The Educational Turn: Rethinking the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (Rethinking Higher Education)

This open access book explores how educational researchers working at the edges of innovations in languages and literacies, leadership, assessment, social and cultural transformation, and pedagogies rethink the educational turn in new sites. It engages with the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) for educational researchers to redefine ways of knowing about learning post-COVID and deepen collective understanding of student learning and teaching for next practices to emerge. This book extends the theoretical and practical aspects of the educational turn across multiple contexts as SoTL. It is grounded in a field of practice and ways of knowing, outlining key intellectual principals, and set against specific examples from research. The chapters reference an understanding of the pedagogical implications of the ‘educational turn’, utilise a broad range of theory and concepts, and explore potential implications for education and next practices. Foreword Preface Acknowledgments Contents Editors and Contributors 1 The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in a Pandemic 1.1 Setting the Scene 1.2 The Educational Turn 1.3 Wicked Times References 2 Trends and Implications for the Educational Turn 2.1 Introduction 2.2 A Speculative Project in Action 2.3 The Power of Collective Collaboration 2.4 Collaborative Research Teams 2.5 Lessons for Next Practice Thinking 2.6 Concluding Thoughts References Part I Educational Practices (Interlude) 3 The Rapidly Changing Teaching and Research Landscape: The Future of SoTL and the Teaching-Research Nexus 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Where Has SoTL Come from? 3.2.1 Early Ideas 3.2.2 Teaching-Research Nexus 3.3 Where Is SoTL Now 3.3.1 Conceptualization (Our Own Classroom Practice) 3.3.2 SoTL Inquiries and Problems 3.3.3 SoTL Inquiry Methods 3.4 Where Is SoTL Going? 3.4.1 Some Issues for Consideration in Present State of SoTL Activities 3.4.2 Disciplinary, Multidisciplinary, and Interdisciplinary 3.4.3 Students as Partners 3.4.4 Development of Future Scholars of Teaching and Learning 3.5 Conclusion References 4 Designing Education for Wellbeing and Connection in a COVID Impacted World 4.1 Introduction 4.2 What Do Wellbeing and Connection Look like in the Future of Higher Education? 4.3 The Interconnectedness of Individual and Collective Wellbeing 4.3.1 The Reciprocity of Care: Annie’s Story 4.4 Wellbeing as a Shared Responsibility 4.4.1 Co-creating Hope for the Future: Rachel’s Story 4.5 Risks to Wellbeing and Connection in Higher Education 4.5.1 A Break in Lines of Relation: Angela’s Story 4.6 What If? References 5 Traversing Learning and Leading Collaboration: Stepping Towards New Power Values During Turbulent and In-Between Times 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Leaderships for Turbulent Times 5.3 Health Promotion Principles to Consider Living Through Change and Uncertainty 5.3.1 Advocate: Leading for Access and Inclusion 5.3.2 Enable: Leading to Remain Connected 5.3.3 Mediate: Leading to Embed/Maintain Integrity 5.4 The Emergence of a Plan: Leading to Support Change During the ‘In-Between Times’ and Beyond 5.5 Looking Back and Imagining Forward References Part II Educational Pedagogies (Interlude) 6 Reconceptualizing Assessment in Initial Teacher Education from a Relational Lens 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Theoretical Framework 6.3 Multi-layered Thinking Around Assessment Literacy: From Structural to Relational 6.3.1 Instrumental Lens 6.3.2 Epistemological Lens 6.3.3 Ontological Lens 6.4 Assessment in Initial Teacher Education in the Australian Context 6.5 Relational Assessment in Practice 6.5.1 Relational Assessment in Two Subjects: Global Literacies and Curriculum Design in Plurilingual Context 6.5.2 Co-design as an Example of Relational Lens to Assessment Practice 6.5.3 Thinking Critically About Questions in Assessment Policy and Practice 6.6 Conclusion: Possibilities and Challenges References 7 The Teaching Profession: Where to from Here? 7.1 Introduction 7.2 The Educational Contexts 7.2.1 Early Childhood Vignette 7.2.2 Students with Disability and Neurological Difference Vignette 7.2.3 English as an Additional Language Vignette 7.2.4 VET Vignette 7.3 Strengthening Teacher Efficacy 7.4 Equity and Advocacy at the Centre of the Teaching Profession 7.5 Speculative Implications for the Future of Higher Education References 8 Reaching for Reconciliation in Digital Spaces 8.1 Background Context 8.2 The All and Nothing of Learning and Teaching Spaces 8.3 Learning and Teaching Spaces as Terra Nullius 8.4 Artful Learning and Teaching Spaces 8.5 On Multi-narratival Discourses 8.6 Community of Inquiry Pedagogy 8.7 Digital Space 8.8 Conclusion References 9 Global Distribution of Students in Higher Education 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Global Distribution of Students 9.3 Serving Globally Distributed Students 9.4 Future Possibilities 9.4.1 Serving Students Culturally 9.4.2 Serving Students Academically 9.4.3 Preparing Staff for Globally Distributed Students 9.5 Possible Impacts 9.5.1 Shrinking Physical Campus 9.5.2 Faculty Changes 9.5.3 Institutional Competition and Collaboration 9.5.4 A Brighter Future for All Students 9.6 The Future of Higher Education: A Summary References Part III Educational Policies (Interlude) 10 Government Responses to the Pandemic and Their Effects on Universities 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Government Responses to the Pandemic and the Role of the New Public Management 10.3 The Experience of Closed Campuses and Reduced Movement of Students in Different Countries 10.4 Public Subsidies 10.5 The Australian Government, Universities and the Pandemic During 2020 10.6 Government Responses and Their Effects 10.7 Implications for Universities References 11 Refocusing the Narrative on the International Higher Education Policy 11.1 Introduction 11.2 The Rationales for Promoting International Education 11.3 Diversity of Global Contexts 11.4 Refocusing the Narrative on the International Higher Education Policy 11.4.1 Getting the “Process” Right 11.4.2 Global and Local Connectedness 11.4.3 Multidisciplinary Perspectives and Policy Co-design 11.4.4 Teaching-Research Nexus in International Education 11.5 Future-Proofing International Education During Times of Disruption References 12 Examining Mental Health and Wellbeing Policies in Australian Universities 12.1 Introduction 12.2 Prevalence of Mental Health Concerns in Higher Education 12.3 Conceptualizing Mental Health and Wellbeing in Higher Education 12.4 Mental Health and Wellbeing Policy Development in Australian Higher Education 12.5 Evaluating Australian Higher Education Policies and Strategies 12.6 Conclusion References Part IV Educational Possibilities (Interlude) 13 Speculating on Higher Education in 2041—Earthworms and Liminalities 13.1 Introduction 13.1.1 What If ... A Speculation on What Higher Education Might Be, Twenty Years from Now 13.2 What Will Become of the University? 13.2.1 Speculative Intra-actions and Diffractions 13.3 Diffracting Through the Pandemic Years 13.3.1 Diffracting Through the Wellbeing Revolts 13.3.2 Diffracting Through Research, Learning and Assessment 13.3.3 Diffracting Through Technology 13.4 The Flourishing of Universities 13.5 Concluding Thoughts: The Future of Universities References 14 Computationally Collected and Curated ‘What If’ Questions to Spark a SoTL Collaboration References Appendix Questions Emerging from Early Phases of the Project