Conversations to Change Teaching
Karen Clark author Joy Jarvis author Karen Mpamhanga editor
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Taylor & Francis Ltd
Published:1st May '20
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
This book highlights the importance of academic staff having focused conversations about teaching. The emphasis is on using this approach to build individual and team capacity and to bring about institutional change. It emphasises the distributed nature of expertise in teaching which exists at all levels in universities and how conversation can be harnessed to develop and share this. Drawing on research related to dialogue, coaching, communities of practice and building learning organisations, the text identifies simple yet effective ways to engage in learning conversations, develop educational practice, and achieve institutional goals.
Critical Practice in Higher Education provides a scholarly and practical entry point for academics into key areas of higher education practice. Each book in the series explores an individual topic in depth, providing an overview in relation to current thinking and practice, informed by recent research. The series will be of interest to those engaged in the study of higher education, those involved in leading learning and teaching or working in academic development, and individuals seeking to explore particular topics of professional interest. Through critical engagement, this series aims to promote an expanded notion of being an academic – connecting research, teaching, scholarship, community engagement and leadership – while developing confidence and authority.
In Conversations to Change Teaching, Jarvis and Clark provide rich illustrations of the different forms of conversations around teaching that can and are held formally and informally in universities today. Through examples from their own practice and drawing on some pertinent literature we are led through different strategies and approaches that reflect the potential strengths of conversations whilst being mindful of the power relations involved in some conversations, for example, teaching observations and the observee-observer dynamic. The authors bring to the fore the importance of paying close attention to our language and willingness to listen and learn by all involved with the conversations and how to use noticing as a way of structuring how we talk with each other about teaching and learning.
Throughout the book, the authors reflect the values of the scholarship of teaching and learning to underpin teaching conversations so practice is enhanced based on evidence-informed approaches. Opportunities for staff to engage with the scholarship of teaching and learning through and as a consequence of their conversations are identified. Each chapter finished with a useful set of critical questions for practice and a short summary with 1 or 2 key articles suggested for the reader to follow up on. This short book would be of value to all staff involved in supporting and developing the teaching practice of peers, leading teaching development programmes and staff keen to maintain their own professional development with regards to their own teaching practice.
Dr Jane Pritchard, Oxford Brookes University
ISBN: 9781913063771
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: 170g
94 pages