Paterson, R. 2020. Perceptions of pedagogy for employability at a transnational university: A qualitative case study. Prof Doc Thesis UCL Institute of Education https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.27737.74081
| Title | Perceptions of pedagogy for employability at a transnational university: A qualitative case study |
|---|---|
| Type | Prof Doc Thesis |
| Authors | Paterson, R. |
| Abstract | The role of higher education in supporting the knowledge economy by adhering to an employability led curricula is a contentious one. Countries need a highly educated and skilled population to both use and disseminate knowledge, and research centres such as universities are vital in the creation of new knowledge and the adaptation of existing knowledge to suit local, national and international demands. While education policy may be guided by national governments and their economic, social and cultural ideals, it has been argued that many valued employability skills can only be developed in genuine work situations, not in the classroom. Debates surrounding employability have taken place over recent years primarily in the global north, leaving a considerable gap in research in a more diverse range of contexts, including Central Asia and transnational education. This qualitative case study addresses the gap by drawing on reflections and observations on teaching and learning related to employability from students and lecturers on undergraduate degree courses at Westminster International University, Tashkent, a transnational university in Uzbekistan. Using activity theory as the tool for analysis, this research investigated lecturers’ and students’ understandings of employability pedagogy, how employability pedagogy was integrated in curricula of undergraduate degree courses, how lecturers mobilised their perceptions of employability pedagogy to construct classroom activity systems, and how students interacted within learning communities to develop their employability skills. The activity systems revealed tensions that arose out of interactions between participants and the community members, including colleagues, families and employers. Significant tensions related to issues of gender discrimination, student engagement in activities that did not contribute to progression, and how cultural norms impacted on students’ engagement with the labour market. |
| Keywords | Employability, activity theory, transnational education, Uzbekistan, Higher Education |
| Year | 2020 |
| Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.27737.74081 |
| Web address (URL) | https://www.researchgate.net/publication/380999615_Perceptions_of_pedagogy_for_employability_at_a_transnational_university_A_qualitative_case_study#fullTextFileContent |