Sue Robson | Newcastle University (original) (raw)

Papers by Sue Robson

Teachers and Teaching, 2011

This conceptual paper explores the notion of higher education (HE) internationalization and its p... more This conceptual paper explores the notion of higher education (HE) internationalization and its potential to lead to transformational institutional change. Internationalization is generally regarded as a process that involves increasing the range of international activities within universities and between universities and other educational institutions and the numbers of international students and academic staff. Much of the literature on ‘internationalization’ focuses on incoming international students and the challenges for teaching and learning associated with the increasing diversity of the student population. Forward thinking institutions are responding by attempting to make the curriculum (both formal and informal) more relevant and engaging for international students and by considering ‘internationalization at home’ to prepare all students for life and work in a global economy. Other studies explore the opportunities arising from international research collaboration, for knowledge-transfer and societal impact. Talk about internationalization has become firmly embedded. While the managerial implications of an internationalization agenda for HE institutions have been articulated elsewhere, there has been relatively little research that investigates the transitions for individuals and communities that are essential to transformative internationalization. This paper attempts to characterize what an ‘internationalized’ institution might look like, and what support might be required to achieve the personal and professional transitions within its communities that are necessary to achieve the transformative agenda.

British Educational Research Journal, 1999

The Government's recent commitment to inclusive education aligns English policy in special needs ... more The Government's recent commitment to inclusive education aligns English policy in special needs education with the international inclusion movement. One of the founding assumptions of that movement is that mainstream schools can and should develop structures and practices which will allow them to respond more fully to the diversity of their pupil populations. This article reports a study of four comprehensive schools seeking to develop in this more inclusive direction. It finds, however, that their attempts were beset by difficulties and ambiguities which call for an explanation. It considers, and finds inadequate, accounts within the literature in terms of theories of educational change, theories of inclusive schools and micro-political theories. These accounts, it argues, need to be supplemented by a perspective which sees responses to diversity as being beset by dilemmas arising from contradictory imperatives within mass education systems. Such a dilemmatic perspective suggests that movement towards inclusive schooling is likely to be more problematic and more complex than we have supposed.

Teaching in Higher Education, 2007

Education, Knowledge and Economy, 2007

This paper explores some of the practical tensions associated with higher education international... more This paper explores some of the practical tensions associated with higher education internationalization through the introduction of an institutional case study. The case highlights the interplay between policy-makers and academics around the emergence of an ‘internationalization’ agenda in a British university. It aims to illustrate aspects of the debate within the literature which discuss the gap between competitive and cooperative international motivations and to explore the impact of commercial internationalization upon the academic community. The key conclusions are that: cooperative and competitive impulses to internationalization respond to different ideological positions; linking a commercial revenue-generating approach with internationalist rhetoric may frustrate the development of an international orientation in an institution; and increasing academic disengagement with the commercial agenda possesses the potential to obstruct management intention.

Educational Research, 2007

Background There is an emerging corpus of work on the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic on educatio... more Background There is an emerging corpus of work on the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic on education in sub-Saharan Africa. This mainly employs demographic models to make projections of student enrolments and teacher requirements. However, there is a paucity of research in basic schools to examine the experiences of AIDS-affected teachers and students. Purpose This study explored staff and student perceptions of the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic on the education of affected children in high-prevalence districts of the Copperbelt province of Zambia. The impact of the epidemic on student enrolment, attendance and completion rates, and on the quality of the learning experience, was investigated. Programme description and sample The Ministry of Education assisted with the selection of districts in the Copperbelt Province with the highest prevalence of HIV/AIDS (34% to 39%). Four government schools with the highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rates and two community schools in impoverished communities were selected. Design and methods Statistical data from each school were made available. Six focus groups were held with District Education Board Personnel, NUT officials and the Copperbelt Special Education Standards Officer. Six interviews were held with school management teams. A total of 72 teachers and 64 students responded to questionnaires; 36 students also took part in four focus groups, each involving gender balanced groups of six to eight students from grades 4–8. Results The study provides information on the impact of the epidemic on basic education that has not previously been documented in Zambia and may assist the strategic planning and management of basic schools. A positive outcome of this study was that students, teachers and other professionals freely discussed issues concerning HIV/AIDS and its impact on education in a context where such issues are usually met with silence or denial. Conclusions The challenge for the Zambian Ministry of Education and the international community is not only to provide the right to basic education, but also to strengthen schools as inclusive and supportive communities. For students, this might focus on provision of alternative and more flexible opportunities for participation and learning, access to health and life skills education and appropriate counselling and support. For teachers, professional development opportunities to support the management of large classes and curriculum development—e.g. in the areas of life skills and vocational skills—are implicated.

Early Child Development and Care, 1993

Talking with children is suggested as a useful observational tool for gathering information and e... more Talking with children is suggested as a useful observational tool for gathering information and evidence on children's understandings. Conversations with children from three different settings are discussed, with reference to their ideas about play, work and learning. Certain common features about children's conceptions emerge: their tendency to see play as a social activity, largely unconnected with learning, and work as related to often seat‐based, teacher‐initiated tasks. Some differences in attitudes across settings were also apparent, particularly in children's feelings about choice, and their freedom to choose. A model to account for children's conceptions is suggested.

International Journal of Inclusive Education, 2007

The global spread of HIV and AIDS has presented a major threat to development, affecting the heal... more The global spread of HIV and AIDS has presented a major threat to development, affecting the health of the poor and many aspects of social and economic development. The greatest impact of the epidemic has been felt in sub-Saharan Africa, and Zambia ranks among the worst hit countries. The Free Basic Education Policy in Zambia upholds the right of all children to a universal basic education. This study explored staff and student perceptions of the impact of the epidemic on access to, and the quality of, basic education for AIDS-affected children, orphans and other vulnerable children (OVCs) in the Copperbelt Province of Zambia, where the HIV/AIDS prevalence rate ranges from 34 to 40%, and life expectancy has dropped to 33 years. Data were collected from education personnel in six districts of the Copperbelt with the highest prevalence of HIV and AIDS and from staff and students in six schools. The data indicated a range of factors that adversely affect the access to, and quality of, education for AIDS-affected children and OVCs. Factors related to attendance and school completion; teachers and teaching; quality of learning; strategic planning, policy and school development are discussed. A positive outcome of this study was that students, teachers and other professionals freely discussed issues concerning the impact of the HIV and AIDS epidemic on education in a context where such issues are commonly met with silence or denial. The data enhance our understanding of the current crisis in education and the challenges ahead for targeted development of more proactive and inclusive educational policies and practices in Zambia.