Topic outline

• General

  Reflecting on Learning and Teaching in the Performing Arts

  What does it mean to become a critically reflective practitioner?

  This study area is intended to:

  • introduce you to pedagogic theory and concepts including epistemology (knowing) and ontology (being) and deep & surface approaches to learning
  • prompt you to think about how you might enhance your approach to teaching in Higher Education
  • encourage you to think about how you might integrate knowing, acting and being within your specific context as a supporter of learning (i.e. lecturer; technician; acting coach; costume / lighting / stage designer etc)
  • encourage you to create a Reflective Portfolio

  Reflective practice is driven by questions, dialogue, and stories; it is fundamentally structured around inquiry. In this area you are invited to consider different ways of reflecting which challenge the notion that reflection is just ‘thinking about stuff’. You are encouraged to keep a Reflective Portfolio as regular, informed reflection is necessary to engage in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), a concept which underpins all accredited programmes of Learning and Teaching in Higher Education. 

  By developing the ability to explore and be curious about our own experience and actions, we suddenly open up the possibilities of purposeful learning—derived not from books or experts, but from our work and our lives. 

  Joy Amulya, What is Reflective Practice? Center for Reflective Community Practice at MIT. Cambridge. MA. USA 

  You are now invited to enter the Reading Room and study at least two of the papers stored there. Make your own brief notes on the papers in your Reflective Portfolio. We recommend that you spend some time in the Visual Resources and Case Study rooms before you go into the Reflection Room. In these rooms you will encounter a wide range of material related to reflective practice and you will be able to respond more easily to the Reflection Prompts that you encounter in the Reflection Room. 

  UK PSF:  Professional Values V2, V4. Core Knowledge  K1; K2;K3; K4; K5; & K6. Areas of Activity  A5.

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    Announcements Forum

• Topic 1
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    Reading Room

    Welcome to the RLTPA 1 Reading Room

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    Amulya, J. (2004). What is reflective practice? [Online] retrieved 5 August 2011 from Center for Reflective Community Practice: Massachusetts Institute of Technology. URL
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    Atherton, J. S. (2011). Learning and teaching; Experiential learning [Online] retrieved 5 August 2011 from Learning and Teaching URL
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    Bryan, C. and D. Green (2002). How guided reflection can enhance group work URL
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    Clark, D.R. (2004). Learning through reflection. [Online] retrieved 4 August, 2011 from Big Dog and Little Dog’s Performance Juxtaposition URL
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    Coaching for Change (2010). Benjamin Zander: tapping into the “Art of possibility”. [Online] retrieved 5 August, 2011 from Coaching for Change URL
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    Dacre, K., C. Baldwin and N. Jones. A report on the assessment of reflective practice at Rose Bruford College 2006-2007. URL
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    Doughty, S. (2007) 'Improvisation: what do I do and why do I do it?' Animated, Winter, pp. 37- 39. File
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    Doughty, S. & Stevens, J. (2002) ‘Seeing myself dance: video and reflective learning in dance technique’ Finding the Balance: dance in further and higher education in the 21st Century, John Moore’s University, Liverpool, 21-23 June 2002. File
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    Moon, J. (2004). A handbook of reflective and experiential learning … Resource 9: A framework for reflective writing. URL
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    QAA (2008). The framework for higher education qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. [Online] retrieved 5 August 2011 from QAA. URL
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    QAA (2001). The framework for qualifications of higher education institutions in Scotland. [Online] retrieved 5 August 2011 from QAA. URL
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    Stein, D. (2000). Teaching critical reflection. [Online] retrieved 5 August 2011 from Inspiredliving.com URL
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    Further Reading URL

• Topic 2
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    Visual Resources Room

    Welcome to the RLTPA 1 Visual Resources Room

    Critical Reflection: Challenging Assumptions

    A tutor introduces a group of Post Graduate students to some conceptions of learning and teaching and challenges them to share some of their assumptions. 

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    Critical Reflection: Challenging Assumptions Page
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  • What does it mean to become a Critically Reflective Practitioner?

    Post graduate students and tutors from various performing arts areas discuss their understanding of this question.

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    What does it mean to become a Critically Reflective Practitioner? Page
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  • Changing Education Paradigms, Ken Robinson

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    Changing Education Paradigms, Ken Robinson Page
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  • Visual Directions: multiple ways to record a reflective journal

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  • Reflecting on Practice with Hanna Hegenscheidt, Dancer

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    Reflecting on Practice with Hanna Hegenscheidt, Dancer Page
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  • The Reflective Organisation

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    The Reflective Organisation Page
  • The Reflective Organisation from Rose Bruford College on Vimeo.

  • Reflective Practice in Dance Teaching

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    Reflective Practice in Dance Teaching Page
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• Topic 3
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    Case Study Resource Room

    Welcome to the RLPTA1 Case Study Resource Room

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    Creative group processes: Case study no.2. University of Ulster. URL

    This is one of a series of practical resources derived from a research project entitled  Assessing Group Practice (2004).

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    Managing oneself and others: Case study no.13. University of Leeds. URL

    This is one of a series of practical resources derived from a research project entitled  Assessing Group Practice (2004).

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    Monks, S. (2009). Becoming reflexive practitioners – exploring the role of summative assessment in encouraging vocal skills in first year undergraduate singers. Development Award report, Lancaster: PALATINE. URL

• Topic 4
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    Reflection Room

    Welcome to the RLTPA 1 Reflection Room

  • Reflection Prompt: Consider how these two tutors encourage students to reflect upon their practice.

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    Reflection Room Page
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    Bryan, C. Critical reflection and challenging assumptions [Powerpoint presentation] URL

    This resource is used in the video clip with the same title in the Visual Resource Room.

  • Reflection Prompt: Getting started: keeping a critically reflective journal

    Writing a regular Reflective Journal (a private document only for you)

    We strongly recommend that you keep a regular Reflective Journal as it will help you to consolidate and deepen your learning. This can be a combination of writing, audio and visual, whatever works best for you. Your Reflective Journal will also help you to direct your learning according to your own specific needs, and to plan your own future learning activities.

    Engaging regularly in this ongoing critical reflection will enable you to provide evidence of meeting UK PSF Activity 5; Core knowledge 5; and Professional Value 4.

    You can either write freely, using any experience from the week or you can note incidents, thoughts, flashes of inspiration etc.. as they occur or as soon after as is possible. Sometimes a few choice words such as “rubbish session until x happened. Why?” or a quick sketch with a few key words can be a sufficient prompt for later deeper critical reflection. Be honest with yourself, this is a personal and confidential document. It can also be in the form of an audio or visual diary.

    In your Reflective Journal you might like to consider and address some of these questions as you progress through the programme:

    • What does it mean to be a Critical Reflective Practitioner in your discipline area?
    • What is the difference between critical reflection and ‘just thinking about things’?
    • Did you experience any uncomfortable moments in your learning?
    • How are you feeling now?
    • Was all the learning relevant to your needs?
    • If you could change anything about your learning experience, what would it be?
    • How might you begin to DO that?
    • Do you feel there are any gaps in your understanding and can you remedy that?
    • What do you need to do now? (Action Plan?)
  • Further reflective prompts for this Study Area

    Kahane, D. Forthcoming 2012/13, "Mindfulness and Presence in Teaching and Learning," in Iain Hays, ed., Learning with the World's Great Teachers (London: Open University).

    Kahane, D. (2009), "Learning about Obligation, Compassion, and Global Justice: the Place of Contemplative Pedagogy," New Directions for Teaching and Learning: Special Issue on Internationalizing the Curriculum in Higher Education (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass).

    Kahane, D and von Lieres, B. “Teaching and learning democracy: Collaborative development of courses on citizenship”