Abstract
Quality education and lifelong learning for all has been acknowledged as being a key element in UNESCO’s mission (2008-2013). The UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (2010) further emphasised the importance of educating the population in the areas of citizenship in an attempt to increase tolerance and peace. This is a change in direction from Faure in 1972 who strongly recommended the humanist individualistic approach to education. However, in the era of globalisation, migration and conflict, a holistic methodology rather than the individualistic approach is one that is required and this thesis will demonstrate that the inclusion of citizenship and employability can augment the critical learning experience, especially when embedded in the student’s own disciplines.Higher Education has a key role to play in this process, in that the concepts of citizenship and employability can be included in the programmes, but it can be challenging for students who may feel that citizenship has no relevance to their programme of study.
The thesis commences with a brief reflective account, applying the individualistic humanist approach followed by an Israeli perspective on the teaching of citizenship from the late 1980’s. The next publications focus on the Scottish perspective outlining the use of an academic literacies framework in teaching critical thinking. Thereafter, the papers concentrate on blended learning approaches and explain how these enhance and seek to develop the students’learning experience by encouraging critical thinking and independent learning.The final set of publications considers the inclusion of teaching about citizenship and inclusion among students at Glasgow Caledonian University. The interventions employed recognise that the students are digitally engaged and the‘Real World’ is one that compliments their learning in the 21st Century.
| Date of Award | 2016 |
|---|---|
| Original language | English |
| Awarding Institution |
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| Supervisor | David Harrison (Supervisor) |