PSV

I have always thought I was compassionate… Very compassionate according to others.

I wonder now if I am practicing enough compassionate teaching. The focus of compassionate teaching is on the emotional and mental wellness of students, by prioritising of empathy, understanding, kindness and respect. This approach involves establishing an inclusive and secure learning environment that fosters student growth and enables them to achieve their maximum potential.

As tutors we need to establish a relationship with them as individuals, understanding they come from different backgrounds and cultures and making sure that they all receive the support they need. Apart from giving deadline extensions to those with ISAs and ECs, we should give them adapted material, in advanced of the class, and make sure they have a summary or clear to-do list at the end of the session.

It is very important to focus on growth rather than only highlighting errors particularly when providing feedback to students. In this case, I find myself much more in tuned with compassionate feedback when this is oral and informal than in a written formal format.

Why is this? I am still on the way of discovering what are the obstacles I find while writing formal feedback: are we briefed and taught on how to do it? Is the system really supporting a model that fosters compassionate feedback? Do I have a language barrier? 

Or maybe is just me not being conscious enough?

To re re re read:

Fostering belonging and compassionate pedagogy.

https://www.arts.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/223417/AEM3_FBCP.pdf

Blog: Belonging Through Compassion

Belonging through assessment: Pipelines of compassion

I have always wondered why the students don’t read the emails that we send. I hadn’t realised about how many emails our students receive until I enrolled myself in PGCert…

Perhaps, we send too many?

I think in higher education, the importance of effective communication cannot be underestimated because it can play a crucial role in student engagement. 

Students might not reading our emails due to the high volume of messages they receive. This could make it difficult for them to prioritize which emails to read and may result in negative effects on their academic performance and well-being. 

Are emails an effective way of building relationships and fostering a sense of community within the university?

Should we use other channels that are more sympathetic to their lifestyles?. As shown in a research project at The University of Manchester, “despite the popularity of social media and new media among our student audience, it is highly questionable whether it is appropriate for the University as a corporate body to suddenly start using Facebook or other social networking channels to communicate with its current students” I agree, I don’t think that using other channels like social media can be a way of communicating in HE. Some argue, that because we want to promote diversity, we need to send information through different channels because not all the students have the same preferences. Maybe that’s correct, but what type of information are we talking about? Is it essential and important information?

I think we should make an effort to send less emails and be clear and concise, providing clear instructions or information.

One of the biggest issues within my cohort, is attendance. On my way trying to find solutions I came across this publication by Elisabeth Moores, Gurkiran K. Birdi, and Helen E. Higson, where they examine other pieces of research that have explored the factors that influence attendance to understand how and whether Higher Education Institutions can improve attendance rates. As they say, many psychological factors can influence attendance in college or university. One important factor is feeling like you belong at your school. This is a well-known idea in education and has been shown to help students stay in school and succeed academically.

Should we record lectures? Should we provide slides? 

Having lecture recordings available can reduce overall attendance, but not all students who don’t attend lectures are necessarily watching the recordings. Not providing recordings may encourage those who struggle with attendance and academic achievement to come to class.

According to research by Emily Nordmann and colleagues, lecture capture might give students access to course materials and let them catch up on missed lectures, it can also result in lower attendance and lower participation during live lectures. However, they discovered no proof of a detrimental impact of recording use or a connection between attendance and recording use. In order to increase attendance and engagement, they advise using lecture capture technology in addition to other approaches including interactive teaching techniques and encouraging learning environments. The focus should be on enhancing the overall learning environment for students.

In  ‘A study exploring the impact of lecture capture availability and lecture capture usage on student attendance and attainment’ Martin R. Edwards and Michael Clinton, showed that making the material available decrease attendance and student engagement levels. And they argued that this can lead to students struggling to keep up with course content, not being aware of assessment expectations, and potentially negatively impacting grades. However, students appreciate having access to lecture capture, and it is a heavily used tool. To make lecture attendance valuable beyond recorded substitutes, enhanced student interaction and participation during lectures or small formative assessments can be encouraged. It is important to communicate to students the danger of relying solely on recorded content and the potential negative impact of low lecture attendance on their attainment.

Should we actually monitor attendance?It is interesting that  Bowen and colleagues, found that 75% of students they surveyed believed that monitoring attendance was important. They felt that this showed their university cared about their success and well-being.

Also to help with engagement and attendance:

Fostering belonging and compassionate pedagogy.

https://www.arts.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/223417/AEM3_FBCP.pdf

“Welcome to Your World” by Sarah Williams Goldhagen is one of the books that have been more relevant to me in the last years. She explores how the design of the built environment affects our well-being and perception of the world around us. 

Goldhagen argues that the design of the built environment can have a profound effect on our mood and behaviour. She provides examples of how architecture and urban design shape our experiences and emotions, and how these experiences can impact our physical and mental health. She also discusses how the design of educational spaces can affect learning outcomes and student performance. The design of learning environments and factors such as lighting, acoustics, and classroom layout have an effect on student learning. She discusses research that suggests that students perform better in classrooms with abundant natural light, good acoustics, and flexible furniture arrangements.

Goldhagen also examines the role of technology in education and how it has influenced the design of learning spaces. She notes that technology has created new opportunities for personalized learning and collaborative work, and that educational spaces must be designed to accommodate these new modes of learning. I believe in the importance of well-designed educational spaces in promoting student success.

Another book, that talks about how the space affects learning is ‘The Aesthetic Brain’ by Anjan Chatterjee. In this case, because we teach in art school, the book is particularly interesting. It explores the neuroscience of aesthetics and how the brain processes beauty and art. It analyses the cognitive processes involved in aesthetic experiences and the neural mechanisms behind them. Chatterjee argues that aesthetic experiences are not just subjective judgments but are rooted in the basic working of the brain. He provides examples of how different brain regions are involved in processing different aspects of aesthetics, such as colour, form, and the emotional responses. The aesthetic experiences can enhance cognitive processes such as attention, memory, and problem-solving skills.

A highlight for me is the importance of understanding the diversity of aesthetic experiences and the potential for cross-cultural exchange and learning. There is a potential application of neuroscience research to education, such as in the design of learning environments. Chatterjee suggests that by understanding the neural mechanisms involved in aesthetic experiences, educators can create more engaging and effective learning environments that enhance student learning goals.

Goldhagen, S. W. Welcome to Your World: How the Built Environment Shapes Our Lives. HarperCollins.

Chatterjee, A.. The Aesthetic Brain: How We Evolved to Desire Beauty and Enjoy Art. Oxford University Press.