Liberal Education Research Articles

When it moves, it morphs? Glonacalising US liberal arts education at a transnational university in China

ABSTRACT China has become a major host of transnational higher education. However, little research has examined how US-style liberal arts education (LAE) is packaged and practised in transnational universities in China. Guided by Phillips and Ochs’ education borrowing model and Marginson and Rhoades’ glonacal agency heuristic, this study examines how a US LAE model has been borrowed and ‘glonacalised’ in a transnational university (SFU) in China. Based on interviews with SFU’s students and staff, analysis of University Bulletin and other university published documents, the research identifies (mis)alignments between LAE-related discourse and practice at SFU in different borrowing stages. Findings show SFU has retained some explicit US LAE features (course structure, student-centred pedagogy and student agency), while more implicit principles were modified. The synergy among key glonacal actors/factors, namely neoliberal globalisation, neoliberal governance and students’ instrumental views of education, proved powerful in retaining and modifying the model.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN THE CLASSROOM: THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION

In the wake of the digital revolution, the integration of emerging technologies in education has emerged as a powerful catalyst for promoting inclusion and breaking down barriers in education. This study investigates the transformative impact of technology on inclusive education, exploring how innovations such as artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented reality, and assistive technologies are redefining learning possibilities for all students. We adopt a qualitative methodology, based on a systematic literature review, to critically analyze the current state of technology integration in inclusive education. Our findings reveal that, when implemented effectively, these technologies have the potential to personalize learning on an unprecedented scale, adapt to individual student needs, and overcome physical, cognitive, and geographic barriers. We identify significant challenges, including the need for ongoing training of educators, issues of equity in access to technology, and concerns about privacy and data security. The study also highlights the importance of a holistic approach that considers not only the technical, but also the pedagogical, ethical, and social aspects of technology implementation. We conclude that while technology offers transformative opportunities for inclusive education, its success depends on careful and contextualized integration, supported by progressive education policies and an ongoing commitment to equity and inclusion.

Eksplorasi Wawasan Pedagogis KH. Abdul Wahid Hasyim: Tinjauan Sistematis Terhadap Literatur Pendidikan

KH Abdul Wahid Hasyim is a prominent figure in Islamic education in Indonesia. This research explores his views on education, teaching methods, and their application in modern contexts. The aim is to understand his contributions deeply, evaluate the relevance of his concepts in current educational practices, and provide a foundation for innovation in progressive education systems. The research employs the Systematic Literature Review method to systematically explore Hasyim's pedagogical insights. Researchers gather, evaluate, and synthesize information from journals published between 2019-2024. Hasyim's educational perspective reflects the belief that education plays a strategic role in guiding individuals towards maturity, enhancing human dignity, and improving social conditions. The goal is to create individuals who are religious, knowledgeable, and intellectually sound, relevant in the modern educational context by integrating religious values with contemporary needs. Teaching methods like Wetonan, Sorongan, Hafalan, and Tutorial illustrate an adaptation between tradition and modernity, creating a holistic educational environment. According to Hasyim, teachers are agents of change, and students are active, creative, and independent learners. Hasyim's contributions in advocating inclusivity, liberalizing thought, reforming curricula, and establishing the Islamic University of Indonesia reflect his efforts to transform Islamic education to be more inclusive, progressive, and relevant to the times. Future research will focus on implementing Hasyim's teaching methods in modern education, evaluating the roles of teachers and students, and assessing his contributions to contemporary education, while promoting discussion forums to share thoughts on the implications of Hasyim's educational views in current educational practices.

Feminist Pedagogy and Peer Relations in Women’s Studies Classrooms: Reflections on Caste Inequalities in Indian Higher Education

This article attempts to explore the nature of peer relations across caste locations in higher education in the Indian context and the possibilities of pedagogical intervention in caste inequalities in the classroom. Much of the discussion around caste in Indian higher education has been limited to questions of access of marginalised caste groups alone, without taking account of the terms of this “inclusion” and the conditions of survival in higher education. With the shifts in the caste composition of students in recent decades, some reflections on the struggles of marginalised students have come forth, highlighting the extent to which the higher education system is ill-equipped to deal with a diverse student body. Based on a qualitative study of five degree programmes in women’s studies, the article discusses peer relations in the context of efforts of women’s studies teachers to intervene in the dynamics among students given the varying degrees of diversity in the classroom. Highlighting bitter divisions as well as attempts at solidarity among students across caste locations, it argues that addressing peer inequalities in the classroom must be part of feminist pedagogical work. Furthermore, these strategies must go beyond “enabling” marginalised students and equally directed towards questioning the privilege of dominant students, otherwise the classroom will not be enabling for the best of marginalised students.

‘History cannot be understood without women’: Feminist teachers’ representations of women’s history in primary and secondary education in Spain

‘History cannot be understood without women’: Feminist teachers’ representations of women’s history in primary and secondary education in Spain

Exploring Institutionalized Oppression in The Book of Not (2006)

ABSTRACT Tsitsi Dangarembga’s exploration of education takes on distinct forms in her literary works. The Book of Not (2006) focuses on traditional education encompassing classes, assessments and discipline. This article presents an analysis of Dangarembga’s second literary work, interrogating the tension between the promises of educational liberation and the entrapment of black female students within the confines of Young Ladies’ College of the Sacred Heart, an educational institution that replicates colonial practices. The concept of education is read within the framework of Paulo Freire’s critique of the banking model, where practices of colonial education are shown to manifest neuroses in colonial subjects, exposing the hypocrisies and ironies within the colonial education model. Through this lens, we observe the profound alienation Tambudzai (Tambu) experiences with liberatory education. To succeed within the system, Tambu is pressured to abandon her cultural identity under the misguided belief that doing so will lead to acceptance. This forced renunciation causes psychological breakdowns, highlighting how the school exhibits institutional traits akin to asylums. Instead of fostering independence and collective thought, the school’s true aim is to enforce dependence by compelling students to discard themselves.

Illuminating Knowledge: The London Mechanics’ Institution and the Diorama

The London Mechanics’ Institution, founded in 1823, sought to foster scientific knowledge among operatives. This article demonstrates how it was part of a new educational and technological landscape whereby there were increasing attempts to ‘illustrate’ knowledge in order to make it accessible and memorable. New scientific and optical devices were used to produce, disseminate, and democratize knowledge. The operatives attending lectures and classes had to be engaged and their attention fostered. It was believed that the march of knowledge did not succeed if it was dryasdust, and there were many forms of illustrated lectures, from diagrams and transparencies to magic lantern shows to live experiments. This article links the London Mechanics’ Institution to the advent of other metropolitan institutions like the Diorama and reflects on broader ideas of progressive education and the nature of learning engagement.

Thirty-five years of feminism and family law in the legal academy

ABSTRACT This chapter is in two parts, each of which reflects upon the developments and current state of family law scholarship and feminist teaching in universities in England and Wales. Piper focuses on the enormous body of research and writing that Felicity Kaganas achieved in over 35 years of research in family law. It outlines the publications that she and Kaganas wrote together and highlights Kaganas’ other significant work. It reflects upon the impact of this work for students, academic colleagues and policy-makers and concludes that many of the same issues Kaganas addressed over the years remain current. Auchmuty, on the other hand, reflects upon 35 years of feminism in the classroom. Both Auchmuty and Kaganas started teaching in English law schools in the 1980s when the job was very different. Since that time, law teaching has become an increasingly feminised profession, with feminist teachers occupying some of the highest positions, and feminist legal research has flourished. In spite of these two profound shifts, the law degree has remained virtually unchanged, especially in respect of the ‘core curriculum’. These reflections consider why this is so, focusing on mechanisms of patriarchal containment and backlash, and considers what can be done about it.

Future Direction of Engineering Education in the Post-COVID-19 Pandemic Era

This study investigates the future direction of biomedical engineering education in higher education. It examines the perceptions of learning activities, modes, and styles among a group of biomedical engineering students at an Australian university. The survey findings reveal that both traditional and progressive pedagogies are preferred by the respondents. This paper concludes that traditional face-to-face lecturing maintains its value in biomedical engineering education.

Toward a liberatory counseling and psychotherapy theories pedagogy and curriculum.

Psychotherapy theories have long been criticized for their White western cultural assumptions (Katz, 1985; Sue et al., 2024). With the growing call to decolonize psychology (e.g., Singh, 2020), we re-envisioned a psychotherapy theories curriculum from a liberation psychology framework (Martín-Baró, 1994). This framework contextualizes and historicizes people's lived experiences and highlights the ways in which oppressed communities have survived and resisted. A liberatory pedagogy for teaching psychotherapy theories involves critical consciousness (concientización; Freire, 1970), which allows students and instructors to bring a critical lens as they learn and discuss theories of counseling and psychotherapy; reflexivity, to locate themselves within the colonial, White supremacist and capitalist structures in which the classroom is situated; and somatic and affective engagement to decenter colonial rationality. The bookend approach (Wright et al., 2022) can be used to interrogate psychotherapy theories (a) as an overarching strategy for the entire course and (b) as a teaching strategy within each week's lesson on a specific theory. It is our hope that students will be equipped to re-envision psychotherapy and healing as located in our collective liberation from oppressive structures. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Masculinities in a feminist pedagogy: lessons for transformative gender and agriculture training.

Masculinities and femininities are closely interconnected with men and women farmers' everyday lives; hence critical reflection on these interconnections should be central in gender training in agriculture. While a focus on men and masculinities is crucial for sustainable transformation of deep-rooted gender norms and practices that limit the attainment of gender equality, there are insufficient empirically tested pedagogical models for this purpose. We share a case study, the Gender Responsive Researchers Equipped for Agricultural Transformation (GREAT) model, which incorporates masculinities in a feminist pedagogy. We use external monitoring, evaluation, and learning data for two case study courses that integrate gender in plant breeding, seed systems, and agronomy to demonstrate the efficacy of integrating the concept of masculinity and reflections on male farmers' expectations, behaviors, and practices within a feminist approach to gender training. We conclude that feminist pedagogical practices offer insights into how gender training can integrate a masculinities perspective to move beyond divisive and narrow gender polarities towards addressing masculine norms that often hinder the attainment of gender transformation.

Rethinking General Education from the Perspective of High School and Higher Education Curriculum Articulation

This study explores the concept of curriculum articulation between secondary and higher education, focusing on the continuity of curricula and their implications for foundational liberal education in universities. It analyzes the similarities and differences between general education at the high school and university levels. Both frameworks aim to cultivate holistic individuals equipped with essential competencies and a sound moral character through broad-based education. They share commonalities in historical origins, educational objectives, and curricular structures. However, high school curricula are typically organized around subject-based learning, whereas university curricula are more discipline-oriented, with pedagogical differences arising from the distinct roles of teachers and professors. These differences manifest in instructional content, teaching methodologies, and assessment practices. From the perspective of curricular continuity, sequence, and integration, the study advocates for the development of academically rigorous liberal arts courses at the university level that facilitate interdisciplinary mobility and integration for students, and the enhancement of teaching methods for interdisciplinary courses through ongoing faculty research. The conclusion suggests conceptualizing liberal education as encompassing three distinct domains: basic literacy education, liberal arts education, and experiential learning. It emphasizes that the scope of liberal arts education should extend beyond basic competencies, asserting that continuous faculty engagement and scholarly inquiry are essential for the effective development and refinement of liberal education curricula.

Analysis of University Students Liberal Arts Curriculum Perception and Needs

This purpose of this study is to analyze the perceptions and needs of students at University C regarding ‘liberal arts education’ and to draw implications for the reorganization and operation of the liberal arts curriculum. To this end, a survey was conducted on the perceptions and needs of the monitoring group of University C, and in-depth interviews and data analysis were conducted. A total of 91 students participated in the survey, responding to their perceptions of liberal arts education in general and their needs, and the researchers reviewed and analyzed 40 final reports submitted by the liberal arts education monitoring group. Five students, three from the humanities/social sciences and two from the natural sciences/ engineering, who were excellent members of the Liberal Arts Monitoring Group, were interviewed in-depth, focusing on information that could not be found in the survey and final reports nor could be confirmed through interviews. The analysis revealed the following perceptions and needs for liberal arts education.</br>First, students at College C perceived that liberal arts education was necessary overall, but tended to perceive it as less important than education involving their majors. Second, students perceived that the liberal arts curriculum at College C was below average in reflecting their needs. Third, while the survey showed a strong preference for lecture-style classes, the data analysis and in-depth interviews showed that the curriculum should be improved with more interactive teaching and learning methods. Fourth, students at University C felt burdened and fatigued by the relative evaluation method centered on memorization and written evaluation, and demanded a change to an evaluation system that focuses more on the meaning of learning.</br>Based on these findings, the university's dedicated organization for liberal arts education needs to make efforts to change the students' perceptions of the importance and value of liberal arts education and key information for academic guidance. In addition, efforts should be made to reflect student needs in the reorganization and operation of the liberal arts curriculum by establishing and operating student organizations such as student liberal arts curriculum committees and student liberal arts education monitoring groups, or even through competitions. In addition, the dedicated organization for liberal arts education should support liberal arts instructors and share teaching and learning methods that are more in line with liberal arts education through regular seminars for dedicated faculty members. Finally, it is necessary for educators to improve the evaluation system that focuses on students' learning activities in the student evaluation process, and to increase the satisfaction level of liberal arts courses through ‘clarity of evaluation criteria’ and ‘instructor feedback on grades’, and to improve instructors' awareness of student evaluations and to foster their evaluation expertise.

Innovation Plan of Liberal Arts Education for the Cultivation of Future Convergence Talent

In this article, we looked at what changes liberal arts education should seek to cultivate future convergent talents. If major education performs the function of problem-solving, liberal arts education should be able to diagnose problems in our lives and cultivate basic academic and academic skills that are the basis for problem-solving. In order to cultivate future convergent talents, liberal arts education at universities should seek the following changes.</br>First, a convergence liberal arts curriculum should be designed. It is necessary to design and operate a thematic convergence curriculum that fits the goals of each university by utilizing the various infrastructure of the liberal arts curriculum.</br>Second, it is necessary to seek changes in the operation of liberal arts subjects through the identity of liberal arts education. Liberal arts and liberal arts education are about cultivating both knowledge and practice. Based on the performance of liberal arts education, changes should be made to the instructors in charge of liberal arts education, teaching and learning, educational evaluation, lecture size, and lecture evaluation.</br>Third, support from the Ministry of Education is needed. Liberal arts education consists of common basic studies with liberal arts ranging from humanities, society and nature. If students are compared to one tree, support for liberal arts (basic studies), which are the basis of student growth, is needed in the entire structure of ‘root-culture’, ‘flower-major’, and ‘fruit-self-achievement’ (employment, etc.).</br>Universities must bridge the gap between knowing and living. In order for universities to perform the function of fostering future convergent talents, majors and liberal arts must coexist. It is important to solve a problem, but you must be able to diagnose the problem beforehand, and the foundation for solving the problem must be solid. Liberal arts education should design a convergence curriculum to cultivate future convergent talents and operate the curriculum in accordance with the identity of liberal arts education. In order to successfully carry this out, the support of the Ministry of Education is urgently needed.

A Study on the Development of University Liberal Arts Curriculum Convergence Standards

The purpose of this study was to develop standards for the convergence of liberal arts curriculum as a way to effectively operate liberal arts education in universities. To this end, through literature analysis and two rounds of Delphi surveys, convergence standards were developed according to the categories of university liberal arts curriculum organization.</br>As a result of the study, four categories—goals, contents, methods, and evaluation—were established as key components of the university liberal arts curriculum. The convergence types of the liberal arts curriculum were divided into two types: intra-curricular and inter-curricular convergence, with specific standards set for each type. A total of 14 judgment questions were developed, consisting of 3 to 4 judgment questions based on the standards for each type. These judgment questions were designed as comprehensive inquiries that could represent each standard.</br>Through these research processes and results, this study is significant in that it established specific standards for the more systematic operation of convergence education in university liberal arts curricula. In particular, it is meaningful as it provides guidelines that can be applied to the design and operation of liberal arts education by developing specific standards for both intra- and inter-disciplinary convergence. It is believed that this can contribute to cultivating convergent thinking in liberal arts education and offer practical assistance in designing curricula that integrate various academic perspectives. Furthermore, it is expected that such an approach will enhance the consistency of curriculum operation by specifically proposing ways to promote convergent thinking throughout processes such as goal setting, content organization, teaching methods, and evaluation.

A Study on How to Cultivate Musical Transitions Using A. Copland’s Theory of Students of Liberal Arts Music Education at University

This study adopted literature analysis and hermeneutic research methods, utilizing Aaron Copland's theory of film music to explore strategies for promoting musical transfer among students in college-level general music education. Music courses in liberal arts education at the university level typically focus on enhancing students' appreciation and understanding of music. however, given the nature of such courses, there may be limitations in applying musical concepts to real-life situations unless a specific instructional design is considered. To address this issue, this study developed a preliminary educational model through a literature review, and subsequently refined and finalized the model by incorporating revisions identified during the actual process of designing lessons using film music. The findings indicate that the educational model employing film music has the potential to enhance students' musical comprehension and appreciation skills and serves as an effective tool for facilitating the transfer of musical concepts across various contexts. These results suggest that the integration of film music into liberal arts music education is an effective approach for expanding students' musical thinking and experiences, thus presenting a new direction for music education.

The Ideas of Liberal Education in Changing Times

This paper examines the ideas of liberal education in the Fourth Industrial Revolution as well as artificial intelligence where technological breakthrough brings about socio-economic changes. The modern ideas of liberal education were propounded by such important thinkers as John H. Newman and J. S. Mill in the course of the previous Industrial Revolution. This paper explores how their ideas underwent reinterpretation and reconstruction in the 20th century. In particular, it discusses how the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) emphasizes the importance of practical liberal education along with newly proposed learning outcomes and their assessment tools. It reaffirms that the traditional ideas of liberal education are still valid in these ever changing times.

Characteristics and Challenges of AI Education in the Liberal Arts Curriculum of Domestic Universities : With Emphasis on the Linkage between the Primary and Secondary Education Curriculum and the Liberal Arts Curriculum of University in the Digital Trans

This paper aims to explore the characteristics and challenges of Artificial Intelligence (AI) education in the liberal arts curriculum of domestic universities. The revision of the curriculum to strengthen digital literacy has been in the field of the liberal arts in major universities. However, universities haven’t been aligning their curriculum with the core competencies developed in earlier stages. This has resulted in a disconnect occurring between AI education at the primary/secondary level and the university level. This gap can lead to students struggling to advance in AI-related topics as they transition to higher education. The liberal arts education of universities does not consider or reflect any linkage with the coherent system of the national curriculum, such as the 2022 revised national curriculum, of primary and secondary schools, which prevents the progress of students’ learning agency. For example, universities should take steps to open and run AI-related courses, regardless of government-supported projects, such as software (SW)-centered university projects. In fact, these project-based courses have not successfully addressed the need for a comprehensive AI and digital literacy education within the liberal arts. This paper, therefore, makes the following suggestions. Firstly, the liberal arts curriculum for AI education should restore its essence of humanity, preparing students to critically assess both the benefits and risks of AI in experiencing the digital transition. Secondly, universities should open and support AI-related courses in the liberal arts, ensuring that lecturers and professors receive the necessary resources to teach comprehensive AI education effectively.

Studying an Integrated Reading-writing Education Method to Deepen the Humanities Thinking of University Students : Focusing on the ‘Questioning in the Form of Problem Discovery’ to Foster the Activeness and Creativity of Thinking

The purpose of this paper is to explore the direction of humanities and liberal arts education at universities in the advent of the digital AI era, in which Generative AI invades human-specific areas due to the increasingly accelerated development of computer Internet technology, and to suggest what competencies learners need at this time and the contents and methods of education to cultivate them. Finding ways to coexist with digital AI technology, which has become a trend of the times, is a current task in the field of university education that needs to quickly respond to rapid social changes, adapt, and cultivate members of the future society. However, until sufficient research on this new media technology is done and its strengths and limitations are revealed in a relatively clear manner, I think it is necessary to examine and supplement the existing teaching methods that have already been developed based on sufficiently accumulated research and experience. Therefore, this paper proposed a reading-writing integrated education method that can shape the form and content of humanities thinking.

A Study of the Effectiveness of Student Perception-Based AI Feedback in College Writing Classes

This study examined the educational effectiveness of AI-based automated evaluation feedback tools in college writing courses. Amid active discussions on the use of AI in liberal arts education, the study applied AI automated evaluation tools to actual writing classes and analyzed the results. The findings show that AI feedback positively influenced students' motivation for writing and achieved a high level of satisfaction in areas such as spelling, vocabulary, grammar, and expression correction accuracy. AI automated evaluation feedback helps reduce the feedback burden on instructors and assists them in providing meaningful feedback to students. It is expected that AI-based automated writing feedback tools will contribute to fostering AI literacy. This case study is significant in that it offers insights for effectively incorporating AI automated evaluation feedback into college writing courses.