Paterson, Richard;
(2020)
Perceptions of pedagogy for employability at a transnational university: A qualitative case study.
Doctoral thesis (Ed.D), UCL (University College London).
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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.
| Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Qualification: | Ed.D |
| Title: | Perceptions of pedagogy for employability at a transnational university: A qualitative case study |
| Event: | UCL (University College London) |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | Copyright © The Author 2020. Original content in this thesis is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) Licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Any third-party copyright material present remains the property of its respective owner(s) and is licensed under its existing terms. Access may initially be restricted at the author’s request. |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education > UCL Institute of Education UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education > UCL Institute of Education > IOE - Learning and Leadership |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10096590 |
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