Page 84 - Šolsko polje, XXIX, 2018, no. 1-2: The Language of Neoliberal Education, ed. Mitja Sardoč
P. 84
šolsko polje, letnik xxix, številka 1–2
correspond to neoliberal university discourses and four to traditional uni-
versity discourses (see Tables 1 and 2 below). I then examined each docu-
ment line by line, and coded individual sentences or groups of consecutive
sentences -in instances where these provided better contextual and se-
mantic clarity, based on whether they predominantly mirrored one of the
eight codes. For example, the following excerpt from Queen University
Belfast’s Education Strategy 2016-2021: Summary document has linguis-
tic markers that reflect both the ‘Employability’ and ‘Global Citizenship
& Moral Character’ codes: “Our graduates will help shape tomorrow, will
be highly sought after by employers for being professional, dynamic, for-
ward thinking, and enterprising, and will be equipped with the skills to
be global citizens and to address global challenges”. However, this excerpt
is arguably and overall more discursively in line (and was thus coded) with
the ‘Employability’ code. Moreover, formulations that include relevant
keywords and phrasings but which lack a clear or preponderant discur-
sive inflection, or are otherwise too ambiguous to be coded with the afore-
mentioned coding scheme, were left un-coded. For example, this included
excerpts such as the following:
- “[The] University will provide opportunities and support for all
students to have a positive experience in all aspects of their time
at Cambridge and to develop themselves to be able to pursue their
lives and careers when they leave the University – not just in terms
of academic qualifications and intellectual capability, but also in
terms of self-esteem, personal resilience and self-confidence.” -From
Cambridge University’s Learning and Teaching Strategy, 2015-18
- “The creation, dissemination and application of knowledge will re-
main at the heart of all that we do and builds on the University’s
history and traditions”. -From Leeds University’s Strategic Plan
2015-2020
82
correspond to neoliberal university discourses and four to traditional uni-
versity discourses (see Tables 1 and 2 below). I then examined each docu-
ment line by line, and coded individual sentences or groups of consecutive
sentences -in instances where these provided better contextual and se-
mantic clarity, based on whether they predominantly mirrored one of the
eight codes. For example, the following excerpt from Queen University
Belfast’s Education Strategy 2016-2021: Summary document has linguis-
tic markers that reflect both the ‘Employability’ and ‘Global Citizenship
& Moral Character’ codes: “Our graduates will help shape tomorrow, will
be highly sought after by employers for being professional, dynamic, for-
ward thinking, and enterprising, and will be equipped with the skills to
be global citizens and to address global challenges”. However, this excerpt
is arguably and overall more discursively in line (and was thus coded) with
the ‘Employability’ code. Moreover, formulations that include relevant
keywords and phrasings but which lack a clear or preponderant discur-
sive inflection, or are otherwise too ambiguous to be coded with the afore-
mentioned coding scheme, were left un-coded. For example, this included
excerpts such as the following:
- “[The] University will provide opportunities and support for all
students to have a positive experience in all aspects of their time
at Cambridge and to develop themselves to be able to pursue their
lives and careers when they leave the University – not just in terms
of academic qualifications and intellectual capability, but also in
terms of self-esteem, personal resilience and self-confidence.” -From
Cambridge University’s Learning and Teaching Strategy, 2015-18
- “The creation, dissemination and application of knowledge will re-
main at the heart of all that we do and builds on the University’s
history and traditions”. -From Leeds University’s Strategic Plan
2015-2020
82
