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How my multiple border crossings in higher education have contributed to my living theory

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dc.creatorDean, Catherine
dc.dateTue, 19 Mar 2013 14:16:27
dc.dateTue, 19 Mar 2013 14:16:27
dc.date.accessioned2015-03-18T11:28:51Z
dc.date.available2015-03-18T11:28:51Z
dc.descriptionPaper presented at HELTASA 2011: Crossing Borders For Change In Southern African Higher Education. 30th November ‐ 2nd December 2011. Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (Port Elizabeth, South Africa).
dc.descriptionI am Irish by birth and upbringing. I studied and taught Philosophy and Theology in Italy (1994-2004), where I experienced and used traditional lecturing methods. Currently I teach Philosophy to undergraduates from various disciplines at Strathmore University in Nairobi. My multiple border crossings torespond proactively to diversity and the need for transformational learning in higher education really began upon my arrival in Kenya in 2004, when I faced challenges which I had to overcome to be effective in my teaching practice. In this paper I show how I am using living theory action research to develop a “living” methodology based on in-depth reflection onmy teaching experience and student feedback over time, to adjust various aspectsof my teaching practice to foster transformative learning in my students. This process has enabled me to identify the educational values which motivate my work and which are now the standards of judgement against which I evaluate the effectiveness of my practice. As I narrate my response to some of the more relevant challenges faced, using specifically designed learning projects, I will show how my personalliving educational theory has developed. I hope to show that true effectiveness in“crossing borders for change in higher education” can only be achieved if we are willing to change ourselves in practice in the first place, and so be in a position to help our students want to change themselves and contribute to improving our society.
dc.description.abstractI am Irish by birth and upbringing. I studied and taught Philosophy and Theology in Italy (1994-2004), where I experienced and used traditional lecturing methods. Currently I teach Philosophy to undergraduates from various disciplines at Strathmore University in Nairobi. My multiple border crossings torespond proactively to diversity and the need for transformational learning in higher education really began upon my arrival in Kenya in 2004, when I faced challenges which I had to overcome to be effective in my teaching practice. In this paper I show how I am using living theory action research to develop a “living” methodology based on in-depth reflection onmy teaching experience and student feedback over time, to adjust various aspectsof my teaching practice to foster transformative learning in my students. This process has enabled me to identify the educational values which motivate my work and which are now the standards of judgement against which I evaluate the effectiveness of my practice. As I narrate my response to some of the more relevant challenges faced, using specifically designed learning projects, I will show how my personalliving educational theory has developed. I hope to show that true effectiveness in“crossing borders for change in higher education” can only be achieved if we are willing to change ourselves in practice in the first place, and so be in a position to help our students want to change themselves and contribute to improving our society.
dc.formatNumber of Pages:48
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11071/3457
dc.languageeng
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dc.subjectborder crossing
dc.subjecthigher education
dc.titleHow my multiple border crossings in higher education have contributed to my living theory
dc.typeConference Paper
dspace.entity.typePublication
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