1. Collective Pedagogy: Employing
Cogenerative Dialogue in a Graduate
Campus Environments Course
Whitney Lewis, Chris Linder, Hannah Moon, & Kevin Seavers
University of Georgia
SACSA Conference, November 2, 2014
Special thanks to Dr. Ginny Jones, Michigan State University, as a co-researcher
in this project! #SAcogen
2. What is Cogen?
• Cogenerative Dialogues
• Rooted in Cultural-Historical Activity Theory
• Reflection on process
• “Cogenerate” learning experiences
• Relationship between the environment and the learner
• Attention to interrupting power dynamics and
institutional hierarchies
#SAcogen
3. Significance of Cohort-
Based Model
• Cohort dynamics
• Fear of peers’ perceptions
• External influences on Cogen
o Previous classroom experiences
o Relationships with instructors
o Focus on classroom vs. cohort issues
#SAcogen
4. Role of the Learner
• Agency in the Classroom
• Addressing Privilege and Social Justice
• Changes in Behavior and Class Structure
#SAcogen
5. Practical Application
• Congruence of Content & Form
• Empowerment & Accountability
• Use in Classroom vs. Programming Efforts
o Process-orientated, high variability, ongoing initiatives
o Ex.: RA Training, Orientation, Student Org. Leadership
• Partnerships across Academic & Student
Affairs #SAcogen
7. References
• Bondi, S. (2013). Using cogenerative dialogues to improve teaching and
learning. About Campus, 18(3), 2-8. doi: 10.1002/abc.21117
• Bondi, S. (2011). Complicity with the neocolonial project in education: A
deconstruction of student affairs preparation practices. Unpublished
dissertation. Retrieved from
http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1513&context=etd.
• Foot, K. A. (2014). Cultural-Historical Activity Theory: Exploring a theory to
inform practice and research. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social
Environment, 24(3), 329-347, doi: 10.1080/10911359.2013.831011
• Linder, C., & Jones, G. (2014, November). Collective pedagogy: Exploring the
use of cogenerative dialogues for teaching and learning with master’s students.
Paper presented at the Association for the Study of Higher Education
annual meeting.
• Roth, W., Tobin, K., & Zimmerman, A. (2002). Coteaching/cogenerative
dialoguing: Learning environments research as classroom praxis. Learning
Environments Research, 5, 1-29.
• Tobin, K., & Roth, W. (2006). Teaching to learn: A view from the field.
Rotterdam, The Netherlands: Sense Publishers.
#SAcogen
8. Presenter Contact Info
Whitney Lewis
wlewis@uga.edu
Twitter: WhitLewis88
Chris Linder
linder@uga.edu
Twitter: @proflinder
#SAcogen
Hannah Moon
hmoon@uga.edu
Twitter: HMoon87
Kevin Seavers
kseavers@uga.edu
Twitter: @KJSeavers
Editor's Notes
Introductions – presenters, who is in the room
Note the importance of “cogenerated” presentation
Graduate Students – Doctoral? Master’s?
Faculty?
Functional areas?
Housing?
Greek Life?
Orientation/Admissions?
International Student Services?
Multicultural/LGBT/Women’s Center?
Access?
Cogenerative dialogue is a pedagogical practice dedicated to engaging students in the process of teaching and learning through intentional reflection about learning processes (Tobin & Roth, 2006). Students and faculty participate in dialogues about the previous class experience and leave the dialogue with a plan to improve the process in future class meetings, co-generating ideas and strategies that may not have been considered through individual reflection. The instructor remains responsible for directing the content of the course, and students move from “participation to contribution” (Murphy & Carlisle, 2008, p. 497) in the class process. While the instructor may make some changes to the course design as a result of the discussion, previous use of cogen in graduate education indicates the most significant changes occur within the learners themselves (Bondi, 2013).
The use of cogenerative dialogues is most widely documented in teacher education literature, especially in science education (Murphy & Carlisle, 2008; Stith & Roth, 2010; Tobin & Roth, 2006). Few studies document the use of cogen in graduate education, though one study specifically highlights the use of cogenerative dialogues to disrupt power dynamics in a college student development theory course (Bondi, 2011). Through cogen, the co-instructors involved students in regular discussions about the process of learning in the course, resulting in student engagement in implementation of class activities and modification of assignments, developing and maintaining group norms and accountability, and addressing educational inequities (Bondi, 2013).
Cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) takes a holistic approach of looking at human thought and action within the larger cultural and historical contexts in which they occur (Roth & Lee, 2007). As it relates to research, CHAT provides a framework for exploring interrelations of the motives, actions, cultures, and histories of the subjects of inquiry (Foot, 2014; Roth, Lee, & Hsu, 2009; Stith & Roth, 2010). CHAT exposes the subjective and intersubjective nature of learning and has been argued to be a theory for praxis aimed at collectively producing change (Roth, Lee, & Hsu, 2009). It unmasks learning as a process that takes place between humans and their environments and suggests examining the process can lead to understanding the source of contradictions impeding goal attainment (Roth & Tobin, 2004). In education, CHAT “articulates the meaningful and purposeful transformation of learning opportunities through students and teachers working collaboratively” (Murphy & Carlisle, 2008, p. 495).
