Raymond Thomas Hibbins

Reviving praxis: stories of continual professional learning and practice architectures in a faculty-based teaching community of practice

Lave and Wenger’s conceptualisation of communities of practice (CoPs) has had a profound impact on the way many think about learning at work. In universities, CoPs have the potential to meet the continuing professional learning (CPL) needs of academics in ways that formal structured programmes cannot. However, participating in CoPs can be a disempowering experience, depending on the way power is exercised within and outside of the community. Using narrative methods here, we explore the nature of CPL in a faculty-based teaching community of practice, paying particular attention to the links between the individual and extra-individual. Although all 15 CoP members interviewed for this study spoke of becoming more innovative and confident teachers since joining the community, noteworthy differences emerged in their descriptions of their engagement. Long-term and new members’ stories were qualitatively different: old-timers told stories of praxis, of personally transformative CPL that involved them in collective action in the wider socio-cultural context of teaching, while newcomers spoke of a more individualistic and pragmatic approach focused on professional survival. Implications for further research and practice are discussed.

I just do not have time for new ideas: resistance, resonance and micro-mobilisation in a teaching community of practice

There is growing interest in the role Communities of Practice (CoPs) play in continuing professional development of academics. However, very little research has explored how CoP theory is applied in practice in academic settings. Using the concepts of resonance and micro-mobilisation from social movement theory, we explore academic engagement (and disengagement) in the online aspects of a CoP in a large, multi-campus, multi-disciplinary university business school. Our findings demonstrate that while some found this environment useful and minor patterns of micro-mobilisation emerged, there were challenges in developing resonance using online technologies. Difficulties in finding technologies fit for purpose, concerns about confidentiality online and time jealousy were key issues that need further exploration.

The influence of various aspects of enjoyment on participation in leisure time physical activity

Abstract This study examines the direct and indirect influence of various aspects of enjoyment, including activity enjoyment, enjoyment conceptualised as physical/environmental, and enjoyment conceptualised as social interaction, on regular participation in leisure-time physical activity (LTPA). The study was cross-sectional and used self-report questionnaires to collect data from a random sample of 250 people aged 19–87 years living in an Australian city. Questionnaires included demographic items and scales to measure enjoyment of LTPA, prioritisation of LTPA and regularity of participation in LTPA. The findings suggest that the influence of enjoyment on participation in LTPA is complex. Aspects of enjoyment have varying levels of influence on participation in LTPA and this influence is indirect through preference for LTPA, life priority of LTPA and making time for LTPA. Policies, programs and strategies by government and practitioners that aim to increase participation in LTPA should primarily aim to enhance activity enjoyment, rather than focusing on other aspects of participation. Theoretically, this study suggests that enjoyment is a multidimensional concept and that enjoyment is a part of a larger decision-making process influencing participation in LTPA.

Sexuality and constructions of gender identity among Chinese male migrants in Australia

Since the days of the gold rushes Chinese male migrants have been travelling to the shores of Australia and North America. The numbers of these male migrants and their countries of origin have varied over time depending on immigration policies in host countries, the need for higher education qualifications from overseas, economic and political events at home, business opportunities and world events. For some of these males this is their first exposure to multicultural environments, ethnic diversity in work environments, and diverse representations of gender and sexual identities intersecting with ethnicity and social class. Others have experienced migration elsewhere prior to settling in their new host country. Immigration policies in host countries have influenced the socioeconomic status of incoming migrants, their skill levels and the types of entry visas they arrive with. Many of the permanent residents of Chinese background are transnational business migrants who spend periods of each year either in their countries of origin or elsewhere in or outside Australia. Others visit their countries of birth for festive occasions such as the Lunar New Year or to see friends and relatives. Most of these migrants are part of the large Chinese diaspora in the Asia-Pacific region, are in frequent contact by electronic means with friends and relatives in their countries of origin, and are influenced by the popular culture and media of several nations. Work on the migration process highlights the relational, contextual and fluid nature of identity (Thomas, 1999, p. xiii). For Thomas, diaspora identities, rather than being fixed in a place of the past or moulded into a utopian future, are enmeshed in the constraints and opportunities of the present. The construction of migrants’ identities may well be dynamic, developmental, multiple and dependent on context. According to Ang (2001, p. 45), diasporic identities are produced through creolisation and hybridisation through both conflictive and collaborative coexistence and intermixture with other cultures. In the Asian Studies Review September 2006, Vol. 30, pp. 289–303

Enabling Stories: Narrative, Leadership, Learning and Identity in a Faculty-Based Teaching Community of Practice

This chapter explores the potential of communities of practice (CoPs) in universities to foster academic identity and social learning through a critical, reflective account of a faculty-based teaching community of practice (T-CoP). This ‘T-CoP’ is situated in a multi-disciplinary, multi-campus business faculty in a large Australian university. Our chapter begins by situating the T-CoP within its disciplinary, faculty, institutional and national contexts, and explaining how and why we intentionally designed it in order to foster inclusion and shared ownership. Key findings from our ongoing critical participatory action research project conducted in, and with the T-CoP are interrogated in order to address the following three questions. Firstly, how can we develop leaders, and a practice of distributed leadership, appropriate to the work of CoPs in universities? Secondly, how might CoPs in universities counter the still dominant traditional paradigm of ‘professional development’ as acquisition, and encourage their members to move towards more transformational approaches to professional learning? Thirdly, how do we negotiate the tensions between the need for a CoP to develop its own distinctive identity as a community and domain of practice and yet remain open and accessible to new members?

Benefits of Work-Integrated Learning: Perceptions Held by Chinese International Students Enrolled in an Australian University and Managers in the Chinese Hotel Industry

ABSTRACT This article explores the perceptions held by 2 stakeholder groups regarding the usefulness of work-integrated learning (WIL) in the hotel industry as part of tourism and hospitality students’ overseas studies. The 2 stakeholder groups are Chinese international students enrolled in tourism and hospitality degrees at a particular Australian university and managers working in the Chinese hotel industry. The findings from 31 interviews suggest that both groups have clear perceptions of the outcomes of the WIL component, including the ability of such experiences to bridge theory and practice and to develop the graduate attributes needed for employability in China. The study also explores themes regarding the particular university’s role in investigating and securing work placements within the Australian and Chinese contexts. The article recommends that internship programs be embedded in the tourism and hospitality degrees at the particular university and that engagement with the Chinese hotel industry be enhanced.

Investigating higher Education Students’ Professional Socialisation: a revised framework

ABSTRACT Research on professional socialisation in higher education has been conducted in nursing, pharmacy, teaching and law, but there is a lack of studies on professional socialisation in tourism and hospitality education. This paper contributes to the body of knowledge by revising the professional socialisation framework ‘Conceptualising Graduate and Professional Student Socialisation’ through the findings of a broader study on the professional socialisation of Chinese international students enrolled in tourism and hospitality degrees at a particular Australian university. The study examined diverse stakeholders’ perceptions of attributes needed by Chinese graduates with Australian university qualifications in tourism and hospitality management entering the Chinese hotel industry. The revised framework, ‘Higher Education Students’ Professional Socialisation Framework’, suggests different processes for enhancing the socialisation and career development of Chinese international students with an Australian tourism and hospitality management degree through work-integrated learning; language learning and communication; teamwork and mentoring; and interactions among different stakeholders. Furthermore, workplace socialisation emphasises mentoring and recognises different approaches to career development. Finally, the revised framework explains how the different stakeholders impact on the professional socialisation of students and graduates. The revised framework, which has a cross-cultural dimension, is generic and can be applied to other fields of study and to both international and domestic students in higher education.

“Practical Experience Is Really Important”: Perceptions of Chinese International Students About the Benefits of Work Integrated Learning in Their Australian Tourism and Hospitality Degrees

Chinese students make up the majority (25%) of international students studying in Australia (Department of Education and Training, Monthly summary of international student data, January 2016. Retrieved from https://internationaleducation.gov.au/research/International-Student-Data/Pages/default.aspx, 2016). Chinese students choose to study in Australia for a number of important reasons, including the perception that Australian higher education is of high quality, and potential improved career opportunities. Understanding the perceptions of Chinese international students’ experiences of Work Integrated Learning (WIL) as part of their studies is crucial for two important reasons: to inform more meaningful experiences for current and future cohorts and to ensure Australian universities remain a higher education destination of choice for Chinese students. This chapter explores the experiences of Chinese international students studying tourism and hotel/hospitality management within business degree programmes in a Queensland university. The findings of the interview study demonstrate Chinese international students have clear expectations about the outcomes of the WIL component in their chosen degree, including the ability of such experiences to bridge theory and practice and to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed for employability in their home country. These perceptions align with the university’s own stance on the importance of WIL for domestic and international students, as evidenced in its employability framework and internationalisation strategy. The chapter also outlines recommendations for universities for improved practice.

Fit for Purpose: Graduate Attributes Needed in the Chinese Hotel Industry

ABSTRACT China is the main source of international students in Australia. This qualitative study examines the perceptions of two stakeholder groups (Chinese international students and managers from the Chinese hotel industry) on attributes developed in Australian tourism and hospitality degrees and their relevance for the Chinese hotel industry. Evidence from 19 semi-structured interviews with Chinese international students and 12 managers in the Chinese hotel industry are presented. The findings demonstrated that Chinese international students mentioned communication skills most frequently, whereas managers found passion for the industry particularly important. Furthermore, both groups placed importance on English language, teamwork and management of services and operations.

The World Leisure Commission on Leisure Research

An informal and impromptu business meeting of the WL Commission on Leisure Research was held at the 12th World Leisure Congress at Rimini, Italy, after the last morning plenary session. The meeting was attended by Australian delegates John Tower, Stephen Wearing, Tony Veal and Raymond Hibbins. In keeping with the mission and objectives of the Commission on Leisure Research, the following issues were discussed: