Time to reflect? Promoting reflection among students and staff
Tuesday 5th February 2002 University of Gloucestershire, Cheltenham
Many would claim that reflection is the defining characteristic of higher education. However, most students and some lecturers don't know how to reflect. At this conference delegates will have an opportunity to review what is reflection in Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, and discuss how to develop reflective learning exercises in their courses.
The event will take place in Cheltenham and is hosted by the LTSN Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences (LTSN-GEES) Subject Centre in association with the Geography and Environmental Management Research Unit (GEMRU) and the School of Environment, University of Gloucestershire.
Directions to find the venue can be found at http://www.glos.ac.uk/fs/conferences/how.htm
Provisional Conference Programme
There are three main elements to the conference:
- presentations from UK teaching and learning experts;
- an overview of the GEES project on reflective learning;
- a series of workshops on promoting reflection among students and
staff.
09.30 to 10.00 Registration and refreshments
10.00 to 10.05 Welcome from the Principal of the University of Gloucestershire
10.05 to 10.30 Introduction from Norman Jackson (LTSN Generic Centre)
10.30 to 11.10 Key Note Address from John Cowan (Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh)
11.10 to 11.30 Question and answer session with John Cowan
11.30 to 11.45 Coffee
11.45 to 12.30 GEES project on Reflective learning - Margaret Harrison (University of Gloucestershire)
12.30 to 13.45 Lunch and poster displays
13.50 to 14.40 First parallel workshop session (see below for choices)
14.40 to 15.30 Second parallel workshop session (see below for choices)
15.30 to 16.00 Plenary with Brian Chalkley (LTSN-GEES)
16.00 Close and refreshments
First parallel workshop session choices
(13:50 to 14:40)
1.Personal and professional skills in Geology and Earth Sciences -
Will Diver (University of Plymouth)
2.Reflection on skills for a dissertation in Geography - Carolyn Harrison
(UCL)
3.Introducing reflection to students - Chris Short (University of
Gloucestershire)
Second parallel workshop session choices (14:40 to 15:30)
1.Reflective diaries in a multilevel project - Peter Hughes (University
of Sunderland)
2.Team building and reflection in Environmental Sciences - Carolyn
Roberts et al (University of Gloucestershire)
3.Reflective learning and distance learners - Elizabeth Skinner (University
of Gloucestershire)
Presentations
Norman Jackson from the LTSN Generic Centre will open the conference. He is involved with several national initiatives that emphasise the role of reflection in higher education, and like most practitioners Norman is committed to uncovering just what reflective learning means to specific disciplines. John Cowan, author of "On Becoming an Innovative University Teacher - Reflection in Action" and someone with a wealth of experience in how to develop the skill of reflection in students and staff, will give the key note address.
LTSN-GEES project
During 2001, the project team working on the LTSN-GEES funded project on reflective learning undertook a questionnaire survey of departments to discover how, where, and to what extent, reflective learning was promoted explicitly in geography, earth and environmental science undergraduate courses. In addition, the project team in association with colleagues at the University of Gloucestershire developed various reflective learning exercises in a Level 2 research methods module. Members of the team will present the findings of the project, answer questions and share with delegates their understanding of what reflective learning means to the GEES disciplines.
Plenary
The plenary session of the conference will be led by Brian Chalkley, Director of LTSN-GEES. Delegates will receive feed-back from all the workshops and there will be an open discussion focusing on how the GEES disciplines can further help and support one another in the promotion of reflective learning.