I've always attempted to adopt a community-of-practice approach to learning in classrooms where i'm teaching. I think Wenger had it fundamentally right about the dynamic in learning situations that are working well. Try to be explicit with learners about what a learning community is, what everyone's roles are, and try to increase the 'consciousness' and 'mastery' around what going on. So I appreciate your determination to unpack the process for yourself, to stay fresh.
I've recently gone back to lecturing (through ACU, a degree program that works with students who have obstacles in managing their participation- one of my groups takes place in a correctional facility). What i'm finding, at least at the start, is a certain amount of resistance among the students (and the more senior degree coordinators) about learning dynamics- there's an expectation among the students that they want me to inhabit a traditional role of 'knowledge-holder' in our space. We'll see how it goes., it's a challenge to how i'd like the process to develop...
Best wishes for this adventure Marco! The longstanding conspiracy “We’ll pretend to learn and you pretend to teach us” takes some getting past but is worth getting past. I was reading yesterday that the best learning arises from surprise, so go for it and surprise them!
I've always attempted to adopt a community-of-practice approach to learning in classrooms where i'm teaching. I think Wenger had it fundamentally right about the dynamic in learning situations that are working well. Try to be explicit with learners about what a learning community is, what everyone's roles are, and try to increase the 'consciousness' and 'mastery' around what going on. So I appreciate your determination to unpack the process for yourself, to stay fresh.
I've recently gone back to lecturing (through ACU, a degree program that works with students who have obstacles in managing their participation- one of my groups takes place in a correctional facility). What i'm finding, at least at the start, is a certain amount of resistance among the students (and the more senior degree coordinators) about learning dynamics- there's an expectation among the students that they want me to inhabit a traditional role of 'knowledge-holder' in our space. We'll see how it goes., it's a challenge to how i'd like the process to develop...
Best wishes for this adventure Marco! The longstanding conspiracy “We’ll pretend to learn and you pretend to teach us” takes some getting past but is worth getting past. I was reading yesterday that the best learning arises from surprise, so go for it and surprise them!