viv Caruana
Achieving Graduate Attributes:
Curriculum, Culture, Complexity and Community
EduFair 2013 conference, University of Stirling
7 March 2013
Sharing a journey three projects and other bits and pieces along the way
Caruana, V. and Ploner, J. (2010) Internationalisation and Equality and Diversity in
HE: merging identities, London: ECU available at:
http://www.ecu.ac.uk/publications/internationalisation-and-equality-anddiversity-in-he-merging-identities
Caruana, V., Clegg, S., Ploner, J., Stevenson, J. and Wood, R. (2011) Promoting
students’ resilient thinking in diverse HE learning environments, York: HE Academy
available at:
http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/resources/detail/internationalisation/CSAP_final_report
Caruana, V. (2013) Developing a sustainable model for fostering intercultural
understanding and building cross-cultural capability through learning in
multicultural communities, York/London: HE Academy/UKCISA available at:
http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/resources/detail/internationalisation/ConnectionsReport-LeedsMet-Caruana
Back to the future - Early meanings attributed to
‘Internationalisation of the Curriculum’
The global dimension and ‘Internationalisation at Home’ (IaH)
• New, unfamiliar phenomenon
• Meaning blurred by distinction between home and international student
experiences
• ‘shift in approach, rather than a radical change of content’ (Shiel and
Jones, 2004)
• Global perspectives provide ethical underpinning and values-based ethos
for a focus on cross-cultural capability
Back to the future - Early meanings attributed to
‘Internationalisation of the Curriculum’
• Cross-cultural capability influences thinking about the relationship
between an internationalised curriculum and cross-border student
mobility
• ‘Internationalisation at Home’ for ‘stay at homes’ and to prepare
sojourners
(Caruana and Hanstock 2005; Irving et al 2005; Killick 2006; Koutsantoni 2006a; Laughton and
Ottewill 2000; Lunn 2006; Pyne et al 2006; Shiel 2006; Shiel and Jones 2004, as cited in
Caruana and Spurling, 2007)
Back to the Future - Early meanings attributed to
‘Internationalisation of the Curriculum’
The sustainability curriculum and the internationalised curriculum –
a merging of minds in ‘Global Citizenship’
• Territory of geographers, scientists, engineers etc.
• From 1990s shift of emphasis to include ethical issues
• Sustainability literacy, skills and knowledge are the literacy, skills and
knowledge of the ‘Global Citizen’
(Azapagic et al 2005; Haigh 2005, 2006; HE Academy 2006; Martin et al 2005, 2006; McGuiness et al
2005; Scott 2002 as cited in Caruana and Spurling, 2007)
The big picture - Embedding internationalisation and global
perspectives in strategy and curriculum across institutions
• Koutsantoni (2006) 44/51 institutions recruitment of international
students is main focus of strategy; only 6 universities refer to
enhancement of international experience of home students and only 2
acknowledge importance of creating a culture of equality and diversity
in internationalisation plans
• Gap between the rhetoric of policy statements and the reality of
practice
• Lack of progress rooted in institutional culture?
(Bennell 2005; Caruana and Hanstock 2005; Koutsantoni 2006; Lunn 2006; Shiel 2006: Taylor
2004 as cited in Caruana and Spurling, 2007)
The big picture - Embedding internationalisation and global
perspectives in strategy and curriculum across institutions
Emerging tensions
• Conflict with other more locally focused agenda
• Trend towards ‘de-internationalisation’
• Dilemma for some institutions who just happen to teach
some international students
(Caruana and Hanstock 2003; Haigh 2002, 2005; Parsons and Fidler 2004; Taylor 2004 as cited
in Caruana and Spurling, 2007)
A few years on - How staff view the internationalised
curriculum
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Culturally relevant
Empowers international and other ethnically diverse students
Enhances the global dimension for all students
Takes account of diversity and provides curriculum space to reflect
Enables students to see their place in the world as global citizens
Embraces ‘internationalisation abroad’ and internationalisation at
home’
(Caruana and Ploner, 2010)
Internationalising the curriculum ‘down under’
• The incorporation of an international and intercultural
dimension into the content of the curriculum as well as the
teaching and learning processes and support services of a
program
• Both international in its content and outlook and inclusive in
the way it is taught and assessed
(Leask, 2009; Woodley and Pearce, 2007)
Three key principles of the internationalised
curriculum
• Inclusion
• Multiple perspectives
• Cross-cultural capability
(Caruana, 2011)
The culture gap?
•
Variation in student disposition across disciplines and between undergraduate and
postgraduate communities but the overwhelming picture is one of voluntary social
segregation
•
More domestic students studying locally, maintaining local friendship networks
and using local facilities
•
‘Culture shock’ (or impact of cultural dissonance) interpreted as a lack of
willingness to integrate
International, home, or simply different?
(Caruana and Ploner, 2010)
Manifestations of tolerance
• Avoidance of difference
• Discomfort around acknowledging difference
• Fear of discriminating or stereotyping
• Integrated Threat Theory
(Hyland et al, 2006; Harrison and Peacock, 2007; Alexander, 2006)
Leeds Metropolitan University
Innovation North – Faculty Of
Information And Technology
Universities trying to bridge the culture gap?
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International societies etc. build cohesion between and among international
students but separate them from home students
•
Celebrations of culture can be counter-productive if not accompanied by
events which articulate the common ground
•
The role of International Offices – the message simply doesn’t get through to
home students – International Study Centres and more school/department
level initiatives
•
Orientation programmes for international students yet little preparation for
intercultural settings for domestic students
(Caruana and Ploner, 2010)
Informal curriculum – students suggest…
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More events that acknowledge multiple identities
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International student representation across societies
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More structured and authentic opportunities for interaction – conversational
classes, peer mentoring schemes, orientation bringing international and home
students together
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Transition is the common territory
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Initiatives operating at school level
(Caruana and Ploner, 2010)
From strategy to engagement?
Institutional rhetoric concerning diversity and inclusion, but…
‘…carelessness with which engagement is treated…’
(Harper and Quaye, 2008)
Leeds Metropolitan University
Innovation North – Faculty Of
Information And Technology
There are more questions than answers?
• My students and I just don’t seem to have the same expectations – how
am I meant to tackle that?
• What ALT strategies make my curriculum more inclusive?
• How do I cope, my curriculum is already packed!
• We think students don’t want to cross the boundary but we’re not sure,
maybe that’s because they need the capability in the first place!
There are more questions than answers?
• Students see the relevance of cross-cultural capability, but can’t see that
they’re explicitly assessed on it – so how is it relevant again?
• My student cohort is not diverse how does an internationalised curriculum
work for them? Does it need to?
• Most students don’t want to go abroad how is cross-cultural capability
developed for them?
• How does global citizenship fit with the internationalised curriculum? Not
only staff but many students are uncertain as to how their learning relates
to employability and citizenship in a global context
Diverse students articulating the university
challenge through the lens of resilience
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Students and academics – the two-way learner relationship?
‘…No one knows the thesis like me…’
Understanding how life works
‘…as if you were born in Leeds 25 years old…’
Articulating the boundaries of friendship
‘…Eastern culture westernised…’
Time and space – not understanding events – no background knowledge
Acting out a role
Accents
The stress of life changes
The generation gap
Just hold it there for a moment…
(Caruana et al, 2011)
Carelessness or discomfort?
‘…professional intercultural educators know that communicating
and interacting with culturally different others is
psychologically intense.’ It involves understanding how
languages and cultures of others influence their thoughts,
values, actions and feelings…’
(Paige, 1993 as cited in Caruana and Hanstock, 2005)
Leeds Metropolitan University
Innovation North – Faculty Of
Information And Technology
Carelessness or discomfort?
‘…not feeling confident that I have strong ‘cross-cultural capability’ myself,
making it difficult to think about how to facilitate experiences for others. I
suppose using the strengths of the students’ different experiences is one
way of developing this and therefore devising learning opportunities that
encourage this interchange of perspectives as an integral part of the
course…’
‘Personal attitudes, values and beliefs are discussed in part of the programme
but this can be scary/difficult for lecturers and students at times,
especially when attitudes and values conflict.’
(Caruana, 2010)
Internationalised Curriculum and Pedagogy?
• Cross-cultural capability is less about international travel per se and
more about harnessing the diverse experiences of students
• Current emphasis on multiculturalism and informal curriculum
(celebrating difference, valuing non-dominant cultures) may create
an atmosphere of mutual tolerance but intercultural understanding
involves negotiation, shared symbols and meanings to develop
‘relational identity’
Internationalised Curriculum and Pedagogy?
• Transition requires continued maintenance of an authentic
relationship with prior and on-going learning and life
experience which connects cognitive learning with affective
domains
• ‘Fitting in’ is the greatest challenge which undermines the
sense of self and impedes academic performance importance of meaningful and positive relationships based on
trust
(Caruana et al, 2011)
Disciplinary knowledge and internationalised
curriculum and pedagogy
• Paradigms and pedagogies – dialogue with student voice to both
acknowledge and shape students’ expectations and aspirations
• Legitimacy of challenging disciplinary values, norms etc. through crossing
cultural boundaries and taking learning out into the community
• Shift the focus to knowledge production based on multiple identities and
multiple ways of knowing – embrace learning as personal, iterative and
emergent…
(Caruana et al, 2011; Caruana, 2013)
Disciplinary knowledge and global perspectives?
• The pedagogy of difference, cross-cultural capability and imagining
alternative world views is about real people, real events, real situations
and engaging the sense of self
• The service learning paradigm offers unique opportunities to develop
intercultural understanding among diverse student cohorts
• From comfort zone to contact zone – biographical teaching method,
engaging the cognitive and affective domains without compromising
teaching ethics?
(Caruana et al, 2011; Caruana, 2012)
How can my institution support me?
• Holistic approach appealing to shared values and local ingenuity
• Avoiding burdensome prescription
• Nurturing a seamless relationship between disciplinary aims and the
aims of intercultural education
• Challenging traditional and conservative views of internationalisation
• Challenging a pre-occupation with content coverage
• Providing the foundation and support for research-informed and
evidence-based practice
(Caruana, 2012)
Thank you!
For references please see supporting Word document.