Quiet Spaces, Collective Voices

Quiet Spaces, Collective Voices: Creative Pedagogies for Reflection and Renewal

Educational institutions, and institutions more broadly, often overlook the value of our collective narratives and the stories of those who shaped them. This session offers an active yet meditative space for attendees to engage in and reflect on creative and liberatory practices that have been shared across our community – and in doing so to implicitly honour some of the individuals and collectives who have made contributions to education, society, and our community, whether big or small.

The LD community has created a pedagogy of practice that can get lost in the ‘chatter’ and clutter of everyday working lives. We will revisit some practices that have been surfaced, shared and celebrated by ALDinHE. Framed as five focused activities that LDs can draw upon for their own teaching practice, this workshop session aims to provide a meaningful space for reflection and remembrance. By sharing techniques for noticing, poetry, drawing, collaborative writing – and concluding with a short, guided meditation, we offer a space for replenishment and hope.

Presenter profiles:

Sandra Sinfield SFHEA and CeLP, is Associate Teaching Professor in the Centre for Professional and Educational Development at London Metropolitan University, a co-author of Teaching, Learning and Study Skills: a guide for tutors and Essential Study Skills: the complete guide to success at university (5th Edition), and one of the co-founders of the Association for Learning Development in Higher Education (ALDHE). Sandra is interested in creativity as emancipatory practice in Higher Education.

Dr Sandra Abegglen is a Researcher in the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape at the University of Calgary where she explores learning and teaching in the design disciplines as the project lead of TALON. Sandra also has an MSc in Social Research and a MA in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education. She has over eight years’ experience as a Senior Lecturer in Education Studies. Her research interests are in online education, creative learning and teaching, mentoring, visual narratives, identity and qualitative research methods. She has published widely on emancipatory learning and teaching practice, and playful pedagogy, and was co-editor for the JUTLP Special Issue on Collaboration in Higher Education. Sandra is a Certified Practitioner for Learning Development and a Fellow of Advance HE.

Debbie Holley (NTF PFHEA SCMALT) is the Emeritus Professor of Learning Development and Learning Innovation at Bournemouth University. She has extensive experience working with the ALDinHE community, through her keynotes, journal articles and contribution to their annual events. Debbie served on their national Committee for six years. Her research interests are around supporting the student experience, inside and outside the formal classrooms, and the use of technologies to access all areas of the curricula.