Reflective Assessment #2: The Learner's Perspective
Learning about learning, as an educator~
Transformations in Learning
My Far North Queensland garden is alive with cycles of renewal and metamorphosis. The palm-sized peaceful dove, steadfast and determined, has nested once again (previous clutch flew one month ago). And now nurtures (again) two fledglings.
Nearby, on the service drop cable (of all places!) the pair of willie wagtails repeat the industrious nest repairs for another brood to come into being (the previous three also leaving only four weeks ago). The near-daily pelting rains prepare a lush world for the hatchlings.
Similarly, I’m renewing with vigor my knowledge, skills, and competencies about teaching for learning.
As an educator, my beliefs, knowledge, values, and praxis are influenced by learning about learning, in several ways. I am now more committed to cultivating an independent, ethically minded, and practically skilled process to my ongoing professional development.
I anticipate being able to model these learner behaviours for the students I engage with each semester.
Becoming more aware of the science and psychology of learning (e.g., Ambrose, 2017; Mayer, 2020), has refined my belief in the transformative power of higher education. I am better positioned to identify teaching practices that can be effective across learning contexts in psychology and statistics.
Also, I have a better understanding as to how and why teaching is more than content delivery.
I’ve a civic duty to nurture a learner’s ability to think, read, and write (or otherwise communicate) critically (Taj et al., 2018; TEQSA, 2021). and it is essential these processes be embedded in ethical reasoning, for me to strive for transparency and accountability (TEQSA, 2021).
As such, I, as a learner am developing sustainable scholarly qualities enabling me to pivot in a rapidly changing world (cf. Department of Education, Skills and Employment, 2020).
Especially, integrating the principles of theory and conceptual frameworks (e.g., cognitive load and scaffolding) has enhanced my awareness of factors that contribute to effective learning. I anticipate applying the insights I’ve gained by designing curriculum and teaching processes to balance cognitive demands of tasks
(Sweller, 1988), with incremental competency building (Richardson et al. 2021). All the while incorporating technology-based practices (e.g., Universal Design for Learning; CAST, 2020).
This approach enables my creation of accessible, engaging, and collaborative learning environments. For instance, a blended classroom for students, incorporating problem-based learning and multi-literacy technological resources to encourage drawing on life skills and experiences to complete tasks.
Such a classroom approach can foster learner exploration, collaboration, discussion, and documentation of learning processes and personal insights, transformations, unwavering stances, or challenging questions. Such an approach align with Cook-Sather et al. (2014) advocacy for structuring learning experiences to promote mastery through active engagement and continuous feedback.
Bridging Knowledge and Practice
Reflecting on my journey of learning about learning, I realise some of my past practices fell short in addressing my ethical responsibilities. For instance, to equip students for real-world challenges of applying theories and conceptual frame-works beyond the classroom.
At the time, I was not using Vygotsky’s (1978) Zone of Proximal Development, or Brookfield’s (1998) critically reflective practice framework. I see now how application of this theory and framework respectively, can aid students to engage with content at a level that is challenging, though achievable. For example, selecting a current news event featuring a topic from class, and requesting students to link to explicitly link to class material.
As a result, I missed opportunities to encourage learner confidence, competence, and autonomy as emerging psychology professionals.
Now, I am committed to designing curriculum which emphasises meaningful and enduring conceptualisation and application of content and processes, to encourage students to think ‘beyond the grade’.
Additionally, learning about learning has clarified for me, the importance of reasonable adaption to student feedback (including prior life knowledge they bring to the class; e.g., Billet, 2009), and to my reflection in-action and reflection on action (Schön, 1983). Making iterative adjustments to my curriculum, in collaboration with peer-reviewers, can help my future practice to align learning outcomes, activities, and assessments. As well, to orient these factors with internal and external bench marking expectations. For example, the use of regular formative assessments can establish ongoing feedback loops and make concrete to students the value of self-responsibility to enable their learning progress.
Overall, learning about learning has strengthened my fidelity to holistic, reflective, student-centered teaching approach, which emphasise real-world preparedness, and educator and learner ethical responsibilities in the learning process. To achieve this, I will be thoughtful with curriculum design, incorporate active learning strategies accessible across learner needs (within reason), to create a supportive, engaging, and collaborative learning environment.
Light & Life~
Charmayne
References
Ambrose, S. A., Bridges, M. W., DiPietro, M., Lovett, M. C, & Norman, M. K. (2017). How learning works: 7 research-based principles for smart teaching. John Wiley & Sons
Billet, S. (2009). Personal epistemologies, work and learning. Educational Research Review, 4(3), 210–219. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2009.06.001 Brookfield, S. (1998). Critically reflective practice. The Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions, 18, 197–205. doi.org/10.1002/chp.1340180402
CAST. (2020). UDL tips for assessment. Author. https://www.cast.org/products-services/resources/2020/udl-tips-assessments
Cook-Sather, A., Bovill, C., & Felten, P. (2014). Engaging students as partners in learning and teaching: A guide for faculty. John Wiley & Sons.
Department of Education, Skills and Employment. (2020). National priorities and industry linkage fund: Final report. https://www.education.gov.au/download/11047/npilf-final- report/21154/document/pdf
Mayer, R. E. (2020). Multimedia learning. Cambridge University Press.
Richardson, J. C., Caskurlu, S., Castellanos-Reyes, D., Duan, S., Shams Ud Duha, M., Fiock, H., & Long, Y. (2022). Instructors’ conceptualization and implementation of scaffolding in online higher education courses. Journal of Computing in High Education 34, 242–279. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12528-021-09300-3 Schön, D. A. (1983). The reflective practitioner: How professionals think in action. Routledge.
Sweller, J. (1988). Cognitive load during problem solving: Effects on learning. Cognitive Science, 12(2), 257-285.http://dx.doi.org/10.1207/s15516709cog1202_4 Taj, (2018).
TEQSA. (2021). Higher education standards framework (Threshold standards), 2021. https://www.teqsa.gov.au/how-we-regulate/higher-education-standards-framework-2021
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.