participative and transformative postgraduate learning and teaching

participative andtransformative postgraduatelearning and teaching interactive workshop for ‘critical pedagogy and participatory learning for social transformation: the role of higher education’ conference" monash university – november 2008 by dr jude westrup institute for teaching and learning deakin university

abstract • learning and teaching within australian universities is undergoing a refreshing renaissance. • renewed respect for and emphasis on the importance and quality of learning and teaching, reward and recognition for excellence and new funding resources allow for enhanced creativity and more innovative, participatory and transformative pedagogies. • postgraduate learning and teaching in many ways closely resemble adult and life-based learning & teaching.

cont… • participative and transformative postgraduate innovations and contemporary creative praxis will be explored – using examples and curricula from both arts and science disciplines. • participants will explore their own learning resources’ design, development and review with a selection of options and techniques from: i) “imagination, Inspiration and Intuition – joseph beuys & rudolf steiner”, ii) life-based learning’s strengths based approach and iii) appreciative inquiry praxis.

conference …. • …”interest in participatory and dialogic approaches to teaching and learning makes its mark across university, TAFE and other professional development contexts, • more specifically in the fields of international development, community development, environmental science, health, social work, education, feminist and women’s studies and management and organisational development programs” …………. • …with ideas of participation, democratisation, transformation, empowerment and social change…

participatory learning principles shared principles of participatory learning include: • a defined methodology and systemic learning • multiple perspectives • group learning processes • context specific • facilitating experts and stakeholders • leading to change[1] • [1] Pretty JN (et al) 1995) p56

postgraduate? …. • How does PG learning and teaching differ from undergraduate? • What is uniquely ‘postgraduate’? • Is PG learning & teaching the same as: • Adult learning? • Professional learning? • Industry-based learning? • Life-based learning? • other?

postgraduate…? …. = programs that focus on • postgraduate students • postgraduate coursework teaching and learning • postgraduate research supervision & research higher degree candidature • and postgraduate learning support • other?

workshop …. introduction • beuys and steiner – white boards (imagination, inspiration, intuition) • life-based learning (multi-source, strengths-based professional development) • appreciative inquiry (designing for vitality) wrap-up and discussion

interactive workshop process ………………………. interactive ‘participatory & transformative postgraduate learning & teaching’ • using postgraduate pedagogy, including affective as well as cognitive and behavioural domains – we shall explore ideas in a comparative matrix and in discovery discussions and designs

postgrad learning & teachingcomparative matrix 1. Giroux, H. A., & McLaren, P. (Eds.). (1994).

universities(and other organisations) as “centres of human connectedness” …

critical pedagogy [Critical] pedagogy . . . signals how questions of audience, voice, power, and evaluation actively work to construct particular relations between teachers and students, institutions and society, and classrooms and communities. . . . Pedagogy in the critical sense illuminates the relationship among knowledge, authority, and power. (Giroux, 1994: 30)

beuys & steiner“whiteboards” + white paper + equipment… prepare a mixed-media plan or design for assessment task/s for your postgraduates/PG course – including the criteria, alignment with course objectives and type (individual, group, e-, professional practice, experiential, critical analysis …) 1. Giroux, H. A., & McLaren, P. (Eds.). (1994).

life-based learning“multi-source, strengths-based” • multi-source learning – before, during and after for postgraduates in your course/s? • strengths-based, professional learning and professional development – how do you emphasise these & incorporate them into your curricula and course design? • solutions within their professions – eg problem-based learning [participative & transformative] Add ref

appreciative inquiry“designing for vitality” • 9 principles of appreciative inquiry • 6 facets applied to organisations using course teams as our focus: prepare a multi-media action plan for applying appreciative inquiry to designing for vitality in your course team => postgraduate course and learning (mind map, plan, matrix…) 3. concluding ideas Add ref

references avital M (et al) eds. (2008)designing information and organisations with a positive lens. elsevier jai press. holland a (ed. 2007) joseph beuys and rudolph steiner – imagination, inspiration, intuition. national gallery of victoria, melbourne. staron m, jasinski m & weatherley, r (2006) life based learning: a strength based approach to capability development. tafe nsw icvet with department of education, science and training. westrup j (2007)quality postgraduate learning and teaching: innovation, creativity and formative evaluation. http://www.deakin.edu.au/itl/conferences/ itlconference2007.php

References … Cooperrider, D.L. and Whitney, D. (2002) Appreciative Inquiry: The Handbook. Euclid Ohio: Lakeshore Publishers. Giroux, H. A. (1994). Disturbing pleasures: Learning popular culture. New York: Routledge. Giroux, H. A., & McLaren, P. (Eds.). (1994) Between borders: Pedagogy and the politics of cultural studies. New York: Routledge.http://www.csd.uwa.edu.au/altmodes/to_delivery/critical_pedagogy.html

participative and transformative postgraduate learning and teaching