Hi Chris and all
I agree with Len about the term 'learner' - though I know we've had this conversation before and some of us agree to disagree!
I know that you, like me, appreciate very much the work of Marcia Baxter Magolda. Others on the list might like to follow this up. I think there is an article called 'Developmental Education and Teacher-Student Partnerships to Create Meaning'. She has a number of books in which she builds on her concept of 'self-authorship' Her key points in this are that we (teachers, learning developers) should work with students in ways that help them develop their identities - to:
1. "Validate Students as Knowers"
2. "Situate Learning in the Student's Own Experience"
3. "Mutually Construct Meaning with Students"
See also - Baxter Magolda, Marcia. 1999. Creating Contexts for Learning and Self-Authorship. Nashville, TN: Vanderbilt University Press.
I also believe the complex aspects and processes of identity lead to its being emergent, socially, in the way Len suggests - though 'it' also develops in relation to 'itself' reflexively both over time and in context.
I am very privileged to be in Australia, where I've been talking at the HERDSA conference in Perth about 'critical thinking'. As part of my session, I referred to Shakespeare's Richard II in which, at one point the king, reflecting on being in prison (both literally (as a human - embodied mind) and metaphorically) says: "... thus play I, in one person, many people". This is after a process of reflecting on a number of his roles and identities ... I feel this has a resonance with how students new to a discipline - new to HE - and juggling other work/life roles often feel ....
... on that existential note, I'm off!
John
________________________________
From: learning development in higher education network on behalf of Len Holmes
Sent: Wed 12/07/2006 15:26
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Identities
Christine
well the concept of identity is, of course, a complex one - indeed, we
might better say 'concepts' (or, better, 'conceptualisations') rather
than treat it as a singular concept with unitary meaning.
I draw upon relational, porcessual approaches to social theory,
particularly interactionism, to explore what I term 'emergent identity'.
The use of the term 'emergent' is intended to draw attention to two key
aspects:
1. identity is usefully considered in terms of the interaction between
the individual and significant others, ie we should examine how what is
socially consequential in respect of what may be termed 'identity' is
emergent from the way a person presents themselves (a claim on an
identity) and the way that significant others ascribe identity to them
(ie affirmation or disaffirmation of the claim;
2. the processes of claim and affirmation/disaffirmation take place over
time, such that a person's identity becomes relatively
'stabilised', ie persons go through identity projects.
Such a mode of analysis enables us then to look at education ,
particularly higher education, and professional development in terms of
identity projects, what I term 'modalities of emergent identity' (see,
eg
http://www.re-skill.org.uk/papers/cms05.html).
The Graduate Identity Approach' to graduate employability is based on
such an analysis, and, I would argue, is a better way of understanding
employability than the conceptually and pragmatically flawed 'skills and
attributes' approach - not that it stops millions of pounds being wasted
(?) on that flawed approach ;-) (but I guess many people have too much
of their positions and careers tied up with the ideology of skills and
attributes to be prepared to give serious consideration an alternative).
Taking such a processual-relational approach applies equally to the
stages that an undergraduate goes through, from initial application to
completion and graduation, so presenting a model of transition that does
not rely upon spurious internalist/ mentalist notions of self-efficacy.
I would take issue with the term 'learner identity'. To be of any value,
a concept such as 'identity' needs to have a contrast - if one is not a
learner what else could one be? What we should say is 'student' or
'undergraduate' (or 'postgraduate', where appropriate) identity. The
promiscuous use of the term 'learner' (and other terms based on the
verbal form 'learn') are examples of what I term 'learnerism', and
ideology that that cause considerable harm to education and needs to be
subject to critical examination (see
http://www.re-skill.org.uk/papers/learningturn.html - I can let you have
details of later publication if you wish).
regards
Len
-------------------------------------------
Dr Leonard Holmes
Principal Lecturer in Human Resource Management
Manager of Postgraduate Programmes in HRM
Luton Business School, Putteridge Bury Campus,
Hitchin Road, Luton LU2 8LE
tel. 01582 734111 ext 5014
email [log in to unmask]
websites: http://www.re-skill.org.uk
http://www.odysseygroup.org.uk
email: [log in to unmask]
>>> Christine Keenan <[log in to unmask]> 07/12/06 1:14 PM >>>
Dear all
I know John will be picking up emails whilst he's away down under so hi
John, hope it's going well.
I know there is some discussion going on in the group at the moment
about what we think learning development is and we are also concerning
ourselves with trying to develop understanding of how and why students
use resources.
The main reason for my contacting the network just now is to see if
anyone in the group has done any work into learner identity - I'm aware
that there is some lit around on this topic, but would be interested to
know if anyone in this group has done any research in this area. I'm
interested because I'm researching on the area of transition to HE and
one of the aspects of this is how students develop their unique learner
identities.
Best wishes
Chris
Christine Keenan
Learning and Teaching Fellow
School of Design, Engineering & Computing
Bournemouth University
Poole House
Fern Barrow
Poole Dorset
BH12 5BB
Tel: 01202 965307
