Joy Hooker 

Reflective Essay

 

In November/December of 2013 I emailed several educational providers to ask for information regarding completing a Graduate Diploma in teaching or tertiary education.  I was aware that while I had experience in teaching and programme development, apart from the AUT paper I had competed, most of what I had learnt regarding educational practice was self-taught from experience and research I had personally undertaken.  Already having gained a Masters in Theology, I knew how to conduct research and appreciated the value of reading widely on subjects on which I needed to gain knowledge and understanding.

 

Otago Polytechnic's Graduate Diploma via APL appeared to best fit what I wanted to achieve as well as my work

commitments at EMTC.  One of the key things that prompted me to go ahead with enrolling in this programme was

a question my manager at the time asked me.  She asked if I would regret it if I didn't go ahead.  I went home and

asked my husband whether he thought I would regret it and his immediate reply was "Yes, you would."  I agreed,

and enrolled in the Graduate Diploma to begin on 1 June 2014.  At this stage the Assessment of Prior Learning

(APL) pathway was still being developed.

 

 

Expectations

The reason I initially embarked on the Graduate Diploma was to further my understanding of adult learning, and particularly of programme development, with an emphasis on distance and/or e-learning if possible.  I saw the Graduate Diploma as providing a unique opportunity to broaden and deepen my own (and by extension EMTC's) awareness and practice in tertiary teaching and learning.  As Programme Developer, I expected the learning gained and applied would ensure all future programmes and courses were founded on strong principles of pedagogy in order to create the best opportunity for student learning and experience.  As I was employed fulltime, any additional Graduate Diploma requirements would need to fit around my current schedule.

 

My expectations were certainly met, but in a different way to what I was expecting.  I was expecting a slightly more teacher-centred approach than what I experienced.  Instead, the programme allowed me to direct my own research and learning according to what was needed for my case studies.  It also enabled me to fulfill the Graduate Attributes in a way that applied directly to my work.

 

Overall, I feel my understanding of educational process and practise has been consolidated through reflection and evaluation of past and current experiences alongside identifying and filling the gaps in my knowledge.

 

The APL process

The APL process has worked perfectly alongside my programme development responsibilities at EMTC.  It has forced me to take the time to reflect on the programme development process and my own understanding and practice - something which is often neglected in a busy schedule.  It has required me to re-examine what I already know about educational theory and teaching practice, ensuring that I continue to undergird everything I do with sound principles.

 

Having the opportunity to examine my previous work and experience from an educational point of view has enabled me to understand the impact that key influencers have had in shaping my thinking.  The knowledge and skills I have acquired through corporate, business and education opportunities have become foundational building blocks for current perspectives and performance.  I have discovered I have a thirst for learning.  This is not just for myself, but primarily in order to pass this learning onto others.  The act of teaching itself is therefore not what I find most fulfillment in, but rather seeing others grasp concepts, learn new skills and grow in their abilities.

 

Through the reflective process I have been able to see how the case studies have brought together knowledge and understanding I have gained previously with new learning I have acquired as a result of research undertaken.  I have confidence that the programmes I am continuing to develop are robust and will accomplish their aims.

 

Discoveries about myself

As a result of undertaking my Graduate Diploma in Tertiary Teaching via APL I am able to articulate a number of discoveries I have made about myself and my educational practice.

 

1.  Over the last few years I have identified my own ability to see both 'big picture' and detail in whatever task I have undertaken. 

     Beginning with the 'big picture' is very important to me, and provides the context for all that follows.  This explains my frustration

     at lecturers who did not provide this context while I was studying at Carey Baptist College and my subsequent teaching practise of 

     always providing context at the beginning of each lecture.  I also understand why I have been pushing for EMTC to finalise its

     overall Graduate Profile as I want to ensure programme development detail is consistent with EMTC mission and vision. 

 

2.  Following on from this, my 'big picture' view and my ability to conduct Masters level research leads

     me to seek to identify and gain input from all available sources regarding programme development

     and design.  The CEO at EMTC helpfully described this recently as acting like a funnel.  I am to take

     input from as many sources as is required to produce world-class programmes.

 

3.  Communication is very important to me.  In redeveloping EMTC's Diploma programme (Case Study

     1) I not only researched and diagrammed an overview of the Work-Integrated Learning model that

     undergirded the programme, but also saw the need to produce quality supervisors and mentors

     requirements.  This was to ensure all parties gained an understanding of how the programme was

     designed to work.  At other times I have written briefing papers and sought meetings with various

     people to initiate communication and promote collaboration.

 

4.  Collaborating with others is an interesting exercise.  I am a 'team player' and enjoy working with others

     to produce the best possible resources.  Working on my own (Case Study 2) forced me to further
     develop my own professional network for input and feedback.  But I also found that working
     with people who had a different teaching philosophy (Case Study 1) to be very frustrating with large

     portions of time being expended on talking through why I was advocating a particular item or

     incorporating a particular type of assessment (rather than only on how things would be done).  Having

     everyone on the 'same page' from the start (e.g. development of the Elim Elders training course) was, by

     contrast, a particularly satisfying experience.

 

5.  I have likened my teaching to guiding and walking with learners on a journey of discovery.  This entails a blend of both knowledge

     and practice.  I like to ask myself the following question no matter what topic I am teaching about:  "What does this look like with legs

     on"?  My intention is to guide learners to answer that question for themselves.  What does this mean to me?  How does it apply in

     my context?  How will learning this affect my own behaviour, values, attitudes, etc?  I will therefore include activities that engender

     these sorts of questions - e.g. group discussions, individual reflection, space in the notes to write down how this might apply to them,

     etc.

    

Conclusion

The reflective nature of Otago Polytechnic's Graduate Diploma in Tertiary Education via APL has been very helpful.  Each component of the programme has required me to reflect on a different aspect of my own journey and learning.  One of the highlights of the programme has been the ability to 'connect the dots' from my biography through the Graduate Attributes to my case studies.

 

I complete the Graduate Diploma feeling as though I have consolidated my own educational foundations both personally and professionally.  As a result, I am more confident in my approach to both teaching and programme development.