Blog Review on "Education as a Community of Practice" in the Post 16 Learning Sector

Teaching in the post compulsory sector challenges perhaps stereotypical ideas about how people learn most effectively. This notion is really born from the formative experiences within the education system that have shaped my understanding about a typical style of teaching that may or may not be conducive to the learning progression of its students.

The introduction of the United Nations Conventions on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) into mainstream education seems to have inextricably accelerated a catalyst of change to the way the power structures within educational 'institutions' have been evaluated and re-structured; to suit a more participatory learning approach.

The following blog article has ignited my interest in the subject of post compulsory education and the philosophy of learning inspired by its ongoing discourse.

Perhaps, from a practical point of view, at least how the approach as a post compulsory practitioner may be instrumental in the mobilization of people who have become disenfranchised within their communities. For some, this has been a result of a deterioration of interest in education, a disengagement from the structures of normalcy or ordinariness for the rest of the population who appear to remain motivated and inspired to participate and progress their economic and social contributions in society.

It might well be argued, as it is within the underpinning principles of the UNCRC that children are more likely to enrich their learning process if they are actively participating in the content of the subject matter. Traditional approaches identified by key thinkers, such as Paulo Freire had arrived at this understanding several decades ago and became the benefactor of a multitude of  fellow doctorates from various universities around the world.

It seems however, that the world of education might have been a bit slow in responding to the teaching strategies, that encourage, nurture and actively seek the challenging views to the established ideas of its learners. I think its moreover been duly recognized, as cited in the quote below that there is no real substitute for learning by doing in terms of increasing the participation levels, experiential learning, developing reflexive and problem solving skills, negotiating abilities and being an integral asset to the developmental shape of that learning progress.

"Rather it offers a form of learning through doing which is not just observing a task, but participating at the edges of a whole process – both absorbing and being absorbed by – the culture of practice. In this process understanding and practice are developed through simultaneous interaction. Thus learning becomes visualised as more like a journey through time, moving from the ‘legitimate periphery’ of a subject community to becoming a full ‘member’ of it." http://erevolution.jiscinvolve.org/wp/category/communities-of-practice/

The next critical aspect, briefly implied earlier, concerns itself with the applicability of these key learning skills to the world of business and commerce. How to make our 'producer good' (the students) competent and of high standards for the customers, who are referenced by the blog as David Donald from Glasgow Caledonian to mean the owners of businesses who offer the ultimate reward of 'employment.' Critically, upon this premise, developing a 'culture of practice' combining competitive academic research and best practice will help to further enable our learners to be a formidable task force.

This cycle of demand helps to inform and influence my short and long-term aspirations working within my local post 16 learning community. The 'culture of practice' I aim to facilitate therefore has to recognize that they are the workforce of tomorrow and its up to us as their mentors, to ensure that their learning experiences extend way beyond the confines of the subject material. Surely, in today's global economy the ability to think, create and shape our world has never been so imperative.

This JISC involve.org blog is a great resource for following some of the latest discussions about the evolving nature of education and its place in a demanding economic climate, especially pertinent to the post 16 education sector, my chosen area of working practice.

The blog in question can be accessed here:

http://erevolution.jiscinvolve.org/wp/



.

Pinning 'High Hopes' on passion fueled Brian Crosby's Tedx Talk!

Well, as I went mining through the bottomless pit of blogs in blogger-land, one curiosity led me on a multiplex of pathways until eventually this article and You Tube clip sort of peaked my interest. I wondered 'could this be the kind of 'talk' I've been hacking the inter-web for? Was this Tedx Talk likely to be a revelation or more of a fragment of banal satisfaction ... still it might just suffice for now, I thought!

It appeared in the first 5 minutes more like the latter, however, as a few more minutes eeked their way forward, there was definitely a noticeable warming, on my part, to the originality and creative engagement of the students of Brian Crosby. He defines his teaching strategies as 'Passion based learning in action" or (PBL). Crosby's creative energies appeared innovative and engaging, so whilst he was working with a lively and enthusiastic group of year 4 students, the exploratory learning strategy he used really seemed to maximize participation in a multitude of ways.A lesson for us all in there somewhere, I concluded.

Crosby invited children to actively experiment with web 2 technologies, 'Smart' boards and perhaps even more interesting than that, (as a novice blogger myself), just how to connect and share interactive blog posts with fellow global citizens. 

Pinning 'High Hopes' was an ambitious and inspiring idea, that bore its creation in a collective class blog where individual aspirations to somewhat better their world, initially found its place in a local context. Crosby then taught the students how to capture the hearts and minds of children around the world ... enabling others to connect and make their voices heard.  

And so we see a worthy example of how social media and blogging technologies are transforming the social politics of nations, one person at a time, until such a time when the world might be duly recognized as the one 'global community' it is - binding citizens of the world through empathy and commonality.

Well the proof is in the 'clicking', it seems .... as more than half a million people have chosen to log-in to Crosby's PBL and thousands more responded in kind with their 'High Hopes' for the future ... that's mighty impressive considering the snail's pace of more traditional methods that sought to maximize its audience reach only a generation ago. Web 2 technologies and skillful blogging, if you know what you're doing has the potential (as I see it) to save people thousands on advertising and a capacity to create a nation of budding entrepreneurs ... but 'bloggers' beware of the 'Blog Snatchers'!

My 'High Hope' ... well it has to be for the enlightened world to keep up the hard work by advocating for the protection, provision and participation rights of all children everywhere.  

How would you define yours ..?

Hope you enjoy the seventeen and a bit minute clip, attached here: 

‘‘The world thanks you for sharing Nelson Mandela with us." Barack Obama said to the people of South Africa yesterday.

...and so say all of us!

Following the monumental event in Johannesburg yesterday that honored the passing of one of the most influential peace-makers of the 21st Century, I am inspired by the legacy in which this chosen son of South Africa, leaves for all the world to remember him in loving unison.

Nelson 'Madiba' Mandela's Long Walk to Freedom is a well documented journey charting the struggles for the emancipation of blacks living under the apartheid system for the best part of the last century, in South Africa. For his personal sacrifices and life long commitment to this cause, it invokes in me a sense that perhaps some people's lives are already determined, their time suspended and reserved to advocate an egalitarian, co-operative and tolerant philosophy, where moral necessity and racial justice are its governing principles.

Mandela, just as in life helped unite the world in racial equality and so in his death we join hands in the freedom of religion, in freedom of expression, in the freedom of opportunity, the freedom to an equal education, the freedom to represent your country in sport and the freedom of movement in one's homeland. Madiba's Long Walk to Freedom emancipated the rights to freedom not only for the people of South Africa but I think its only fair to say  that his example inspired a catalyst for racial justice and social responsibility right across the globe.

Waving the S. African flag for 'Ubuntu' here in Swansea. Looking after our communities equally is the responsibility of all of us, is it not and as global citizens living in a digitalized age, because we are able to bang the drum for world peace ... probably we all should.

"I am who I am because of who we all are." Desmond Tutu on the 'Ubuntu' philosophy.

Farewell Nelson Mandela, thank you for making the world a better place than you found it!

Beware of the Blog-Snatchers!

It seems that some people will go to extraordinary lengths just to prove their intellectual worth in this cut-throat, competitive market place where academic originality is a highly sought after commodity. There are unscrupulous punters out there who, allegedly, are able to dismiss any ordinary sense of moral etiquette, in spite of the laborious midnight hours you might have spent hunched over an insomniac laptop ...! A breaking report in The Guardian  warns the blogging population against the perils of sticky widgets on your blog posts!

I'm just saying, there may be merit in a little cautiousness, especially if you're on the verge of some scientific breakthrough or you think you might have figured out the mathematical formula to the meaning of life ... but seriously, think blog, think post, think ownership!

Found this article by The Guardian quite provocative ... your opinions always welcomed & valued.

http://www.theguardian.com/higher-education-network/blog/2013/dec/04/academic-blogging-newspaper-research-plagiarism















 

A note on child slavery in Haiti ...

Did you know that child slavery is still a customary practice in the Caribbean country of Haiti?

Well, there are estimated to be more than 300,000 children known as 'Restaveks' or domestic child slaves, working and living in neglectful, abusive, unsafe abject poverty stricken conditions. The United Nations have termed it as being of epidemic proportions and whilst Haiti has ratified the United Nations Conventions on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in 1995, the rights of 'restavek' children are largely ignored and none of the articles are actually enforced, according to former 'restavek' and UN working group member Dr. Jean-Robert Cadet.

I met Jean-Robert Cadet during Black History Month in 2011 after arranging a small educational tour in Wales. Well you could have actually heard a pin drop in the auditorium; audiences including both younger and older children, teaching staff, academics, students and general public were spellbound by this man's incredibly humbling yet totally inspirational story, painfully recaptured as he journeyed  'from Haitian Slave Child to Middle-class American.' 

Projectpiece was founded by me in 2011 to support Jean-Robert Cadet in the Wales and since its inception we continue to work together in local schools, colleges and universities to enlighten young people about the plight of vulnerable slave children whose rights are grossly under-protected.

Since the UNCRC protects all children under the age of eighteen years old, our youngest generation living in Swansea usually appear somewhat shocked and astounded at the thought of children, like themselves, being forced into essentially a punitive system that punishes the poorest and most vulnerable of its citizens according to the rank of their family, the blackness of their skin and whether anybody cares enough for the welfare of aforesaid child. Jean-Robert says that children who are obviously under-valued in Haiti are discriminated against by the whole society.

Jean-Robert's story is a heart-breaking one, perhaps you could say that concludes with a happier ending, at least. This really is not a plug for the book ...but ... if you do wish to read it I can lend you a copy or you can purchase it from all good bookstores (and Amazon!) ~ its a story that just leaped off the page and wove itself into the fabric of my heart ~ Listen to Jean-Robert as he addresses the Oslo Freedom Forum, recorded last year in Norway (See side panel for the link)

By the way, the little girl on the front cover here, well she was given as a 'wedding present' for a couple who own a small roadside cafe!

This might just be of 'P'interest' to some of you!

Who is already using Pinterest?

For those of you new to a recent discovery of this absolute gem (in my neophyte opinion), it's a host website that publishes FREE resources for anyone to save, duplicate and print to use. What I think is totally awesome about it is besides being free and really user friendly, if you just type a couple of key words that describe what you may be searching for, the work has already been done for you ... 'Voila' at the touch of a button, its all there ... just lift, credit and use!

Must share this little array of beauties as I reckon that some of you, like me who are planning to work in the post 16 non-compulsory education sector might recognise their extrinsic and transferable value. I think many of these 'pin boards,' as they're known (and you can 'pin' and 'save' as many as you like ... did I mention that they're free, although looks as if you'll need to cover the printing costs ... !) will definitely be in my resource tool-kit.  I warn you however, looking for 'pins' can be very addictive ... there are sooooo many to share, from famous quotes to innovative learning quotas. 

Why not search and share some of your favourite P'interests here, as I propose that so far I have merely  began to scratch at the surface of virtual pin-board surfing! 

http://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=post%20compulsory%20education 

   

What kind of teacher are you ...?

Well this is just for a little bit of fun. I stumbled across a quiz that is meant to determine what kind of teacher they think we might just be! Now, its really aimed at the comprehensive school teacher and one example involves year nine pupils smoking in a school corridor! So what would I do ... was I ever that kid myself ...? Well maybe for about a week but like many fads when I was an average kind of teenager this fashion accessory was not one for keeps (in my day!).

The question here might be how would you approach or would you even approach a teenager today who is blatantly smoking in full view of other pupils and staff? Well, I think I probably would but not in some punitive style like it appeared to have been 'in my day'. As I recall in the mid nineteen eighties any wrong-doing was pretty much dealt with by your archetypal male P.E. teacher who, in my 'old school' thought that making pupils run around the gym in a pair of plimsolls and a vest would be enough to cure any ill thought out notions of social vagrancy ... !

Perhaps it worked for some, however on the one occasion I was caught bunking off school (just the once and for a good reason, of course) this exercise seemingly only served to replace the running training I'd missed earlier that morning. This was opposed to assuming a more modern approach, if you will, that explores the conflict present between academic study and the usual teenage angst. An alternative framework based on restorative practice is certainly gathering momentum in Swansea which evidences a measurable value in its redistribution of power between teacher and learner and works towards a more mutual approach to learning, applying non judgmental problem solving skills to resolve any identifiable obstacles blocking the progress towards personal, academic and social development.

The real point to all of this is, arguably, a matter of fundamental 'approach'.  My approach, for instance, how might it differ currently from teaching practice 'in my day'? Of course, I am intending to assume the role I have since learned but how difficult a process might that be to implement in practice? The late Brazilian educator Paulo Freire (see notes on side-bar for more information) coined the following illustration as a passive 'banking style' method commonly applied in more traditional teaching environments. Whether you as the reader agrees that the redistribution of power between the teacher and learner is a positive change, I really find it difficult to recognize the benefit in any of the following sentiments: That " X, Y & Z, (for instance) are the facts, I as the teacher am the all knowing expert, your place here is to listen and learn from me and should you refuse to co-operate with me as your teacher then there are strict sanctions in  place, like after school and weekend detentions! Or,  if you prefer, under more extreme circumstances where abject disobedience from authority is obvious, you could find yourself the unfortunate recipient of ten lashings of the best from one willing head-teacher whose really is quite handy with a cane ... So kid, just sit down and listen to me, you're in for the learning experience of your life and one day you'll come back and thank me for being so brilliant and telling you everything you ever needed to know!"

But really, this is not the modern way or my personal philosophy at all ...!

...So, I thought the quiz could be fun in any case although I found the questions a little restrictive and without actually being a comprehensive school teacher, I have taught and interacted with students on delivery of drama in education workshops, so I attempted, as a neophyte, to base my answers on what type of teacher under those conditions I like to consider myself to be. I tried not to imagine being too serious about it all though under pressure with deadlines to meet and a real sense of responsibility when it comes to doing justice to the learning experience of children in whatever capacity they may  be, I think this might be an activity to ask your colleagues or best friend to complete it on your behalf. Still at the least it got me really thinking about what kind of teacher do I want to aspire to be for my pupils, what makes a really great teacher, who were my favourites and why .... so thanks TES Resources for this little gem, I hope that if this sparks your interest too, I would love it if you shared one or a few of your viewpoints about your own learning experiences and what kind of teacher TES reckons you are .... even though it insists on calling me Carole... perhaps to TES though everyone is Carole ... who knows, maybe you could illuminate ....?

Try the quiz for yourself right here by following the link below:
http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storyCode=6363259&s_cid=Landing_teachertypequiz#.UpN7EtK8Diu

This is the feedback I received, what will yours reveal about your teaching approach ...?

 Your Results

Carole Comfy-Cardy

Everyone likes Carole. She’s the one who’ll ask you about your plans for the summer and actually listen to the answer. She talks to anyone, and falls out with no-one. The younger kids are happy to be mothered by her; the older ones might muck her about, but they always turn to her with issues or insecurities.

OK, so she’ll never be the model of corporate efficiency or ruthless ambition. She can’t be bothered with the wardrobe for a start. Friendship,being a good listener, fluffy slippers – these are the things that really matter.

Any questions, "Please SEE ME!"