Workshop 1B: Selected Reading

Summary

Harris challenges the assumption of participation and active engagement, and reminds us that online forums are sympathetic to introverted learners. She offers three provocations:

1. That the pressure/threat to actively participate could be counter productive
2. We need to recalibrate the notion of active participation. Thinking about silent reflection, processing, considering and reflecting as active intellectual processes
3. Online classrooms provide a nurturing, profound, transformative silence.

Reflection

I found the reading challenging and hugely informative. As students are based outside of London, and even globally, many of our sessions are held online. As a programme, myself and ALs talk about industry readiness and ask students have cameras on for the beginning of client meetings. I have members of the team who ask students to keep their cameras on and later express frustrations privately to the teaching team if they do not. In many of the one-to-one tutorials I conduct, students do not turn on their cameras which can be disconcerting. This piece serves as a great reminder of how egalitarian online teaching is and how it really is a safe space for so many students.  

Next Steps

In the first instance, I want to be careful about the language I use with students around whether they keep their cameras off or on. I am hugely motivated also in how the PGCert is taught and how much respect is given to learners who choose not to have theirs on. I also like how engagement is encouraged through the chat box. I also want to make sure that the DPS teaching team are aware of this too. However, a balanced approach would need to be reached with client meetings. We could ask students if they are uncomfortable before the meeting, and simply make the client aware that not everyone was able to turn their cameras on without stating the reasons behind this and respecting their privacy.

Harris, K. (2022). Embracing the silence: introverted learning and the online classroom. Spark: UAL Creative Teaching and Learning Journal, [online] 5(1), pp.101–104. Available at: https://sparkjournal.arts.ac.uk/index.php/spark/article/view/161/273 [Accessed 19 Mar. 2024].