Trans-Cultural, Trans-Language Practices: Potentialities for Rethinking Doctoral Education Pedagogies

Abstract

Abstract:Over the last decade, there has been a rapid increase in doctoral enrolments of Asian international students in Australian universities. While policies have been developed to meet the needs of these students, there seems to be some confusion around the terms internationalisation, globalisation, bi-cultural, inter-cultural, multi-cultural, and trans-cultural within these policies. In this paper, we define these terms and advocate for a policy position which orients to a futurist definition of culture. We then review the work of Michael Singh and his research team at Western Sydney University who have responded to this rapid increase in Asian international student doctoral enrolments in Australian universities by developing pedagogic principles around notions of trans-language and trans-cultural practices. In the final section of the paper, we then draw on our own experiences of doctoral supervision in Australian universities to reflect on our positioning within the pedagogic principles around trans-language and trans-cultural practices.

Benefits of Translanguaging and Transculturation Exchanges Between International Higher Degree Research Students and English Medium Research Supervisors

“…Given the burgeoning uptake of Higher Degree Research (HDR) students studying in a language and culture other than their own, it is prudent to focus on the pedagogic practices of this interaction. Many international HDR students seek to develop their understanding of global interrelatedness, connect to international research communities and contribute positively to these communities as well as their own (Choy, Singh & Li, 2017). Research literature has already documented the challenges with cross-linguistic and cross-cultural HDR supervision.…”

“…They regard this transcultural practice as a departure from one-way mentoring to a pedagogic process that mobilizes the expertise of all team members. Encouraged by Singh et al's (2016) conceptualization, Choy, Singh and Li (2017) call into question the need for the prefix "trans", stating that cultures are neither fixed, static nor tightly bounded and transcultural practice involves incorporation of cultural knowledge and theories from other intellectual traditions based on the assumption of an equality of intelligences.…”

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Discussions around internationalisation in Higher Degree Research (HDR) supervision have advocated a "deparochialising" (Lingard, 2006) of research education for international students via approaches that make use of students' existing language, culture and theoretical knowledge. Ideas include taking up reflexive and collaborative learning (Ryan, 2011) and HDR supervisors of international students being open to translanguaging (Li & García, 2016) and transculturation practices (Choy, Singh & Li, 2017). We explore interview data from international HDR students from language backgrounds other than English and some English speaking HDR supervisors working with international HDR students to document their assumptions about translanguaging and transculturation practices.

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“…Other research literature explores Western HDR supervisors working with international HDR students who have English as an Additional Language (EAL) and non-Western backgrounds (see, for example, Choy, Singh & Li, 2017;Manathunga, 2011Manathunga, , 2013Singh, 2009;Singh & Chen, 2012). In this chapter, we explore interview data from international HDR candidates with Asian backgrounds whose first language is not English and some English speaking HDR supervisors working within a large city-based Australian university.…”