- Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
And Wellington, New Zealand
Alison Kuiper
The University of Sydney, Sydney School of Education and Social Work, Department Member
- The University of Sydney, Institute for Teaching and Learning, Faculty Memberadd
- Alison Kuiper is a Higher Education Consultant and Researcher based in Wellington, New Zealand. She is a Board Member... moreAlison Kuiper is a Higher Education Consultant and Researcher based in Wellington, New Zealand. She is a Board Member of Ako Aotearoa, the New Zealand Centre for Tertiary Learning and Teaching, Nā āheitanga ā-mātauranga, ko angitū ā-ākonga, and an Associate Editor of HERD.
Alison joined the University of Sydney in November 2010 as a Senior Lecturer in the Institute for Teaching and Learning and then in Educational Innovation. From 2011 to 2017 she was responsible for the support of those applying for the University’s Vice Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence Awards and the Office for Learning and Teaching (OLT) Awards, including Citations, and Grants as well as being instrumental in the University’s adoption of the Fellowship Scheme of the Higher Education Academy. Alison coordinated units of study for the Graduate Certificate in Educational Studies (Higher Education) and regularly contributed to the Principles & Practice course.
Previously Manager of Teaching and Learning at Lincoln University, New Zealand, Alison she was responsible for promoting an effective teaching and learning environment and contributing to strategic development of teaching and learning across the campus, and for a team which comprised staff professional development, eLearning, student evaluations of lecturers and courses and student learning support.
Prior to moving into academic development, she was Senior Lecturer in Communication and University Proctor (responsible for academic honesty and disciplinary matters) at Lincoln University, New Zealand. Her international teaching experience includes university teaching in Canada and Malaysia and designing and delivering a Program for the World Bank at a University in Vietnam.
She has held management, liaison and research roles in tertiary institutions and in community groups at national and local levels including, as ministerial appointee, chair of NACEW, New Zealand National Advisory Council for the Employment of Women. She was a member of the Board of the New Zealand Universities Academic Audit Unit and the TEQSA Register of Experts in the areas of Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, Academic Quality Assurance and Academic Governance.(Alison Kuiper is a Higher Education Consultant and Researcher based in Wellington, New Zealand. She is a Board Member of Ako Aotearoa, the New Zealand Centre for Tertiary Learning and Teaching, Nā āheitanga ā-mātauranga, ko angitū ā-ākonga, and an Associate Editor of HERD. <br />Alison joined the University of Sydney in November 2010 as a Senior Lecturer in the Institute for Teaching and Learning and then in Educational Innovation. From 2011 to 2017 she was responsible for the support of those applying for the University’s Vice Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence Awards and the Office for Learning and Teaching (OLT) Awards, including Citations, and Grants as well as being instrumental in the University’s adoption of the Fellowship Scheme of the Higher Education Academy. Alison coordinated units of study for the Graduate Certificate in Educational Studies (Higher Education) and regularly contributed to the Principles & Practice course.<br />Previously Manager of Teaching and Learning at Lincoln University, New Zealand, Alison she was responsible for promoting an effective teaching and learning environment and contributing to strategic development of teaching and learning across the campus, and for a team which comprised staff professional development, eLearning, student evaluations of lecturers and courses and student learning support.<br />Prior to moving into academic development, she was Senior Lecturer in Communication and University Proctor (responsible for academic honesty and disciplinary matters) at Lincoln University, New Zealand. Her international teaching experience includes university teaching in Canada and Malaysia and designing and delivering a Program for the World Bank at a University in Vietnam.<br />She has held management, liaison and research roles in tertiary institutions and in community groups at national and local levels including, as ministerial appointee, chair of NACEW, New Zealand National Advisory Council for the Employment of Women. She was a member of the Board of the New Zealand Universities Academic Audit Unit and the TEQSA Register of Experts in the areas of Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, Academic Quality Assurance and Academic Governance.)edit
Chemistry 1A (PHSC101) is a required course for most science-based degrees at Lincoln University. Students entering the course come from a variety of backgrounds, both academically and in terms of life experience. The voluntary concurrent... more
Chemistry 1A (PHSC101) is a required course for most science-based degrees at Lincoln University. Students entering the course come from a variety of backgrounds, both academically and in terms of life experience. The voluntary concurrent tutorial programme has been designed to support students who enrol in PHSC 101 with a minimal background in Chemistry. Students self selected into the programme informed by their performance in a diagnostic pre-test which evaluated their prior knowledge in chemistry. This paper reports on the efficacy of the tutorial programme in improving student performance and pass rates in PHSC 101. The performances of students who attended the tutorials and students who did not were compared in terms of the relative improvement in student outcomes. This was measured by comparing the end of semester summative grades with the pre-test scores. Frequency of tutorial attendance was also taken into consideration. Qualitative data supplements the statistical information. Conclusions are drawn as to the efficacy of the tutorial programme.
Research Interests:
The recent influx of international students into the tertiary institutions of Australia and New Zealand has altered the education system of both countries. While from the beginning university and other teachers noted the need to make... more
The recent influx of international students into the tertiary institutions of Australia and New Zealand has altered the education system of both countries. While from the beginning university and other teachers noted the need to make provision for international students, many institutions have been slow to recognise the complexity of their needs. This report presents an emerging typology to support the learning needs of international students in Australasia. The authors, an academic and a learning needs specialist, have drawn on observation and experience, their own and others, to illuminate the situation. Current literature has supplemented the analysis of their professional experience. In order for appropriate provision to be made for international students, the complexity of the situation in which they are educated must be recognised. This includes acknowledging the varying perceptions held by the institutions, both management and the administrators, the students, both internatio...
Research Interests:
Abstract: This paper reports findings from a survey of mature students, studying at a New Zealand polytechnic, placing the results within the context of the continuing discussion of 'lifelong learning'. The high number of mature students... more
Abstract: This paper reports findings from a survey of mature students, studying at a New Zealand polytechnic, placing the results within the context of the continuing discussion of 'lifelong learning'. The high number of mature students in New Zealand is reflected in the numbers enrolled at the institution. Information is provided about their characteristics including family status, gender and dependants and previous education and occupational history. Gender is a significant variable, particularly when combined with age and dependants. Women appear to be advantaged by the existence of part-time study. Particular attention is paid to the reasons the students provide for undertaking further education. Originally conceived of by adult educators as an emancipatory measure, lifelong learning has become to be regarded by governments and international organisations as a means of enhancing economic growth. Given that the students were enrolled in courses which had a primary vocational focus, the paper speculates as to whether this means that lifelong learning fulfils a narrow purpose or whether, although they volunteered that their purpose in studying was vocational, many of the students may indeed be 'lifelong learners'.
Keywords: Lifelong learning; mature students; vocational education
Keywords: Lifelong learning; mature students; vocational education
Education takes place within a set of intersecting socio-political contexts. In the modern world these are simultaneously international, national, local and institutional. The socio-political factors which impact on participants in a... more
Education takes place within a set of intersecting socio-political contexts. In the modern world these are simultaneously international, national, local and institutional. The socio-political factors which impact on participants in a course of study are not always manifest to the individual, yet these factors play an important role. This is particularly the case with ‘learning for life’ since it is a significant area of both international and national socio-political concern manifesting itself in a significant set of public discourses and in social phenomena which are little researched or understood.
The historical evolution of public policy relating to adult learners, internationally and in New Zealand, is documented, with a particular focus on the period from the 1960s onwards. The major theoretical and ideological constructs are outlined and critiqued particularly with reference to public policy in New Zealand. Analysis shows an inexorable shift over time away from knowledge and skills attained through praxis, to knowledge and skills attained through formal institutionalised learning. At the same time as this change was taking place, participation rates in first secondary, and then tertiary, education rose. Concurrently women increasingly entered tertiary education as second chance learners in order to make their way into an increasingly credentialised workforce. It is suggested that, increasingly, credentials are used for screening purposes in addition to providing individuals with knowledge and skills needed for the occupations they enter.
Four groups of adult learners are identified: those learning for leisure, second chance learners who have been previously educationally disadvantaged, upskillers who seek to enhance their existing credentials through further tertiary education and reskillers who are seeking education for occupational change. Women are shown to be a pioneering group in leading social change in retraining.
Case studies are used to illustrate and document these changes. Policies relating to learning for life are examined with reference to three different countries: New Zealand, England and the Netherlands. Provision of tertiary education for adults is investigated, and then illustrated through the coverage provided by institutions in three cities: Christchurch, Leicester and Utrecht. These studies show that different countries are subject to international geo-political and ideological forces but respond to them in locally and historically determined ways.
The case study of the Christchurch Polytechnic’s Next Step Centre for Women and the New Outlook for Women courses illustrates the ways in which the twists and turns of public policy in New Zealand over thirty years have affected women wishing to seek education for occupational change.
A quantitative study of mature students and their motivations for returning to study at the Christchurch Polytechnic allows for the impact of public policy and institutional provision on a group of mature individuals to be assessed.
The study concludes that education for occupational change appears to be more advanced in New Zealand than in the European countries chosen for comparison. This may result more from individual initiative and the conditions which promote this, than from state policy direction or institutional provision. Policy consequences are proposed on the basis of these findings.
The historical evolution of public policy relating to adult learners, internationally and in New Zealand, is documented, with a particular focus on the period from the 1960s onwards. The major theoretical and ideological constructs are outlined and critiqued particularly with reference to public policy in New Zealand. Analysis shows an inexorable shift over time away from knowledge and skills attained through praxis, to knowledge and skills attained through formal institutionalised learning. At the same time as this change was taking place, participation rates in first secondary, and then tertiary, education rose. Concurrently women increasingly entered tertiary education as second chance learners in order to make their way into an increasingly credentialised workforce. It is suggested that, increasingly, credentials are used for screening purposes in addition to providing individuals with knowledge and skills needed for the occupations they enter.
Four groups of adult learners are identified: those learning for leisure, second chance learners who have been previously educationally disadvantaged, upskillers who seek to enhance their existing credentials through further tertiary education and reskillers who are seeking education for occupational change. Women are shown to be a pioneering group in leading social change in retraining.
Case studies are used to illustrate and document these changes. Policies relating to learning for life are examined with reference to three different countries: New Zealand, England and the Netherlands. Provision of tertiary education for adults is investigated, and then illustrated through the coverage provided by institutions in three cities: Christchurch, Leicester and Utrecht. These studies show that different countries are subject to international geo-political and ideological forces but respond to them in locally and historically determined ways.
The case study of the Christchurch Polytechnic’s Next Step Centre for Women and the New Outlook for Women courses illustrates the ways in which the twists and turns of public policy in New Zealand over thirty years have affected women wishing to seek education for occupational change.
A quantitative study of mature students and their motivations for returning to study at the Christchurch Polytechnic allows for the impact of public policy and institutional provision on a group of mature individuals to be assessed.
The study concludes that education for occupational change appears to be more advanced in New Zealand than in the European countries chosen for comparison. This may result more from individual initiative and the conditions which promote this, than from state policy direction or institutional provision. Policy consequences are proposed on the basis of these findings.
Research Interests:
Pressures on universities to provide increased and more flexible course offerings come both from global and financial sources and from student demand (Davies, 2006; Lee & Horsfall, 2101). One response has been the provision of courses... more
Pressures on universities to provide increased and more flexible course offerings come both from global and financial sources and from student demand (Davies, 2006; Lee & Horsfall, 2101). One response has been the provision of courses offered in a compressed mode. However, simply delivering the same content in a shorter time will not ensure that student learning will take place and may lead to high student attrition rates in intensive mode courses (Dean, 2006). To be effective, changes must be research-based, aligned with known pedagogies, practical and feasible.
How can such changes be facilitated? How can courses be adapted to provide quality outcomes in a shortened time? And can the involvement of educational developers increase the possibility that the resulting courses are pedagogically sound and provide quality teaching and learning experiences?
This study reports on an empirical investigation which was part of a centrally-situated educational development project on implementing courses in compressed mode in an Australian university. The stages of the project included a literature review, the development of extensive pedagogical resources, interviews with teachers acknowledged as expert in their teaching practice and with students about their perceptions of the compressed courses. Dissemination strategies included making the resources available through the university intranet and a workshop series. The results of the study arise out of the research by academic developers into the practice of teachers acknowledged for their pedagogical expertise.
A literature search had identified six instructional strategies as effective for maintaining and enhancing student engagement in teaching in intensive mode: encouraging commitment at the commencement of the unit; assisting students to plan ahead in their learning and assessments; promoting lecturer/student and student/student interaction and collaboration; using technology effectively in synchronous and asynchronous learning environments; varying activities for concentration purposes; and specific assessment strategies.
In videoed interviews students confirmed the importance of these elements for their involvement and revealed another, termed in the literature on on-line courses as teacher presence (Northcote, 2010). Interviews with expert teachers about their approaches to teaching in a compressed mode provided corroborating evidence for these elements being critical for successful courses, including that of teacher presence.
The involvement of educational developers enabled the identification of elements critical for success, and makes possible the establishment of a virtuous cycle in which the findings of research assist in optimising local pedagogical practice leading to further research and further improvement.
Davies, W. M. (2006). Intensive teaching formats: A review. Issues in Educational Research, 16(1), 1-20. http://www.iier.org.au/iier16/davies.htm
Dean, G. (2006) Police education and critical thinking: A case study of Singapore police program. Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences Today, 31(2), 1-15
Northcote, M. (2010). Lighting up and transforming online courses: Letting the
teacher’s personality shine. In C.H. Steel, M.J. Keppell, P.Gerbic,& S.Housego (Eds.) ,
Curriculum, technology & transformation for an unknown future. Proceedings ascilite Sydney 2010
(pp.694-698.) http://ascilite.org.au/conferences/sydney10/procs/Northcote-concise.pdf
Lee, N., & Horsfall, B. (2010). Accelerated learning: A study of faculty and student experiences. Innovative Higher Education,35(3), 191-202
How can such changes be facilitated? How can courses be adapted to provide quality outcomes in a shortened time? And can the involvement of educational developers increase the possibility that the resulting courses are pedagogically sound and provide quality teaching and learning experiences?
This study reports on an empirical investigation which was part of a centrally-situated educational development project on implementing courses in compressed mode in an Australian university. The stages of the project included a literature review, the development of extensive pedagogical resources, interviews with teachers acknowledged as expert in their teaching practice and with students about their perceptions of the compressed courses. Dissemination strategies included making the resources available through the university intranet and a workshop series. The results of the study arise out of the research by academic developers into the practice of teachers acknowledged for their pedagogical expertise.
A literature search had identified six instructional strategies as effective for maintaining and enhancing student engagement in teaching in intensive mode: encouraging commitment at the commencement of the unit; assisting students to plan ahead in their learning and assessments; promoting lecturer/student and student/student interaction and collaboration; using technology effectively in synchronous and asynchronous learning environments; varying activities for concentration purposes; and specific assessment strategies.
In videoed interviews students confirmed the importance of these elements for their involvement and revealed another, termed in the literature on on-line courses as teacher presence (Northcote, 2010). Interviews with expert teachers about their approaches to teaching in a compressed mode provided corroborating evidence for these elements being critical for successful courses, including that of teacher presence.
The involvement of educational developers enabled the identification of elements critical for success, and makes possible the establishment of a virtuous cycle in which the findings of research assist in optimising local pedagogical practice leading to further research and further improvement.
Davies, W. M. (2006). Intensive teaching formats: A review. Issues in Educational Research, 16(1), 1-20. http://www.iier.org.au/iier16/davies.htm
Dean, G. (2006) Police education and critical thinking: A case study of Singapore police program. Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences Today, 31(2), 1-15
Northcote, M. (2010). Lighting up and transforming online courses: Letting the
teacher’s personality shine. In C.H. Steel, M.J. Keppell, P.Gerbic,& S.Housego (Eds.) ,
Curriculum, technology & transformation for an unknown future. Proceedings ascilite Sydney 2010
(pp.694-698.) http://ascilite.org.au/conferences/sydney10/procs/Northcote-concise.pdf
Lee, N., & Horsfall, B. (2010). Accelerated learning: A study of faculty and student experiences. Innovative Higher Education,35(3), 191-202
Research Interests:
In a second language classroom the dominant discourse is that of the teacher who exercises power in setting the educational and linguistic parameters of the desired discourse. That the students attend in order to learn the discourse of... more
In a second language classroom the dominant discourse is that of the teacher who exercises power in setting the educational and linguistic parameters of the desired discourse. That the
students attend in order to learn the discourse of the dominant culture is assumed by the institution and the teacher, and in this task the students' competency in their own language is of
relatively little relevance and value. Observation and interviews from an ethnographic study of mature students in an E50L classroom reported in this paper reveal that, while some aspire to
mastery of the dominant discourse, other students adopt strategies that overtly or covertly subvert this ostensible aim.
students attend in order to learn the discourse of the dominant culture is assumed by the institution and the teacher, and in this task the students' competency in their own language is of
relatively little relevance and value. Observation and interviews from an ethnographic study of mature students in an E50L classroom reported in this paper reveal that, while some aspire to
mastery of the dominant discourse, other students adopt strategies that overtly or covertly subvert this ostensible aim.
Research Interests:
Malaysia is a developing country with a fully articulated vision of itself being a country which is fully developed economically, politically, socially and spiritually by the year 2020. A dominant feature of national policy is the... more
Malaysia is a developing country with a fully articulated vision of itself being a country which is fully developed economically, politically, socially and spiritually by the year 2020. A dominant feature of national policy is the emphasis placed on information technology while remaining a moral and ethical society. It is within this societal context that Malaysian students learn about information technology and experience the Internet. As indicated by the findings of this research, Malaysian students share some of the same complaints students in fully developed countries express - too few campus connections, server breakdowns, and inadequate bandwidth for multimedia data transmission. Their favourite activities - making new friends and exploring romantic relationships - are typical adolescent behaviour across cultures. However, their oft stated concerns about user addiction and the availability of pornographic material is perhaps unique to this group of young adults.
Research Interests:
Twenty Mandarin-speaking undergraduates were interviewed about their expectations, and experiences, of life and study at a New Zealand university. Despite seeking an English-medium education and employment in English-speaking environments... more
Twenty Mandarin-speaking undergraduates were interviewed about their expectations,
and experiences, of life and study at a New Zealand university. Despite seeking an
English-medium education and employment in English-speaking environments on
graduation, many of the students seldom spoke English, on or off campus. More
opportunities to speak English occurred through part-time employment. The ability of the
students to operate in Mandarin in many situations may help to explain the suggestion of
other research that students’ EFL performance may regress from that demonstrated on entry. The findings also support the contention that an integrative motivation is necessary for progress as an EFL speaker.
and experiences, of life and study at a New Zealand university. Despite seeking an
English-medium education and employment in English-speaking environments on
graduation, many of the students seldom spoke English, on or off campus. More
opportunities to speak English occurred through part-time employment. The ability of the
students to operate in Mandarin in many situations may help to explain the suggestion of
other research that students’ EFL performance may regress from that demonstrated on entry. The findings also support the contention that an integrative motivation is necessary for progress as an EFL speaker.
Research Interests:
ABSTRACT We show that Malaysian Commerce students construct a future for themselves as they construct a vocation through education. Such a vocation is dependent on aspirations which are culturally and linguistically constructed. The... more
ABSTRACT We show that Malaysian Commerce students construct a future for themselves
as they construct a vocation through education. Such a vocation is dependent on aspirations
which are culturally and linguistically constructed. The students we taught were participating
in an English medium Commerce degree taught at a Malaysian university. We enquired as
to their home language use and the language they expected to use once they had graduated
and were in a position in commerce. They appeared to downgrade the significance of their
home languages in preference to English. Such a preference is understandable and
advantageous in their educational setting. Whilst it is possibly disadvantageous for a realistic
assessment of the linguistic capacities which they will need in the workplace, it reflects an
awareness that standard English is advantageous for selection and promotion purposes. We
take this to be an example of a neo-colonialist affective stance.
as they construct a vocation through education. Such a vocation is dependent on aspirations
which are culturally and linguistically constructed. The students we taught were participating
in an English medium Commerce degree taught at a Malaysian university. We enquired as
to their home language use and the language they expected to use once they had graduated
and were in a position in commerce. They appeared to downgrade the significance of their
home languages in preference to English. Such a preference is understandable and
advantageous in their educational setting. Whilst it is possibly disadvantageous for a realistic
assessment of the linguistic capacities which they will need in the workplace, it reflects an
awareness that standard English is advantageous for selection and promotion purposes. We
take this to be an example of a neo-colonialist affective stance.