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Debbie Witney, Senior Lecturer Learning and Teaching

'It's good to talk’

Making space for reflective dialogue

Business School

Workshop outline

• Presentation of case study

• Discuss conditions for successful reflective dialogue

• Share ideas for introducing reflective practice – let’s talk about it!

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Dimensions of employability: Personal qualities

Malleable self-theorySelf-awarenessSelf-confidenceIndependence Emotional intelligence

Adaptability

Stress tolerance

Initiative

Willingness to learn

Reflectiveness

Yorke, M, and P.T. Knight (2004)

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Background• Final year ‘post placement’ honours

module • Title: Personal Development and Career

Planning• Approx 70 students• Reflection provides basis for assessment

• Critical incident workshop• Reflective statement

• Concerns over levels of critical reflection

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Rationale for ‘making space’

• enhance levels of critical reflection through dialogue

• provide material for inclusion in their reflective assignment

• develop emotional intelligence skills

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“promoting reflective learning through reflective dialogue has the potential to develop the autonomy and interdependence of students, preparing them for the rapidly changing and challenging world they will face in the 21st century.”

Brockbank and McGill 2007

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What’s in a name?

Peer mentor

Learning partner

Peer pal

Critical friend

Co-mentor

Mentor communities

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“engaging with another person in a way that encourages talking with, questioning, or confronting, helped the reflective process by placing the learner in a safe environment in which self-revelation can take place.”

Hatton & Smith (1995)

The role of a ‘critical’ friend

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Mentoring defined

'off-line help by one person to another in making significant transitions in knowledge, work or thinking‘

(Clutterbuck and Megginson, 1995)

‘A relationship between two people with learning and development as its purpose’

(Clutterbuck and Megginson, 2004)

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Two stages of skills for employability

During full time education

Continuous professional

development

U51080Transition from PDP to CPD

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Creating conditions for dialogueWeek 3 Reflective Dialogue workshop and

learning set allocation

Week 5 Emotional intelligence and mentoring workshop

Week 6-7 small group discussions with tutor

Weeks 9-10 tutor de-briefing

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Talking about leadership: your placement experience

Purpose• To spend time in dialogue with a colleague,

reflecting on your learning about leadership from your placement experience in order to deepen self-awareness.

• To practise the skills of empathic listening which is a core skill used by effective, emotionally literate leaders.

Reflective dialogue script

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Tutor feedback• Reassuring and helpful to compare placement

experiences but..• Some said that felt they were feeling quite ‘sad’ now,

having released some of their inner fears hopes etc• Some found situation artificial and overly structured

but…• Most felt comfortable ‘going off in tangents’ as it felt

less like ticking boxes and enabled more relationship building.

• Most found it a valuable exercise ‘Useful reminder of practicing active listening skills’

• Provided useful material for their reflective work. ' We should be doing more of this’

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Suggested Peer Mentoring ProcessStage 1

Present draft Personal Development Plan (PDP)

Stage 2

Encourage the self-management of learning

Stage 3

Provide support during the PDP process by sharing experience

and resources

Stage 4

Assist in evaluation of success

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Professionals in dialogue• Listen without interruption?

• Respect other’s viewpoint, or status = wisdom?

• Collective problem solving, or own agendas?

• Stick to topic, or digress?

• Able to speculate without fear of being sidelined?

• Ask probing questions, or merely pass on ideas?

• Prepared to suspend disbelief in relation to the novel or unfamiliar?

• Take thinking forward, or going around in circles?

Alexander, 2004

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Tutor de-brief shared with students

Most satisfying experience where students have:Prepared for the role of Mentee

• Considered their expectations of the meeting in advance e.g a general discussion of PDP plans, clarifying thoughts, framing problems, seeking support in problem solving

• Discussed these expectations at the start of the meeting and formed some sort of ‘mentoring contract’

Prepared for the role of Mentor • by reading round the subject and gaining a greater

understanding of the role and obligations • revisiting the reflective dialogue activity (week 5),

thinking about some opening/rapport building phrases e.g. how’s it going? How are you getting on?

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Conditions for reflective dialogue

Trust• Student to student• Student to teacher

Common understanding of purpose• Briefing

Safety to take risks• Formative feedback

Shared values• Student cohort

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Preparation is key

“As I had never done it before it made me feel very confused. I wish I could have done my reading in advance, in order to have an opportunity to clarify uncertain points with the module leader. I should probably try to change the ‘last minute’ habit by setting early deadlines.”

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Understanding the role and purpose

“…just an opportunity to explore different approaches to reaching goals and objectives…understanding that allowed me to avoid some unrealistic expectations and eliminate distress in the relationship”

“… I felt the need to resolve her problem but quickly realised all I needed to do is encourage her to explore her own problems further.”

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Emotional environment

“Initially I found the role of mentee difficult as I was unsure of what was appropriate to discuss and how ‘deep’ into my true thoughts and feelings I should go. After forming a contractual agreement of confidentiality with my mentor I began to break down these uncomfortable barriers.”

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Benefits for studentsImproves self-confidenceEncourages reflection on practiceProvides personal supportGives access to a ‘sounding board’ for concerns,

issues and ideasEnhances satisfaction and motivationEncourages self-reflectionEnhances peer recognitionEncourages a proactive role in learning and

development

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More quotes

…reassuring me I was not alone in deciding my future career path

… helped me become more motivated about my career and become a lot more proactive…

…we realised we shared similar issues that talking through gave me a deeper understanding and in return was motivational for me

…vital in developing my self-awareness…would have been more valuable if I used my mentor

more continuously.

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For Module Team

Improves communication

Encourages reflective practice

Promotes a climate of professional development

Builds mentoring capacity

Theirs and ours!

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Speed co-mentoring!

Think of a current workplace challenge, or project, (does not have to be teaching) where space for reflective dialogue would be useful.

What would need to change to meet conditions for reflective dialogue?• 3 different people• 5 mins each round

I’ll keep you to time

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Any questions?

For more information dwitney@brookes.ac.uk

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BibliographyAlexander, R. (2004) Towards dialogic teaching: rethinking classroom talk.

Cambridge: Dialogues.Boud,D., R. Keogh, and D. Walker. 1985. "Promoting Reflection in Learning: a

Model," in Reflection: Turning Experience into Learning. Edited by D. Boud, R. Keogh, and D. Walker, London: Kogan Page.

Brockbank, A. and McGill, I.(2007) Facilitating Reflective Learning in Higher Education, Buckingham: Open University Press

Hatton, N. & Smith, D. (1995). Reflection in Teacher Education: Towards Definition and Implementation. The University of Sydney: School of Teaching and Curriculum Studies

Megginson, D. & Clutterbuck, D (2004) Techniques for Coaching and Mentoring, Oxford: Buterworth Heinmann

Parsloe, E. (1992), Coaching Mentoring and Assessing, Kogan Page, London., Moon, J. (2004) A Handbook of Reflective and Experiential Learning. Routledge

FalmerSchön, D. A. (1983) The Reflective Practitioner. How professionals think in action,

London: Temple SmithSchein, E.H. (1993), "On dialogue, culture, and organizational learning",

Organizational Dynamics, Vol. 22 No.2, pp.40-51. Yorke, M, and P.T. Knight (2004)Employability in Higher Education: what it is, what

it is not. Learning and Teaching Support Network, Higher Education Academy