Returned from the CETL conference with many of my expectations realised - not all for the best. Sustainability is seen in financial, business planning terms - corporate plans and senior managers seem to be the key focus. Impact is about measurables rather than ideas. Dissemination involves us in presenting our work in the best light.
But the Open Space event allowed space for me to ask whether anyone would be interested in 'sustaining the dream'. It was encouraging that a good-sized group came and stayed to 'play'. A representative of the Academy came to 'observe' but not participate.
There is a conference wiki and there will be a version of the dream we created - and our (my) compliant response to the feedback prompts about 'enquiry' and 'issues / solutions'. The link - or the document itself will be added to this page. I think the wiki needs a 'dreams' section.
Notes from session: How do we sustain a dream?
Jo invited all participants to draw or otherwise represent their ‘dream’ university - to transform our limiting beliefs, fears and structures into creative aspirations.
Images generated included a couple of beaches, several interplanetary cosmic settings - university in the widest sense - and many messages about connection, respect, autonomy and individuality, equality and communication between managers, teachers and students, time and duration for learning and so on. Imagine two beneficent suns - research and learning/teaching, both providing warmth and light also stored in solar panels.
These ideas were tempered by salutory reminders from / for the group: caution can be an important part of the dream process.
• Create spaces of safety (pools) for learning, allowing for process and progression
• Take account of the whole education process - higher education is not an island but part of a political and economic system, including schools and workplaces.
The group then looked again at their personal university images and, individually,
• noticed where they already do (or have created) something that they see in their picture
• observed where there are opportunities - where they might or could create something - either in their immediate context or in an area where they have influence.
Enquiry
• What are my personal dreams / ideals?
• What do I already do to create such a reality?
• What else could I do?
• Who could do it with me?
• What are the barriers - are they real or imagined?
• How do we manage our own fears and vulnerability?
Ideas and solutions
• Make it so: ignore or dismantle the voices (in our heads or in our institutions) that tell us we can’t do something different.
• Work the system - use language carefully to take advantage of creative opportunities to realise or grow a bit of our dream. (e.g., drop the word ‘excellent’ in favour of ‘wonderful’).
• Start to choose our actions based on our dreams - while allowing enthusiasm to be moderated by a realistic ability to say ‘no’ to some things.
• Speak truth to power. Tell people (in positions of ‘consumer’ and political power) that real education is: an engagement not a purchase.
• Listen to students and find ways to allow them / help them to influence and grow the curriculum.
Comments