Search results

1 – 2 of 2
Article
Publication date: 3 February 2022

Melanie Brown, Milton Nomikoudis, Frederique Bouilheres, Clara Nkhoma and Mohammadreza Akbari

This article addresses the experience of academic developers and academic staff during the transition of assessment practices in an English-speaking international university…

Abstract

Purpose

This article addresses the experience of academic developers and academic staff during the transition of assessment practices in an English-speaking international university campus in South East Asia. The project examined in the study was born out of the institutional strategy focused on producing graduates ready for employment.

Design/methodology/approach

A case study from a Business discipline highlights key factors in curricula change from the academic perspective.

Findings

This study focuses on what it meant for the academic teaching and academic development teams to work together to bridge the broadly strategic with the local practical implementation. Potential implications for others embarking on academic development within large-scale strategic projects are also provided.

Originality/value

This paper offers a discussion of the symbiotic relationship between management, academic staff and academic developers (Roxå and Mårtensson, 2008) generated by the transition to authentic assessment as a key element in the development of student employability.

Details

Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning, vol. 12 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2042-3896

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 April 2018

Catherine Peck, Frederique Bouilheres, Melanie Brown and Carol Witney

The purpose of this paper is to overview an institution wide accessibility project undertaken at the Vietnam locations of a transnational Australian university, and the…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to overview an institution wide accessibility project undertaken at the Vietnam locations of a transnational Australian university, and the significance of this initiative in symbolising the organisation’s commitment to inclusion and diversity. The project implemented universal accessibility standards for learning materials across all courses delivered at the university. This facilitated an easier in-class and online learning experience for students with a broad range of print disabilities, visual or hearing impairments, and a range of other learning differences or disabilities.

Design/methodology/approach

The implementation of this project entailed three concurrent streams of activity which the authors describe in this paper. These included development of accessibility standards and processes for conversion of the existing learning materials, a sustained awareness raising campaign for staff and students, and integration of the accessibility standards into induction, support and development activities.

Findings

The process of establishing the technical foundations for inclusion through a focus on accessibility prompted rich dialogue with staff and students around inclusive practices. Many staff working in professional and non-teaching roles voluntarily adopted the standards to promote an inclusive workplace. Capability building activities for high school teachers were also conducted for the Vietnamese Department of Education & Training.

Originality/value

The approach outlined in this case is highly transferable, and provides a practical roadmap for achieving accessibility and promoting an inclusive environment. The strategies described through the lens of Kotter’s (1996) process for leading change in this paper can be applied by higher education institutions internationally.

Details

Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, vol. 10 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2050-7003

Keywords

1 – 2 of 2