Facilitators
Thank you for agreeing to facilitate. We have considered a long list of names and chosen/asked each one of you because of the contribution you have made to Learning and Teaching at the University of Sheffield. Your name has been specifically recommended by someone to help us out and we appreciate your time. On this page you can find out more about the upcoming Winter teachingcommons event and what facilitating will entail.
At the event, we would like you to facilitate two conversations around the following questions:
- "What metaphors and analogies do we use to make sense of teaching?" You will then be asked to choose the most provocative of these spoken about in your groups to share with others….
- "How can our metaphors and analogies limit and open up our experiences of teaching?"
What is the point of considering metaphors? For more background on this, look at some of the articles linked to at the bottom of this page.
For example, it snowed a lot in the first week of February and for many, that created a lot of chaos just as teaching started up again. For some, the snowstorm or maelstrom might be an appropriate metaphor for the upheaval that starting the semester brings into your life.
Recognising this might be useful because you may like the teaching experience but reflecting on this metaphor may help you realise that it takes a period of adjustment to switch in between the roles and periods of academic life.
Others speak of students as customers. What type of attitude towards learning does this engender? What role then are staff placed in? What "space" is the University if you extend this metaphor?
What you will be doing as a facilitator...
As part of agreeing to facilitate, we would like to ask three things from you:
1. Before the event, please invite 2 colleagues who would not otherwise attend the event to come along and one student to join you. Give their names to Vicky Shaw (v.shaw@sheffield.ac.uk).
We will be sending you 5 invitations over the next couple of days so that you can pass them to people you would like to come along.
In your Department, the Head of School and Director of Learning and Teaching as well as Learning and Teaching Advocate should have already received invitations. However, unless they have already been directly involved with the teachingcommons project, most other people will not have received an invitation. Attending the event will mean a commitment of 1-3 hours on their part of talking casually to students and colleagues.
2. Come to the event and facilitate on the questions listed above related to metaphors and teaching. We would hope that you could be available from 2:30-5:30 on Monday, February 23 at the Dam House. However, if you are available for only part of this time but would still like to facilitate, please contact Nadine.
3. Write a blog (for the Good Practice blog) or make a video of your impressions of the event (either at the event or afterwards).
Extra information and resources...
During the event, there will be a slideshow with images to help you think of possible metaphors. You will be leading groups of 2-6 people talking for around 25 minutes in discussion around each question. To look at an early version of this slideshow go here.
Watch one way that these questions have been discussed in a very abbreviated form:
Alternatively, at the event there is also the possibility of being part of the "reading corner" where people will read (and possibly write?) about their experiences of teaching (you will need to contact Nadine Wills directly if you want to become involved in this section: N.Wills@sheffield.ac.uk)
A draft schedule of the event is available to download on the righthand side of your screen. We look forward to seeing you there.
Q: Do I have to bring anything?
A: No. Just come along at 2:30 to the Dam House and you will be able to discuss what you want to do then. The only exception is if you want to be involved in the "Reading Corner" section of the event. There we are asking that you select an article (something that can be read in 10-15 minutes by staff and students) that discusses metaphors or experiences of teaching and arrange with Nadine or bring 8 copies of it yourself. Alternatively, Sabine Little (CILASS) will be helping guide this area and has some articles that you can choose from and read beforehand if this option interests you to facilitate. I've read some of the articles she already has chosen and they are excellent.
Q: What if someone I invite can´t come until later?
A: People are invited to attend from 3, 4 (to join in the discussions) or 5 (to join us for drinks). Please have them RSVP to V.Shaw@sheffield.ac.uk and mention this in the email.
If you have any further questions please phone Nadine Wills on (0114) 222 0428.
Q: Do you have anything for me to read/more information on why we are looking at metaphors?
A: For those of you interested in reading about why we are looking at metaphor and teaching experiences, the following page with further information and articles on teaching and metaphor may be of interest.