Original scientific paper
PASSIONIC HERITAGE OF THE BOLOGNA REFORM: THE TRANSMUTATION OF STUDY PROGRAMMES AT THE FACULTY OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ZAGREB
Jasmina Božić
orcid.org/0000-0001-9683-420X
; Filozofski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu
Abstract
The paper brings results from a grounded theory qualitative research study, which examined how the faculty members of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Zagreb perceived the changes in the study programmes following the Bologna reform. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews with university professors and teaching assistants, and analysed using coding and other grounded theory techniques and procedures. The research revealed that the main goal of the Bologna reform, as undertaken at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, was to increase the flexibility and choice with regards to the following aspects of the study programmes: ratio between compulsory and elective courses, chronological order of course content, propaedeutics, relation between theoretical and practical course content, focus on learning outcomes vs. focus on discipline and teaching, single semester courses, and development of clearer course tracks. These changes were only partially implemented, limited by the tendency to protect the foundations of particular disciplines. The research results indicate that the Bologna reform is far from just a cosmetic initiative but, rather, penetrates into the very essences of scientific disciplines, such as determining major vs. peripheral branches of disciplines. These issues were never even addressed in Bologna process communiqués at the European level and, therefore, each discipline, and even each department, had to thoroughly discuss and resolve them on their own. This research showed that in order to have a successful implementation of Bologna requirements, disciplines themselves must re-examine the very foundations and substantive content on which they rest. It is necessary to carefully discriminate between the segments of the study programmes that are flexible and adjustable and those that are not, and to find the right balance between them. To undertake such a thorough reflection, at such a large Faculty, without any prior experience with this new framework, was nearly impossible. It may, therefore, be necessary to revise the implementation of the Bologna reform at particular Faculties of the University of Zagreb, such as the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. .
Keywords
Bologna reform; Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences; University of Zagreb; qualitative research; study programmes
Hrčak ID:
137658
URI
Publication date:
7.4.2015.
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