Applied Practice in Context - Notes

Applied Practice in Context

Topics:

  • Multicultural/bicultural (giving effect to te Tiriti o Waitangi in contemporary Aotearoa/New Zealand).
  • Tiriti o Waitangi
  • Mātauranga Māori
  • Tikanga Māori and Te Reo Māori
  • Key concepts relevant to discipline area in research and/or practice.
  • Contextualising the history of, and current, relevant professional practice
  • Legal, ethical and cultural issues in professional practice
  • Profession and practice governance and regulatory bodies and limits of autonomy.
  • Professional liability and indemnity
  • Ethical approval processes where relevant to practice and/or research.
  • Strategies for change that are in alignment with professional codes of practice relevant to discipline.
  • Social and economic context / reflective practice: critique perspectives and models of personal and professional responsibilities in practice and research.
  • The limits and boundaries of personal responsibility within professional practice

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Week 32 - Putting it all Together

During the last 7 weeks, you have been able to explore various factors that influence your context of practice. You have also engaged in critical examination of the application of your teaching practice.

This week brings the conclusion to your reflective journey.

Reflective practice can assist practitioners to understand and be able to evaluate their practice. This in turn leads to professional development.
Osterman & Kottkamp(1993) has contrasted traditional approach of professional development by outside experts delivering workshops for schools versus reflective practice model. They suggest that traditional approach results in knowledge acquisition while reflective practice can lead to change in behaviors via self-awareness.
Continuing learning is fundamental to keep one in a profession to be able to adapt to any change be it the new pedagogy, or new regulations or even a new environment. In this aspect, reflective practice should be established as learning habits and be used frequently to inform and improve practice.
Most professions have a professional body that regulates the career lifelong learning of its members especially in sectors that require working with people such as nursing, social work and teaching. It is important that a practitioner meets an expected level of professional standards and is able to provide examples as evidence.
In New Zealand education context, Ministry of Education (nd.) has set criteria for Practising Teacher Criteria (PTC) in e-learning.
Professional relationships and professional values
  • Criteria 1: Establish and maintain effective professional relationships focused on the learning and well-being of all ākonga.
  • Criteria 2: Demonstrate commitment to promoting the well-being of ākonga.
  • Criteria 3: Demonstrate commitment to bicultural partnership in Aotearoa / New Zealand.
  • Criteria 4: Demonstrate commitment to ongoing professional learning and development of professional personal practice.
  • Criteria 5: Show leadership that contributes to effective teaching and learning.
Professional knowledge in practice
  • Criteria 6: Conceptualise, plan, and implement an appropriate learning programme.
  • Criteria 7: Promote a collaborative, inclusive, and supportive learning environment.
  • Criteria 8: Demonstrate in practice their knowledge and understanding of how ākonga learn.
  • Criteria 9: Respond effectively to the diverse and cultural experiences and the varied strengths, interests, and needs of individuals and groups of ākonga.
  • Criteria 10: Work effectively within the bicultural context of Aotearoa NZ.
  • Criteria 11: Analyse and appropriately use assessment and information, which has been gathered formally and informally.
  • Criteria 12: Use critical inquiry and problem-solving effectively in their professional practice.” (p.1)
During the last 7 weeks, several topics have been introduced to provoke your thoughts about a variety of aspects in your practice. You should by now gain a deeper understanding of how those aspects directly or indirectly influence your daily practice.
It should be now the opportunity for you to reflect and review your learning journey over the duration of this course, test new understandings, challenge assumptions and critically consider your practice in line with theory and research.
Recommended reading
Activity 8: Changes in my practice
After reading the Class Notes, create a blog post where you evaluate the impact of issues on your practice and plan for the future.
Firstly, reflect on your personal 32 week learning journey through the whole postgraduate programme and provide a critical discussion of two key changes in your own research informed practice in relation to the Practising Teacher Criteria (PTC) in e-learning.
Then share your next dream regarding your future professional development.
References
Osterman, K. & Kottkamp, R.(1993). Reflective Practice for Educators.California.Cornwin Press, Inc. Retrieved on 7th May, 2015 fromhttp://www.itslifejimbutnotasweknowit.org.uk/files/RefPract/Osterman_Kottkamp_extract.pdf
Ministry of Education (nd). Practising teacher Criteria and e-learning . Retrieved from http://elearning.tki.org.nz/Professional-learning/Registered-Teacher-Criteria-and-e-learning


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Week 31 - Professional Contexts - Crossing Boundaries and ... 

One of the most important skills you will need to learn is to become “self-aware” as a teaching professional and to understand the context of your own discipline: it’s strengths and its limitations. When you can clearly define our actions as a teaching practitioner and the context of your practice you will able to move across disciplines to other areas of practice where you can make informed contributions on the practice of your own current and future practice along with emerging practice disciplines.
Working in an interdisciplinary manner does not mean disregarding individual disciplines. It requires the practitioner to have a rigorous grounding and understanding of their discipline and its relationship to other practices. Every discipline has its own intellectual history and future. Every discipline has a unique perspective about its subject matter, its own epistemology, unique methodologies and methods of research. Each discipline also has unique methods and techniques in practice.
To work across disciplinary boundaries you will need to understand key elements as they are represented within each discipline. You will need to understand how the community of practitioners and scholars who i) pursue the creation of new knowledge in a discipline, ii) who teaches and practices within that discipline iii) operate in the context of the discipline; and the communities that the discipline serves.
Interdisciplinary practice allows individuals who are based in their practice discipline(s) to focus on collaboration and participate in finding solutions to the increasingly complex problems occurring in the world today. When working in an interdisciplinary manner we need to draw on multiple perspectives, practices, epistemologies and methodologies to identify how these can be utilised to solve real world problems.
Suggested Readings:
  • Mathison,S.. & Freeman, M.(1997). The logic of interdisciplinary studies. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Chicago, 1997. Retrieved from http://www.albany.edu/cela/reports/mathisonlogic12004.pdf: This review of literature of interdisciplinary studies can help you explore more about the interdisciplinary approach used by teachers in their class.
  • Jones, C.(2009). Interdisciplinary approach - Advantages, disadvantages, and the future benefits of interdisciplinary studies. ESSAI, 7(26), 76-81. Retrieved from http://dc.cod.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1121&context=essai
Activity 7: My interdisciplinary connection map
After reading the Class Notes, create a blog post where you first draw a map which demonstrates your current and potential interdisciplinary connections. You can choose to create your map with a digital tool (for example: bubbl.us, coggle, popplet.com...) or draw with pen and paper and submit a picture to the portal.
Identify two of the potential connections from your map as your near future goal(s). Then critically discuss the benefits and challenges of working in a more interdisciplinary environment.


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Week 30 - Professional ONline Social Networks

Social media in teaching
The digital era has seen social media popularity expand across sectors and at different levels. In education, social media has been increasingly adopted to enrich the learning environment. Pearson’s survey (Seaman & Tinti-Kane, 2013) shows that there was an increase of 21.3% from 2012 to 2013 in social media use in teaching.
A study investigating social media use in teaching (Silius et al., 2010) showed that student motivation for social media can enhance study. While this study was conducted with university students, its implications can be applied to other contexts as learners of any age have substantial access to social media networks.
Promising as it seems, social media is not without its critics. A recent Pearson survey revealed 56% of respondents believed social media to be more distracting than helpful to students. Further, effective learning will vary from student to student according to their knowledge and competence of these platforms.
Social media in professional development
Technology accessibility and the pace of advancement to all communities both local and international has resulted in changes to aspects of the general education system, including the professional learning medium for educators (Melhuish, 2013).
Social media platforms have been able to provide personalised learning which is need-based and flexible in time and location. Teachers can use online social network to seek information, share ideas and even contribute to the development of deep knowledge.
In the New Zealand context, the Ministry of Education has introduced an initiative to enhance professional development via online social networking. The Virtual Learning Network is a platform where educators can engage in professional conversations. Melhuish's (2013) study has suggested that VLN Groups can enable an informal type of professional learning for teachers.
Activity 6: Using social online networks in teaching and/or professional development
After reading the Class Notes, create a blog post where you critically discuss the use of social media in teaching and/or in professional development in relation to any two of the following questions:
  1. What are some key features of social media that are beneficial for teaching and learning? Why?
  2. What are potential challenges that teachers need to be aware of when integrating social networking platforms into teaching activities? Why?
  3. What social media platform do you feel best supports engagement with your professional development? Why?
  4. How do/would you use social media to enhance your professional development? Why?
References
Melhuish, K.(2013). Online social networking and its impact on New Zealand educators’professional learning. Master Thesis. The University of Waikato. Retrived on 05 May, 2015 from http://researchcommons.waikato.ac.nz/bitstream/han...
Seaman, J., & Tinti-Kane, H. (2013). Social media for teaching and learning. Retrieved from http://www.pearsonlearningsolutions.com/assets/downloads/reports/social-media-for-teaching-and-learning-2013-report.pdf#view=FitH,0
Silius, K., Miilumäki, T., Huhtamäki, J., Tebest, T., Meriläinen, J. & Pohjolainen, S.(2010). Students’ motivations for social media enhanced studying and learning. Knowledge Management & E-Learning: An International Journal, 2(1), 54-67. Retrieved from http://www.kmel-journal.org/ojs/index.php/online-publication/article/view/55/39






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Week 29 - Influence of Law and Ethics on Professional Practice

Identifying your personal ethics
We are constantly being asked to make objective judgements on issues through the process of ethics, yet many of these ethics are based on theories of morality.
Ethics are not a single topic you can study in isolation but are a foundation upon which you live and practice. Everything you do, every decision you make, has ethics at its core, driving or motivating your actions and decisions. Sometimes you will recognise the ethics of a situation and sometimes you will think there are no ethics involved. Identifying your personal ethics allows you to understand what drives and motivates you to respond to situations in certain ways. Identifying and understanding your professional ethics provides part of the map on your professional journey and at times prescribes exactly what you can and cannot do. Often ethics are not black and white, they are shades of grey. Laws or a Code will not always provide the specific answer but can be a legal ground upon which you can move towards a possible solution.
Understanding Professional Ethics
Identifying and understanding your professional ethics is part of the journey of your professional development and at times prescribes exactly what you can and cannot do.
A Code of Ethics is one way an organisation can set the limits for minimum behaviours in their profession or organisation. Adherence to such a Code requires education and understanding of those inside and outside an organisation and profession.
Think about how the NZ Code Of Ethics for Certified Teachers governs your practice.
Ethical dilemma
Identifying your personal ethics allows you to understand what drives and motivates you to respond to situations in certain ways. Being able to reflect on your personal views will enable you to more easily set them aside while you make the ethical decisions required in your practice.
Watch the video “Teacher Ethics- Social Media Dilemma” then think about your answers to the ethical problems raised in the video.
Examine social media policies within your organisation and the Code of Ethics for Certificated Teachers and consider how those documents should be interpreted to assist you in ethical decision-making process. Hall (2001) suggests a set of questions to guide the process including:
“Which stakeholder should be given priority? Why?
What restrictions are there to your actions?
Which courses of action are possible?
How should the course of action be implemented?“ (p.5)
Recommended readings:
  • Henderson, M., Auld, G., & Johnson, N. F. (2014). Ethics of Teaching with Social Media. Paper presented at the Australian Computers in Education Conference 2014, Adelaide, SA. Retrieved fromhttp://acec2014.acce.edu.au/sites/2014/files/attachments/HendersonAuldJohnson_EthicalDilemmas_ACEC_2014_0.pdf: The authors categorise 4 common ethical dilemma that teachers need to consider when using social media in teaching. The questions are good starting points for teachers to engage in conversations with colleagues or policy makers in their school in this aspect. Unfortunately, the authors do not provide any guideline to deal with the ethical issues.
Activity 5: Legal and ethical contexts in my digital practice
After reading the Class Notes, create a blog post where you identify an ethical dilemma in your own practice linked to digital or online access or activity.
Explain the dilemma and discuss either:
  • how you would address a potential issue if it occurred in your own practice
or (if relevant):
  • an actual situation that you have knowledge of, and how it was resolved.
The discussion should be in relation to either the guidelines of your organisation on online practice or the code of ethics for certificated teachers.
Reference
Collste, G.(2012). Applied and professional ethics. Kemanusiaan,19(1), 17–33
Education Council. (nd). Code of Ethics for Certificated Teachers. Retrieved from https://educationcouncil.org.nz/content/code-of-ethics-certificated-teachers-0
Hall, A. (2001). What ought I to do, all things considered? An approach to the exploration of ethical problems by teachers. Paper presented at the IIPE Conference, Brisbane. Retrieved from http://www.educationalleaders.govt.nz/Culture/Developing-leaders/What-Ought-I-to-Do-All-Things-Considered-An-Approach-to-the-Exploration-of-Ethical-Problems-by-Teachers

Establishing Safeguards on Social Media Networking
https://vimeo.com/49216520

The Commitment to Parents/Guardians and Family
https://vimeo.com/49804201

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Week 28 - Indigenous Knowledge and Cultural Responsiveness

“Culture is not merely a question of ethnicity, but also beliefs, spirituality, age, gender, and sexual orientation.(Shaw, White & Deed, 2013, p. 6-7). As we operate in the society, we interpret the world and interact with others through our cultural lens. More often that it should be, we make the assumptions towards those who we consider are different from our own cultural background. This could sometimes result in the cultural insensitivity in your practice.
This week’s material focuses on how indigenous knowledge and cultural responsiveness should be addressed in your practice.


Aotearoa New Zealand Today
Today Aotearoa New Zealand is often viewed as a Pasifikanation, and is increasingly culturally diverse. Those of European origin only make up 67 percent of the population. Maori comprise 14.6 percent with the remainder being made up largely of Pasifika nations (6.9 percent), Asians (9.2 percent) and various others (1.7 percent) (Findsen, 2012). The fact that this is now a multicultural society places Māori, as Tāngata Whenua (people of the land) as possibly in an even more marginalised position.
However the Treaty of Waitangi placed Māori in a particular position within Aotearoa whereby they are afforded due consideration in accordance with the agreement made with the British Crown when the two parties signed the treaty. The crown guaranteed partnership in mutually negotiated endeavours (such as education, conservation, health and wellbeing). The crown also pledged the right to full participation in society. Although it was hard fought, and not fully recognised until the 1970s, Aotearoa New Zealand is now a bicultural nation within which resides a multicultural society. The treaty of Waitangi is significant in policy and the principles of partnership, participation and protection are central features of policy (Findsen, 2012).  
Culturally responsive teaching practice
Culture is not exclusive to race and/or ethnicity. It also refers the unique features of a community; its demographic makeup, including location, age, gender, language/s spoken, local history, industry and economics.
Understanding the specific cultural characteristics of a community is critical for achieving positive outcomes.
The social and cultural makeup of our societies is changing as people have become more mobile.There are huge populations of people who have relocated or become dislocated from their social groups as a result of war, employment, natural or environmental disasters.
As a consequence, societies are becoming more and more culturally diverse. There is a continual interplay between the political issues involved in provision of services to diverse groups and the social realities of their lived experiences as ‘culturally located’ individuals living and operating in cross-cultural contexts.
In Aotearoa New Zealand The Treaty of Waitangi provided a platform for authentic engagement with Māori as the indigenous people of New Zealand. This has had a significant impact on how diverse groups of people are catered for in the health and education sectors through the provision of culturally appropriate services.
At Unitec, the embedding of mātauranga Māori is one of the characteristics of its Living Curriculum. The Poutama* is used as a guide to establish a three-stage progression to consider the alignment between the Matauranga Maori and the Living Curriculum (Unitec,n.d)
(*Poutama is the stepped patterns of woven tukutuku panels are a metaphor for scaffolding knowledge - Unitec Glossary).
You can use the Poutama to guide your reflection on the cultural responsiveness in your organisation.
Culturally responsive pedagogy is defined by Gay (2001, p.106) as “using the cultural characteristics, experiences and perspectives as conduits for effective teaching”. It is reflected in five elements including the knowledge about the culture diversity, the culturally integrated content in the curriculum, the development of the learning community, the ability to communicating with culturally diverse students and the culturally responsive delivery of instruction (Gay, 2001). Whereas, Bishop, Berryman, Cavanagh and Teddy (2009) emphasises on the importance of student-teacher relationship in culturally responsive teaching. It is suggested that the learners’ culture needs to considered and integrated their learning activities.
Suggested reading:

Activities 4 : Indigenous knowledge and cultural responsiveness in my practice
After reading the Class Notes, create a blog post where you first share your own views on the indigenous knowledge and culturally responsive pedagogy.
Then critically reflect on how you or your school addresses cultural responsiveness in practice in two of the following areas (preferably you would evaluate one that is done well and another which needs improvement):
  • vision, mission, and core values
  • policies,
  • goals,
  • communication methods,
  • decision-making,
  • planning and assessment,
  • learning activities,
  • school-wide activities,
  • resources
References
Bishop, R, Berryman, M., Cavanagh, T. & Teddy, L. (2009). Te Kotahitanga: Addressing educational disparities facing Māori students in New Zealand. Teaching and Teacher Education, 25(5)734–742.
Findsen, B. (2012). Older adult learning in Aotearoa New Zealand: Structure, trends and issues. Presented at Adult Community Education (ACE) Conference.
Gay, G. (2002). Preparing for culturally responsive teaching. Journal of Teacher Education, 53(2),106-116.
Shaw, S., White, W. & Deed, B. (2013) (Ed.). Health, wellbeing and environment in Aotearoa New Zealand.South Melbourne, Australia:Oxford University Press.

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Week 27 - Broader Professional Context

Over the last two weeks, you should have been able to define the context of your teaching profession within both organisational and personal settings.
This week, we aim to engage you with the exploration of your practice in a broader sense. Your extended context will be examined from national and international perspectives as to how these wider audiences influence your practice.
Class Notes:
Global context
US National Intelligence Council (2012)’s “Global trends: Alternative Worlds” and KMPG International’s (2014) “Future State 2030” provide an insight into the megatrends that will shape the future of the world’s politics and enconomies. Understanding the global contemporary trends and issues will help you see the bigger picture your practice is situated within and the trajectory your practice should be heading toward.
One of the trends that both publications point out is the empowerment of individuals and the game-changing role of technologies in every aspect of society. In education, it is reflected by the ubiquitous presence of digital technologies integrated in the learning and teaching space.
International context
In the era of globalisation, your professional context is no longer confined within the boundaries of a local community. Over the last decade, technology has moved so swiftly that teachers are increasingly connected across a variety of platforms and in a variety of settings.
21st century learners are digital device and platform users. Their learning goes beyond passive receipt of knowledge towards actively seeking knowledge and their learning extends beyond the classroom walls to the digital learning environment. These changes in learning behaviour are a global phenomenon and not confined to a specific country or region. It is within this interconnected world that your context of practice needs to be able to respond to changes in technology and new educational paradigms.
The New Zealand education context
New Zealand is among the high quality education performers globally, but also faces critical issues that need to be addressed. A report by the Education Review Office (2012) indicated that New Zealand’s education system needs to pay more attention to three key aspects including i) students-centred learning, ii) responsive and rich curriculum, and iii) assessment used for students’ learning.
Suggested readings:
Supplementary readings:
  • Johnson, L., Adams Becker, S., Estrada, V., and Freeman, A. (2015). NMC Horizon Report: 2015 K-12 Edition. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium.Retrieved from http://cdn.nmc.org/media/2015-nmc-horizon-report-k12-EN.pdf: This report drawn from the panel of experts around the globe provides informative and easy-to-access reading around technology trends that impact on the educational practices and what plan and actions should be done to effectively address the changes.
  • OECD. (2016). Trends Shaping Education 2016. OECD Publishing:Paris. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/trends_edu-2016-en (this publication can be read online by following its DOI’s hyperlink): This document compiles the analysis of the global trends affecting education and raises relevant questions for education policy makers and practitioners to consider how to act towards those trends.


A culturally responsive pedagogy of relations. [video file].Retrieved from https://vimeo.com/49992994
Russell Bishops 23 September 2012
Activity 3: Contemporary issues or trends in New Zealand or internationally
After reading the Class Notes, create a blog post where you identify and evaluate two contemporary issues or trends that are influencing or shaping NZ or international education, which you find most relevant to your practice.
Elaborate in your own words how you would address those issues or trends in your context within your learning community or professional context.
References
Education Review Office. (2012). Evaluation at a Glance: Priority Learners in New Zealand Schools. Retrieved 18 May 2016, from http://www.ero.govt.nz/About-Us/News-Media-Releases2/The-three-most-pressing-issues-for-N
KPMG International. (2014). Future state 2030: the global megatrends shaping governments”. KPMG International Cooperative: USA. Retrieved fromhttp://www.kpmg.com/Global/en/IssuesAndInsights/ArticlesPublications/future-state-government/Documents/future-state-2030-v3.pdf
National intelligence council.(2012). Global trends: Alternative Worlds. National Intelligence Council: US. Retrieved fromhttps://globaltrends2030.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/global-trends-2030-november2012.pdf





Culturally Responsive Practice in a Mainstream School

Principal Pebbleton School

Source: Edtalks. (2012, May 30). Mike Hogan: Culturally responsive practice in a mainstream school. [video file].  Retrieved from https://vimeo.com/43097812


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Week 26 - APC - Professional Contexts of Practice

Last week you were introduced to the concept of communities of practice and started defining your own.
This week you will continue to explore the different facets of your community of practice and how they influence your practice. 

Class Notes:
Community of Practice and Situated Learning
Understanding the concepts of community of practice and situated learning, you will now consider the interaction and learning you have within your professional community and how to become an active participant who contributes to the shared identity of your community.
It is therefore important to explore different aspects of your community of practice and how these impact on you. Those aspects include shared assumptions, values, beliefs or, in other words, the organisational culture within which you operate socially and professionally.
School Culture
Stoll (1998) defines school culture as three dimensions, the relationship among its members; the organisational structure including the physical environment and management system; and the learning nature.
The organisational culture is an invisible powerful force that influences the members’ behaviour. Hongboontri and Keawkhong (2014) show that the school culture impacts on teachers’ beliefs and instructional practices but this relationship is also reciprocal. 
Stoll (1998) places the importance of understanding school culture as the starting point for leading change towards school improvement. Some internal and external factors that shape a school culture include the school history, the student socio-economical background, external contexts such as national educational policies, and societal changes (Stoll, 1988).
Stoll and Fink (cited in Stoll, 1998) identified 10 influencing cultural norms of school improvement including:
“1. Shared goals - “we know where we’re going”
2. Responsibility for success - “we must succeed”
3. Collegiality - “we’re working on this together”
4. Continuous improvement - “we can get better”
5. Lifelong learning - “learning is for everyone”
6. Risk taking - “we learn by trying something new”
7. Support - “there’s always someone there to help”
8. Mutual respect - “everyone has something to offer”
9. Openness - “we can discuss our differences”
10. Celebration and humour - “we feel good about ourselves”” (p.10)
So, as a teaching professional, how does the organisational culture affect your practice? and how can you help to foster a positive environment in your community of practice?
Suggested reading:
  • Stoll (1998). School Culture. School Improvement Network’s Bulletin 9. Institute of Education, University of London. Retrieved fromhttp://www.educationalleaders.govt.nz/Culture/Understanding-school-cultures/School-Culture: In this work, which is recommended on the Ministry of Education’s website, Stoll points out the role of culture in school improvement. There is also practical advice to help practitioners and leaders observe and analyse the school’s culture and changing stages.
Activity 2: Your professional community
After reading the Class Notes, create a blog post where you provide a critical discussion of your professional community of practice in relation to any two of the following questions:
  1. What is the organisational culture (collective values/principles) that underpins your practice? How would you contribute to fostering a positive professional environment in your community of practice?
  2. What are the current issues in your community of practice? How would your community of practice address them?
  3. What are the challenges that you face in your community of practice? How would your community of practice address them?
  4. What changes are occurring in the context of your profession? How would your community of practices address them?
References
Lave, J. (1991). Situating learning in communities of practice. In L. Resnick, J. Levine, and S. Teasley (Eds.), Perspectives on socially shared cognition. [E-reader version](pp. 63-82). Retrieved from http://www.ecologyofdesigninhumansystems.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Lave-Situating-learning-in-communities-of-practice.pdf
Hongboontri, C., & Keawkhong, N. (2014). School Culture: Teachers' Beliefs, Behaviors, and Instructional Practices. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 39(5), 66-88. Retrieved from http://ro.ecu.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2332&context=ajte
Stoll (1998). School Culture. School Improvement Network’s Bulletin 9. Institute of Education, University of London. Retrieved fromhttp://www.educationalleaders.govt.nz/Culture/Understanding-school-cultures/School-Culture







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Week 25 - Reflective Practice

This week you will have an opportunity to understand reflective practice and different models that a practitioner can utilise to reflect on his or her practice in a more purposeful and critical manner.
You will also consider the context of your practice, starting with defining your community of practice.
There are two assessments for this course, in which you will be required to critically evaluate, examine and contextualise the context and application of your teaching practice.
The assessment submissions are reflective journal entries and evidence of engagements in collegial online conversations. Please note that while we prefer the journal to be in the form of a blog we will accept other forms of digital portfolio.
Throughout the course, you will be asked to read the Class Notes (next tab), complete the weekly activities and participate in online discussions. The activities are designed to be aligned with the learning outcomes and assessment requirements. You will be requested to create a blog post/portfolio entry for each activity which will combine to comprise the assessments for this course.

Class Notes:
Reflecting on practice
Reflecting on practice is an active learning process whereby practice is analysed in its applied context. This is the point where theory and practice meet and are refined and developed. This reflective practice is underpinned by the notion of reflection-on-action, and continual learning for improved outcomes. However, Finlay (2008) called attention to the “bland, mechanical, unthinking ways” (p.1) of reflective practice, especially for time-constrained professionals. Without critical reflection, superficial thinking might simply reinforce existing assumptions. Therefore, it is important that reflective practice be cultivated and fostered to become effective. It can then be a “powerful tool to examine and transform practice” (Finlay, 2008, p.10). Critical reflection looks at individual concerns within a wider perspective, “connecting individual identity and social context” (Fook & Askeland, cited in Finlay, 2008). It should be done in a systematic manner, be challenged by differing angles and be informed with reliable sources. Adopting a suitable model of reflection could enhance the quality of your reflective practice. For example, Gibb’s six basic stages of the cycle of reflection (cited in Finlayson, 2015, p.726) has some similarity with the Teaching-as-Inquiry model from the Ministry of Education (2009). Alternatively, the more elaborate typology of reflection developed by Jay and Johnson (cited in Finlay, 2008, p.8) could guide you to scrutinise your practice through a more critical lens.
Keeping a reflective journal
A reflective journal enables you to integrate knowledge and learning and analyse the significance and implications for your professional practice.
Collaborating through the creation of a reflective journal
Your reflective journal may also become a space where you can start to gather thoughts, sketches, mind maps, diagrams you have created and collected and readings to inform particular interests you may have. This could become a useful resource for your research projects. Electronic journals are also able to be shared with others, so there are opportunities for you to share and create networks, whānau of interest, and professional communities of practice.
A reflective journal is an important evaluative learning tool for you as a learner and as a professional. Sharing aspects of your journal and working collaboratively in shared e-reflective journal spaces is part of the reflective process. The feedback you give and receive can be critical for further investigation, reflection, and change.
In this course, we ask you to create weekly reflective journal entries preferably in the form of blog posts. Each post will provide insights into different aspects of your practice.
Note: (Important)
Before you create a professional personal blog you need to consider the moral, ethical and legal responsibilities you have to your organisation with respect to the content you will create, post and share. Most employment contracts set out your obligations around the use of social media which must be considered when you are creating or sharing views on open online platforms.
You can find some helpful information on blogging such as the platforms to choose, the privacy concerns, the copyright license, the length and structure of a blog in this “How Should I Blog” blog.
Once you have created your blog, you can share the address with your fellow students by filling in this form. Even if your blog is private, you can always grant the permission to view later.
Defining your practice
Before you can fully extend your practice you will first need to be able to define it. You can start your reflective journal by introducing yourself, articulating who you are and what is your professional community of practice. In order to be able to do this effectively you should consider the following aspects of your role:
  • What is my practice?
  • What is my professional context?
  • Who are my community of practice ?
Your teaching practice is based on a particular context within the community that you serve. Etienne Wenger first coined the concept of “communities of practice”, which are defined as “groups of people who share a concern or a passion or about a topic, and who deepen their knowledge and expertise in this area by interaction on an ongoing basis” (Wenger, McDermott & Snyder, 2002, p.4). The members of a community of practice are bound by three distinct elements: the domain, the practice and the community. The community of practice concept is often coupled with the theory of situated learning (Lave,1991), a model of learning that occurs when practitioners interact within the community of practice. A community of practice differs from other group types in terms of learning and knowledge and practice sharing rather than management objectives. In the school context, this occurs through informal learning via daily conversations, lesson reflections and other exchanges (Jurasaite-Harbison & Rex, 2010).
When reviewing your practice, you should consider your specific learning community and how you are situated within your community. Consider how you communicate with, relate and respond to, and meet the goals and aims of your specific area of practice.
Suggested readings
  • Wenger, E.(2000).Communities of practice and social learning systems.Organization,7(2), 225-246 (Available in Unitec Library). In this clearly presented paper, the author explains the concept of communities of practice and the application of this concept with specific suggestions.
Activity 1: My community of practice
After reading the Class Notes, create a post where you first define your ‘Community of practice’ with reference to Wenger (2000)’s definition and then provide a critical discussion in relation to any two of the following questions:
  1. What is the purpose and function of your practice? In what ways do you contribute to the community of your practice?
  2. What are the core values that underpin your profession? Evaluate your practice with regard to these values.
  3. What is your specialist area of practice? How does your specialist area of practice relate to the broader professional context?
  4. What are key theories that underpin your practice? Evaluate your practice with regard to these theories.
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References
Finlayson,A.(2015).Reflective practice: has it really changed over time?. Reflective Practice: International and Multidisciplinary Perspectives, 16 (6), 717-730.
Jurasaite-Harbison, E., & Rex, L. (2010). School Cultures as Contexts for Informal Teacher Learning. Teaching and Teacher Education,26(2), 267-277.
Wenger, E., McDermott, R., & Snyder, W. (2002). Cultivating Communities of Practice: A Guide to Managing Knowledge. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Business School Press

Tasks:
  • Read through the Class Notes
  • Interact online
  • Fill in the 'Share your blog's address' form http://tinyurl.com/shareyourblogsaddress
  • Create your first reflective journal entry - Activity 1: 'My community of practice'


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