Bus
ine
ss S
choo
l
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!
Business School
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)
Business School
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
Business School
Rationale for ‘making space’
• enhance levels of critical reflection through dialogue
• provide material for inclusion in their reflective assignment
• develop emotional intelligence skills
Business School
“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
Business School
What’s in a name?
Peer mentor
Learning partner
Peer pal
Critical friend
Co-mentor
Mentor communities
Business School
“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
Business School
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)
Business School
Two stages of skills for employability
During full time education
Continuous professional
development
U51080Transition from PDP to CPD
Business School
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
Business School
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
Business School
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’
Business School
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
Business School
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
Business School
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?
Business School
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
Business School
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.”
Business School
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.”
Business School
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.”
Business School
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
Business School
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.
Business School
For Module Team
Improves communication
Encourages reflective practice
Promotes a climate of professional development
Builds mentoring capacity
Theirs and ours!
Business School
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
Business School
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