Change and Continuity Diversity and Homogeneity Perspectives on

Change and Continuity Diversity and Homogeneity Perspectives on Trends and Futures for HE 10 th International Workshop on Higher Education Reforms HE Reforms: looking back – Looking Forward Ljubljana October 2 nd-4 th 2013 Björn Åstrand Umeå University Sweden

What is fluid and what is solid? The sea or the rocks ? a) Before our eyes? (To our immediate senses? ) b) Over a day or a month? (air pressure, tide etc. regularity as a constant factor) c) Over centuries? (Land elevation, rocks are rising! visible over a lifespan, 1 cm/year in North Sweden) Photo: © Björn Åstrand

Looking in Looking back Looking forward Looking out Two observations: No 1: Internal tensions to deal with a) Increasing homogeneity (Cases: 1. Quality assurance (QA) elements in use in Swedish Teacher Education Institutions (TEI), 2. Strategic plans developed in Swedish Higher Education institutions (HEI) b) Profound diversity (Case: Individual notions of core concepts in Swedish TEI) No 2: Crucial blind spots – the role of HE in democratic society (case: Swe, US HE purpose) and the concept of Bildung

QA elements in use in Swedish TEI Source: Self-evaluations reports from Swedish TEIs submitted to NAHE (2007) Åstrand 2012

Core concepts (alphabetical order): Ministerial request (2007) to all Autonomy HEI in Sweden: - Submit Bologna process institutional strategies (for Collaboration (with surrounding society) research and studies) and present Commercialization (of research) your vision for the future ! Employability Environmental issues/Climate change A rare opportunity to compare Excellence strategies Globalization Growth 37 HEI in Sweden Innovation Institutional diversity Internationalization Diverse context et. Lisbon strategy Quality/Quality assurance On average 15 pages, in total 500 p. Prioritization/Concentration 100 -1000 persons engaged Research based education Sustainable development

Institutional theory and the concept of isomorphism: – In institutional theory isomorphism is about organizational tendencies for/driving convergence towards homogeneity. – Focus on: • emergence and structuration of organizational fields • homogenization of those organizations – Asks: how can we understand an explain homogeneity? • Mechanisms of institutional isomorphism: – Coercive (Formal/informal, government mandate, legal environments) – Mimetic (in situations of insecurity/ambiguity) – Normative (via recruitment pattern and professionalization processes) Di. Maggio & Powell 1983, 1991

“Today, however, structural change in organizational seems less and less driven by competition or by the need for efficiency, Instead we will contend, bureaucratization and other forms of organizational change occur as result of processes that make organization more similar without necessarily making them more efficient. ” “provides legitimacy rather than improves performance”. Di. Maggio & Powell 1983: 147 f

Swedish teacher students studies among other areas in general educational studies: “History of the school system, its organization and conditions as well as the core educational values, including fundamental democratic values and human rights. ” For teacher degree the have to prove abilities to: • communicate and anchor the values in society and democracy • prevent and counteract discrimination and violation of children and students. • demonstrate the capacity to make assessments in educational processes on the basis of relevant scientific, social and ethical aspects with particular respect for human rights, especially children’s rights according to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and sustainable development.

Conceptual perspectives Democracy & Values Education Two approaches to democracy: • A functionalist understanding (election and voice your opinion-oriented) • A normative understanding, democracy as set of values and a way of life (Dewey: A democracy is more than a form of government; it is primarily a mode of associated living, of conjoint communicated experience. ) Values Education –three positions: 1. Aims at teacher students internalization of the foundational values stipulated in Education Act and curriculum (a civil servant, “obedient”) 2. Aims at teachers students making up their minds, identifies and articulate their own set of values and priorities an (individual, a citizen) 3. Aims at formation of teacher students in accordance with traditional academic ideals as autonomy, integrity together with reflective and critical competence (an independent academic)

Educational perspectives & Epistemology Democracy & Values Education Conflicting positions on the educational objectives: • The two objectives, acquisition of knowledge and promotion of democracy and values are conflicting and/or competing • The two objectives, acquisition of knowledge and promotion of democracy and values exists in a synergetic relation to each other Three epistemological positions on democracy and values education: • Knowledge and values are separate or potentially separate and can thus be taught thereafter • Knowledge and values are separate or potentially separate but it is insufficient to teach them according to that (misses readiness for action) • Knowledge and values inseparable and teaching D & VE needs to focus on develop a deepening approach to life and community, to individuals and society

Positions on democracy and values education in Swe TE: Low tension HE responsible Polarity between professional training and academic education HEI has a responsibility to promote democratic behavior and instill values High tension No responsibility Integrated Epistemological view on the relationship between knowledge and values Separated Synergetic Understanding of relationship between educational objectives: knowledge acquisition and promotion of democracy and values Competing Civil servant Teacher ideal: civil servant, citizen or academic? Citizen Academic

Sound of silence? ? Simon & Garfunkel 1964 Historical typology of university models –and their rational: • The Napoleonic/Imperial model (direct state control, training elite bureaucrats) • The Humboldt model (independent from government interference, knowledge advancement, research & teaching unity) • The British model (institutional autonomy, personal development, intellectual growth) • US model (market driven, combining features from models above, service to national economy) Taylor 2013 The classical academic discourse The discourse of democracy The discourse of globalization The discourse of individual identity Unemar Öst 2009

In HEI strategies In TE Bildung Critical blind spots/non voiced porposes of HE! Democracy & Values

US HEI articulated purposes of a bachelor’s degree: • To serve a democratic-centered civic engagement based on addressing pressing real-world problems • The development of of a fully rounded intellectually sophisticated and caring person US undergraduate student’s purposes and goals of a bachelor’s degree: • Achieve discipline-specific competence and dispositions • Economic benefit • Preparation for a graduate/professional school • Social experience Chan, Brown & Ludlow: What is the purpose of higher education? Comparing institutional and student perspectives for completion a U. S bachelor's degree in the 21 st century. ASHE Nov 2013

A reminder - purpose or function? Metaphors for the function: • Sieves for regulation of mobility processes • Incubator for the development of competent social actors • Temple for legitimation of official knowledge • A Hub connecting multiple social processes often regarded as distinct Stevens, Armstrong & Arum (2008) Annu. Rev. Sociol. 2008. 34: 127 -51

Education policy discourses in Sweden 1992– 2007: (Unemar Öst 2009) DISCOURSE The classical academic discourse The discourse of globalization of democracy of individual identity The aims and purposes of higher education To search for and hand over new knowledge and to contribute to the development of society To strengthen Swedish and European competitivenes s and to contribute to economic growth To confirm democracy and contribute to equality and justice To support the identity formation process and support those values that are common across cultural boundaries

Governmental period – annual articulated purpose with HE Year 1976 – 1982 – 1991 - 1994 – 2005 - 2014 Main profil Center Socialdemocr. Conservative Soc-cult. develop. Growth/ Econ. Dev. Competitiiv. Prosperity/ welfare Professional prep. Laborforce Personal development Knowledge/co mpetence Bildung/critical thinking Democracy, equ ity, values Rasism, xenophobia Future/Fut. pro bl. x x x X X x x x X (sust. dev. ) x x x x x x x x x

“The ultimate test, of course, is not what we teach, but what students learn and what they become. ” A Larger Sense of Purpose Harold T Shapiro 2005 p 94

Democracies are founded on a distinctive web of values: human dignity, equality, justice, responsibility, and freedom. The meanings and applications of these values are rarely selfevident and frequently contested. Moreover, most students never actually study such issues in any formal way, either in school or in college. Many students … do not think that civic engagement is even a goal for their college studies. College Learning for the New Global Century AACU 2007 p 22

Envision future scenarios Deliberate desirable directions Contemplate ownership, agency & trust Photo: © Björn Åstrand