10 joint Bachelor programmes (Specialisation years), four Master Programmes and a PhD programme. All developed in just three years’ time in an international network that had just been established under European University Alliance programme. An immense effort that has required – but also awarded – a lot. At the end of the first project round, it is useful to take a look back: what did we learn in doing this? This article discusses the best practices and lessons learnt in an international curriculum development process as experienced by the persons that were responsible for leading the INVEST (INnoVations of REgional Sustainability) European University Alliance curriculum development teams.
The quality assurance in INVEST network is based on Deming’s well-known principle of continuous development. This cycle has been utilized also in the INVEST curriculum development process and the organisation of pedagogical support.
During the first curriculum development phase in 2021-2022, five Bachelor programmes were developed. In the autumn of 2022, we started to develop the next five Bachelor programmes. In order to find out what worked well in the first development round, we asked for feedback from all the participants by using an on-line questionnaire and carried out five interviews with curriculum development (CD) team leaders. In addition, we took a look at the first pilot degree, Sustainable Energy Solutions, and how these plans were transferred to practice. The results of the questionnaire and the interviews were used to develop the process for the second curriculum development phase.
This article focuses on the best practices and lessons to learn from two different perspectives: curriculum development process and piloting the programmes. The quotes are derived from the interviews with the CD team leaders.
Best practices
Based on the interviews with the CD team leaders we identified the following best practices in the organisation of the pedagogical support:
- Joint workshops and support create efficient co-operation and speed up the process
- International curriculum development creates numerous opportunities for learning
- Work-based learning enhances student motivation and learning
Joint workshops and support
During the curriculum development process, several joint workshops were organized to support the joint development process. Joint workshops were regarded as a key factor in ensuring efficient co-operation and progress in the curriculum development process. They were also a way to ensure active participation from all partners.
I3: “I would like to have more of these kinds of workshops in between because that gets the process going.”
The first development round showed that there is no workshop mode that suits all purposes: different workshops are needed for different purposes. During the piloting process, workshops were organized both on-line and on-site. In all face-to-face workshops, also on-line participation was made possible. Hybrid workshops were regarded necessary but experienced more difficult to organize and participate. Face-to-face workshops were favoured in the beginning of the curriculum development process, whereas later on, when the team members learnt to know one another better, on-line meetings were also found useful as they allowed more flexibility.
During the piloting process, two ways of organizing workshops were tested: during the first development phase there were three joint workshops for all curriculum teams. In the second development phase, most of the work was organized in individual CD team meetings where there was also an educationalist present facilitating the process.
I2: “With this small group, we were able to really develop the contents, get all the materials, get all the assignments and exams and everything.”
Combining these two methods seems to suit the process best: bigger events allowed an opportunity to network, compare the programmes, share ideas and best practices, whereas smaller workshops allowed more time to concentrate on planning the individual programme.
I4: “[We need] co-operation between all CD teams: presenting the work and the case studies. To give some example of CD units and specialisations. How we are planning to co-operate with the living labs. How they are going to use the living lab also during the first semester, how case studies will be implemented, how they are linked to competencies and learning outcomes.”
Opportunities for Learning
Joint curriculum development and piloting process allowed various opportunities for learning. The principles of INVEST pedagogy were experienced new at some partner universities and offered a chance to develop teaching also on other home university courses.
I4: “It was completely new, I think and it still is for the colleagues, this competence-based learning and the way of assessment. […] I think a completely new philosophy which we are also trying to… maybe somehow implement in our education. […]
Learning was also linked to other aspects than the curriculum development process and the pedagogy. Two of the interviewees described their personal learning experiences on working in international teams.
I3: “I did learn how much fun and energy I get out of these kinds of international co-operations, working with people that actually want to do this. […] I learnt how much I’ve missed working together in these international teams. […] all the different cultures, all the different backgrounds… people… they are not that different.”
I1: “You learn that collaboration is most important. First of all, you learn to listen. That is very important. Because most of the time we don’t listen. We think we know everything and forget about listening.”
Work-based learning enhances student motivation and competence development
Work-based learning was regarded as an important factor in both planning and implementing the curricula. Active co-operation with the stakeholders was seen as a way to carry out a needs analysis on curriculum content to ensure its relevance. In planning the INVEST specialisation years, all teams carried out at least five interviews with stakeholders in order to find out what kind of skills and competences are needed in these fields.
I2: “When you have companies involved, you will get fresh content and really good questions. So basically, the courses will be relevant.”
For students, work-based learning and projects in the Living Labs provided them with authentic tasks and interaction with the stakeholders. This supported competence development and motivation.
I2: “Everything has been done in collaboration with Working Life partners and students have been creating new business models… creating a really valuable outcomes for the for the businesses.”
Lessons to learn and recommendations
Joint curriculum development process is not an easy task even inside one university. When there are several universities from different countries involved, the difficulty factor is multiplied. Differences in national legislation, university guidelines, processes and pedagogy demand flexibility from all partners. For future co-operation we identified the following things as key factors for success:
- Ensuring teacher and university commitment, participation and resources
- Finding the right balance between joint pedagogy and teacher autonomy
- Well-functioning processes and communication ensure effective planning and implementation
- Different forms of pedagogical support provide flexibility and effectiveness
- Focus on student recruitment central
Ensuring teacher and university commitment, participation and resources
Clearly articulated university support and management role form the basis of effective international co-operation. In order to create well-working programmes, we need to engage motivated teachers with expertise on the subjects. Commitment is vital both at university and teacher level to ensure continuity.
I3: “You need actually people who want this.”
I2: “Quite often [meeting/ workshops] starts… what is it [INVEST pedagogy] about and then some know, but others are still… what is it about? And in the third meeting, half of them know and still half remain as ‘what is it about?’ So, if there would be enough work and emphasis on those who participate to get idea about the INVEST pedagogy in general, then also those trainings would be perhaps easier for the organiser and then also more specific questions for those how attend.”
I3: “At the end of last year… at the beginning of this year I felt: Do we have any strategic backing [at our university]. What do we want as [our university]? Ok. But then in the opening of the academic year, there’s two people that mentioned it. That’s important, I think. Ok, there’s a strategic backing, very good.”
Finding the right balance between joint pedagogy and teacher autonomy
The partners had agreed on a joint INVEST pedagogy in the early stages of the project. Later on, new CD team leaders and teachers have joined in. Creating a joint, sustainable pedagogy, requires time, co-operation and active participation from INVEST teachers. It also needs to be developed further as a joint effort. In order to create ownership in teaching, teachers need to get familiar with the pedagogical principles but also to find a way to make it their own.
I5: “This idea of showing INVEST pedagogy is very useful for me. Because the background is very different with lecturers, students and so on, and for me it’s obligatory to have this common approach, to unify the approach to teaching, to develop the materials and so on.”
I5: “According to my opinion, there is a resistance to this joint pedagogy. This is my impression. […] Sometimes people are very good experts, but they are not able to attract the attention of the students, to motivate them to participate them in the process and from this point of view, this emphasis on the process, how to teach and how to do better, is very important.”
Well-functioning processes and communication ensure effective planning and implementation
In order to create well-functioning and effective curriculum planning and implementation processes, clear and well-ahead planned timetables and deadlines are needed. They are also an important factor in ensuring teacher participation. Easily available materials, such as guidelines, instructions and templates support consistency in the planning processes. Effective and clear communication platforms and co-working tools form the basis for CD work in international teams.
Different forms of pedagogical support provide flexibility and effectiveness
In order to create a sustainable joint pedagogy, several forms of support are needed. When new teachers join in, flexible, effective and cost-efficient forms of orientation and support are needed. In addition to CD team meetings and workshops, peer learning, co-teaching and mentoring offer flexibility to organizing the support.
I2: ”I read background information about this method because it came partly by surprise in the beginning. I was curious to know more and then I read and even bought myself a book about the pedagogy.”
I5: “I have very good communication from my colleagues from our university who have been involved in INVEST from the beginning. They’re very useful, help me to orientate and when I need some information, they provide me very fast. That is good.”
I2: ”Often you see in projects, in the beginning there is a lot of support. And then we think like, oh we are already there and there’s nothing needed anymore. But this also means that the fire goes down slowly and it ends also often. So how to make sure that this continues and you develop further in this?”
Focus on student recruitment
Sustainability of joint international programmes requires steady and increasing student volumes. Consequently, there needs to be a clear focus on student recruitment and marketing at every university. Integrating INVEST pathways into university curricula e.g. as minors or optional studies can offer one way to increase interest in the programmes. Increasing student activation in planning the programmes can be one of way to increase student interest.
I4: “Flyers are fine, website is fine, but it’s always the personal presentation which is the best, most important.”
I3: “How to make programmes attractive and feasible. We [teachers] have an idea, but it might not always be the same idea as the students have.”
Author:
Marjo Nenonen, PhD, Head of Educational Development, Karelia University of Applied Sciences
Image by rawpixel.com on Freepik
