Today we considered giving and receiving Feedback, particularly in the online environment.
We first reflected on Performing to an Invisible Audience a video by Hattie Walker and Helen King. The video focused on the performative nature of teaching in the online space. Walker offered practical tips on how to foster authenticity and engagement in online teaching.
In brake-out groups we discussed: A time to reflect? a fictional case study from Teaching with Integrity: The ethics of higher education practice.
Stephanie’s attitude towards the elements of her role ie. describing relief as face-to-face teaching came to and end and she could get back to the ‘real work’ of applying for research funding, reminded me of Bell Hook’s description, in Teaching to Transgress, of most of her academic peers view of teaching as much less valuable than research. Hook’s view is that this lack of value associated with the act of teaching shapes academics who are not committed to effective and transgressive pedagogy.
As a group we discussed the limitations of surveys as a means of gaining feedback from students. We decided to focus on how feedback could be a more holistic and embedded process rather than feeling like a superficial add-on (or an irritant to be delt with as in Stephanie’s case).
We created a Padlet to present our ideas about this.
I really enjoyed considering Feedback and its role in effective teaching in todays session. As a reasonably well defined topic it felt like a manageable subject to explore in a morning seminar. Tasks and discussions felt thorough and helpful and going forward i’m thinking about how I can adapt my teaching practice to encourage more meaningful feedback.
HOOKS, B., 1994. TEACHING TO TRANSGRESS. New York: Routledge.
Macfarlane, B., 2004. Teaching with integrity. London: Routledge.
Performing to an Invisible Audience. 2020. video Directed by H. Walker and H. King.