Middlesex University T&L Conference 2012

1. Dr Karen Smith
K.L.Smith@greenwich.ac.uk
University of Greenwich
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2.  “Any activity in which students are in a
different country (the host country) to that in
which the institution providing the education
is based (the home country)” (GATE in McBurnie & Pollock, 2001).
 Also known as:
◦ Collaborative international provision
◦ Franchised provision
◦ Cross-border education ‘More international
◦ Off-shore education students are now
working towards UK
degrees overseas than
at home’ OBHE 2011
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3.  Flying faculty ‘typically combines intensive sessions
of block teaching from offshore academics, who
fly-in from the “home” country and are supported
by local tutor seminars and offshore tutors through
the virtual learning environment’ (Smith 2009, 112).
 Grown over last twenty years (Stella 2006)
 As has research in this area:
◦ Quality assurance
◦ Adaptations
◦ Institutional preparation and support
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4.  Sheffield Hallam University (SHU) – top-up
degree in Hong Kong in 2006
 KS module leader (dissertation)
 SHU top-up degree – 3 Profs; 2 PLs; 1 SL & 1L.
 50+ students – most social work background
 Little staff development
Image from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hong_Kong_Skyline_Restitch_-_Dec_2007.jpg
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5. 5

6. What brings you here?
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7. 7

8.  Uses the Biographical Narrative Interpretive
Method [BNIM] (Wengraf, 2001)
 Captures lived situations and experiences
through narrative interviewing
 ‘Typical case’ sampling,
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9.  Logistics (heat, tiredness, accommodation)
 Teaching patterns (intensive delivery,
workload at home)
 Gender differences and racism
 Assessment and equity
 Relationships with local tutors
 University infrastructural support
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10.  Fresh ideas for teaching in the UK
 Better understanding on the whole
programme
 Career progression
 New research areas
 Opportunities for collaboration and
consultancy
 Expanded world views
 Empathy
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12.  Did you get any particular support from the
institution?
◦ Not a thing (interview 1)
◦ Hmm, no, not really at that time (interview 2)
◦ Hmm, not really, not that I can remember (interview 3)
◦ No (interview 4)
◦ No, no (interview 5)
 What did they say they wanted?
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13.  Which inoculations
 Where to eat
 What to see
 Some key phrases
 Tiredness / workload
 A bit like Maslow?
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14.  Obvious challenges
 Real opportunities
◦ Transformational learning?
 Due to the ‘culture shock’ or ‘disorientating
dilemma’
 Do we need pre-departure support at all?
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15.  New staff paired with a more experienced mentor,
share experience of routine events (e.g. Gribble &
Ziguras, 2003).
 More use could be made of structured
conversations between educational developers and
transnational teachers (Haigh, 2005; Crabtree &
Sapp, 2004).
 Project funds could be set aside to support small-
scale research projects (Zuber-Skerritt, 1997).
 What else could be done?
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16.  Smith, K. 2014. Exploring flying faculty teaching
experiences: motivations, challenges and
opportunities, Studies in Higher Education,
available online at:
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/030750
 Smith, K. 2013. Overseas flying faculty teaching as
a trigger for transformative professional
development, International Journal for Academic
Development, available online at:
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/136014
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