We all have to cross borders. The ones in our heads may well prove to be the most difficult. (Teekens, 2000, p. 18) This article identifies the limitations of contemporary organizational theory on the internationalization of higher education in guiding and supporting internationalization activities at the level of the academic Self. A way forward is provided through Cranton's notion of authenticity in teaching in higher education, which presents a platform for understanding the academic Self through critically reflective and selfreflective processes. Cranton's work is then expanded using the concept of cosmopolitanism to enhance the potential for individual teachers to internationalize their personal and professional outlooks. In sum, this article highlights the importance of the exhortation from Socrates to know thyself as a precondition to better understand Others. Furthermore, the article provides the fundamental underpinnings of a conceptual framework for the internationalization of the academic Self.
The internationalised practices of tertiary teachers as discipline experts and role models should hold them in good stead to help facilitate student preparedness for life in a rapidly globalising world. Yet the literature on the internationalised practices of teachers is relatively barren. The response of this article is to provide a conceptual framework for reflection and discussion by drawing on theory as well as research on university teaching practice to illuminate personal and professional characteristics that might reasonably be expected to underpin teachers' internationalised outlooks and classroom practices. It points out why Knight's internationalisation theory, whilst having been widely mobilised in Australian higher education, has limited utility to inform tertiary teaching-related activities. The article then provides a way forward by unpacking the notion of an 'ideal' and authentic teacher for contemporary higher education to support contemplation of the development of international and intercultural perspectives in teaching. IntroductionA gap exists in the literature on internationalisation as it applies to teachers in higher education settings, both in terms of their knowledge and skills when working with internationalised curricula and of their personal and professional attitudes. Most of the research that has been carried out on internationalisation in higher education over the past two decades has focused on activities at the organisational level and the social and academic experiences of international students. Concurrently, the discourse emanating from universities speaks of their determination and capacity to equip all students with the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to make a success of life and work in what is frequently coined (rather restrictively) as the 'global market economy'. This, along with the production of knowledge through research, is an often-heard raison d'être of universities in the twenty-first century. It seems reasonable, therefore, to reflect on the internationalisation-related foundations that might contribute positively to the work of university teachers, for the teaching practices of academic staff should in some way help determine the sorts of international and intercultural sensibilities that students develop.
For the solar energy industry to increase its competitiveness, there is a global drive to lower the cost of solar-generated electricity. Photovoltaic (PV) module assembly is material-demanding, and the cover glass constitutes a significant proportion of the cost. Currently, 3-mm-thick glass is the predominant cover material for PV modules, accounting for 10%-25% of the total cost. Here, we review the state-of-the-art of cover glasses for PV modules and present our recent results for improvement of the glass. These improvements were demonstrated in terms of mechanical, chemical and optical properties by optimizing the glass composition, including addition of novel dopants, to produce cover glasses that can provide (i) enhanced UV protection of polymeric PV module components, potentially increasing module service lifetimes; (ii) re-emission of a proportion of the absorbed UV photon energy as visible photons capable of being absorbed by the solar cells, thereby increasing PV module efficiencies and (iii) successful laboratory-scale demonstration of proof of concept, with increases of 1%-6% in I sc and 1%-8% in I pm. Improvements in both chemical and crack resistance of the cover glass were also achieved through modest chemical reformulation, highlighting what may be achievable within existing manufacturing technology constraints. K E Y W O R D S chemical properties, cover glass, mechanical properties, optical properties, photoluminescence, PV modules, strengthening of glass 1 | INTRODUCTION Solar energy is often seen as the ultimate renewable energy because of the abundance of solar irradiation available for solar energy generation. In only 90 min, the Earth receives enough energy from the sun to provide its entire annual energy requirements. 1 Chapin, Fuller and Pearson invented the first practical photovoltaic (PV) cell in 1954, 2 and since the year 2000, installed PV capacity has experienced an almost exponential growth. 3 The installed PV capacity can be regulated politically but that is largely achieved on a national level and may be subject to change within just a few years. The growth of the solar energy market has been driven by the reduction of costs. For solar or any other renewable energy source, it has been a necessity to compete on an economical level (i.e., reaching so-called grid parity), and
This paper reports on a preliminary investigation into the instructional preferences of students from Confucian‐heritage backgrounds studying in a transnational Master of Business Administration (MBA) program of an Australian university. This is part of a long‐term undertaking to ensure that teaching and learning arrangements in the MBA program are improved. The teaching and learning environment of the program is characterised by an intensive teaching regime which utilises a mixed mode of face‐to‐face and online delivery which promotes independent and collaborative learning. The aim of the investigation was to provide lecturers with an understanding of the students’ instructional preferences so that, where possible and appropriate, they can better assist the students to meet the learning objectives of the MBA program. Questionnaire data was collected from students studying the MBA in English (EMBA) in both Hong Kong and Singapore, as well as students studying the MBA in Chinese (CMBA) in Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan. The findings demonstrate that whilst students ranked teacher‐directed, face‐to‐face instructional delivery highly, some students also indicated that an independent, online learning environment had advantages even though it was their least‐preferred approach to learning. These findings provide lecturers with insights into their students as learners and this is particularly useful in terms of informing planning processes for how to best assist students to work productively and successfully in the face‐to‐face and online teaching and learning environment.
This paper reports on Stage 1 of a learning and teaching project focused on students studying in the Chinese and English language delivery of transnational Master of Business Administration (MBA) programs of an Australian university. The programs are delivered using limited and intensive face-to-face teaching augmented by self-directed and web-based learning, and ongoing (mainly email) contact with lecturers before and after they have returned to Australia. The aim of this stage of the project is to provide a greater understanding of students’ instructional preferences so that, where appropriate, lecturers can better scaffold learning and teaching arrangements (Stage 2 of the project) to assist them to meet the learning objectives of the MBA program. Survey data was collected from students studying the MBA in Hong Kong and Singapore in English (EMBA), and in Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan in Chinese (CMBA). Findings demonstrate that whilst students ranked teacher directed, face-to-face instructional delivery highly, they also indicated that an independent, web-based learning environment was their leastpreferred approach to learning. These findings put lecturers in a more informed position when it comes to them planning how to best assist students from Confucian-heritage backgrounds to work productively and successfully in their studies.
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