Hi Keith, Yaakub and others

 

Keith, the ‘invitational theory’ that Yaakub thanks me for, was actually given to me by a white South African staff member at our polytechnic in the mid 1990s, Dr Patsy Paxton.  Patsy in turn acquired it from a guy called William Watson Purkey in the U.S.  I copy in below, a brief synopsis of (and website for) this theory, which I quoted earlier on this list, possibly before you logged on.

 

I really like the thought that a U.S.-based theory, brought to New Zealand by a South African, is now resonating with educators like Yaakub in the U.K. and bouncing back to South Africa!

 

Kind regards

Pip Bruce Ferguson

 

The other thing that you might find quite novel and VERY useful, as we did at Waikato Polytechnic, is a theory that was built up in the States by a guy called William Watson Purkey.  It's called Invitational Theory, and was hugely effective in introducing our wide range of lecturers - both in terms of different cultural and different discipline groups - to educational theory that they could quickly grasp, apply and self-critique on.  Best to go to the Invitational website, http://www.invitationaleducation.net/publications/journal/index.htm

 

But the theory uses everyday language to capture quite complex relationships, such as whether our educational practice is 'intentionally inviting', 'unintentionally inviting', 'unintentionally disinviting' or 'intentionally disinviting' (why anyone would practise that last one beats me, but I guess it happens!) There is also a component to the theory that asks us to reflect on whether and how we are practising invitational theory in policies, programmes, through people, places and processes - perhaps check Purkey's own explanation of the basic tenets of the theory in one journal, http://www.invitationaleducation.net/publications/journal/v11p5.htm

and whether we are being personally and professionally inviting with ourselves and others.  There is a sound basis to this theory and the online journals provide great examples of how educators around the world are using it.  We were introduced to it by Dr Patsy Paxton, a South African (now Kiwi) who taught it to us in an Educational Theory course, and was a living example of what she taught.  I have rarely known a more 'intentionally inviting' person!  She is now the Academic Director at Auckland University of Technology.