42 - Clayton Hawkins (2)

Title

Unpacking critical moments in learning and teaching programs

Author(s)

Clayton Hawkins*, Institute for Regional Development

Subtheme

Locally and Globally Engaged Learning and Teaching

Presentation Type

Spotlight on Practice

Room

Academy Gallery

Time

11.30-12.30

Abstract

The Institute for Regional Development (IRD) was established in 2007.  Since then IRD has tested numerous learning and teaching innovations such as blended learning, ePortfolios, industry-based lecturers and practice-based learning to meet learning needs of its cohorts.  It has intuitively evolved an approach to learning and teaching that is reflective of a co-development of knowledge (or ‘knowledge partnering’) and deeply embedded in ‘practice’.  As is the case within many teaching teams, there exists an abundance of tacit and experiential knowledge within the IRD of the learning gained by its teachers.  It is important for the teaching programs that this is formally captured, shared and interrogated for collegial learning and improvement.  As a process of continuous improvement, a research project was conducted within the IRD during 2016 to collate and unpack this learning.  This paper presents the process employed to capture the learning from team members and how the framework may be leveraged by other teaching teams.
Brookfield’s (1995) four ‘lenses’ are a way to critically reflect on learning and teaching.  In this research project three of these lenses (theoretical literature, our colleagues’ experiences and autobiographical) were interfaced with a methodology from the community development field called the Critical Moments Reflection Methodology (CMRM).  The CMRM is based on the identification of critical moments (or critical events) in time and reflecting on their meaning and learning.  The application of the CMRM is a four step process of developing inquiry questions, identifying critical moments, establishing a visual timeline and analysing the data to tell stories.  This process can assist to rescue knowledge, share and combine knowledge, and rethink meanings to extract lessons.  In undertaking this process data has been collected and grouped.  This had led to numerous research projects identified that can be undertaken and teaching improvements that can be made.
Reference
References Brookfield SD (1005). Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher. Jossey-Bass.

Resource

Download presentation (requires University of Tasmania login) (PDF)