3 Shifting Staff Mindsets
Implementing active learning for all may require staff to transition from their own experience as learners to adopting a new pedagogic approach. The challenges to implementing active learning can cover a wide spectrum from a deep-seated belief of what good teaching looks like (which may not align with active learning), to a lack of confidence or even a lack of awareness of or experience with active learning. In line with the analysis offered by a systems thinking lens in Section 1 which emphasises that mindsets (attitudes, beliefs and values) play a key role in influencing patterns of behaviour, contributions in this section highlight that without attention to such attitudes and beliefs, and systematic attempts to build awareness and confidence, active learning will not happen for all. The contributions in this section examine approaches to communicate and influence attitudes and beliefs about what good teaching is and the role active learning plays in that process. They give examples of how staff can be made aware of the often tacit attitudes and beliefs they hold about teaching and supporting learning and then, where appropriate, constructively challenged as part of their journey to become confident enablers of active learning.
The importance of examining assumptions is explored in contributions by Elliot et al., Oprandi, Kushwah and Lin. By systematically addressing the common challenges of and misconceptions about active online learning and providing design choices that address these concerns, Elliot et al. confront the main challenges to active learning online, offering design choices that directly respond to these concerns. They develop the idea that effective online active learning can be achieved by using an integrated approach where the affordances of technology and the underpinning pedagogy are considered in tandem, without privileging one over the other. Their approach not only informs online delivery but can also be applied to ‘blended’ learning contexts or any learning situation that uses the affordances of technology.
In an opinion piece Oprandi asserts that rather than online platforms presenting challenges to active learning, the online environment is particularly suited to providing an inclusive and engaging environment for active learning.
Challenging the idea that active learning is only happening if there is lively chatter, Kushwah argues that we need to see silence as an important component of active engagement and as an opportunity for reflection and meaningful learning. This idea is developed by Lin with the idea that engagement in active learning can take many forms. Together, these contributions are examples of how we can examine and then challenge often deep-seated beliefs and assumptions around teaching and learning and the forms active learning can take.
A reflection on the personal shift in mindset is described by Xi, who shares the experience of a new academic discovering and adopting active learning practice. They explain how using active learning methods helped them to find the joy and purpose in teaching.
