Driving and Embracing Change: Learning and Teaching Languages and Communication in Higher Education

Driving and Embracing Change -kirjan kansi, jossa sinisellä pohjalla erivärisiä palloja.

Tiedostolataukset

Kirjoittajat

Adrienn Károly, University of Jyväskylä; Lotta Kokkonen, University of Jyväskylä; Maija Gerlander, University of Jyväskylä; Peppi Taalas, University of Jyväskylä; Lotta Kokkonen, University of Jyväskylä; Adrienn Károly, University of Jyväskylä; Peppi Taalas, University of Jyväskylä; Maija Gerlander, University of Jyväskylä; Teija Natri, University of Jyväskylä; Hanna Brauer, University of Jyväskylä; Karoliina Ahonen , University of Jyväskylä; Jani Ylönen, University of Jyväskylä; Anne Alanne , University of Jyväskylä; Riitta Kelly, University of Jyväskylä; Yuri Imamura, Shukutoku University; Aaron Orszag, University of Jyväskylä; Elina Jokinen, University of Jyväskylä; Heidi Kuitunen, University of Jyväskylä; Päivi Torvelainen, University of Jyväskylä; Jonna Riikonen, University of Jyväskylä; Sofia Kotilainen, University of Jyväskylä

Avainsanat:

korkeakouluopetus, korkea-asteen koulutus, muutos, monikielisyys, oppiminen, kieli ja kielet, yliopistot, opiskelijat, kulttuurienvälinen viestintä, englannin kieli

Tiivistelmä

When considering the title of this book, we, as its editors, had to reflect on the notion of change. Change is constant and inevitable, but fundamental changes do not happen overnight. Such changes result from actions and measures that address deep, complex and interrelated systemic issues, and thus require a shift in mindset. Fifty years ago, Gregory Bateson (1972/2000), an early advocate for ecological thinking, warned that solving the challenges facing society requires a re-examination of the ideas that have dominated thought since the industrial revolution. For Bateson, ecological thinking meant more than adding an environmental perspective and implied the need to revisit the core values and principles that form the basis of societies. Similarly, in the field of education, as Selby (2000) has argued, ecological thinking involves a shift to a more holistic worldview and an awareness of the interconnections and interdependencies of power issues influencing culture, development, environmental and social justice, equity, health, and peace, as well as the interplay between our outer and inner worlds and between different disciplinary epistemologies. These ideas have special significance in the dynamic landscape of contemporary higher education, which faces complex challenges and often unforeseen and/or unpredictable changes and events, such as shifts in government policy or the COVID-19 pandemic. The constantly evolving changes necessitate strategic, future-oriented planning and decision-making in addressing the most critical questions relevant to universities today: the provision of education that is accessible and equitable to all and that meets the changing needs of economies and societies; internationalisation and the growing linguistic and cultural diversity at universities alongside the increasing dominance of English in academia; financial sustainability and the increasing competition for funding; technological advancements; and the well-being of both students and staff. These questions are linked to larger social, economic, geopolitical, technological, ideological, and environmental changes, which directly or indirectly influence higher education: intensifying global migration, deepening social inequalities, escalating armed and cyber conflicts and threats, increasing political/ideological polarisation, the proliferation of misinformation and disinformation that diminishes trust in science, ethical issues surrounding AI, and the impending environmental crisis. On a more practical level, interest and investment in learning languages other than English is diminishing. These challenges are relevant in the Finnish higher education context, too, and they require flexibility and continuous adjustments not only in institutional strategies and frameworks but also in mindsets, pedagogical practices, and working cultures.

Luvut

  • Introduction
    Adrienn Károly, Lotta Kokkonen, Maija Gerlander, Peppi Taalas
  • Framework for multilingual and intercultural communication competence
    Lotta Kokkonen, Teija Natri
  • Exploring university students’ goals for the development of multilingual and intercultural communication competence
    Hanna Brauer
  • The pedagogical value of translation
    Adrienn Károly
  • Peer feedback in teacher teams
    Karoliina Ahonen , Jani Ylönen
  • University students’ perceptions of the effectiveness of a course in communication confidence
    Maija Gerlander, Anne Alanne
  • Learner beliefs of Japanese exchange students at a Finnish university
    Riitta Kelly, Yuri Imamura
  • Student perceptions of teaching presence in an online academic reading module
    Aaron Orszag
  • Expanding the conceptualisation of writing
    Elina Jokinen, Heidi Kuitunen, Päivi Torvelainen
  • First-year university students’ perceptions of themselves as writers of academic texts
    Jonna Riikonen, Sofia Kotilainen
Driving and Embracing Change -kirjan kansi, jossa sinisellä pohjalla erivärisiä palloja.

Tiedostolataukset

Julkaistu

2024-06-28

Verkkokirjan ISSN

2814-8843