Despite the increase of research on international students, the complexity of their learning experiences is yet to be fully understood. This study seeks to provide an expanded vision of their learning by considering students’ experiences beyond formal educational spaces, focusing especially on their out-of-classroom experiences. To achieve this, the narratives of 12 international students in Portugal were analysed in light of the theory of transformative learning. The results indicate that all students experienced particular forms of learning as an outcome of their international experience and were engaged in transformative learning processes. Moreover, the theory of transformative learning proved to be an appropriate analytical tool for understanding the learning narratives of international higher education students. Through the analysis of the transformative effects of engaging with a foreign cultural context, this paper makes a contribution to the ongoing debate on transformative learning and the experience of international students in the European context.
Compared to other major players in the global market of international education, internationalisation of higher education has only recently become a relevant topic in Portugal. In line with the worldwide increase of international students, Portuguese universities are also experiencing a growing inflow of students willing to obtain a foreign tertiary degree. Anchored in international students' perceptions, this paper aims to understand how Portuguese universities deal with the increased diversity of their student bodies. The data result from an in-depth qualitative approach guided by the methodological assumptions of narrative inquiry and are analysed in the light of theories of multiculturalism. The findings give an account of numerous weaknesses in the way Portuguese universities tackle diversity, suggesting that institutional structures may reinforce assimilationist and deficit views of international students. Finally, considering that universities from other 'catch-up' countries may be confronted with similar issues, some empirically based recommendations are offered.
This paper reports the findings of a sociological research project 'Promoting Equality Awareness: women as citizens', funded by the European Commission. The first stage of the research explored how a new generation of teachers in Greece, Spain, Portugal, England and Wales understood the concept of 'citizenship' and how gender relates to it. Selective current debates on the nature of citizenship within the field of education are reviewed. Arguments about the cultural and historical basis of citizenship are used to develop an analytical framework identifying three main discourses; political, moral and egalitarian. We show how each discourse constructs notions of the good citizen. The data suggests that male and female respondents position themselves differently with respect to these culturally and historically dominant discourses of citizenship, and that each discourse has implications for women as citizens.
This article presents an analysis of school principals’ perspectives on networking concerning schools and school clusters from areas of social vulnerability (Educational Territories of Priority Intervention (TEIP)) in Northern Portugal. The meanings, purpose, benefits and difficulties of networking in education are examined, based on interviews with school principals. The concept of networking has a theoretical, conceptual and methodological organising function. The data show that networking, partnership and collaboration are used similarly when considering the work inside the school and between schools, as well as with the outside community. Networking is viewed as crucial for the school, and benefits are underlined both for the school and for students and teachers. The culture of isolation and individualism in teachers’ work is a challenge schools face. Although there is a wide recognition of the value of networking in education, there is an equally wide and diverse perspective on it as well as on strategies to implement it.
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