Teaching and Learning

1. Reflection to Action: The Visiting Scholars’ SoTL-LD
Knowledge and Practices
UTLC Training Programme
@UUM, UTLC OYASB
April 21-22, 2014

2. Training Synopsis
 Promoting a global learning climate in UMM demands practitioners who
pursue and nurture the potentials of the increasing population of diverse
(foreign and local) learners. This 2-day training provides a realistic
platform where different perspectives borne out from the diverse
experiences of visiting academician-practitioners with the end purpose of
creating an integrative culture built around inclusion-oriented teaching
and learning across disciplines. In view of the tenets of SoTL, participants
will consciously process and examine their personal and professional
attitudes, behaviors and practices when working with UUM learners.
Factors of primary importance are strategies that they themselves utilize
and continuously refine as they respond to the direction and pace of
institutional change.

3. Training Outcomes
At the end of the training, the participants should be able to:
 articulate reflective thoughts and practices with respect to the
principles of LD (equity, equality, integration, and inclusion)
 display affirmative action in responding to current concerns and
issues in handling learners in diverse classes
 carry out an inclusive-driven instructional plan of action into
current teaching assignment/s

4.  Malaysia’s vision: Educational Hub
(National Development Plan, 2010-2020)The entry &
employment of
academic
experts in
Malaysia is
bound by
national
mandates
Internationalization Policy (MOHE, 2011)
Institutional Policy (10% foreign teaching force
if international students abound )
What brings & binds visiting scholars to MHEIs?

5. Professional scholars
(Higher Education Practitioners)
Teach: content/subject matter
experts
Publish: Public Intellectuals
Research: Reflective practitioners
& innovation experts
(field of expertise)
Source: MOE Development Thrust, 2014
How are these mandates translated into VS’ professional roles?

6. UTLC-UUM’s Maiden Initiative…
 To create a synergetic T & L platform for visiting scholars (VS)
 To chart VS initiatives & exemplary practices in teaching
diverse students/classes
 To showcase VS exemplary practices in teaching diverse students
(global classrooms)
How must UUM move to ORBIT around MOE’s “I” thrust?

7.  Why must UUM showcase the VS?
 As VS, what attributes and experiences make YOU unique in the system?
 How can VS make a “profound contribution” in UUM’s T & L culture?
UUM visiting scholars’ response…
 What challenges lie ahead this SoTL initiative?

8. Scholarship of Teaching & Learning
(SoTL): VS T & L Synergetic Platform
“Public sharing”: Community of Learners
What is SoTL?
- A scholarly inquiry into student
learning which advances the
practice of teaching by making
research findings public.
Teaching
practice
Student
learning
Reflective
Practitioners

9.  systematically analyse evidences of student learning;
 situate their work within existing literature;
 collaborate with other faculty both within or across disciplines; and,
 contribute to the body of knowledge about teaching and learning by
dissemination of their *research findings though appropriate, and
often times innovative means
* e.g.Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (JoSoTL, 2001)
Simply, SoTL enables practitioners to:

10. What do SoTL experts define reflection?
 “Learning from experience” (Spalding, 1998)
 “Systematic, critical and creative thinking about action with the
intention of understanding its roots and processes” (Fish &
Twinn,1997)
 “Thoughtful deliberation” (Tickle, 1994)
SoTL covers 3 Stages:
• The learning opportunity
• The information gathering and critical analysis
• The changed perspective (Spalding,1998)

11. How does RP SoTL work?
Source: Reid Gibbs, 1994
Gibb’s Reflective Cycle
What happened?
(description) Reflectivity
What was good/bad about
the experience?
(evaluation)
How can you make
sense of what happened?
(analysis)
What were you
thinking/feeling?
(feeling)
What would you do if it
happened again?
(action plan)
What alternatives did
you have?
(conclusion)
Reflective Practice

12. What KPI-related derivative does SoTL initiative provide ?
Fund-less
International
Journals
Continuous Self-propelled
Transferable &
collaborative
Theory
Practice
Community of Experts: T & L Exemplary Practices
“ A Theory & Practice Lighthouse”
Research:
Publication:
Boundless

13. Samples of Practitioners’ Reflections
“Input Bombardment Exercise”
Information covered?
Stimulation of new ideas?
Opportunity to
learn? Critical thoughts?

14. Task and learning cycles in operation
I went through the learning cycle many times, each time arriving back at another
problem having solved one. I was very aware that as I progress over the three weeks, one
does not go around the cycle before another problem appears. More problems can arise when
reflecting and conceptualizing. I learned that provided I completed the cycle with each
problem, it was possible to deal with more than one problem at once. One problem or
learning opportunity cannot be kept separate from others, as Minzberg suggested when
he talked about the variety of tasks completed by a manager in a day. I was constantly
dealing with a variety of problems and using different skills and learning styles to deal
with them.

15. UTLC -SoTL Plan of Action
Phase 1: SoTL Training
(April 21-22, 2014)
“Post Reflection: First 3-
Quarters, 2nd Sem. (VS)
Phase 2: SoTL Plan Intervention
(May 3-17, 2014)
“Concurrent Reflection: 4th
Quarter, 2nd Sem. (VS & students)
Phase 3: SoTL Interface
(June 24, 2014)
“Reflection sharing:
T & L Semester Recap”
(VS & SoTL LD Prac.)
Phase 4:
Consolidation &
presentation of
VS reflections
(Aug. 2014)
Cycle 2 (to be determined
after cycle 1) Cycle 1

16. What will VS SoTL showcase?
 Type & variation of inclusive-related T & L
practices
 Initiatives & response mechanisms rendered in
teaching diverse classes
 Factors/precursors that facilitate the practice and
adoption of inclusive teaching

17. Our Inner voices…
Fact & Assumption Busting
Who are your (UUM) students?
Who are they as “LEARNERS”?
Exploring Common Grounds

18. What is this group attempting to showcase?
 Type & variation of inclusive-related T & L
practices & initiatives
 Factors/precursors for the practice and adoption of
inclusive teaching strategies
 evaluate the response mechanisms used in
teaching diverse classes
 develop a working framework to advance LD- SoTL
advocacy in the academic setting
Sexual
Orientation
Age
Religion
Care giver
status
Race
Color
Abilities
Military
service
Political
Belief
Geographic
location
Education
level
Extensive
Travel
Manager/Suprvisor
Income
Partner
status
STUDENT
Seniority
Tele-
commute
Group/Enterprise
Expatriate
Union
Work
location
Component s and Factors of Diversity
COMPONENTS
Inborn human
characteristics
Personal experiences
Personal styles
tendencies
Organizational
dimensions
Externals factors
Source: Loden’s Diversity Wheel

19. What is this group attempting to showcase?
 Type & variation of inclusive-related T & L
practices & initiatives
 Factors/precursors for the practice and adoption of
inclusive teaching strategies
 evaluate the response mechanisms used in
teaching diverse classes
 develop a working framework to advance LD- SoTL
advocacy in the academic setting
Sexual
Orientation
Age
Religion
Care giver
status
Race
Color
Abilities
Military
service
Political
Belief
Geographic
location
Education
level
Extensive
Travel
Manager/Suprvisor
Income
Partner
status
STUDENT
Seniority
Tele-
commute
Group/Enterprise
Expatriate
Union
Work
location
Component s and Factors of Diversity
COMPONENTS
Inborn human
characteristics
Personal experiences
Personal styles
tendencies
Organizational
dimensions
Externals factors
Source: Loden’s Diversity Wheel
DIFFERENCES
Individual
Categorical Contextual
Pedagogical
LEARNER DIVERSITY
Refers to the identity encompassing a wide range of
characteristics, including gender, linguistic background, socio-
economic situation, family life, religion, interests, physical or
emotional challenges, skills and abilities, motivation and life
experiences of a learner
Source: Paine, 2007

20. LEARNER DIVERSITY
is characterized by a TRANSFORMATION
( taking place in a learner)
as a result of PEDAGOGICAL PROCESSES
(learning)
and from which the FORMATION of new frames of
understanding,
ways of meaning,
capacities to act ,
& expressions of identity EMERGE.

21. Our Inner voices…
For the past 9 teaching weeks, what
course of actions/practices have you
rendered that are worth replicating &
sharing? Why?

22. EQUALIZATION: same conduct in communication & contact,
quantity or values for all individual & groups to ensure that they
experience equal opportunities , treatment, & welfare ( Hyland,
2010; Lappalainen, 2009)
EQUITY: ideas of fairness and social justice which may challenge
the dominant group in order to provide different treatment or
special measures (Hyland, 2010; Sarra, 2008). It’s a principle that
enables every learner get access to fair, just and non-
discriminatory education & care
INTEGRATION: process or status of interweaving a diverse
community of learners that transforms their lives through a
comprehensive & synergetic approach (Kumra & Manfredi, 2012)
INCLUSION: way of thinking, an orientation, an ideology, a set of
practices, or policies that fosters attention to human rights,
respect for differences, & values of diversity (Cushner, 2009).
Learner Diversity FUNDAMENTAL Constructs

23. Students:
know who
they are
Course
Content:
What we
teach
Teaching
methods:
How we
teach
Lecturer:
know
oneself
Engaging
Environment
Source: Marchesani, L. & Adams, M. (1992). Models for Teaching Diversity
Equity
Equalization
Inclusion
Integration
Instructional Dynamics

24. Our Inner voices…
What recurring issues/concerns have you been
encountering while teaching diverse students
at UUM?

25. • processes
• outcomes
Integrative
• content
• activities
Broadened
• objectives
• resources
Responsive
Inclusion-driven Instruction

26. Interactive
& Relational
Engagement
Approaches
Accessible
Support
System
Alternative
& Authentic
Assessment
Varied &
Appropriate
Delivery &
Resources
Inclusion –driven
Instructional
Practices
P
N
T
I
L
G
P
S
T
S
S
G
I
C
F
C
E
Inclusion-driven T & L Practices

27. My SoTL –LD Reflection Template
Concerns & Problems
Course of actions
(practices) Reflection
Student learning support
1. Peer support
2. Teacher support
3. Learning group support
Teaching strategies
1. Student centred learning
2.Teacher centred learning
Instructional resources
1.Print
2.Non-print
3.Techno-driven
Assessment & evaluation
1.Formative
2.Summative
3.Feedback

28. UTLC -SoTL Plan of Action
Phase 1: SoTL Training
(April 21-22, 2014)
“Post Reflection: First 3-
Quarters, 2nd Sem. (VS)
Phase 2: SoTL Plan Intervention
(May 3-17, 2014)
“Concurrent Reflection: 4th
Quarter, 2nd Sem. (VS & students)
Phase 3: SoTL Interface
(June 24, 2014)
“Reflection sharing:
T & L Semester Recap”
(VS & SoTL LD Prac.)
Phase 4:
Consolidation &
presentation of
VS reflections
(Aug. 2014)
Cycle 2 (to be determined
after cycle 1) Cycle 1