Dear all,
One of my favourite topics! I have used Learning Walks in many ways and continue to experiment with their purpose and design. I often
blog about them as I try to understand their logistical and pedagogical dimensions.
They interest me mainly as a flexible semi-structured active learning space ideal for facilitating reflective learning conversations.
One way I have adapted them is to look at how social media can be used to extend the walk so that dispersed learning networks can share ideas and thinking despite (and because) being situated in different locations and contexts. Because they resemble mobile
Tweetchats with an expectation to create, share and build upon ideas, I call these Twalks and several other people have used and developed this model – we have a Twalk Toolkit on the MELSIG website.
I blogged about a Twalk I organised last week for our Active Learning Network that addressed the Doing, Being, Belonging, Becoming
& Connecting model I use to engage people in thinking about identity. You can see more about this here:
https://tactilelearning.wordpress.com/2020/01/25/further-reflections-on-learning-walks-and-the-twalk-model-of-activelearning/
I hope this is useful. I am always keen to hear from others interested in this form of active learning ‘space’ and what we can learn from it.
Best wishes
Andrew
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From: Online forum for SEDA, the Staff & Educational Development Association
<[log in to unmask]> On Behalf Of Virna Rossi
Sent: 06 February 2020 13:13
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: learning walks
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Many thanks for sharing Penny, very interesting, I had read that paper before and it is an excellent idea.
The learning walks I was referring to are more like another way to carry out lesson observations I suppose... It is not about learning while walking (which is a great idea) but walking around the institution to look at learning spaces and
learners while they are in in teaching spaces. This is pretty common practice in schools, usually by Ofsted or Senior managers, so done 'to' staff rather than by staff. But my manager wanted to adopt the idea and adapt it, turning it into a peer-to-peer learning
experience. It sounds like this does not happen in other institutions from the replies I have received.
Best
Virna
On Thu, 6 Feb 2020 at 12:58, Burden, Penny <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Hi Virna – this is the link to the paper at the SEDA conference (November 2018)
https://www.seda.ac.uk/resources/files/28_Quinsee%20Bullimore.pdf
We use prompts within the walks – colleagues are asked to think about a successful experience they had (related to learning and teaching) and share it with a colleague while they walk. We stop at a given point when the paired colleagues come together with other pairs in a small group and share their discussions, reflecting on their similarities, differences etc. Then we set off on another walk (back to base) with another prompt for the conversation etc. We do this in the session which is focused on supporting colleagues with writing their FHEA applications, to encourage them to reflect on their practice so the prompts are related to our application process. I can ask one of my colleagues who leads the programme to provide more details if you’re interested. It does help that our teaching sessions take place on our leafy out of town campus, rather than in the middle of Kingston!
Penny
From: Virna Rossi <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: 06 February 2020 12:31
To: Burden, Penny <[log in to unmask]>
Cc: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: learning walks
Dear Penny
I never heard of a 'reflective' learning walk, that sounds interesting - would you tell me how you promote reflection? Are there prompts? Or something to do afterwards? On one of our PGCert Units, I ask participants to pair up with a colleague they do not know well, and to take each other on a learning walk around their own area of the University, take one or two photos of something meaningful to them to then share with the group. It has been received well and it is a real eye opener for most - it has generated collaboration and better understanding of different areas of work within the institution. So, I suppose that could be called a reflective learning walk?
Just to explain why I asked the original question, my manager has recently introduced 'learning walks' for all academics, It is literally two members of staff taking a walk through our internal learning spaces, open and closed to get an 'impression' of learning taking place. All course leaders are invited to participate in the walks, and some are. But these walks have been seen as 'inspectors walks' because the first ones happened by senior managers and because the initial general feedback to staff at our staff forum was negative (!). Maybe on a walk the negative things are easier to spot than the positive?
Basically I would like to support the initiative, because I think it is a useful and fresh way to get some insight (an impression) into learning and it can be a valid staff development activity. But it is a cultural change from the usual observations so it will take time to get buy-in. And it has started on a bad footing. How can staff be helped to see the benefits? And should these internal learning walks have a focus?
Many thanks
Virna
On Thu, 6 Feb 2020 at 12:03, Burden, Penny <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
We introduced a reflective learning walk as part of our Introduction to Learning and Teaching programme a couple of years ago, after one of my colleagues was inspired by a presentation at a SEDA conference – it’s been very well received, I can highly recommend it. BUT – I read Virna’s original email in the light of teaching observations… Maybe I got the wrong end of the stick but something along the line of what happens in schools and colleges, “Walkarounds” which (so I understand) are unannounced drop ins to teaching sessions – where senior members of staff in schools drop in on teaching staff..
Maybe it’s just me at cross purposes here (apologies if so) – but I’d be interested in hearing more about the approach mentioned by Sean Bracken in his response to Virna’s question as we’re reviewing our teaching observation scheme here at Kingston and are looking at all options!
Penny
Penny Burden, SFHEA
Associate Professor (Learning and Teaching)
Learning and Teaching Enhancement Centre
Directorate for Student Achievement
Kenry House
Kingston Hill Campus
Kingston University
Tel: 0208 417 5589
Ext: 65589
Help? Visit Support for Academic Staff
https://staffspace.kingston.ac.uk/dep/studentachievement/LTEC/Pages/default.aspx
From: Online forum for SEDA, the Staff & Educational Development Association <[log in to unmask]> On Behalf Of steveoutram
Sent: 06 February 2020 11:37
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: learning walks
Hi Virna
You may have seen it already but just in case - Norman Jackson and Ronald Barnett's new text - Ecologies for Learning and Practice, Routledge engages exactly with 'learning walks' . Chapter 13, for example, is about learning walks in Bristol - the whole book is about learning ecologies - brilliant!
In a related way, you might also look at the work that the University of Kent have done - building a reflective labyrinth as a part of their creative campus initiative.
All best
Steve
‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Original Message ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
On Thursday, 6 February 2020 08:00, Virna Rossi <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Dear colleagues
I would like to find out about learning walks in other HEIs.
Do you 'walk' at your HEI? Who walks? Why? How often?
Are walks a series of mini-observations? Or something else? Is feedback provided? How?
Do staff prefer them? Do walks encourage an open doors policy? Or are they just a management tool to save time compared to 'regular' observations?
I am aware that settings and environments vary and I think the why (purpose) of the walks would determine the how. But what should be the purpose of a learning walk?
Thanking you in advance for any ideas, examples, research or answers to the above questions.
Wishing you a good Thursday
Virna
--
Virna Rossi
BA (Hons), PGCert, Master of Teaching, SFHEA
Course Leader
Postgraduate Certificate of Education in Teaching and Learning for Creative Courses
NEW! Starting soon at Ravensbourne - MA in Creative Education
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Virna Rossi
BA (Hons), PGCert, Master of Teaching, SFHEA
Course Leader
Postgraduate Certificate of Education in Teaching and Learning for Creative Courses
NEW! Starting soon at Ravensbourne - MA in Creative Education
My usual work days are Mondays and Wednesday. On other days there will be a delay in replying to your message.
I sometimes work at irregular times so if this email reaches you in the evenings please do not feel obliged to respond until normal working hours.
Ravensbourne University London
This email, and its attachments if any, may be confidential or legally privileged and is intended to be seen only by the person to whom it is addressed. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender immediately, delete it from your system and do not copy, disclose or otherwise act upon any part of this email or its attachments.
The views expressed herein are those of the author and should not be taken as those of Ravensbourne University London, unless this is specifically stated.
Ravensbourne University London is a higher education corporation under the terms of the Education Reform Act 1988 and the Further and Higher Education Act 1992. The institution is an exempt charity for the purposes of the Charities Act 2011. Ravensbourne University London’s address is 6 Penrose Way, Greenwich, London, SE10 0EW
Please consider the environment before printing this email.
--
Virna Rossi
BA (Hons), PGCert, Master of Teaching, SFHEA
Course Leader
Postgraduate Certificate of Education in Teaching and Learning for Creative Courses
NEW! Starting soon at Ravensbourne - MA in Creative Education
My usual work days are Mondays and Wednesday. On other days there will be a delay in replying to your message.
I sometimes work at irregular times so if this email reaches you in the evenings please do not feel obliged to respond until normal working hours.
Ravensbourne University London
This email, and its attachments if any, may be confidential or legally privileged and is intended to be seen only by the person to whom it is addressed. If you are not the intended
recipient, please notify the sender immediately, delete it from your system and do not copy, disclose or otherwise act upon any part of this email or its attachments.
The views expressed herein are those of the author and should not be taken as those of Ravensbourne University London, unless this is specifically stated.
Ravensbourne University London is a higher education corporation under the terms of the Education Reform Act 1988 and the Further and Higher Education Act 1992. The institution
is an exempt charity for the purposes of the Charities Act 2011. Ravensbourne University London’s address is 6 Penrose Way, Greenwich, London, SE10 0EW
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