Alaa Kassim PGCert

• To be able to understand something involves questions around knowing. How do we come to know what we know?
• This is an epistemological concern.
• Knowing doesn’t happen in a vacuum (e.g: formalism: detaching the work from context and reducing it to its formal qualities)
• instead knowing happens during an ontological event, a happening of sorts.
• in this ‘happening’ we must factor in the concept of play.
• Play is contingent on the reflexive relationship between the art and the spectator.
• focus on what happens in-between. Dynamics of play.
• play: dance of mutual responsiveness (to-ing and fro-ing) between the:
• contributions of the invested player, the player who plays with seriousness (shows that they are intentionally partaking in the game/ intentionality/ proactive approach in coming to an understanding.
• the game involves, participation, interaction, commitment and seriousness.
• the art that brings forth (claims a truth to be understood)
• (expand on all points)

I must admit that I felt very apprehensive before sharing. New people, new learning environment, abstracted by the ether of the internet. Nonetheless I felt relieved afterwards. I think it has to do with simply adjusting to learning remotely and getting to know everyone. The newness of it all!

I feel very inspired after hearing everyone’s background stories everyone in the group bring a wealth of experiences and approaches to teaching. The space was facilitated brilliantly by Rachel who gave each person an equal amount of time to share a bit about ourselves. Everyone was given time to speak and the space felt safe and open.

I liked the Somatosensory approach that was discussed by one of the practitioners as a way of learning. How learning doesn’t just happen on the page or the screen but that it can be embodied by involving other bodily senses. This is something I’m interested in researching further for my teaching practice. I would like to allow the student to engage with a richer experience. Maybe a Somatosensory approach to learning will enrich the experience on learning online.

I was interested in the discussion about unpacking terms. As a practitioner, who will be teaching students with English as a second language, it’s important that I make sure that the students are following what is being discussed/ relayed and that the language is accessible and understandable. This is to make sure that I don’t alienate anyone in their understanding.

The points raised about hidden labour within teaching and learning were interesting and gave me much to consider. For example when teaching a session, you have to account for the time taken to collate research about the session topic, the time taken to construct and refine the research and transmute it into the structure of the session. The time taken to deliver the session is not all that counts as labour, it is the time leading up to it, in the planning stages as well as the time taken to assess and give feedback. The discussion brought to light just how much hidden labour teachers contribute to facilitate learning.

Another point that spoke to me during the exchange was unpacking and interrogating the hierarchies between Academic and vocational/ practice based acquisitions of knowledge. Blurring the lines between them and seeing both as valuable disrupts the traditional models of Academic Practice. Which are often rooted in ‘high theory’ to substantiate it and elevate it against embodied ways of learning that are achieved through making. These embodied methods of learning, I would argue, are even more valuable nowadays as basic skill sets are being lost due to the rise in tech based jobs. For example, binding a book by hand is an invaluable skill to have for your own self sufficiency.

Rachel mentioned not getting too caught up in the labels of “academic” and “teacher” (daunting: imposter syndrome) I enjoyed the openness, honesty and uncertainty, an environment that aims to raise more questions moving forward such as:

How do I embody a decolonial or rather an anticolonial approach to teaching and learning?

What models of teaching can I explore to combat cultural colonisation?

How do I empower students in their learning?

How does an online forum become a transient dialogical space?

• Evaluate the teaching/organisational methods used
• During the session there were references to reports carried out by various educational and governmental institutions.
• The reports give a perspective on the current state of HE and how to approach teaching within the context of a pandemic.
• I noticed the gaps in representation in the bar graphs Mr Wisdom shared.
• They were limited to gender and class and did not take other intersections into consideration.
• I would like to see how disparities manifest using a more intersectional approach to research, which includes but is not limited to gender and class.
• It’s beneficial to know how HE is approached by conservative government in order to look at what we are up against as educators working within this current context.
• Explore further and comment on one/some of the issues discussed by the speakers  
• On the function of silence, how it is important to have space to think, how it can be unsettling and awkward within the online learning context.
• Brought up questions around transparency and opacity when it comes to learning, who is seen/ unseen?
• Who speaks and who stays silence?
• What is the functionality of silence within the context of learning exclusively online?
• How do we create more dialogical learning spaces online?

• Reflect on what it is like becoming a student again

It an adjustment to say the least! Becoming a student while balancing 3 jobs seems like a death-wish but I have full faith in the process. Becoming a student in an exclusively online context has its set of limitations to work within and around. For me it’s about making the most out of a less than ideal situation by making it fun and interesting for the students to interact with.

Acclimatising to the new learning environment is key to progress further as a student as remote learning is looking like it’s here to stay for the unforeseeable future. I’m hoping to find more ways to get the most out of an online session as time goes along.

More dialogue, discussion and interaction. More in terms of student feedback on ways to improve and get their input on how to improve. aThe more classes I teach and co- teach on, the more experience I will gain and hopefully i’ll feel more at ease with being in this position.

Hey There,

It’s Alaa here. I want to note down my intentions for undertaking the PGCert in Academic Practice and give some context on what I hope to learn during the upcoming year.

I currently work in a primary school as a learning assistant and have always been a keen learner. I hope that this course will equip me with the necessary tools to become an excellent educator.

I enter this course juggling many things, working 6 day weeks, sustaining and developing my creative practice, family responsibilities and keeping my mental health in check. I want to develop as an educator and feel more confident in my delivery when it comes to sharing/exchanging knowledge. It is a challenge and a balancing act, one that I feel ready to handle. I am hopeful. I am resilient. I am ready.