Abstract
Academic developers (ADs) often participate in the implementation of programs or reforms within higher education. Sometimes they agree with these and sometimes they disagree. This paper discusses possible agentic positions during an authentic policy implementation, i.e. the National Qualification Framework within a Norwegian university.
Through reflexive interpretation, and by applying concepts from ’discursive institutionalism’ the process of implementation from the national level to the University departments, is described and analyzed. The actions and arguments of the ADs involved in the process are presented and their educational rationale is described. The ADs’ agency is discussed through educational and political science concepts and in light of power and of a tension between two competing world views: professional accountability and professional responsibility. Finally, we reflect upon the advantages with a collaborative and international investigation of AD’s professional s practices.
Through reflexive interpretation, and by applying concepts from ’discursive institutionalism’ the process of implementation from the national level to the University departments, is described and analyzed. The actions and arguments of the ADs involved in the process are presented and their educational rationale is described. The ADs’ agency is discussed through educational and political science concepts and in light of power and of a tension between two competing world views: professional accountability and professional responsibility. Finally, we reflect upon the advantages with a collaborative and international investigation of AD’s professional s practices.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 12-25 |
| Journal | International Journal for Academic Development |
| Volume | 19 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Early online date | 2014 Jan 28 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2014 |
Subject classification (UKÄ)
- Educational Sciences