The story ...
I made a video (DVD) of my Btech students work last Thursday... They were warned to have some of their work available and to talk about it on camera... I wanted them to show the work and then answer 3 questions; what is this? What caused it to happen/ what preceded it? What is next/what needs improving/where does this lead to? ... These questions are now expanded but it is because I realised, when I was 'interviewing' them, that they did not answer the question in a way that I wanted them to... (makes me realise how difficult it is to ask the question in the right way)... I then would interrupt them and prompt them for more information regarding what they were saying. I almost had to point out specifics that they had ignored and slow them down because there was more to say than they were saying. The interview became a learning experience in itself.
some additional bits...
Anyway... I had these 'interviews' with them and then also asked them to take some pics of their jewellery with my still camera, for inclusion on the DVD I was going to make. These pictures were then included as a slideshow, with music.
Yesterday, I looked at the DVD with them and focused specifically on the slide show. I realised that it was the one aspect of the DVD that they all had in common ... and a vested interest in. I avoided focusing too much on the indivual scenes because the students seemed to be embarrassed with their own scenes and bored with each others'.
So... to get back to the portfolio slide show... They were very interested in this slide show and we could then look for ways to improve it... Some suggestions were that the work flowed into each other and 'headings' or introductory slides were needed to seperate the individual portfolios, something with their name on it. We were very aware of the fact that 5 pics per student would end up in a slide show of 50 slides, which is quite long, so we need to take less pictures but still include the relevant information. The relevant information being; their name, the process, close-up details and one, what they called, 'professional' shot showing the jewel off.
I aim to include a short video extract here...
AEO reflection regarding the first bit (to be expanded, after some comments and prompts and pokes:-)
Axiology ... I value visual stimuli which can be examined...
Epistomology ... I realise that we have to do and examine what we've done in order to make sense...
Ontology ... I react and I just jump in, trusting the process... I am naive?
Friday, October 15, 2010
Visit by Jack Whitehead - 28 Oct - 2 Nov 2010
we all excited once again - looking forward to Jack's visit at the end of October. In preparation, we are watching his BERA presentation and reading his ejolts paper on living theory... getting to grips with all the "groot woorde"....intussuscepting them...
so what is axiology
Welll following on from one of our colleagues tasks that she shared with this afternoon...I decidie to find out about axiology... and wallah from the web:
Axiology, the science of human values, enables us to identify the internal valuing systems that influence our perceptions, decisions and actions - to clearly understand "why" we do what we do! Robert Hartman
Axiology, the science of human values, enables us to identify the internal valuing systems that influence our perceptions, decisions and actions - to clearly understand "why" we do what we do! Robert Hartman
Ways of Knowing
Today's Friday group with Joan was a rigorous session that interrogated ways of knowing, changes in perspectives about individual teaching approaches, and free flowing expressions of our worldviews. The conversations assisted in preparing for the much anticipated arrival at the end of Ocorber of mentor Jack and a series of living histories workshops at DUT.
The episodes around 'ways of knowing' had us traveling through ancient Irish tombs as Joan explained the intricacies of applied science related to the advanced building techniqies embodied in the breathtaking architecture from a period before the advent of scribal recordings. A further scholastic adventure informed our gaze at the the mathematics applied in traditional African basketry and cultural attire. What a masterclass in the evidence of epistemology.
The episodes around 'ways of knowing' had us traveling through ancient Irish tombs as Joan explained the intricacies of applied science related to the advanced building techniqies embodied in the breathtaking architecture from a period before the advent of scribal recordings. A further scholastic adventure informed our gaze at the the mathematics applied in traditional African basketry and cultural attire. What a masterclass in the evidence of epistemology.
My axiologyepistomologyontology
Talking of big words today and trying to reduce them to greater understandings... What a bunch of contradictions... living contradictions?
Coming to grips ...
My Question:
1. Write a factual account of an event in your teaching practice.
2. How can I use this event to demonstrate my epistemology, my ontology and axiology through critical reflection?
1. My Story: Today, I started the SeStuTHESA meeting with a showing of Jack talking at BERA. There were 6 people in the room. It was my intention to use the video inductively to access understandings of epistemology, and ontology, which are key to what Jack is going to be talking about when he visits in two weeks time. The video of Jack talking started, and I very quickly observed that the quality of the picture and the sound were very poor. It very quickly became clear to me that nobody in the room was able to follow what was being said, so I switched the video off and proceeded with the discussion about epistemologies and ontologies without the video.
2. My critical reflection: I value easy access to learning for my learners, so when the visuals and sounds of the video were blurred, I realised that the learning of my learners was being compromised. I realised that I had to change my approach, and then changed the exercise to a blend of induction and deduction. I asked the learners to give an account of their understanding of the concepts of epistemology and ontology. I then asked people to apply their understanding of these notions to their practice. In so doing, I was retaining as best I could my value for easy access to learning for my learners, and I also used the belief that the best learning is derived from practical experience. Ialso engaged with the learners in the following interaction. I found that the effects of this process changed the ways i intended to behave in this interaction which meant that ontologically I moved into a closer engagement with the learners, I learned from my learners so that I developed a closer insight into their epistemologies and ontologies, while remaing true to my values, or my axiology.
1. Write a factual account of an event in your teaching practice.
2. How can I use this event to demonstrate my epistemology, my ontology and axiology through critical reflection?
1. My Story: Today, I started the SeStuTHESA meeting with a showing of Jack talking at BERA. There were 6 people in the room. It was my intention to use the video inductively to access understandings of epistemology, and ontology, which are key to what Jack is going to be talking about when he visits in two weeks time. The video of Jack talking started, and I very quickly observed that the quality of the picture and the sound were very poor. It very quickly became clear to me that nobody in the room was able to follow what was being said, so I switched the video off and proceeded with the discussion about epistemologies and ontologies without the video.
2. My critical reflection: I value easy access to learning for my learners, so when the visuals and sounds of the video were blurred, I realised that the learning of my learners was being compromised. I realised that I had to change my approach, and then changed the exercise to a blend of induction and deduction. I asked the learners to give an account of their understanding of the concepts of epistemology and ontology. I then asked people to apply their understanding of these notions to their practice. In so doing, I was retaining as best I could my value for easy access to learning for my learners, and I also used the belief that the best learning is derived from practical experience. Ialso engaged with the learners in the following interaction. I found that the effects of this process changed the ways i intended to behave in this interaction which meant that ontologically I moved into a closer engagement with the learners, I learned from my learners so that I developed a closer insight into their epistemologies and ontologies, while remaing true to my values, or my axiology.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Blogging madly
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)