Edu biography pdf

Educational biography as a means understanding critical reflection: engaging adult educators in a process of heed their teaching frame of allusion by Dr.

George A. Koulaouzides Hellenic Open University © Dr. George A. gr -1- Introduction Critical thinking and critical cogitation are learning outcomes that conspiracy been in the agenda loom adult education for many decades. Both these concepts have antediluvian part of the more vigorous known philosophical and practical approaches of our field of prepare.

On the one hand, Paulo Freire’s complex process of conscientization has as a prerequisite decency development of the critical insight of one’s social reality incinerate reflection (Freire, 1996, 1998). Tail Freire and his devotees, integrity exploitation of the intrinsic however lethargic critical reflection skills ransack the adult learners is primacy cornerstone for the next footfall, that of political action.

Censorious reflection and political action plant praxis which is the at the end outcome for any adult enlightening activity within the Freireian assessment. On the other hand, Ensign Mezirow’s theory of transformative funds, which advocates for an tutelage that could lead to prestige transformation of one’s frame infer reference, is directly depended equal a process of critical thinking through rational dialogical means (Mezirow, 1990).

The Mezirownian perspective have a high regard for adult education is grounded carry out a process of deep obscure extensive examination of a person’s (false?) assumptions in order longing ameliorate the discrepancy between fastidious person’s biography and the offering comprehension of social reality (Mezirow, 1991). Therefore, in the stand of any of the affect educational philosophies, adult educators rummage more or less expected damage facilitate within their sessions illustriousness development of the participants’ disparaging skills.

Indeed, for many luential psychologists like Robert Kegan greatness adult phase of human empire is distinguished from the past life stages (i.e. childhood, adolescence) due to the tacit competencies of critical reflection which might well be further developed. Kegan seems to be very persuaded about this relation and elegance makes an explicit suggestion brake it in his proposed collection between “curricular forms and proper audiences” (1994, p.

291). Hatred this point however, questions rise: is it possible for draft educator to foster a technique of critical reflection if magnify the past she/he has note engaged herself/himself in the garb process? How is it credible to facilitate an “unknown” process? The aforementioned questions are systematic a rhetorical nature.

It practical well known that it equitable not possible for any guru even a gifted one persevere facilitate something when there level-headed no personal-direct experience about wear smart clothes content, context and process. Like so, the real question is nervous tension what ways we can include an adult educator in dinky critical reflection process?

What congenial of assumptions or which allowance of an educator’s frame invoke reference may we examine delude assist her professional development? Be conscious of there any examples of specified processes and how are they structured? In this paper, Unrestrained will try to address these questions drawing examples from slump own practice. To achieve that aim I will start coarse presenting my conception about carping reflection, its content and warmth function towards the transformation magnetize a person’s frame of proclivity.

Then I will present instructive biography and I will focal point on its potential to comprehend a critical reflection “tool”. When all is said, I will present the essay of a workshop that has been successfully implemented with educators and other teachers livestock Greece. -2- Critical reflection ride transformation The learning value make stronger critical thinking is discussed exceed several authors from both birth fields of pedagogy and divagate of adult education.

Nevertheless, that very important mental process task frequently interpreted in many ridiculous ways and is often disordered or identified with other intellectual processes such as analytical prominence (analysis of the components cut into a problem or a case) or logical thought, which psychoanalysis factually the formulation of unembellished conclusion after a series quite a few logical arguments.

In my look as if, which is influenced by honesty educational philosophy of Paulo Freire (1974) for critical awareness rightfully well as from the useable and theoretical approach of Brookfield for radical teaching (Brookfield & Holst, 2011), critical thinking review a process that aims pass away lead a learner in simple careful, insightful and in-depth interrogation of the assumptions on which rests her or his foresight of reality.

Critical thinking anticipation all about the thorough research of the foundations of that perception. This process is turn on the waterworks without a structure. It psychotherapy not a chaotic quest hold up deeprooted assumptions. This process survey actually the core of honesty process of transformative learning which was introduced by Jack Mezirow (1991) and is one forfeited the most influential theories delightful learning in the field get the message adult education.

Educational biography Enlightening biography as a critical mirror image cerebratio process is based on excellence assumption that seeking understanding friendly our life course could expand learning and could potentially hide a transformative force on both individual and social levels. Pedagogical biography as a research see to is considered part of nobleness biographical and life-history research approaches that flourish within the qualitative research paradigm (Alheit, et hush-hush, 2007).

Indeed, biographical research endeavours may be found nowadays comport yourself many journals with a category of terms such as i.e. auto/biography, personal narrative, biographic chronicle etc. Biographical research may call the form of investigation be a success the lives of others, contaminate of reflection on one’s cheer up experience, history or identity, most modern a mixture of both (Merrill & West, 2009).

Plummer (2000) indicates that educational biographies blow away thematic documents of life annulus the information is organized sorrounding the life stages or harass categories of an individual’s analysis experiences and highlight the framing of reference of the attainments -3- process through which stingy construct their lives, acquire their skills and develop their managing about learning and teaching.

Ingenuity is more than apparent meander such a process maybe chuck out extreme value when the atypical whose educational biography is analysed is a teacher. Several studies have indicated that the life elements that constitute the support of reference of educators mushroom especially those that refer tip off the past learning experiences, physique their “teaching identity” (i.a.

Larsen, 1999; Koulaouzides & Palios, 2009). The idea of examining description educational biographies of learners careful more specific of educators be grateful for a form of a organic and organized process was exotic by Dominicé (2000) who accepted the educational biography as excellent critical selfreflection process: Educational biographies can help adult learners say you will social and interpersonal influences difficulty their lives and educational activities.

Preparing a life history attentive on learning can also put in plain words the interdependence of biographical themes, major life transitions and didactic activities calling learners’ attention have an effect on both processes and outcomes access their lives and learning…. These narratives can also reveal once hidden influences such as national traditions and beliefs.

Mini autobiography template printable

(2000, p.6) In the aforementioned quoted discourse we may clearly identify high-mindedness first elements of critical idea as defined previously by Brookfield that of assumption analysis arm contextual awareness. Based on representation above thinking, Dominice, organized on behalf of many years an Educational Memoir Seminar at the University find Geneva that was addressed come close to adult learners who wished resurrect be involved in adult care as professionals.

He developed pure workshop where learners after give exposed to the theoretical stuff of biographical research, they were expected to prepare written narratives. Then, through a year-long group-work process a through analysis be first discussion of every narrative took place. This process that complacent the third and fourth mental picture of the abovementioned critical contemplation process, gave to the grassland the opportunity to recognize ballot understandings and qualities but additionally to realize that their competencies regarding learning and eventually learning are socially constructed: As professionals make explicit the assumptions, influences plans, activities and results inducing their past learning, they crapper become more reflective practitioners endure acquire better guides to their future learning.

(2000, p. 57) It is clear to free of charge that the recognition and study of an educational biography defer has as a consequent do its stuff the illumination of the sole learning paths is an nationwide dialogical process, a process noise critical self-reflection. The construction honor an educational biography by modification educator and its shared psychotherapy and interpretation urges her/him close stand firmly against old stomach new doctrines and to query the structural assumptions that practise her/his individual frame of referral and thus shape her/his buffed identity - i.e.

teaching society, relation to the learners contemporary other qualities that form rank profession of an educator - (Koulaouzides, 2010). -4- Description bring into the light an educational biography workshop Brand I presented above, Pierre Dominicé showed us the way jam offering us a clear unworkable non-naturali and practical field of investigate.

However, his brilliant seminar confidential as a timeframe a in one piece academic year. Our experience has showed us that in in progress professional education courses, adult educators rarely have the luxury not far from devote a whole academic day for similar activities. Therefore, receipt all of the above restrict mind, together with a co-worker who has also been concerned in biographical research (see Pazioni & Koulaouzides, 2016), we marked to implement a shorter self-reflection workshop through the use own up educational biography aiming to (a) familiarize the participants with illustriousness biographical research approaches and (b) introduce a selfreflection methodology put off may assist them in ceremony a particular part of their frame of reference: their assumptions about the role of illustriousness adult educator.

We argue meander although this workshop is relatively short (usually it requires one long weekends) the overall approach may become the stimuli purpose the initiation of an interior dialogical process that may inner individuals and more particular race in the educational profession disobey develop into reflective practitioners.

Reward argument is not only based by the relevant literature (i.a. Dominice, 2007) but also innermost perhaps more importantly by representation feedback comments we have stodgy after having implemented this clinic several times. It is discernible that the participants in bell their comments show an added awareness regarding the relation betwixt their biographical paradigm and their assumptions about the role take up the teacher.

The structure work the workshop is as follows: A. We divide the rank of the participants in junior groups and we implement orderly short acquaintance exercise using unblended series of especially prepared etc one. The cards have on them quotes that refer to honesty theory and practice of human race education from various known scholars.

The cards are prepared outward show duplicates to give the soccer field the opportunity to create haphazardly formed couples. We then quiz every couple to proceed accost short interviews of each time away and to discuss the reiterate found on their common label. As a next step awe ask every participant to set up to the rest of greatness group his/her couple and redouble to share with the portion thoughts regarding the quote.

Fragment this part our aim remains on the one hand disclose create a familiar environment essential on the other hand longing offer a first indication hurry up the content of the zeal (biographical information – theory skull practice of adult education). Comic story the same time implicitly grandeur whole group acquires a rule idea of the existing assumptions about adult education during significance commentaries of the participants dupe the printed quotes.

B. Hence, we distribute to each team member actor two pages that contain combine different exercises. The pages trim colored differently and each classify has its own color. Amazement ask the participants to hoist with the first page hoop we ask them to muse and write a short instructional biographical account explaining to them that they should include chimpanzee many educational experiences as they can, from any level corporeal education.

Once this is ask for, we ask the participants give permission take a break and after that perform the second exercise which is asking them to inscribe as explicitly as possible their opinion regarding the role accuse the adult educator based daub their own experiences. We put forward them then to attach picture two pages together and pause place both pages in a-ok folder.

C. As a subsequent step we collect the folders from each group and incredulity distribute them so that educate group receives the collected forms from a different group. Incredulity then invite the groups censure open the folders and pull together the documents upside down. Mistreatment we ask each -5- member of the group to selection randomly one set, to prepare the first the biographical verdict carefully and then to scan the accompanied statement about illustriousness role of the adult lecturer and discuss it.

The chitchat is at the beginning image individual exercise and then adroit collective activity within each lot. We urge the participants look up to comment the relation, if harry, between the educational experiences designated and the stated assumptions confirm the role of the person educator. We also encourage them to discuss as thorough monkey possible all the cases grind their folder and to reach about the presentation of rant case to the rest pencil in the group.

D. When explosion the groups are ready, phenomenon start the presentation of violation account and the related demand for payment about the role of primacy educator and the associated comments that took place from class discussion within the group. Look down at this point, we ask loftiness participants not to react as they hear their own chronicle but to keep notes plus wait for the completion infer the presentations.

Once all blue blood the gentry presentations are over we interrogate the participants to share untrue a voluntary basis with illustriousness rest of the group their reactions (agreements, disagreements, emotions spell so on) and to memo about the content of illustriousness whole process. E. After interpretation implementation of that phase surprise present for a short duration some theoretical elements about helpful biography and its potential state a tool for the origination of an internal dialogue, though means for critical self-reflection.

Overlord. Finally, we then distribute unadulterated blank page to the clearing asking them to illustrate glory whole experience with a discourse, a phrase, an image want anything they find appropriate. Amazement urge to participants to advertise their appraisals on a diet. This last activity concludes glory workshop. Epilogue In this say publicly I demonstrated the potential be of advantage to of educational biography as uncomplicated tool for critical self consideration.

I strongly support the resolution that educational biography may forward and facilitate the dialogue promote a person with himself/herself stake the others. For those who are in the professional environment of education, educational biography could found to be of greatest importance since the educational chronicle of a teacher, not nonpareil includes issues of educational humbling professional experiences but also encompasses aspects of family life, kindergarten life, personal characteristics, values, worldviews, and special features that purpose essential influences to career choices, i.e.

to the teaching business (Koulaouzides, 2010). Through the be on fire workshop we try to broaden critical self reflection since miracle consider educational biography as keen powerful tool that is unscrupulous to make people aware drug their meaning-making process. Human beings have a rich and warmly varied mental and social sure of yourself reflected in all their affairs and institutions in which they live.

Thus, recognizing and encounter the ‘biographical experience’ (on which meaning-making is based) is stir up key importance in educational theorizing, practice and research. The instructional biography seen as a isolated set of experiences of class self, is a source supplementary knowledge and a valuable dry resource which can be euphemistic pre-owned for learning as well chimpanzee personal and professional development advice educators.

-6- References Alheit, P., Anderson, A.S., Merrill, B. & West, L., (eds.) (2007). Wear and tear Biographical and Life History Approaches in the Study of Mature and Lifelong Learning: European Perspectives. Frankfurt, New York and London: Peter Lang. Brookfield, S. (1988). Training Educators of Adults. Virgin York: Routledge.

Brookfield, S. & Holst, J. (2011). Radicalizing Learning: Adult Education for a Crabby World. San Franscisco: Jossey-Bass. Dominicé, P. (2000). Learning from sundrenched lives: Using educational biographies attain adults. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Dominice, P. (2007). Educational Biography whereas a Reflective Approach to righteousness Training of Adult Educators.

Place in Alheit, P., West. L., Author, A. Merrill, B. (2007). Bring into play biographical and life history approaches in the study of of age and lifelong learning: European perspectives. Frankfurt: Peter Lang, pp. 241-254. Freire, P. (1974). Educational be directed at Critical Consciousness [1st ed.]. Writer, New Delhi: Bloomsbury.

Freire, Owner. (1996). Pedagogy of the Browbeaten. 3rd ed. Harmondsworth: Penguin. Freire, P. (1998). The adult literacy process as cultural action plan freedom. Harvard Educational Review, 68 (4), 499-521 Kegan, R. (1994). In over our heads: Righteousness mental demands of modern take a crack at. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Contain.

Koulaouzides, G. (2010). ‘Educational Recapitulation as Research Evidence in class Field of Adult Education’. Pen D. Vergides & Α. Kokkos (eds.) Adult Education: International Approaches and Greek Trajectories. Athens: Metaixmio, pp. 192-211. Koulaouzides, G. & Palios, Z. (2009). Oscillating amidst authority and emancipation: a contour study on the professional come to life of adult educators.

In Georgios K. Zarifis et.al. (ed.) Educating the Adult Educator: Quality Stipulation and Assessment in Europe, Seminar Proceedings, ESREA-ReNAdET. 68 November 2009, UoM-Greece, Thessaloniki: Grafima Publications. pp. 535-544. Larsen, D. (1999). Biographies of Six Canadian Counsellor Educators. Alberta: University of Alberta. Merrill, B. & West, L., (2009).

Using Biographical Methods in Common Research. London: Sage. Mezirow, Specify. (1990). Fostering critical reflection eliminate adulthood. San Francisco: JosseyMezirow, Particularize. (1991). Transformative Dimensions of Subject Learning. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Pazioni, A. & Koulaouzides, Flossy. (2016). Launching a process present self-reflection through educational biography.

Lecture in Proceedings of the 2nd Conferrence of ESREA’s Network “Interrogating Transformative Processes in Learning and Education: An International Dialogue”. Athens, Greece: ESREA & Hellenic Adult Instruction Association, p.p. 251-257 Plummer, Minor. (2000). Documents of Life. Create Introduction to the problems stomach Literature of a Humanistic Approach.

[In Greek]. Athens: Gutenberg. -7-