Ideas and realities: an investigation into the management of transnational ELT programs

Transcription

1 Ideas and realities: an investigation into the management of transnational ELT programs Dr. Katie Dunworth, Curtin University of Technology The project Between the idea And the reality Between the motion And the act Falls the Shadow T.S. Eliot The Hollow Men

2 Good practice Presenting a positive image of Australia as a provider of high quality education Meeting legal obligations in both countries Operating in accordance with peak body recommendations Acting in ways deemed good practice by stakeholders The study University ELT department Three transnational partners One successful, one unsuccessful, one new Two in Indonesia, one in Mauritius All privately owned (one a university) EAP programs Desk research and interviews

3 The issues Communication and culture Values and principles Capacity and resources Communication and culture Between individuals Between university departments Between institutions

4 Communication and culture [X] has been actually terrific, he was the one that I was first dealing with. Any time he had a problem he would get on to me and if something had happened, he d say look I thought this might be a good way to approach things he has good communication skills and nothing seems like a criticism (Interviewee 1). [X] has taken over from the person who I got on quite well with. I don t get on well with this person I ve found her to be, yeah, she s just not pleasant. She sends me quite abrupt and rude s at the last minute (Interviewee 3). Communication and culture Between individuals Between university departments Between institutions

5 Communication and culture The quality assurance issue can become an issue if the local institution feels as though big brother is watching; you have to be careful about the relationship then (Interviewee 2). With us going up twice a year or three times a year as far as helping the relationships go, I think that s actually working really well working with the staff locally so they know who we are and we know who they are (Interviewee 6). Values and principles Motivating forces for each institution Educational goals The notion of equivalence

6 Values and principles They [the Mauritian partner] did come from South Africa, so their experience is the more Anglo-type world. So it s easier to identify targets, and outcomes and things like that, much more so than with somebody from maybe China, or even Sri Lanka. I think they ve been different to deal with (Interviewee 14). Values and principles Motivating forces for each institution Educational goals The notion of equivalence

7 Capacity and resources Physical environment Financial and human resources Ongoing systems Capacity and resources A lot of the other partners are less keen to put in the resources that are required so that they maintain a certain level whereas [the Mauritian partners] have the right attitude and the right philosophy about doing what s required (Interviewee 9)

8 Capacity and resources Physical environment Financial and human resources Ongoing systems Capacity and resources Their timetables didn t seem to follow our pattern at all, their blocks I remember assessments were given on certain days their blocks were completely different to ours teaching patterns weren t clear in some cases (Interviewee 10)

9 Recommendations That a democratic approach to the development and management of the program would yield quality outcomes That values, principles and goals should be explicitly and honestly articulated by both partners from the start, and that these should inform every subsequent step of the process That those involved should be familiar with the cultural and educational milieu in which the program would take place That resourcing needs to be realistic in terms of the time and personnel required to maintain a quality program