Exploring Pedagogical Competencies for Transformative Teaching and the Role of Transformative Pedagogy in Higher Education: Fostering Reconnection to Self, Others, and Nature

This systematic literature review explores the potential of using National Qualifications Framework (NQF) level descriptors to facilitate transformative pedagogy in higher education. The study analyzes the strengths, weaknesses, and implications of utilizing NQF-level descriptors to promote student-centered learning, critical thinking skills, transversal skills, and student engagement. It examines the current literature and explores how NQF-level descriptors can effectively cultivate a student-centered learning culture, incorporating transformative and innovative pedagogical strategies. The study also covers the alignment between NQF-level descriptors, learning outcomes, assessment tasks, and teaching approaches, drawing on Biggs' constructive alignment theory. Through this analysis, the research contributes to the existing knowledge on transformative pedagogy, especially for universities seeking to address challenges in curriculum transformation. Additionally, the study sheds light on the practical implications and effectiveness of using NQF-level descriptors to foster innovative pedagogies. The anticipated findings hold the potential to enrich our understanding of transformative pedagogy in higher education and provide valuable insights for institutions striving to implement student-centered approaches. This research has significant implications for curriculum design and teaching practices, offering guidance on how NQF-level descriptors can be powerful tools to enhance learning experiences, critical thinking, and student engagement. Ultimately, the study aims to advance the field of transformative pedagogy and contribute to more effective and innovative teaching practices in higher education institutions.

In recent times, service-learning has emerged as a popular community-based instructional pedagogy. However, scholars have a sharp contention about the role of service-learning as a community engagement paradigm in higher education. Furthermore, limited studies exist on service-learning as a transformative instructional pedagogy in higher education. This paper addresses this gap in the literature by presenting an analytical review on the potential of service-learning as a transformative pedagogy in higher education. A traditional narrative review method was used to survey on the theme of the study to establish a theoretical framework and draw conclusions. An extensive survey of existing literature was conducted on the role of service-learning as transformative pedagogy in higher education. This research may help answer the following two critical questions: What are internal and external limits to service-learning in higher education? To what extent can service-learning replace the traditional mode of teaching and learning in higher education successfully? The review shows that service-learning is a critical transformative pedagogy that helps achieve the boarder goals of higher education in a more effective way. The review further informs that service-learning is a community engagement approach that can also be used as a teaching method for achieving specific civic and democratic goals of higher education.

Considering the COVID-19 pandemic, teaching, and learning encounters in higher education have changed. Online teaching has become routine and a variety of virtual learning platforms are being explored. Within this article we, two higher dance education teachers and researchers, reflect on using TikTok in our work. Taking a duoethnographic approach, we explore engagement with TikTok in our contexts of teaching in higher education institutions in China and Norway. From our duoethnographic dialogue we discuss how TikTok offers an example of a posthuman educational encounter. From there, the idea of how a platform such as TikTok might be able to create a space and place for teaching and learning within a higher education setting is unpacked. Then a reflection on disciplinary specific contribution is given, asking: what can dance offer to the conversation about using a social media platform such as TikTok within higher education? Through reflecting on our pedagogical experiences and cultures, this article reveals that while queries surround the use of social media platforms such as TikTok in higher education, there are benefits in experimentation with such platforms. Specifically, there is value considering the interaction between the human and non-human aspects of teaching and learning in higher education settings.

Teaching in higher education beyond the boundaries of face-to-face education is an evolving practice including the integration of various technologies to support collaboration between learners and teachers. From a historical perspective the integration of such technologies in this practice has afforded different time- and location-related conditions for collaboration. This development has brought new conditions for the practice of teaching in higher education. From being a practice mainly located at the university, teaching is possible to occur elsewhere; e.g., on the move, or from the home setting. It has paved the way to introduce so called blended learning practices of teaching in higher education. Such practice has been an emerging trend in the 21st century with an overall impact on the design of university courses. Applications, devices and networks that initially were used in experimental distance education have later become natural parts of mainstream education, with blended learning as a standard concept in higher education. The rich plethora of information and communication technologies applied as tools to mediate learning and support teaching have created a need for teachers’ professional development. The aim of this study is to present and discuss university teachers’ perceptions and beliefs about how the supplementary training should be organised. Data were gathered by semi-structured interviews at a department for Computer and System Science where all seven interviewees teach in blended synchronous educational settings. The empirical material were analysed inductively by applying a thematic analysis method. Findings show that all courses have a basic common toolbox as well as an extended specific toolbox that both are continuously changing. This can be stressful and the formal teacher professional development is far from satisfying. Teachers cope with problems by consulting the collegium, a peer group where colleagues share experiences and assist each other in problem solving. Despite the constant pressure many teachers have creative ideas for a further development of the blended synchronous learning concept. Many of the teachers in this study see the continual attempts to implement these tools and experimenting with these tools in their teaching as possibilities in their teaching as well as a source of professional development.

Higher education is a sector that can be slow to change, yet there are significant pressures on universities and other providers to change. Learning and teaching are central to what higher education does, and pressures, such as the switch to remote learning during the pandemic and the increasing use of generative AI, are causing a reconsideration about good learning and teaching. This essay provides a futures framework to explore best and next practices in learning and teaching in higher education. Four important and influential papers and reviews are used to consider past and current views of good teaching and learning in higher education. From these, six evidence-informed teaching practices are described as examples of current best-practice views, and then these are developed into possible, plausible, probable, and preferred next practices. This essay provides a stimulus for practitioners and researchers to adopt a futures mindset for thinking about the development of teaching and learning in higher education.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyse the significance of developments across Chinese higher education in the field of education and learning for sustainable development (SD) and to assess the relative impact of these initiatives.Design/methodology/approachThis is a review of policy and practice to examine developments, challenges, and prospects for education for sustainable development (ESD) in higher education in China. Selected educational and operational activities in different universities are presented for analysis and contextualized in relation to the aims of Agenda 21 in China and the broader ESD movement.FindingsKey barriers for the balance and promotion of ESD in higher education are identified, with particular focus on regional differences in this vast developing nation, and the need for broader educational approaches across academic disciplines. Teaching about SD has been integrated into technical fields, especially at universities in major cities, and research has been undertaken to develop economically effective and environmentally friendly innovations. However, resources and capacity are still very limited, given the ambitions associated with SD in China. National and international networks and collaborations must be promoted, and curricula and research need to be reoriented, to progress education and change for SD in Chinese higher education.Originality/valueLittle analysis has taken place regarding the progress of ESD in higher education in China. This paper provides an initial survey of leading developments and an assessment of the relative success to date in this field, for comparison with progress in other regions and countries. The identification of challenges faced by China with regard to sustainability and economic development should help to contextualize efforts towards sustainability innovation in higher education. The paper considers the rapid economic, ecological and social change being experienced in China and the substantial challenges of scale and localization involved in its SD initiatives.

In the course of digitalization, new technologies and innovations are continuously introduced to the educational sector. For instance, augmented reality (AR) is increasingly applied in science teaching in both school and higher education. Combining real and virtual content potentially enhances interactivity and understanding of the learning process. This teaching and learning approach can positively impact various learning outcomes, such as learning gains and motivation. This paper aims to investigate the positive learning effects of AR using a game-based AR learning environment: “Beat the Beast”. In line with the concept of an education for sustainable development (ESD) topic, microplastics, this learning environment follows an interdisciplinary approach, combining the subjects of biology, chemistry, and engineering. To determine and distinguish the effects of implementing the technology AR in science learning environments as well as the principles of game-based learning, we contrasted the learning environment into two factors: one with AR and one without AR and the other with a game and without a game. A quasi-experimental design with 203 pre-service teachers of the first semester of all subjects was chosen to evaluate the four different types of settings with questionnaires on motivation, technology acceptance, user engagement, cognitive load, computer self-efficacy, knowledge, and ESD outcomes in higher education. Our research demonstrates that although augmented reality (AR) imposes a relatively elevated cognitive load, it does not negatively affect learning effects. In spite of the increased cognitive load, learners in AR settings do not exhibit lesser knowledge acquisition compared to those in alternative environments. Moreover, our investigation highlights AR’s potential to amplify motivation and user engagement. Contrary to expectations, in the context of the selected subject matter and target audience, game-based adaptations of the educational environment fail to enhance learning outcomes. These versions actually underperform compared to other formats in both motivational and engagement metrics.

The article compares measures to support female teachers in universities in the UK, Germany and Russia with gender statistics from the OECD. An ambiguous correlation was revealed: the broader the measures to support female university teachers, the lower their share in higher education. The purpose of the work is to identify the reasons for this relationship. Within the framework of the hypothesis, the following thesis was put forward: high competition in higher education affects the decrease in the proportion of female teachers and forces the states to introduce a wide range of support tools to achieve gender balance. Comparison of the specifics of the spheres of higher education in the studied countries: R&D expenditures in the field of higher education and the working conditions of teachers (average salary, mobility, a specificity of contracts, hours worked, career opportunities) made it possible to identify the level of competition in universities. The obtained results confirmed the hypothesis about the direct influence of the level of competition on the share of female teachers in higher education. In conclusion, the relevance of the experience of European countries in building a gender balance among university teachers for Russia is considered. It is concluded that significant differences in the specifics of the sphere of higher education in Russia and the studied European countries, as well as the dominant share of female university teachers in our country, are not a sufficient reason for refusing to study foreign experience. On the contrary, the measures taken by the Government and the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia in recent years, if successfully implemented, will significantly increase the level of competition in the field of domestic higher education and the issue of gender balance will become relevant. In order to prevent a possible generational gap among female university teachers and the aggravation of the problem of gender balance in the future, it is necessary to study and adapt foreign experience, avoiding mistakes.

The state guarantees equal access to higher education. Due to the Chernobyl disaster, war, or other circumstances (death of both parents or deprivation of their parental rights, damage to health, which led to limitation of life activities and establishment of disability), we have entrants who do not have the opportunity to exercise their right to higher education on equal terms with other entrants who were not affected by these circumstances.
 We have a number of legislative acts to regulate these relations to ensure equal access to higher education for socially disadvantaged population groups, among which the Constitution of Ukraine and the Law of Ukraine «On Education» are generally declarative in national legislation. The Law «On Higher Education» already specifies the subjects of administrative guardianship in the field of higher education, as well as their right to a specific type of administrative guardianship in the field of higher education. Exercising his right to equal access to higher education, the subject of administrative guardianship in the field of higher education applies to the institution of higher education with a request to provide a specific type of administrative guardianship in the field of higher education, the institution of higher education takes measures to provide administrative guardianship in the field of higher education. Relations arise, which should be called administrative-legal relations of administrative guardianship in the field of higher education. Why precisely administrative-legal relations, because firstly, these relations are regulated by the norms of administrative law, for example, the norms regulating the procedure for admission to an institution of higher education and relating to subjects of administrative guardianship in the field of higher education are created and approved by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, that is, by the central body of the executive power, secondly, in the presence of a wide range of rights, the student is in a certain subordination to the institution of higher education, so according to Article 63 of the Law of Ukraine «On Higher Education», the student of the institution of higher education undertakes to observe the statute and internal regulations of the institution of higher education, comply with the requirements for occupational health and safety, safety technology, industrial sanitation, and fire safety provided by the relevant rules and instructions, comply with the requirements of the educational (scientific) program (individual curriculum (if available), observing academic integrity, and achieve the study results determined for the corresponding level of higher education, thirdly, administrative guardianship in the field of higher education is provided at the expense of the state budget, fourthly, administrative-legal relations regarding the provision of administrative guardianship in the field of higher education arise in the presence of administrative-legal norms , which prescribe them. Institutions of higher education under the supervision of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, as well as persons who are entrants or students of higher education and wish to receive administrative guardianship in the field of higher education, are the subjects of administrative-legal relations regarding administrative guardianship in the field of higher education. This article is dedicated to the study of the topic of administrative-legal relations for the provision of administrative guardianship in the field of higher education, subjects, objects and legal grounds for the emergence, change and termination of these relations.

The continuous development of economic globalization has led to huge changes in the field of education in Russia. Unfortunately, due to the serious social problems left after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russian society found itself in a state of serious national crisis, and the field of higher education was not spared. Russian higher education has faced a number of problems. In 2003, Russia joined the Bologna Process and began a comprehensive reform of higher education. This process has made an important contribution to ensuring the quality of European higher education, implementing the integration of European higher education and promoting research and innovation in the field of European higher education. The promotion of innovations in education, especially in the field of higher education, has become a key factor in increasing its international competitiveness.

This paper explores the application of technology to pedagogy in higher education. The data are gathered from 21 academics who apply technology to their teaching with University students in England. The research is based on a qualitative inductive methodology. The findings reveal that a complex range of personal, social and professional factors influence pedagogy with technology in higher education. The paper makes an original contribution to knowledge by outlining some of the challenges that exist in using technology to teach in higher education. The research participants do not think that applying technology to teaching is necessarily representative of best pedagogical practice. Caution and thought are recommended if pedagogy with technology in higher education is to be developed effectively. The research reveals that transformative pedagogy is possible when technology is applied to teaching in higher education; however, this necessitates considering the needs of the students alongside reflecting on the personal, social and professional backgrounds of those who are teaching in higher education. This innovative approach to professional development with technology is developed in the paper.

For the first time in Russian-language historiography on the basis of an analysis of the most important components of Franco-German cooperation in the field of higher education the evolution of cooperation between higher education institutions of France and Germany in the post-war period is presented. The prerequisites for Franco-German cooperation after the Second World War are determined. The evolution of academic mobility between these countries is considered. The results of activities to create equivalents of documents on higher education in France and Germany are revealed. The Franco-German joint institutions of higher education are characterized. The aim of this work is to consider the evolution of cooperation between France and Germany in the field of higher education in the post-war period of time through the prism of its key aspects. The relevance of this study is due to the lack of research on this issue in Russian-language historiography. In addition, the study of Franco-German relations in the field of science and higher education in the post-war period is also of practical importance, since the experience of this cooperation, or its individual aspects, can be used in the field of higher education and science of our state. As a result of the analysis of key aspects of the Franco-German university cooperation, the following stages were identified in bilateral cooperation. 1. Establishment of Franco-German educational cooperation (1949–1963) – a period of post-war contradictions and the emergence of academic mobility between universities in France and Germany. The intensification of Franco-German cooperation in higher education was due to the unfolding Cold War and the ongoing process of European integration: the cultural sphere acted as a means of overcoming Franco-German antagonism. 2. Franco-German cooperation after the conclusion of the Treaty of Elysee (1963 – the end of the 1970s) – a period of expansion of academic mobility and the creation of new tools for its implementation; at the same time, this period of cooperation was marked by a shift in the attention of the governments of France and Germany towards national education issues. 3. The beginning of the process of institutionalization of Franco-German cooperation (late 1970s – 1993). The transition to the third stage of cooperation is due to the emergence of new trends in bilateral educational partnerships: the creation of coordinating institutes and joint educational institutions and the beginning of solving the problem of equivalence of diplomas. 4. The cooperation of France and Germany after the formation of the EU in 1993 – the Franco-German partnership at the present stage and within the European Higher Education Area. The implementation of the provisions of the Bologna Agreement in practice significantly unified the higher education systems of France and Germany, which facilitated bilateral academic exchanges, and the two countries’ participation in European educational programs became an additional incentive for their intensification.

Introduction: In response both to the fundamental changes in the state of the world we are living in and an increasingly closer connection between nature and society, the idea of sustainable development has emerged on the political agenda over the last thirty years, challenging both science and politics. Based on the definition laid out in the so-called BrundtlandReport, sustainable development is about meeting fundamental human needs while preserving the lifesupport systems of planet earth (Kates et al., 2001). According to Grosskurth and Rotmanns (2005), a focal point of the sustainability discourse is marked by the integrative examination of the threat to natural resources and an economic development that is both environmentally friendly and socially just. It is obvious that the journey towards a more sustainable world requires fundamental societal transformations that may only take place as a social learning process (Glasser, 2007). Thus, in the Agenda 21, agreed upon at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (Earth Summit) held in 1992 in Rio de Janeiro, education, both formal and informal, is seen as crucial to achieving a more sustainable development. In this process, educational institutions are named as a key factor for the dissemination of the idea of sustainable development. Consequently, in 2002 the United Nations (UN) proclaimed the years from 2005-2014 the World Decade of Education for Sustainable Development, thus underlining the role of education for sustainable development. Among the various educational institutions, universities are increasingly recognized as playing a crucial role in the context of sustainability by generating, transferring and communicating new knowledge as well as offering education and training as one of their key tasks (Cortese, 2003, Fien, 2002). To meet the challenges mentioned and to support research and network building in higher education for sustainability is the mission of the UNESCO Chair “Higher Education for Sustainable Development”, established at the University of Luneburg. In 2009 the Chair played joint host with the University Sains Malaysia in Penang to the Third International Conference on Higher Education for Sustainability, its topic being the specific implications for higher education in education practice, research and learning. Choosing as its regional focus the Asia-Pacific region, the conference emphasized its international orientation and highlighted its commitment to a crosscultural dialogue.2009 marked the half-way stage of the UN Decade ‘Education for Sustainable Development’ and one of the Conference’s goals was to provide an opportunity for critical reflection on what had been achieved so far and what tasks and challenges remained to be addressed. The conference theme centered around the question of what value is added by integrating questions of sustainability into teaching and learning in higher education. Attended by some 130 participants from more than 20 countries, the Conference aimed to bring together experienced colleagues as well as those newly interested in exploring how higher education is responding to the challenge and opportunities of sustainability. In a 3-day programme of lectures, workshops, poster presentations and round tables, the state of the art in research on higher education was presented. Selected presenters were invited to contribute to a special issue of this journal, and in the end, ten contributions were chosen for inclusion in the present issue. The articles correspond to the three thematic lines that the conference was focusing on:

PurposeThere has been much debate in recent times about the factors that improve the quality of teaching in higher education (HE) institutions. This has been especially fueled by the increasing importance attached to Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) qualification. To fill the existing gap in the current literature in this regard, this study aims to investigate whether HE teachers (lecturers) who undergo pedagogical training (PT) in addition to obtaining PhD qualification possess higher knowledge and pedagogical competencies (PCs) than those that relied only on having PhD qualification without further teaching qualifications.Design/methodology/approachDrawing upon data collected through a structured questionnaire administered to 1,174 Nigerian HE teachers in various disciplines from 39 HE institutions, in addition to two focus groups, the study adopts a mixed-methods research. The quantitative data were analyzed descriptively while qualitatively data were coded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed thematically.FindingsThis article proposes that teachers who undergo PT in addition to obtaining PhD tend to have more PCs and perform better than those that have not undergone any form of PT. Also, it found a statistically significant difference between PCs of HE teachers who have undergone PT in addition to PhD qualification from those without PT. The implication is that teachers who have undergone PT are more effective in facilitating teaching and learning than those who have not completed PT.Research limitations/implicationsDespite the merits of the mixed-methods research, a major limitation of this study is the failure to compare students' achievements or successes based on the two distinct samples. However, the limitations create opportunities for further studies into the subject matter.Originality/valueThis study is timely, given that Nigeria (like many African countries) has a low quality HE system and low graduate outcomes (related to knowledge, employability, and skills). More so, research into pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) and practices are rare or nonexistent in the literature related to Nigeria and other African countries' HE system.

This study investigates the intricate relationship between international student mobility and sustainability awareness within the context of higher education, emphasizing the role of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in fostering global citizenship. By employing a mixed-methods approach, we surveyed 300 international students from 20 different countries and conducted semi-structured interviews with 20 faculty members across 10 universities. Our findings indicate that international student mobility can significantly enhance sustainability awareness but primarily when ESD principles are effectively integrated into academic curricula. Specifically, students who engaged in programs infused with ESD reported a deeper understanding of sustainability issues and a stronger commitment to global citizenship. The study further reveals that faculty development plays a crucial role in promoting ESD within higher education settings, as instructors equipped with enhanced knowledge and skills in sustainability education are better positioned to transform curricula in meaningful ways. Additionally, institutional policies and frameworks are essential to creating an environment conducive to ESD, ensuring that programs prioritize global citizenship alongside academic performance. By drawing connections between mobility, sustainability awareness, and educational practices, this research underscores the necessity for universities to adopt strategic initiatives and collaborative efforts aimed at embedding sustainability into higher education curricula. In conclusion, this study offers valuable insights for policymakers, educators, and institutions, highlighting the imperative to strengthen ESD practices to cultivate a generation of informed global citizens. The implications of our findings aim to inspire actionable steps toward integrating sustainability within higher education, ultimately promoting a more equitable and sustainable future.