Activity 6.1 - Warrior Article

Source

Warrior, Becky (2002) ‘Reflections of an Education Professional’, Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport and Tourism Education, 1(2), pp. 53-59, [online] Available from: http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/hlst/documents/johlste/0030_warrior_vol1no2.pdf (Accessed 23 November 2008).

How to define professionalism..

Perkins (1985) presents the idea of professionalism as

• an occupation with a crucial social function
• requiring a high degree of skill
• drawing on a systematic body of knowledge

Sockett (1985) defines it as requiring

• element of intellectual training or mental expertise

Millerson (1964) defines it as having

• skills based on theoretical knowledge
• intellectual training and education
• some sort of independent testing of competence
• access to a restrictive organization or association
• allegiance to a code of conduct
• an altruistic drive to serve others

Lindop (1982) being professional is about

• doing something special for society
• professing to have certain socially useful skills
• enjoying privilege and responsibility
• exercising personal judgement
• protecting the public by guaranteeing certain minimum standards of competence
• having recognized one's conduct and merit by payment and status

a variety of different views .. each overlapping in some way or another
but all demonstrating a key duality for any profession

• an intrinsic responsibility of a member to other members
• an extrinsic responsibility of a member to the public / client

.... but then is teaching a profession?

Being an educator

• require recognized qualifications
• combines knowledge with practice
• requires organization ... a framework to abide by (i.e. format for curriculum design, delivery, and assessment)

yet...

• primary / secondary teacher must have compentencies / qualifications to teach
• whereas lecturers must have specialist level of knowledge .. but not necessarily a detailed understanding of theories / practices of teaching to teach

So what bounds the profession of educators?

Key issue - QUALITY

• means meeting or exceeding certain standards .. realized via supervision, inspection & control
• quality in teaching is often measured in terms of "benchmarks", "self assessment docs", "performance indicators"
• these become the standards to which teachers are measured

yet...

• professional discretion is removed because of the restrictive framework of rules and managerial control
• inspections can be seen as intrusive and marginalizing professional autonomy

another option to realizing QUALITY

• being professional means commitment and time to professional development .. on an ongoing basis
• onus is on the individual to update themselves to attend regular training courses or conferences .. to prevent stagnation of professional practice

Hoyle (1985) professional development is a process where professionals seek to improve their competencies

• reskilling
• relearning
• incorporating new modes of teaching
• self appraisal

Yet this is not without difficulty. On these terms, a professional must constantly and consistently find the time and motivation to take responsibility for one's own professional development.

In effect a professional is one who consistently engages in reflective practice, and consistently seeks engagement with other practitioners to test and share one's findings (intrinsic responsibility), and equally so, consistently informs practice through the application of these ideas to address the needs of those they seek to serve (extrinsic responsibility).

Publish Post

Activity 6.1 Perkins - my review

As I understand it, Perkins is suggesting that professionals, because of the scarceness of both their numbers and expertise, command power and authority. As such they are in a position to either realize things for the common good or potentially exploit society. If they exploit they do so either out of protecting their own interest or that of their professional class' interest. Some may be tempted to serve others with still more political or economic power.

I challenge this immediately. An expert may only be an expert in the working culture that they are accustomed to .. and from my experience the transfer of such "expertise" to another completely new milieu - work culture or social culture is rarely smooth, often clumsy and potentially harmful to both the "professional" and the client or customer they seek to serve. For example, the many education professionals who come to work in the Gulf often apply methods that they know best and are acclaimed for "at home" only to find themselves struggling to adapt because the new culture is not receptive to these "new" methods. For example, the immediate introduction of critical thinking and reflective learning to Gulf students who are accustomed to rote learning has humbled many a teacher. Insensitive understanding of business manners or methods has sent many an expert back home earlier than expected.

Also note the contrast with today's "information society". Here we see an increase in the democratization of information that has been made possible by the immediate access to it via the net. This has made challenging professionals and experts much easier than ever before. Doctors and lawyers immediately spring to mind. Many a commoner has done detailed research on cutting edge practices to address ailments that affect them personally.. and thus have a much stronger vested interest to develop informed opinion on such matters. This may have been realized to such an extent that they may be informing the so called expert or professional rather than the other way around. Other similar professional spheres?
Wealth management, personal investment, etc.

Activity 6.1 - eLearning as a profession

Sources

Higher Education Academy Professional Standards Consultation (n.d.) ‘Standards framework for teaching and supporting student learning in HE’, [online] Available from: http://www.alt.ac.uk/HEA_professional_standards_consultation_20051012.html (Accessed 16 November 2008).

ALT, (n.d.) ‘SECOND CONSULTATION ON THE PROPOSAL TO FORM
A LIFELONG LEARNING SECTOR SKILLS COUNCIL - Questionnaire’, [online] Available from: http://www.alt.ac.uk/docs/questionnaire_lluk_ALT.pdf (Accessed 16 November 2008).

What are the specifications for education and training couses aimed at elearning professionals?

Very difficult to find any definitions on this .. all of them seem to come out of the UK though by taking more time to mine the job descriptions for learning technologists in the US this might become easier to address.

From
Higher Education Academy Professional Standards Consultation
An elearning professional is someone who ...

• makes appropriate / judicious use of technology to realize learning outcomes
• has an indepth understanding of learning theory and its application to online learning design
• makes efforts to work with others to enhance and inform each other's practice, knowledge and experience
  

From Anonymous, (n.d.) ‘SECOND CONSULTATION ON THE PROPOSAL TO FORM A LIFELONG LEARNING SECTOR SKILLS COUNCIL - Questionnaire’

An elearning professional is someone who ..

• systematically applies a body of knowledge to the design, implementation and evaluation of learning resources
• uses principles of good learning theory, good instructional design and change management to support learning and provide learning resources
• is grounded in the use of technologies and their capabilities to support learning

Compare these specifications with your own education and training.

My own formal and informal education is a mix of visual arts training, museum management, adult education, english as a foreign language training and teaching and my current studies in the MA with the Open U. It's a very eclectic mix but I've also noticed that all of these educational / subject domains have been greatly affected by information technology. I have had to learn learning theory on at least three separate ocassions and maybe more - each from a different perspective (i.e. general, adult and online). Most of my own learning about effective use of technology has been informed by earlier courses in the Open U program. Much of the learning theory has been informed via reflection and integration into my own teaching practice, much of the appropriate selection of technology in education comes from direct experience and reflection on it. In almost all cases, the Open U program has served to more formally recognize my experience and efforts.

My formal qualifications .. constant theme?

Education. in environments that seem to promote or encourage innovation / dealing with change / promoting creativity .. and to do so under fairly close scrutiny by others (i.e. visual arts - public art displays, cultural sector - leveraging scarce time and money resources, adult education - targeted needs, efl - multi mode teaching leveraging scarce time and money resources to realize learning outcomes for students).

Compare this with the education and training of the H808 course team

I recognized that the team placed a certain amount of emphasis on experience with computer mediated communications and learning, the need to be current and connected with a community of practice, and the need to make one's work transparent (open to scrutiny and input from peers). I sense I've had two of the three drilled into me by work demands. The middle point is one that I grew to value while working in the cultural sector - the importance of networking with others to inform one's practice.

Other repeated themes? The need for ethics, standards to support one's work. The importance of striving for quality. The need to be part of a community of practice to constantly inform one's practice in a field whose context seems to be constantly changing.These sorts of values, curiously enough, were emparted in me via my work in alternative education while working in the cultural sector - where public scrutiny and validation were very important to ensuring "buy in".

Reflections - Critical finding from Activity 5.3 readings

What did I glean from the articles?

A need to closely examine the roles and related competencies of an online instructor / elearning practitioner. This would lead to a better understanding of what an elearning practitioner does first.. in effect to learn from other practitioners (those more experienced) ... essentially learn from their own research / experience. Then incorporate that research / experience into my own reflections on my own practice ... to then inform my own practice. To me that may be one important and distinguishing characteristic that differentiates a practitioner from a professional - this connection with other practitioners.

That was a critical finding for me.

I've tended to go to research, perhaps to validate a specific project or approach .. rather than approach it from a much broader point of view. Perhaps such reading on a routine basis would build in me a better understanding of my roles and be incorporated into my practice as part of my practice rather than an "after the fact" add on.

Reflection - Activity 3.1. My strengths & weaknesses

What have I learned about my strengths and weaknesses?

Weaknesses?
On the whole I'm most vulnerable in a few key areas... researching new developments, issues and academic findings stands out as the most pressing one. When I think about it, I'm more of a "handson" learner .. and thus I tend to avoid it or at the very least only "do" it when something becomes topical enough that it requires learning more about it in formal ways. I'm not one to devote time to do it on a regular basis (and I'm now really curious how others address the same need for it) but the exercise of doing a detailed review of my job description made it pretty obvious that my current strategy won't be enough. I also realized the importance of promoting effective community building - something that I highly value and yet I haven't committed time and resources to learning more on how to effectively realize it in ages and certainly not much in the way of realizing it online.

It's now looking pretty obvious that in addressing these two shortcomings, my game as an Education Technology Specialist is raised .. and it should help feed the other "stronger cards in my hand".

Strengths?
I really wanted to avoid declaring myself an expert of anything. I'm not fond of the term because I don't consider it something that anyone should really be"annointing themselves with. Perhaps with the formal recognition of my peers on the same topic, I would feel more comfortable using the term.. but that hasn't happened anywhere often enough nor with much fanfare for me to do it. I've only learned since being hired how I have a reputation for making and using learning objects effectively. As a result, I managed to convince myself that perhaps I could be bold enough to apply the term "expert" for my effective use of technology / projects in teaching and learning. But only after carefully reviewing it and even still, I'm bound to be brown nosed by someone else out there. My grounds? A now 20 year period of relatively uninterrupted experience with and increased understandng of the use of technology in teaching and learning.

The matter of comparing myself with my peers brought up a number of other interesting problems and unearthed another set of issues. Our rather small department hardly gives me much of anyone to compare myself with and to go outside the University, I'd be hard pressed to know others of our ilke who I could meet to compare notes. Which raises the issue of professional "isolation" and the need to make a conscious effort to overcome this. Thus the only really viable option seems to be online communities. This theme is emerging more and more.

Reflection - Eureka moment? Reactive vs proactive approaches to my work

Mentally welcoming change(?)
Two days ago, I was having a chat with a colleague who had ventured by my office on a small matter. She was asking how I was adjusting to my new position. I shared the usual comments about adjustment but I also told her how I felt marooned in working almost entirely at my desk researching, preparing learning materials, setting up workshops and creating follow up support utilities (ie. blogs, surveys, tipsheets, and wikis) . Yet I noted a feeling of detachment in working on serving the needs of my colleagues. She suggested that I just take a "walk" around the place and get to meet others. She also pointed out to me that to stay put was only reinforcing the idea of the CTL being unapproachable. It seemed so brutally obvious, so brutally true .. but it hadn't occured to me to get up and explore.

Making change happen (?)
So I decided to pursue the matter and set aside some time yesterday to try it. I really had no idea how it would go. To my surprise it took me over three hours to do what I anticipated might take only one maximum. I figured that it could have gone on longer if it hadn't been for a previously scheduled commitment.

As I went around soliciting questions / answering questions.. I became aware of two things. The obvious first one was how important it was to get out and interact - response from others in seeing me was generally very positive. It also became apparent just how many people really were not aware of the role our small department had in supporting them. The second thing I became aware of came about from responding to the many impromptu querries they came up with.

An Aspect of Professionalism revealled?
In answering these I became aware of the depth of my own understanding of elearning. Aligning learning needs with the affordances presented via various web tools. How I was also going to present a possible tool, strategy, or resource to help meet their needs. It occured to me more afterwards, how I was quickly drawing on my past experience with these resources, with these similar questions, with implementing them.. but as well, the reading that I've had on them to put together what I thought were solid, "professional responses". Professional aspect being .. negating self interest (i.e. suggesting more than one strategy or option to address a need), sharing what I knew and in a way that made the material approachable, and making my focus that of the client's needs, not my own. The whole exercise has made me more aware of how important it is to project that to others .. to build trust and confidence .. if one hopes to help someone make a move towards change.

I'm also looking back on what I was doing before .. I was taking a reactive position to faculty needs - limiting it to responding to email, telephone calls, and the rare face to face visit to the office. What I learned here is the equal need for proactivity, reaching out to solicit needs .. and probably just as important, establishing face to face contact to build a report so people get to know me, trust me, build a relationship of confidence in me. It's now got me reflecting on how this can be realized in an online environment (another point of reflection).

Still more questions. Now sold on the need for proactivity ..

• How can I find a balance between the reactive approach thrust upon me each day and the proactive approach that I now know is so useful and important to my work?
• How can I manage to lessen the reactivity side .. and maximize the proactive?
• Am I raising expectations amongst those I met that I can be counted on to address any of their ICT integration needs or issues in the future?
  
• Can I anticipate a need to somehow manage these expectations? Do I need to worry about managing expectations right now?

Reflection - H808 - process / course development

I'm becoming more and more aware of the process of learning taking place in H808.

We started with a review of the concept of professionalism - constructing an understanding of it via online discussion. to test and then come up with a "personal" definition of professionalism.. and then elearning professionalism .. if indeed the concept of "professionalism" can be applied here. This inevitably led to some reflection as to the suitability of its application to me.

We have also been introduced to the concept of eportfolios. Their uses and reasons for their use. Drivers for their application at a policy / macro level. This was followed by an effort to identify the obstacles / issues attached to the topic.. and to explore these in more depth. This has led to a reflection on my understanding of these. Looking for examples of my own direct experience with the portfolio concept as PDP and CPD.. then a review of perhaps why this hasn't taken off. I'm already finding myself reflecting on the reflection .. to identify changes in my understanding, changes in the depth of my understanding of this - the powerful learning potential of pdp that is facilitated through the use of eportfolios.

Activity 1.1 - Introductory audio

How do you feel about the label - elearning professional?

About the label - elearning professional - I'm not clear about what it really means and I don't get much help from the prodcast either. It just gives rise to more questions. Kirkup comes the closest to how I would expect the term professional to be used. One's actions are grounded by ethical standards, but then on top of these are a set of values that have been drawn up by the profession itself, a code of practice collectively determined by the professionals (often via an association). They also strive to regulate themselves .. awarding professional credentials to those who meet a set of standards (predictably) determined by other "elders"(more experienced, learned professionals?) and recognizing those who go on to promote further progress in the profession..(again often via some sort of association).

But then Robin Goodfellow's small "p" vs big "P" definitions of professionalism and even more so Jones comment on how the term professional has been redefined today to mean something again quite different throw a wrench into all of this. Today's "modern" professonal or what sounds to me more like a "semi" professional is much less self regulated and instead more directed by those who "manage" them. I've only just recently been hired as an Educational Support Specialist and see this tension confronting me front and center - trying to bring a professional point of view (gleened from my MAODE studies) to addressing needs and issues where I work.. yet at the same time I'm directed by management to follow a very detailed agenda and sometimes one that even spells out what resources are to be used to realize it. In some ways I feel I'm being asked to assume the role of an elearning professional when convenient... then an elearning technician when convenient. "Quasi professional"?

Professionalism

basic questions .. with my immediate answers ...
Much of this arrived at via a review of similar questions posed by Librarians.

http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ld/tutorials/professionalism/prof.html

what is the definition of a profession?

• a vocation requiring (specialized) knowledge of some segment of learning or science
• a professional is someone who follows such an occupation for a livelihood ...

what the major elements of any profession?

• philosophy - must be articulated both orally & written form
• body of knowledge - must have a body of professional literature (research, study and comment)
• leaders or philosophers - the profession had/ has leaders who research & write on the profession (writers or role models or doers)
• guidelines for behaviour (codes, guidelines, creeds, beliefs .. common to all practitioners)
• admission requirements - licensed, special / initial / advanced education.. with ongoing testing / maintenance of membership
• other

http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ld/tutorials/professionalism/IB.html

what is professionalism?

• an application of methods to ensure the proper application of the above

• exhibiting professional character, spirit, or methods
• exhibiting standing practices, or methods of a profession so that they are distinguished from an amateur (American College Dictionary)

expectations
- establish a special relationship with clients
- lack self interest
- be involved in all aspects of the profession
- publicize what the profession does and is

criteria
- intellectual component is dominant
- have autonomy in their work
- apply their own judgement in how to realize client customer / client goals etc.
- operate with little or no self interest in serving society
- dedicated to services and institutions
- take pride in the quality of their work

education
- unique training
- formal education
- achieving credentials
- active in continuing education
- join / actively involved in prof. associations

characteristics
- considered experts
- high degree of general and systematic knowledge with a theoretical base
- primary orientiation is to serve the best interests of their public / community
- high degree of self control governed by..
- code of ethics
- code of assurance of quality
- guarantee competency of membership
- service orientation

responsibilities
- maintain associations which advance the profession
- promote well being of other members
- develop standards for themselves & their institutions
- make sacrifices (?)
- pub information & research to explain the professional's uniqueness

competencies
- master of theoretical knowledge
- capacity to solve problems
- application of theoretical knowledge
- ability to create knowledge as well as possess it
- enthusiasm & commitment to clients
- commit to continuous learning about the profession

issues
- be conscious of current issues in the profession

support
- create structures of subcultures for other professionals
- strive to promote public acceptance of the profession
- promote ethical practices
- define penalties for profs who work against good practices identified by the profession (self regulating)

http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ld/tutorials/professionalism/IC.html