Spheres of Influence: Ventures and Visions in Educational Development*

3-6 July, 2002
The University of Western Australia
Perth, Western Australia

Abstract

Personal and professional values. Their place and importance in transformative learning.

Michael Christie, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden

In this workshop the facilitator will briefly introduce a teaching technique he uses in his own educational development courses for international teachers at a large technical university in Sweden. The participants will then fill out a survey of personal and professional values. While the facilitator collates the results of the survey the participants will discuss (in small groups) issues raised by the use of such a survey. The content and purpose of such a survey will be examined. The key question of whether a university education can or should be value free will be discussed. Techniques for helping university teachers realise that their personal and professional value systems and the assumptions that underlie them may not be shared by others will also be a focus of the discussion. Part of the group task will be to predict the outcome of the survey. In the plenary session each group will get a chance to briefly report on their discussions and speculate on the results of the survey. The survey data will then be disclosed followed by a short discussion of the results. The facilitator will close the session with some summary remarks.

Key words:
Values; Change; Learning

Objectives, outcomes and activities:
By the end of the session the paricipants will have:

heard a brief introduction a teaching technique used in pedagogical courses for university teachers
filled out an annonymous survey of their personal and professional values
engaged in small group discussion on the survey, its content and its purpose
discussed the question of values in teaching and learning
considered the role of a teacher in helping individuals identify and possibly change values in order to be better teachers and learners
seen and commented on the results of their own survey and
summed up issues from their group work

Michael Christie is an educational developer employed by Chalmer's University of Technology, Göteborg, Sweden. His first degree was in history. His PhD was in education but focused on cultural values and culture clash. His thesis was published as Aborigines in Colonial Victoria 1835-1886 by SUP. He has maintained an interest in values and their place in teaching and learning both in his research and in the courses he takes for Chalmers teachers.

Contact: Michael Christie, email: Michael.Christie@pedu.chalmers.se