scholarly journals In search of a personal pedagogy: A Self-Study narrative on the use of Inquiry Based Learning by an early career lecturer

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-93
Author(s):  
Alexandra Louise Sewell

This paper presents a Self-Study of my quest for a personal pedagogy as a HE lecturer in my first year of teaching. I experimented with the application of Inquiry Based Learning as a teaching method of active learning pedagogy. The influence of the experiences of choice and implementation of Inquiry Based Learning on the development of my academic identity are explored. The paper is theoretically grounded in accounts of academic identity formation put forth by Jenkins (1996), Danielewicz and Yem (2014) and King et al. (2014). Themes of identity, arising from experiences of pedagogical choice and teaching practice, were a need for conformity versus a desire for individualism, theoretical knowledge and paradigm adherence, pragmatic constraints and student – lecturer relationship and confidence. These themes are discussed in relation to existing Inquiry Based Learning research literature. With the publication of the first Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) published in 2017, the paper makes a timely addition to the discourse of new lecturer’s experiences and the often-challenging process of initial academic identity formation. It also offers research into the effects of Inquiry Based Learning for the lecturer, whereas the outcomes for students have been mostly examined by previous literature.   

2017 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Murray-Orr ◽  
Jennifer Mitton-Kukner

This paper focuses upon the case of one early career teacher, Don, a participant in a longitudinal study examining the transfer of learning about literacy practices from pre-service teacher education to the classrooms of secondary content area teachers. We followed Don from his B. Ed. program into his first two years of teaching in an Indigenous community in northern Canada, with a focus on how his pedagogical content knowledge and his culturally relevant pedagogical practices developed. This case traces Don’s journey from his goals and plans at the end of his teacher education program, through his feelings of uncertainty near the end of his first year of teaching, to his growing confidence in his second year of teaching.


Author(s):  
Antoni Alegre-Martínez ◽  
María Isabel Martínez-Martínez ◽  
José Luis Alfonso Sánchez ◽  
María M Morales Suárez-Varela ◽  
Agustín Llopis González

The course of Anatomy and Histology is studied in the first year of Dentistry at the University Cardenal Herrera CEU (Alfara del Patriarca, Spain). Its practices consist on choose freely six samples and draw their most representative features. These practices were made by optical microscopy until 2014, and in 2015 was introduced the virtual microscope exclusively. The aim of the study is to test whether this new teaching method has improved the quality of exercise and the understanding shown by students. First, the best exercises of both years were chosen, and from them some drawings from the same tissue were compared. Some tissues which samples for optical microscope were hard to obtain, were drawn for the very first time thanks to the virtual microscope. Also, with the virtual microscopy the drawings contained more details and definition. The understanding of the structures improved, shown by a more functional, detailed and defined vision of the tissues. The labels of the virtual microscope helped to the self-study and avoided the loss of unnoticed structures. In conclusion, replacement of optical microscope by the virtual microscope is a teaching improvement and facilitates student learning.


2020 ◽  
Vol 24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bridget Grogan

This article reports on and discusses the experience of a contrapuntal approach to teaching poetry, explored during 2016 and 2017 in a series of introductory poetry lectures in the English 1 course at the University of Johannesburg. Drawing together two poems—Warsan Shire’s “Home” and W.H. Auden’s “Refugee Blues”—in a week of teaching in each year provided an opportunity for a comparison that encouraged students’ observations on poetic voice, racial identity, transhistorical and transcultural human experience, trauma and empathy. It also provided an opportunity to reflect on teaching practice within the context of decoloniality and to acknowledge the need for ongoing change and review in relation to it. In describing the contrapuntal teaching and study of these poems, and the different methods employed in the respective years of teaching them, I tentatively suggest that canonical Western and contemporary postcolonial poems may reflect on each other in unique and transformative ways. I further posit that poets and poems that engage students may open the way into initially “less relevant” yet ultimately rewarding poems, while remaining important objects of study in themselves.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 388
Author(s):  
Gregory Siy Ching

Academic identity is an important aspect of organizing an academic career. An academic identity is distinct and unique and can be defined as the core attitudes that determine how individuals approach the concept of work. In the current era of neoliberalism, changes to university governance in Taiwan have transformed working conditions and hiring practices in academia. Inevitably, role conflicts have emerged, and work stress within higher education institutions has increased. The current study summarizes the narratives of nine academics from the social sciences. The study is anchored in the concept that academic identity formation is rooted in the doctoral education stage. Using a qualitative narrative inquiry lens, interactions between different communities of practice during the doctoral education stage are analyzed, along with later career decisions and the role communities of practice play in those decisions. The findings show that doctoral mentors and fellows all contributed to the formation of a core academic identity, while later career decisions were equally affected by neoliberal policies. It is hoped that by recognizing the role of academic identity, administrators may be able to influence how academics adapt amidst the competing pressures within the academe.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yayoi Shikama ◽  
Yasuko Chiba ◽  
Megumi Yasuda ◽  
Maham Stanyon ◽  
Koji Otani

Abstract Background Professional identity formation is nurtured through socialization, driven by interaction with role models, and supported through early clinical exposure (ECE) programmes. Non-healthcare professionals form part of the hospital community but are external to the culture of medicine, with their potential as role models unexplored. We employed text mining of student reflective assignments to explore the impact of socialization with non-healthcare professionals during ECE. Methods Assignments from 259 first-year medical students at Fukushima Medical University, Japan, underwent hierarchical cluster analysis. Interrelationships between the most-frequently-occurring words were analysed to create coding rules, which were applied to elucidate underlying themes. Results A shift in terms describing professional characteristics was detected, from “knowledge/skill” towards “pride [in one’s work]” and “responsibility”. Seven themes emerged: contribution of non-healthcare professionals, diversity of occupation, pride, responsibility, teamwork, patient care and gratitude. Students mentioning ‘contribution of non-healthcare professionals’ spoke of altruistic dedication and strong sense of purpose. These students expressed gratitude towards non-healthcare professionals for supporting clinical work, from a doctor’s perspective. Conclusion Socialization with non-healthcare professionals provides important insights into the hospital working environment and cultural working norms. Through role modelling altruism and responsibility, non-healthcare professionals positively influenced student professional identity formation, promoting self-conceptualisation as a doctor.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dragana Glogovac ◽  
◽  
Marina Milošević ◽  
Bojan Lazić ◽  

Modern primary education, especially mathematics, requires constant innovation of teaching practice in order to modernize, rationalize, and efficiently the teaching process. Teaching mathematics should be experienced as a process that promotes learning with understanding, stimulates motivation, active learning, research, critical thinking, analysis, problem solving, drawing conclusions, exchange of experiences. The tendency to improve the quality of mathematics education has resulted in many studies pointing to the benefits of research-based mathematics (IN) teaching, known as inquiry-based learning (IBL), recognized as an essential way of organizing the teaching process to develop key competencies, abilities and skills in 21st century. Тhe aim of this paper is to see, based on a comprehensive theoretical analysis and the results of previous research. The created model of teaching mathematics based on research represents a useful framework for improving the quality of the process of teaching and learning mathematics, and empowers teachers in its application and affirmation, gaining insight into the way of organizing research learning.


2021 ◽  
pp. e20200120
Author(s):  
Sandra F. San Miguel ◽  
Mike Robertson ◽  
Lindley McDavid

Veterinary medical students, similar to elite collegiate athletes, are developing strategies for learning new skills and for self-care to take their performance to the next level. As veterinary students learn to successfully navigate an information-dense, high-volume curriculum, many sacrifice wellness, leadership opportunities, extracurricular activities, and social interactions. Strategies from athletes’ physical training were used to design a self-study program for first-year veterinary medical students. Major considerations in program design were the characteristics of the human being, learning goals, and contextual constraints. The study program included a warm-up, study sessions, and a cooldown. The program was offered to first-year veterinary medical students at Purdue University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Thirty-two students requested study programs and 21 completed surveys at the semester end. Results were analyzed quantitatively and by using an adapted conventional content analysis approach. Responses were organized into three main domains: reason for participation, program utility, and program satisfaction. Students shared that the most helpful aspects of the program were assisting with organization and time management, providing accountability, and reducing overwhelm by enhancing well-being and performance; they reported that these learned skills would support their well-being as future professionals. This article describes the experiences of one group of veterinary students at one college using these programs. The long-term goal is to develop a model program for all veterinary students to manage curricular demands while maintaining well-being.


2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 329-342 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wendy Gardiner ◽  
Nina Weisling

Purpose Induction mentoring for early career teachers is a complex practice, requiring knowledge and skills distinct from teaching. However, more is known anecdotally than empirically about the challenges new mentors face and the type of support they need as they transition from teacher to induction mentor. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach This qualitative study investigated how nine first-year mentors developed, conceptualized and enacted their mentoring practice by asking, what supports/inhibits new mentors’ professional learning and practice? Are there patterns of struggle/challenge that new mentors face? Primary data sources included three 45–60-minute structured, individual interviews across each mentor’s first year. Data analysis was inductive, involving open and axial coding. Findings Mentors struggled to navigate multiple complex relationships with administrators, teachers and students. The quality of these relationships impacted their sense of efficacy and mentoring ability. Despite receiving what mentors perceived as effective professional development (PD), all mentors found it difficult to apply knowledge in practice. Mentors also experienced a steep and varied learning curve and identified supports that enhanced their knowledge and situated application of new teacher-centered mentoring. Originality/value Despite increases in mentoring programs, there is a lack of research addressing new mentors’ needs and development. This study makes a contribution by identifying new mentors’ needs and challenges and by providing recommendations for situated, responsive, and ongoing PD.


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