Curriculum Development and Student Training: A Shared Responsibility between Clothing and Textile Institutions and Their Industry (Published)
The focus of the study was to look into the phenomenon of collaboration between clothing and textiles institutions and the industry regarding curriculum development and student training from the perspectives of respondents. Again the study was to find out if efforts to establish collaboration between clothing and textile institutions and the industry are based on theories/models or standardized practices. Purposive sampling technique was used for the study. Data for the study was collected using interview with semi-structured interview guide and observation. The sample size for this qualitative study was twenty-two (22) made up of two categories of respondent. It was made up of respondents from both the academia and industry. The outcome of the study showed these: It was realized that, as far as student training is concerned, respondents considered industrial attachment as the main and beneficial means of collaboration between the clothing and textiles institutions and the industry. Current efforts to establish collaboration between the two bodies around student training are not guided by standard practices or models. Implications of the outcome of the study as well recommendations for action are provided
Keywords: Collaboration, Curriculum, Institutions, Model, Textiles
Effectiveness of Innovative Policies to Enhance University-Industry Collaboration in Developing Countries. Towards Technical University-Industry Links in Ghana (Published)
In today’s global world, generating new knowledge and turning it into new products and services is a complex process that involves a broad range of actors. Transforming the results of scientific research into new commercial products is a shared challenge between researchers and industry to maximize the social and economic benefits of new ideas. Such partnerships contribute positively to address innovation market failures and help to realize the full social returns of research and development(R & D) investments. In recent times, the rise in global knowledge and technology has intensified the need for universities and industry to forge strategic partnership that goes beyond the traditional funding of research projects. World-class research universities are at the forefront of championing such partnerships to hone the competitiveness and competence of their institutions and the partnering companies to help address social challenges and drive economic growth. This study explores the priorities and scope of university–industry collaboration indeveloped and developing economies, motivation to form such collaborations and barriers to such cooperation. Finally, the study examines the effectiveness of these innovative policies to promote university-industry collaboration in developing countries.
Keywords: Collaboration, Employable, Industry, Labour, University
CONTEXTUAL-SPECIFIC DYNAMICS ON COLLEGIALITY AND RECIPROCITY IN MENTORING RELATIONSHIPS: ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS IN THE GHANAIAN CONTEXT (Published)
This qualitative ethnographic case study, adopted a socio-cultural theoretical perspective and interpretive qualitative analysis techniques, to investigate five mentoring relationships from five mentors and mentees involved in the innovative Cooperative-Reflective mentoring model of teacher professional learning in mentoring relationships at the University of Education, Winneba, (UEW), Ghana. This model is underpinned by the concepts of collegiality, reciprocity of learning, collaborative activities and critical reflection by the mentoring dyad. The data were collected from interviews, observations and document analysis. Trustworthiness of the study was ensured through the multiple sources of data, peer review, member checks, as well as the description of themes in the participants’ own words. The study revealed that although the involvement of classroom teachers in the professional training of student teachers is a novelty in teacher education in Ghana, and a great departure from the old teaching practice, the programme has some conceptual and implementation challenges. First, the old conception of a hierarchical relationship between mentor and mentee persists contrary to the concepts of collegiality, collaboration, reciprocity and critical reflection. This is attributable, partly, to the inherent power of the mentor and, partly, to the professional culture of the teaching profession. Second, the collegial relationships which are to result in this mentoring relationship model are theoretically well intended but practically problematic because of the social structure of the Ghanaian society and the professional culture of the teaching profession in Ghana. Again, reciprocity of learning through critical reflection by both mentor and mentee in this model of teacher professional learning concept also appears to have been theoretically well intended but practically problematic because of the same reasons for forging collegial relationships. This seemingly lack of sensitivity to the socio-cultural and professional contexts in which the model is being implemented is a major setback to the arguably innovative move towards school-based teacher training and the greater involvement of practising teachers in the professional training and development of student teachers as well as in the life-long learning of practising teachers. We, therefore, propose a re-conceptualisation of the mentoring model to take into account the socio-cultural and professional contexts within the context of implementation since theoretical positions alone cannot provide sufficient basis or framework for the development of a mentoring programme. It is the interaction between particular mentors and particular mentees in their particular contexts that determines the type of relationship to be established and the type of professional learning that will result.
Keywords: Collaboration, Mentoring relationships, collegiality, critical reflection and professional learning, reciprocity