Virtual courses for curriculum internationalization: disruptive innovations for higher education teachers
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15517/ht3sq620Keywords:
internationalization of the curriculum, higher education, educational innovation, virtual educationAbstract
The virtual impulse of the curriculum internationalization in higher education has increased in recent years due to certain technological innovations. Since internationalization and technology combine in COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning), MOOC (Massive Online Open Courses), and EMI (English-medium instruction) courses, these can imply changes in faculty, their practices, beliefs, and ways of working. Therefore, the objective of this study was to analyze, from an innovation perspective, the effects of implementing virtual courses -COIL, MOOC, EMI- on teaching activity and function, based on the integration of internationalization and technology in teaching. Through a qualitative phenomenological study and cascade sampling, 20 academics who teach these courses at two public universities in northwestern Mexico were interviewed virtually in 2024. The results indicated that these virtual courses are disruptive innovations for faculty, as they have a significant impact on their beliefs and ways of working. While there is a growing openness to collaborative work with ICTs among academics, certain difficulties persist in implementing these virtual courses, as there is a division in the teaching role between teaching, the administration of virtual courses, and the specific demands of the disciplines. Nevertheless, these courses represent important steps toward educational change, internationalization and the use of ICTs are beginning to have an impact on teachers, who are beginning to question their ways of working and teaching.
Downloads
References
Alhojailan, Mohammed. (2012). Thematic analysis: A critical review of its process and evaluation. West east journal of social sciences, 1(1), 39-47.
Álvarez-Gayou, Juan. (2009). Cómo hacer investigación cualitativa, fundamentos y metodología. Paidós Educador.
Arias-Gómez, Jesús., Villasís-Keever, Miguel Ángel., y Miranda, Maria Guadalupe. (2016). El protocolo de investigación III: la población de estudio. Revista Alergia México, 63(2), 201-206. DOI: https://doi.org/10.29262/ram.v63i2.181
Braun, Virginia., y Clarke, Victoria. (2006) Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77-101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa DOI: https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Burke, Lisa. (2020). New frontiers: the ‘e-academic’ in higher education. In Stephen McKenzie, Filia Garivaldis y Kyle Dyer (Eds.), Tertiary Online Teaching and Learning (pp. 237-242). Springer. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-8928-7_23
Carabajal, Cecilia., Luna, Edith., y Guzmán, Alfredo. (2020). Internacionalización del curriculum universitario mediante el uso de entornos de aprendizaje virtuales: caso de estudio Colombia-Argentina. En: Los paradigmas actuales – educación, empresa y sociedad (pp. 42-71). Eidec. https://doi.org/10.34893/na8w-qb04 DOI: https://doi.org/10.34893/NA8W-QB04
Cardeño, Noralbis., Cardeño, Edwin., y Bonilla, Edgar. (2023). TIC y transformación académica en las universidades. Región Científica, 2(2), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.58763/rc202370 DOI: https://doi.org/10.58763/rc202370
Clarke, Victoria., y Braun, Virginia. (2017). Thematic analysis. The Journal of positive Psychology, 12(3). http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2016.1262613 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2016.1262613
Cuevas, María., Pérez, Marcos., Rojas, Perla., Zetina, Carlos., Eslava, Hilda., y Maldonado, Jeniffer. (2024). Internationalization of the curriculum: Connectivism approach supported by relational leadership. A case study. Salud, Ciencia y Tecnología-Serie de Conferencias, (3). https://doi.org/10.56294/sctconf2024634 DOI: https://doi.org/10.56294/sctconf2024634
Cuevas, María., Pérez, Marcos., Vélez, Miguel., Zetina, Carlos., Coeto, Irma., y Alfaro, Sara. (2025). Virtual Exchange Program as Part of the Internationalization of the Curriculum Strategy in a Mexican Context: An Ethnographic Study. Journal of International Students, 15(1), 25-42. http://dx.doi.org/10.32674/2n3mm069 DOI: https://doi.org/10.32674/2n3mm069
Eusafzai, Hamid. (2022). Students’ Transitions Through English Medium Instruction Environment: A Kyrgyz Case. Frontiers in Education. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2022.858513 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2022.858513
Fàbregues, Sergi., Meneses, Julio., Rodríguez, David., y Paré, Marie-Héléne. (2016). Técnicas de investigación social y educativa. Oberta UOC Publishing, SL.
Fullan, Michael., y Donnelly, Katelyn. (2013). Alive in the swamp, Assessing digital innovations in education. Nesta.
Fullan, Michael & Langworthy, María. (2014). Una rica veta, Cómo las nuevas pedagogías logran el aprendizaje en profundidad. Pearson.
Fullan, Michael., y Quinn, Joanne. (2020). ¿Cómo preparan los innovadores disruptivos a los estudiantes de hoy para ser la fuerza laboral del mañana? Aprendizaje profundo: transformando sistemas para preparar a los ciudadanos de mañana. Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo.
Gibson, Ian. (2008). Designing Learning Communities in the Twenty-First Century Reconceptualising Learning as ‘Connection’ in Technology-Rich, Global Environments. In Meeri Hellstén & Anna Reid (Eds.), Researching International Pedagogies, Sustainable Practice for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (pp. 203-220). Springer.
Gil, Alfonso., Antelm, Ana., y Cacheiro, María. (2018). Análisis de la capacidad de innovación escolar desde la perspectiva del profesorado de educación secundaria. La escuela como organización que aprende. Educar, 54(2), 449-468. https://doi.org/10.5565/rev/educar.864 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5565/rev/educar.864
Gobble, MaryAnne. (2016). Defining disruptive innovation. Research-Technology Management, 59(4), 66-71. https://doi.org/10.1080/08956308.2016.1185347 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/08956308.2016.1185347
González, Olga., y Hennig, Cristina. (2020). Las fragilidades de la innovación educativa. Revista Espacios, 41(37). https://www.revistaespacios.com/a20v41n37/a20v41n37p20.pdf
Guba, Egon., y Lincoln, Yvonna. (1989). What is this constructivist paradigm anyway? In Egon Guba & Yvonna Lincoln (Eds.), Fourth generation evaluation (pp. 79-90). SAGE.
Hellstén, Meeri. (2008). Researching International Pedagogy and the Forming of New Academic Identities. In Meeri Hellstén & Anna Reid (Eds.), Researching International Pedagogies, Sustainable Practice for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (pp. 83-98). Springer. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-8858-2_6
Hernández, Doris., Pinto, José., Másmela, Marina., y Puentes, Lida. (2024). Retos y oportunidades de la clase espejo para la internacionalización del currículo. En En Liliana Álvarez-Ruíz, Mónica Herazo, Luisa Echeverría, Tania Lafont y Jorge Barboza (Comps.), Experiencias de la Internacionalización en las Instituciones de Educación Superior (IES) en Latinoamérica (Vol. 2, pp. 58-74) CECAR. https://doi.org/10.21892/9786287515420.3 DOI: https://doi.org/10.21892/9786287515420.3
Knight, Jane. (2021). Higher Education Internationalization: Concepts, Rationales, and Frameworks. Revista REDALINT. Universidad, Internacionalización e Integración Regional, 1(1), 65-88.
Kvale, Steinar. (2011). Las entrevistas en investigación cualitativa. Morata.
Leal-Fonseca, Diego., Rojas, Laura., Ortiz-Pradilla, Tatiana., y Monroy-Osorio, Juan. (2020). Percepción de los docentes sobre sus acciones innovadoras. Educación y Educadores, 23(3), 427–443. https://doi.org/10.5294/edu.2020.23.3.4 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5294/edu.2020.23.3.4
Loja, Carolina., y Quito, Luis. (2021). El rol docente y las innovaciones pedagógicas como elementos para la transformación educativa. Revista Scientific, 6(20), 296-310. DOI: https://doi.org/10.29394/Scientific.issn.2542-2987.2021.6.20.16.296-310
Machuca, Felipe, Canova, Carlos y Castro, Mario. (2023). Una aproximación a los conceptos de innovación radical, incremental y disruptiva en las organizaciones. Región Científica, 2(1), 202324. DOI: https://doi.org/10.58763/rc202324
Marantz-Gal, Amit. (2021). Las órbitas de asesoría como una estrategia para mantener al personal académico involucrado con la internacionalización del currículo. En Betty Leask, Marcela Torres-Hernández, Magdalena Bustos-Aguirre y Hans de Wit (Coords.) Reimaginar la internacionalización del currículo, mejores prácticas y posibilidades prometedoras (pp. 169-186). Universidad de Guadalajara.
McMillan, James., y Schumacher, Sally. (2005). Investigación educativa (5ª ed.). Pearson Addison Wesly.
Minh, Phuong. (2024). Conceptualizing teacher agency for culturally responsive teaching in international programs at higher education levels. Vietnam Journal of Educational Sciences, 1(20), 61-71. https://doi.org/10.15625/2615-8965/22410105
Pereira, Juan. (2020). Virtualización de la educación superior: una ventana para la internacionalización en la universidad Yacambú. Revista Tecnológica-Educativa Docentes 2.0, 9(1), 146-159. https://doi.org/10.37843/rted.v9i1.117 DOI: https://doi.org/10.37843/rted.v9i1.117
Pizzolitto, Ana., y Macchiarola, Viviana. (2015). Un estudio sobre cambios planificados en la enseñanza universitaria: origen y desarrollo de las innovaciones educativas. Innovación Educativa, 15(67), 111–134. https://ri.conicet.gov.ar/handle/11336/62706
Román, Daniel., y Rodríguez, Esteban. (2025). Redes Académicas: Impulso motivacional para docentes universitarios a través de entornos virtuales. Yachay, 13(2), 113-123. https://doi.org/10.36881/yachayv13i2.952 DOI: https://doi.org/10.36881/yachay.v13i2.952
Sandín, Esteban. (2003). Investigación cualitativa en educación. Fundamentos y tradiciones, McGraw Hill.
Shareef, Aishath. (2024). Internationalization of Curriculum (IoC) in Higher Education: A Global Cooperative Strategy. The Maldives National Journal of Research, 12(1), 7-21. https://doi.org/10.62338/6fh94y14 DOI: https://doi.org/10.62338/6fh94y14
Sorensen, Elsebeth. (2008). Design of Dialogic Quality in e-Learning A Pedagogical-Methodological Framework for Promoting Collaboration and Global Democratic Citizenship. In Meeri Hellstén & Anna Reid (Eds.) Researching International Pedagogies, Sustainable Practice for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (pp. 277-294). Springer. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-8858-2_17
Tagua, Marcela., Castro, Patricia., y Dari, Nora. (2023). Tecnología educativa e internacionalización del currículo. Educación, Lenguaje y Sociedad, 21(21), 1-24. http://dx.doi.org/10.19137/els-2023-212102 DOI: https://doi.org/10.19137/els-2023-212102
Tamrat, Wondwosen. (2020). The disjuncture between private higher education and internationalisation. St. Mary's University. DOI: https://doi.org/10.6017/ijahe.v7i2.13231
Taylor, Peter., y Medina, Milton. (2011). Educational research paradigms: From positivism to pluralism. College Research Journal, 1(1), 1-16. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/264196558_Educational_research_paradigms_From_positivism_to_multiparadigmatic
Tejada, José. (1998). Los agentes de la innovación en los centros educativos. Profesores, directivos y asesores. Aljibe.
Thanh, Nguyen., y Thanh, Tran. (2015). The interconnection between interpretivist paradigm and qualitative methods in education. American Journal of Educational Science, 1(2), 24-27.
Valdés, Michel. (2019). Internacionalización del currículo universitario virtual en el contexto de la globalización. Telos, 21(3), 754-775. https://doi.org/10.36390/telos213.13 DOI: https://doi.org/10.36390/telos213.13
Vasilopoulos, Elena. (2023). Preparing International Students for Higher Education: Instructor Perceptions of Academic Socialization in an Online English for Academic Purposes Program. En Rebecca Schendel y Marisa Lally (Eds.), Innovative and Inclusive Internationalization. Proceedings of the 2021 WES-CIHE Summer Institute Boston College (pp. 34-35). Boston College Center for International Higher Education. http://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep47233
Wihlborg, Monne. (2009). The pedagogical dimension of internationalisation? A challenging quality issue in Higher Education for the twenty-first century. European Educational Research Journal, 8(1), 117-132. http://dx.doi.org/10.2304/eerj.2009.8.1.117 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2304/eerj.2009.8.1.117
De Wit, Hans. (2020). The future of internationalization of higher education in challenging global contexts. ETD: Educação Temática Digital, 22(3), 538-545. http://dx.doi.org/10.20396/etd.v22i3.8659471 DOI: https://doi.org/10.20396/etd.v22i3.8659471
Yue, Yun., Keser, Jeannette., Li, Feng., Liu, Yishu., y Yu, Weijuan. (2025). Collaborative cell groups: bridging separation in the community of inquiry in a context of internationalization at a distance. British Journal of Educational Technology, 56(2), 967-987. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.13561 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.13561
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Isabel María García-Meza, Edgar Oswaldo González Bello (Autor/a)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
All published articles and essays are protected by Creative Commons (CC) licenses, under the Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike - CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 standard, which constitute a complement to traditional copyright, under the following terms : first, the authorship of the referred document must always be acknowledged; second, no article or essay published in the ACTUALIDADES INVESTIGATIVES EN EDUCACIÓN Magazine can have commercial purposes of any nature; and third, adaptations of the manuscript must be shared under the same terms.
The journal allows the author to hold their copyright without restriction, but the author must inform that the article or essay were published first through this journal to avoid coincidences with other journals in the future.
