Role and purpose as a teacher
As a teacher, my intention is to provide the opportunity for layered knowledge, different for each student. I support learners to engage in different ways and build different understanding from the same technology. The analogy that illustrates this for me is a non-traditional research output I have produced – an artwork that consists of a paper map and a digital map for the same territory. Paper and digital maps can serve different needs in different contexts. There are many types of users for the maps. The paper map is a physical guide the reader can walk about with. The digital map is a phone-friendly digital guide for first time visitors. It can also extend the physical environment by overlaying a digital experience that deepens understanding and knowledge for those who already familiar with this environment.
This is informed by my understanding of the variety in the experience of our students (mature age, women, working and families) and challenges specific to my key discipline area of records and archives, disciplines that are always needing to reassert their professional identity and credentials.
The theoretical foundations that inform my thinking includes Knowles’ andragogy which sets out learning characteristics for adult learners. Two of these characteristics I apply are 1) bridging from existing experience to the learning content and 2) using real world learning content (Knowles xx). I have characterised our mature-age wholly online learners as possessing characteristics common to students from low socio-economic backgrounds – notably, many are chronically time poor and juggling caring responsibilities. This draws on the work of Devlin and McKay on low SES students (2017; Curham, 2021). They outline that student success in this cohort is supported by ’an inclusive, engaged approach to learning, teaching and assessment that took account of the realities of the lives and preparedness for study of these students’ (2017, p. 75). My thinking is also informed by universal design for learning as discussed by Frederic Fovet (2021).
For me, teaching must be linked to and inspired by my research [informed by ideas of intrinsic motivation]. The importance of aligning personal motivation with research and approaches to teaching is emphasised in McAlpine and Åkerlind (2010).
These aspects all inform my teaching philosophy – to be of service as an ethical broker and enabler of knowledge and understanding in my disciplines. My role and purpose is to share what I know, to build what I know, to connect what I know, in service, to improve knowledge and understanding and therefore the lived experience of those around me. To support me to achieve this, I seek to deploy professional frameworks and structures from industry, higher education and Curtin, strategically.
In terms of how I teach, my initial success as a teacher was driven by teacher presence and that remains an important component of my wholly online teaching. In terms of learner worldview, cognitivism, in which there’s a reality that can be transmitted to students is required to transmit the key skills in our accredited courses. There is a body of knowledge the accrediting bodies expect learners to recall and apply. Thus central to my role is organising and transmitting that information. However, critical theory plays a role because my discipline and accrediting bodies seek to transform our sector to deliver on social justice aspirations, thus my teaching also includes space for critical reflection and dialogue to allow students to develop their insight and participate in transformative learning. I have explained I drawn on Knowles’ andragogy so this means connectionism and situated learning are also present. I seek to connect learning to what students already know, applying the world view of connectionism and I seek to use real world scenarios and case studies reflected in the situated learning worldview.
I balance Pratt’s five teaching perspectives of transmission, apprenticeship, development of the learner through case studies and examples, nurturing learners and promoting social reform in my learners. At times, I must lead the teaching process in a one way transmission of information and insight eg for foundation concepts in my discipline. At times, I ask the students to ‘do as I do’ in working together in synchronous meetings to brainstorm assessment content, for example. This is an apprenticeship model of learning. I provide individual assessment feedback and as needed, I take one-on-one meetings with students in order to respond to their individual situation and nurture their learning. As I have explained, my discipline has a strong social justice focus, represented in our course learning outcomes. Showcasing how industry practitioners have achieved reform in our discipline supports learners to recognise how they can be part of this in the future.
Measuring the impact of my teaching
I take a feedback informed approach to teaching, seeking student feedback through short questionnaires and polls to check the ‘temperature’ of students on preparedness and progress for assessment tasks during study periods.
I undertake systemic analysis of student evaluation surveys to understand points of pain and suggestions for improvement from which I develop an action plan for improvement in delivery of my units.
This approach draws on work by James Deehan and others in feedback-informed teaching, in which the feedback process is a ‘multi-directional dialogic exchange’, happening within an ecology of learning (Deehan et al, 2023, p. 2).
I also view engagement with industry and research partners as a form of feedback, taking invitations to speak, acceptances at conferences and research partnerships as indicators of positive impact.
Using reflection to develop my teaching
I use my measures of impact as evidence. I then engage in reflection on my teaching using a blog and detailed notes for each unit. I also reflect on my observations of my students as learners. I use this reflection to set priorities for ‘trimming the sails of my teaching’ using a cycle similar to Gibbs’ six stage model. This incorporates thoughts and feelings and an assessment of the teaching period in terms of good/bad aspects.
Future teaching goals
Digital pedagogy is an area in which I seek to excel, given I teach wholly online. I want to understand how the digital experience can best support online learning. I also want to develop my understanding and skills in universal design for learning, given the lived experience of many of my students is close to those of low SES students, where understanding the needs and circumstances of students and facilitating their sense of connection are important factors for success.
louisecurham.net 