Reflection
| My Pedagogy |
| Reflective Practice and Development |
| Assessment and Programme Design |
| References |
My Pedagogy
Disruption is an opportunity, and not one that I usually welcomed in the learning environments I have overseen. I have always dreaded an unanticipated question, or a new design for an in-classroom activity or practical exercise that does not evolve the way I had predicted or hoped—as an educator, I encounter situations or elements of learning experience design that test my confidence on a regular basis (probably more frequently than this when I began teaching). This module has demonstrated to me the value of trying something new, even something that does not work, or reveals itself as more ambitious than wieldy. It has encouraged me to this about the way I design a course, including the charateristics of the learners, the teachers, and and special challenges I have to work around. (Fink, 2003, pp. 68-73) The new webinar format I designed for this module incorporated too many materials into too few minutes—I see that on reflection. However, I was genuinely surprised by the results that I obtained from learners. They were able to engage with very deep questions involving high degrees of abstraction, and had meaningful insights that frankly astonished me given that after I had finished my presentations there was an intervening and dreaded silence. I suppose this illustrates well that we never have a full grasp of the impression that a learning experience leaves on a learner—our perception is, at best, half the story. The silence I dread as a signal I have not explained myself well or a condemnation on my abilities, could, in fact, be a signal that they are engaging in deep thinking or processing the material. This lapse between my input and their output does not frighten me as much as it used to as a result of this exercise. Through this course, especially through Fink’s work on creating learning experiences, I have learned to identify what dimension of learning I am targeting and find appropriate learning outcomes, assessments and educational strategies to reach that desired end. (2003)
Reflective Practice and Development
Learning to think of reflection not as a defined moment or task, but a continuous practice or process of mindfulness in teaching represents a central insight I have gained through this module. Moon, for example, cites several positiive ways in which the process of journal-writing, for example, accentuates learning, incuding by “slowing its pace” and “acknowledging the role of emotion in learning.” (2006) When I design learning experiences and think of assessment methods, my tendency is to focus solely on the final product—the well-designed lecture, the perfectly-balanced examination paper. However, reflective practice comes into play for me when I discover that the lecture which I thought was well-designed confuses learners in reality, or does not transmit knowledge and skills as I thought that it would, or that the examination that I thought was perfectly balanced turns out to privilege some learning styles and prejudice those who might demonstrate knowledge or mastery of skills in other ways. In fact, even when learning experiences “work”—I think most lecturers have experienced this feeling of a pleasant and productive learning experience—reflective practice is a process that can help me to understand why things went well and how I can reproduce this for other classes and modules in the future or incorporate these practices into my practice. In the past, I have had spontaneous moments of taking notes about class materials that have worked particularly well, or perhaps instinctively I have retained materials that worked or jettisoned others. This module however has demonstrated to me the necessity of having a practice whereby I evaluate this regularly, in a structured, sustained and engaged manner that focuses on my own agency as a lecturer, as well as learners, peers, and theorists in this area. This e-portfolio was a good way to structure this practice going forward. It would also prove useful to showcase my professional development in keeping with the Profession Dvelopment Framework articulated by the National Forum for Ireland. (National Forum, 2016) This is because even “informal” or “non-formal” professional development can be tracked through this medium. (National Forum, 2018, pp. 10-11)
Assessment and Programme Design
Working backward or ‘constructive alignment’ to use the more technical terms—this has been the oddest concept for me to grasp from the APD course. (Biggs, 2003; Biggs and Tang, 2007) It disrupts the usual inertia when I begin to design my courses—simply looking at the material to be covered under the module descriptor and breaking it into equal parts. When I was forced to work backward, to decide the outcomes then the learning experiences, whilst not being beholden to a monolithic module descriptor, I had to shift my focus from the material to the learner—that yet-unknown figure I hope to send into a legal profession that is shrinking, incresingly-technical, stressful and high-stakes. In designing my module, I considered that I want them to be capable, with a high degree of relevant knowledge, but I also wanted to show care for their individual development, their capacity for empathy and emotional intelligence—traits that may not be immediately useful to them when they leave the classroom door, or may not figure on a list of questions from an interviewer, but can prove vital to their long-term wellbeing and success in their chosen fields. The inclusion of more holistic learning outcomes could be controversial in a profession that sees itself as a blend of art in advocacy and technique in argument; however, from the perspective of the learners, as well as their future clients and employers, I think these elements serve to set them apart from the crowd and reflect a programme which has at its centre the care of the learner. It is in this way, as O’Riordan states, that the discussions surrounding curriculum development can be “transformational“ and bring new dimension and depth to a learning experience. (2018)
Works Referenced:
Biggs, J. (2003) Teaching for Quality Learning at University – What the Student Does. 2nd edn. Buckingham: SRHE / Open University Press.
Biggs, J. and Tang, C. (2011) Teaching for Quality Learning at University. 4th edn. McGraw-Hill Education.
Fink, L. D. (2003) Creating Significant Learning Experiences. 1st edn. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Moon, J. (2006) Learning Journals. 2nd edn. New York: Routledge. Available at: https://www-dawsonera-com.ezproxy.gcd.ie:2443/abstract/9780203969212.
National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (2018) Ireland’s National Professional Development Framework: Summary of Findings from the Initial Implementation. Available at: https://www.teachingandlearning.ie/publication/irelands-national-professional-development-framework-summary-findings-of-the-initial-implementation/.
National Forum (2016) National professional development framework for all staff who teach in higher education. Available at: https://www.teachingandlearning.ie/publication/national-professional-development-framework-for-all-staff-who-teach-in-higher-education/
O’Riordan, F. (2018) ‘Transformational pedagogy through curriculum development discourse’, International Journal of Innovation and Learning, 23(2), pp. 244–260. doi: 10.1504/IJIL.2018.089624.