Institutional approaches to curriculum development often privilege outcome over process. This paper explores the use of an adapted Change Academy approach, originally developed for teams from different institutions, to supporting teams from different disciplines within the same institution. The approach was evaluated through analysis of the…

This article explores the perceptions of participants following the first International Summer Institute (SI) on students as partners in higher education, a four-day professional development experience designed to foster student-staff partnerships. Approximately 9 months after the Institute, 10 participants were interviewed to understand their…

We explored the relationships between social contexts and factors that promoted and inhibited curriculum change at two universities. Thirty interviews were analysed using a general inductive approach to identify factors and forces in three social contexts (lecturer, departmental, and institutional). Curriculum change was characterised by six…

This article contributes to the growing scholarly literature about students as partners in learning and teaching in higher education by describing an initiative designed to support partnership and a study investigating international staff and student perspectives. The initiative--an international summer institute--is a four-day, professional…

Bringing about change in teaching and learning in higher education is a core aspect of the work of academic developers. This paper is novel in analysing the experience of a year-long initiative to support curriculum changes in departments in related disciplines in different universities. It applies some of the processes developed by Change Academy…

Learning is a developmental journey, and geography curriculum plays a key role in supporting student progression. In this article, we argue that the concept of "self-authorship" is a useful guiding principle in supporting curriculum revision and reform. A series of international case studies illustrate how self-authorship can be enacted…

Two areas of growing importance for academic developers are: first, their involvement in the development of institutional and faculty learning and teaching strategies; and second, how to engage students in academic development activity at institutional, department and discipline levels. This paper explores both interests by considering how…

The University of Gloucestershire, located in the southwest of the United Kingdom, is a small university with approximately 7,500 full-time students and 400 teaching staff. It has three faculties, all with a professional or applied focus: (1) Media, Art, and Technology; (2) Business, Education, and Professional Studies; and (3) Applied Sciences.…

Faculty need to be supported and encouraged to integrate disciplinary research and scholarship into undergraduate courses and programs in ways that are beneficial to their students' learning. (Contains 1 figure.)

Discusses recent efforts to incorporate transferable "enterprise skills" into British higher education. Examines the role of geographers in the endeavor. Illustrates how a first-year geography course was adapted to a practical skills approach. Argues that enterprise skills are better incorporated into the existing curriculum and not…

Introduces the symposium, "International Perspectives on Learning and Teaching in Geography in Higher Education," presented in this journal issue. Discusses the background on how this symposium was created and highlights each of the papers included. (CMK)

Describes a series of eight guides, "Key Skills in Geography in Higher Education," published by the Geography Discipline Network. States that the series is produced by the United Kingdom Department for Education and Employment's "Key Skills in Higher Education" development fund. (CMK)

Maintains that cooperative learning produces higher achievement, more positive relationships among students, and healthier psychological adjustment than do competitive or individualistic experiences. Describes a cooperative learning core module complete with course content and assessment strategies. Discusses advantages, disadvantages, and student…

Outlines the advantages and disadvantages of using a single textbook in a college-level economic geography course. Argues that, if a course text is used thoughtfully, the advantages can outweigh the disadvantages. Asserts that students must take greater responsibility for their own learning and develop independent inquiry skills. (CFR)