Transnational higher education (TNHE) is increasingly experiencing collaborations between faculty and specialists of English for academic purposes (EAP). Issues concerning knowledge transfer, second language practice, and contextual challenges are the main concerns initiating joint delivery (JD) programmes. This reports on research exploring the collaborative experiences of thirteen EAP specialists with a reflective standpoint undertaking interpretative phenomenological analysis. The analysis exhibits three main collaborative practices with different levels of engagement and teaching tactics: assisted-delivery, co-teaching, and lecture-seminars delivery. Friend and Cook's (2014) framework evaluates these collaborations, providing insights on approaches for optimum and organic collaborations based on co-designing, openness and adaptation, mutual learning, and a share of outcomes and responsibilities. JD enriches practice, student experience, and the collaborative stands of TNHE.
TopBackground
Education has transformed quickly in approach and nature (Stensaker et al., 2012). The constant and rapid flow of students and faculty (Altbach, 2007; Ho, 2010; González-Ardeo, 2012) and technological improvements in information access have redesigned the dynamics, logistics and purpose of our classrooms with initiatives such as blended learning (Ehlers, 2013; Hew & Cheung, 2014), flipped-classrooms (Reidsema et al., 2017), and Content Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) (Mehisto, 2012; Evans et al., 2009). Thus shaping the overall palette of teaching practices. A palette that in TNE mixes standards and values in learning and teaching (LnT) traditions with differences in expectations between learners and teachers.
These mixed educational values were observed with the first TNHE in China in 2004 (Ennew & Fujia, 2009). Changes, adaptations and innovations are continuously taking place to meet students’ learning needs. Within the TNHE context, some of these issues are denoted, for instance, in the ability to utilise and transfer skills from one course to another, others are in using English as the medium of instruction (EMI) in non-language related courses, and in general, the expectation that knowledge is centralised in textbooks and the teacher. These can affect acquiring micro-skills such as group work, peer-review, participation or taking the initiative to offer answers in the classroom without previous instruction. Experiences in pre-tertiary education, background and exposure to English can differentiate local and international students (Zha, 2013), while at the same time, both cohorts require similar academic competencies (Wang & Curdt-Christiansen, 2016).