About Me

It was never my intention to become an Educator.  I have always had a passion for management and people.  Creating this blog is expanding my practical use of social media and technology, promoting connectivity and engagement for my Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School (BMIHMS) students.  For them to be able to interact with me on a media platform for informal discussions on the study topic will provide a safe mechanism for student development (Bates, 2016, p.107).   My life’s professional practices have spanned the disciples of management, hospitality and tourism operations, hotel management, and learning and development. With such time investment in business management, the leap to a formal role of educator, a Learning Facilitator, caused me both excitement and apprehension. 

The student/teacher relationship in my class contributes to the classroom culture and shapes the socialisation of all active participants (Wenger, 2012, p.11).   Clarke et al. (n.d.) state that student diversity, advances in technology, industry-aligned studies and part-time employment can reshape a teachers’ professional identity. How I enact my professional identity will contribute fundamentally to my style of teaching and enable the learning process (Bathmaker & Avis, 2005, p. 5). 

“Learning is a social becoming” (Wenger, 2012, p.3).  Active participation in class discussions enhances student engagement, promotes active learning and creates a sense of belonging amongst students (Matthews et al., 2011). Vygotsky’s Social Learning Theory (1978) states that the most significant learning occurs when students participate in group learning activities.  In facing the challenges of an online learning platform and student engagement, I chose to enrol in the Graduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching (GCLT400A) to assist in both my understanding of the most effective teaching methods in adult learning, while enhancing my knowledge of learning resource design.  While undertaking my MBA (2018-2020), I was allowed to explore my learning pathway of self-directed learning (Knowles, 1975; Merriam, 2001) which I found exceedingly satisfying.  I want to offer this opportunity to my students. 

Self-directed learning (Andragogy) taps into the Self-Determination Theory (Ryan & Deci, 2018) which states that competency, autonomy and purpose help develop students’ sense of self-efficacy and self-esteem (Blascke & Hase, 2015, p.3).  Blascke and Hase (2015) explore the concept of advanced learning ecologies where learner-centric strategies encourage students to share information, developing their learning journey.  This Heutagogical approach is beyond the scope of my current teaching methods but I want to introduce this thinking in my class to prepare them for future learning strategies.  I want them to reflect on what they have learned and how they have learned it. 

This blog has been created to share my thinking and research findings.  I am challenging students to comment and participate in this space.  This will stretch student participation, both in their unit of Leadership study, and in their professional self-confidence.  Encouraging social connection through this medium prepares them for future workplace challenges (Harvard Business Review, 2021). This blog is intended to reflect educational skills and knowledge, aligning with the learning outcomes of GCLT400A.  According to Lasky (2005), my professional identity is developed by my own and others’ expectations.  And this emerging teaching identity is being shaped by my current studies which promote creative thinking, helping to facilitate my students’ learning journey and their own professional identities (Tomlinson & Jackson, 2021). 

References

Bates, B. (2016). Learning Theories Simplified, and how to apply them to teaching. Sage.

Bathmaker, A. & Avis, J. (2005). Becoming a lecturer in further education in England: The construction of professional identity and the role of communities of practice. Journal of Education for Teaching: International Research and Pedagogy.  https://doi.org/10.1080/02607470500043771.

Blaschke, L., & Hase, S. (2015). Heutagogy: A holistic framework for creating 21st century self-determined learners. In M.M. Kinshuk & B. Gros (Eds.), The future of ubiquitous learning: Learning designs for emerging pedagogies. Springer Verlag.

Clarke, M., Hyde A., & Drennan, J. (n.d.). Professional Identity in Higher Education. http://www.springer.com/cda/content/document/cda_downloaddocument/9789400746138-c1.pdf?SGWID=0-0-45-1343503-p174324915

Engeness, I. (2021). Developing teachers’ digital identity: towards the pedagogic design principles of digital environments to enhance students’ learning in the 21st century. European Journal of Teacher Education, 44(1), 96-114. https://doi.org/10.1080/02619768.2020.1849129

Harvard Business Press Editors, (2021, April 16). Exponential View with Azeem Azhar. How Universities Can Move Society Forward Post-Pandemic. (Season 5, Episode 20). Universities and the Innovation Landscape. (Audio Podcast). https://hbsp.harvard.edu/inspiring-minds/how-universities-can-move-society-forward-post-pandemic

Knowles, M. (1975). Self-directed learning: A guide for learners and teachers. Association Press.

Lasky, S. (2005). A sociocultural approach to understanding teacher identity, agency and professional vulnerability in a context of secondary school reform. Teaching and Teacher Education, 21(8), 899-916. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2005.06.003  

Matthews, K., Andrews, V., & Adams, P. (2011). Social learning spaces and student engagement. Higher Education Research & Development, 3(2), 105-120.  https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2010.512629 

Merriam, S. B. (2001). Andragogy and self-directed learning: Pillars of adult learning theory. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 89. Jossey-Bass.

Ryan, R, & Deci, E. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 55(1), 68-78.

Tomlinson, M, & Jackson, D. (2021). Professional identity formation in contemporary higher education students. Studies in Higher Education, 46(4), 885-900. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/03075079.2019.1659763?journalCode=cshe20

Wenger, E. (2012). Communities of practice and social learning systems: The career of a concept. https://wenger-trayner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/09-10-27-CoPs-and-systems-v2.01.pdf

Figure 1 Lev Vygotsky (image). (n.d.) iz.quotes.com, https://izquotes.com/author/19414

Figure 2 Photo of a plaque on my desk. (2021)