Did somebody say Academic Reflection?

And welcome back to round two. It has been just over five years since I last dusted off this page to smear academic writing on it, and I'm not entirely sure if I still remember how, but let's make a go of it anyway.

This year we are engaging with the Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, or PGC-TLHE. Duplo Scenery is out! Augusto Boal is still probably in! But gone are those Abramovician days of the empowered, dangerously intoxicated audience injuring the actor for the sake of art! From now on unnecessary risk is Strongly Discouraged. I think. Unless it can contribute to an enhancement of pedagogy, or it is demonstrable that vulnerability on the part of the teacher or project leader can contribute to a more inclusive learning environment. I rather selfishly hope that physical vulnerability does not significantly benefit student engagement.

What do I hope to get out of this? I'm not entirely sure, in all honesty. It seems to change as a matter of routine. Sometimes I want to identify where I can improve my teaching, and discover new avenues to reach challenging students. Sometimes I want to be congratulated on my current abilities and sent away with a pay rise and a trophy, my skills completely uncontested, my presumptions and habits still firmly in place. While I am the poster child for the rule that everyone has room for improvement, and even exceptional professionals need at least a periodic chance to brush up on best practice, it sure would be nice to turn up to class only to discover that you're freaking perfect and don't need any guidance or training. Alas, after two weeks of sessions I can readily confirm that I need this class, embarrassing learning opportunities and all. hash-tag notmessiah.

So this is an intro page, or I suppose an end-point for any reader who started at the top and may be scrolling slowly backwards through my PG-Cert reflections. Hello reader. This is the end of the document but the beginning of the narrative. Everything beyond this point, while it of course in some way has impacted my thinking and will by virtue of the fact that it's a product of the same small university with the same unique ethos be in some way relevant to the text above it, is not specifically or intentionally related to my current course. Read on only if you are curious about how I thought and created while a somewhat-different student during a somewhat-different time.