A Transformational Twist on Learner-Centered Teaching: Experience and Existential Phenomenology Practice Session Sixth Annual Conference on Higher Education Pedagogy Center for Instructional Development and Educational Research Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University February 5 7, 2014 Karen Franklin, Tiffany Dellard, Brenda Murphy, Kristina Plaas, Anne Skutnik, Brian Sohn, Michele Williams, Kathy Greenberg, Neil Greenberg, Howard Pollio, and Sandra Thomas The University of Tennessee, Knoxville Welcome. In 2010 a research group coalesced around an extraordinary teaching/learning experience provided by one professor s highly successful, learner-centered graduate seminar. Members of our team, faculty and graduate students from psychology, nursing and educational psychology, have been energized by the findings and their prospective applications ever since. We focus on five purposes for this session: 1. Overview of our teaching/learning project 2. Small group exploration of classroom episodes 3. Large group dialogue 4. Principles of a Phenomenological approach to learner-centered pedagogy 5. Application in participants courses We intend to engage you in a lively discussion of teaching/learning as informed by our two-year case study of one professor s graduate seminar. Students and faculty alike, from across The University of Tennessee, Knoxville campus, have participated in the seminar some more than once; they were motivated to do so because of the profound learning experience Professor Emeritus Howard Pollio enabled. About half of our team members are in the field of educational psychology, focused on facilitating effective teaching/learning environments based on research and learning theory. From our perspective, learner-centered principles are of most promise in promoting deep understanding. So, we became quite curious about the highly learner-centered experiences we and other participants reported in Pollio s seminar. We were especially interested because Pollio was not explicitly striving to apply principles based on the research world of educational psychology in which we live. The seminar was designed for upper level doctoral students and faculty who come from a large number of applied fields such as business, nursing, education, business, sports psychology, counseling, and philosophy; it is also taken by master s students and the rare undergraduate. The content focuses on the philosophy of phenomenology, particularly the phenomenology of perception, as defined by Merleau-Ponty (2002), and as it relates to human experience in the world. Students examine applications of phenomenology in the form of research studies,
demonstrations, exercises, and readings of related literature. Some of the readings, particularly those of Merleau-Ponty, are highly dense and difficult to understand by novices to the field. Activities included: -- Descriptions of experiences -- Mini-lectures -- Exercises -- Demonstrations -- Insights -- Clarification -- Personal Stories -- Dialogue -- Elaboration -- Alternative Perspectives -- Research Findings -- Interviews -- Music -- Art -- Humor Students reported that the seminar content came alive for them. These quotes especially stand out: I feel I am in it. I am creating it and it is creating me. I really didn t feel like a student. I felt like a learner. It is seeping into a lot of other areas of my life. I think there s a challenge to be more engaged with everything, like little things throughout your day even, and just kind of like seeing those things in your life. It s given me a different way to look at the world. I m relating differently to my students because of it. I think it made me more critically aware of really listening to what they were saying and when I did that s made a huge difference. data: Briefly, our case study of two sections of the seminar involved analysis of five types of 1. Transcripts of planning sessions 2. Post session reflections by students, instructor & research/teaching assistant 3. Excerpts from transcripts of class sessions 4. Focus group interviews at the conclusion of the course 5. Individual student interviews at the conclusion of the course. Results from this extensive data collection and its preliminary analyses indicate that the students reported a personal transformation in their lives based on understanding of the importance of perceptions and experience, immediate applications of course content to their professional and personal lives, and a consistent and important focus on the learning community they developed with the other students and the instructor. We see this as a transformational twist that can lead to greater depth of understanding and application of content in one s personal and professional life.
Our Agenda As we share thoughts together, we will explain our principles of a phenomenological approach and our ideas about the transformational twist. We are eager to hear your reflections on whether these principles enrich a learner-centered approach and/or lead to a transformational twist, if it actually exists. Finally, we intend to move to sharing ideas about the use of these principles in other higher education courses at all levels and in many settings. Small Group Activity We want to know what you think about the possibilities of a phenomenological approach. So, at this time we ask you to join a small group. We would like for you to 1. Read the episode shared with your group. 2. Describe what stands out to each of you as qualities of a learner-centered approach. 3. Record group reflections on poster paper. 4. Prepare to explain your ideas to the large group in relation to various dimensions of a learner-centered approach. Learner-Centered Teaching Some of our research team members focus on various perspectives of teaching/learning within the field of educational psychology. We especially value the principles of learnercentered teaching compiled by an APA task force in the 1990 s that led to increased attention on student engagement in particular in higher education (Alexander & Murphy, 1998). These principles are derived from a vast body of educational research on effective teaching/learning and techniques often discussed in the literature. The task force organized their principles into six categories, all of which lead to techniques that focus on learner needs related to various aspects of each category: 1. Cognitive and metacognitive factors 2. Developmental influence on learning 3. Emotional/affective and social factors 4. Diversity and individual differences in learning 5. Motivational factors 6. Assessment of learning and performance. Weimer (2002) and Blumberg (2009) are among those who translated these principles for higher education. Their list includes five dimensions that instructors should consider when using or moving toward a more learner-centered approach: 1. Function of Content 2. Role of the Facilitator 3. Responsibility for Learning 4. Purposes and Processes of Assessment 5. Balance of Power
Much of the literature about learner-centered approaches does not account for the philosophical foundations of a learner-centered approach especially that of existential phenomenology (Merleau-Ponty, 2002) and what we are calling, the complex, transformational twist. The Transformational Twist Merleau-Ponty wrote about the importance of personal experience in all aspects of life, including that of the scholar the instructor and the striving scholar the student. For example, Merleau-Ponty (2002) wrote, All my knowledge of the world, even my scientific knowledge, is gained from my own particular point of view, or from some experience of the world without which the symbols of science would be meaningless (ix)". In his view, science or any area of knowing is a second order of expression. It is an explanation of some kind of being-in-the-world. We contend a phenomenological approach to teaching/learning enriches principles and techniques often discussed as learner-centered. It enhances our technical skills and understanding as experts of given course content. This approach acknowledges that our own meaning, as instructors, comes in large part from our personal experience of the world and not solely from our expertise. But what about the student s need for a transformational twist? In higher education especially, course content is often isolated from personal experience for many practical and pedagogical reasons. Bartholome (1985) stated the dilemma faced by the student: The student has to appropriate (or be appropriated by) a specialized discourse, and he has to do this as though he were easily and comfortably one with his audience, as though he were a member of the academy or an historian or an anthropologist or an economist; he has to invent the university by assembling and mimicking its language while finding some compromise between idiosyncrasy, a personal history, on the one hand, and the requirements of convention, the history of a discipline, on the other hand. He must learn to speak our language. Or he must dare to speak it or to carry off the bluff, since speaking and writing will most certainly be required long before the skill is "learned." And this, understandably, causes problems (pp. 134-135). While a number of authorities have written about a phenomenological approach to teaching and learning, especially in k-12 education, their work is neglected in literature on learner-centered practices in general. For example, Selvi (2008) reviewed much of the literature on phenomenological pedagogy and van Manen (1990) has written extensively about a phenomenological approach in k-12 and in teacher education. In Franklin s (2013) extensive review of phenomenological principles, she observed, A phenomenological approach to education asserts the primacy of individual experiences, thinking, knowing and being. Freedom, personal vision, self-discovery and conscious awareness are its characteristic qualities (p. 34). Could it be that adding a phenomenological focus on the transformational twist can enrich learning in higher education? Our findings provide a description of students experiences that indicate this may be so.
It is our contention that a phenomenological approach to teaching/learning comes about when we intertwine our own and our learners perceptions of the world with abstract course content. For example, a music teacher, if he is to reach his students, must experience a chiasm in which he attempts to share his world, his meaning in creating music, as well as expertise as a musician, acknowledging to learners his personal world related to course content and helping students meaning to stand out as well in our example, their perception of music as they listen and as they create it. This chiasm is an ever turning transformational twist. We contend a phenomenological approach to teaching/learning enriches principles and techniques often discussed as learnercentered. It enhances our technical skills and understanding as experts of given course content. This approach acknowledges that our own meaning, as instructors, comes in large part from our personal experience of the world and not solely from our expertise. But what would principles of a phenomenology of teaching/learning be? PRINCIPLES OF A PHENOMENOLOGICAL APPROACH Presented here are mutually supportive tenets derived from our long term research project on a phenomenological approach to learner-centered education. This research is a work-inprogress, but as a result of our preliminary findings we can confidently suggest the following principles to guide cultivation of a phenomenological approach to teaching/learning. We believe these principles enrich a learner-centered approach. As with all pedagogical suggestions, they are deployed to the extent that they can be integrated gracefully with the disposition and experience of the instructor or as Parker Palmer (2007) would say, according to the identity and integrity of the instructor. Our data suggest, however, that students report transformational learning when an instructor uses an approach guided by these phenomenological principles. 1. SAFETY. Developing a comfortable atmosphere that enables honest, spontaneous sharing of thoughts, which builds a sense of community where instructor and students focus on learning rather than performing. In our case study, the instructor created a comfortable environment where everyone was aware of the expectation to act with mutual respect, trust, and responsibility; Pollio joined students in creating a community of learners, balanced his expertise with inquiry, and encouraged their inquiry as well as advocacy of ideas. Students described how the social construction of knowledge helped them feel more like an inquiring learner and lessened the need to perform as a student. 2. PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. Joining with students initially in exploring relevant first person perceptions of the instructor and other class participants launches the world of the course content. In our case study, the instructor introduced course content by sharing personal stories and perceptions and by encouraging students to share their personal experiences related to content; Pollio used these perceptions to develop a deeper understanding of course content. These personal experiences enlivened the classroom with emotions, humor, and aesthetic reactions. Most students reported their learning was enhanced by others experiences and perceptions.
3. GUIDANCE. Facilitating the process of learning leads to deeper understanding of expertise. In our case study, the instructor was a guide from the side as well as a sage on the stage; Pollio prompted students to more precisely describe and clarify their perceptions of personal experiences as well as ideas related to course content. He intertwined these descriptions with course content through mini-lectures, demonstrations, and by encouraging students to share their insights rather than merely sharing expertise through his own elaboration and explanation. Students increased learning during the course was evident, for example, in their reflections after each class and through their dramatic improvement in ability to clearly understand and discuss reading material at the beginning of the course compared to the end of the course. 4. OPENNESS. Encouraging students to freely explore course content through class dialogue leads to more effective learning and application beyond the classroom. In our case study, the instructor clearly shared his intent for everyone to mess about with course content and to struggle openly with difficult concepts. This invited collaborative learning in which a multiplicity of perspectives was valued and the one-right answer fallacy was avoided. Students reported that the absence of pressure to perform increased their ability to explore assumptions and learn at a deep level. Many of the student reflections included comments about how students were clearly applying course content appropriately in their personal and professional lives. Our research team is about to submit one article for publication based on the findings of one of the numerous studies that we are completing as part of this project. We are using a phenomenological methodology in most of these studies. In addition, we are also completing an ethological study of classroom interactions and the resulting patterns that may lead us to a better understanding of how this transformational experience took place for participants in our two sections. We are also working on a book that may be of particular interest to those who teach and learn in higher education. References Alexander, P. A. and P. K. Murphy (1998). The research base for APA s learner-centered psychological principles. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association Baldwin, T. (Ed.). (2004). Maurice Merleau-Ponty: basic writings. Routledge. Bartholome, D. (1985). Inventing the university. In Rose, M. (Ed.). (1985). When a Writer Can t Write: Studies in Writer s Block and Other Composing Process Problems (134-165). New York: Guilford. Blumberg, P. (2009). Developing learner-centered teaching: A guide for faculty. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Franklin, K. (2013). Conversations with a phenomenologist: A phenomenologically oriented case study of instructional planning. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Merleau-Ponty, M. (2002). Phenomenology of perception. (C. Smith, Trans.). New York, NY: Routledge. (Original work published 1962). Palmer, P. J. (2007). The courage to teach: Exploring the inner landscape of a teacher's life. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Selvi, K. (2008). Phenomenological approach in education. In A. Tymieniecka (Ed.), Education in human creative existential planning, Analecta Husserliana, The yearbook of phenomenological research, Vol. XCV. Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer. van Manen, M. (1990). Researching lived experience: Human science for an action sensitive pedagogy. Albany: SUNY Press. Weimer, M. (2002). Learner-centered teaching: Five key changes to practice. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. 6th Annual Conference on Higher Education Pedagogy Learn more about our Phenomenology in Education Research Team (PERT)