Deadline
First Round Deadline November 1, 2011 – extended to December 18, 2011.
About
This year, we are opening our 7th annual event with a call for posters, round-table discussion, and breakout session proposals with plenty of time for budgeting for travel and conference costs in mind. If you are interested in submitting a proposal for a presentation, event organizers encourage you to submit early.
Criteria
All proposals should reflect successful teaching and learning practices for higher education and other adult learning institutions and settings. First priority will be given to proposals that address one of our three tracts (distance education/extended access, health and behavioral health training and education, and the theory and practice of adult learning and teaching) AND demonstrate or represent the soul and passion of teaching and learning.
What is meant by “the soul”? Soul is sometimes described as being the heart or at the heart of teaching (and learning). As our own heart pumps much needed nutrients to our body and unneeded wastes away, the heart of teaching is demonstrated as the life force and clarity of teaching. It energizes and it cleanses. For some, it explains the passion and reason behind dedicating themselves to a life of teaching and training. Some people refer to the soul of teaching as the human element or relational dynamic of the learning community. One work by Terrence Deal and Peggy Deal Redman addresses this cleverly in their book’s title Reviving the Soul of Teaching: Balancing metrics and magic (2008).
The soul of teaching as offered by John Dirkx, “… I would suggest that teaching with soul means that our teaching arises from and is informed by a deep sense of who we are as teachers. Our teaching is characterized by a sense of purpose and direction that gives voice to our birthright gifts…Role defines the teacher from the perspective of the outer world, with its lists of expectations and obligations. Soul defines the teacher from the perspective of his or her inner world. To teach with passion reflects a sense of identity, of who we are and what we stand for…To teach with soul implies one is teaching with passion [and] to teach with passion is to care about one’s subject and those one teaches.”
Milt Cox offers a similar explanation writing, “Is there a word or phrase or operational explanation that captures “the soul of teaching”? Is that word passion? Is the phrase “caring about, preparing for, and sharing learning in an inspiring and clear way”? One perspective of the soul of teaching for me depends on my colleague who is teaching me and whom I am teaching and the context of this learning. Thus soul is tied to and varies with our colleagues, contexts, and how they inspire us to act in helping others learn. The soul of teaching is not captured in a word or phrase. It is a story, a portrait, a performance that moves us as learners in deep and profound ways.
Gretchen Bersch offers a view that reflects elements also stated by Dirkx and Cox, “How to define the soul of teaching? I guess as a preliminary comment I”ll say it is understanding and fostering deeper and more meaningful learning experiences for adults. It is integrating our inner lives with the outer world, grounded in our daily lives and situations- for both ourselves and our learners.”
(Further reading on the soul of teaching can be found in Nurturing the Soul in Adult Learning by John Dirkx under Transformative Learning in Action. Insights from Practice in New Directions for Adult Continuing Education (1997, No. 74, Summer).
- Applications (exercises, tools, and approaches) for the traditional classroom setting
- Applications to apprenticeships, work-based learning, and service learning
- Applications to distance learning
- Cultural implications and advantages of transformative learning.
- Theory and foundation of soul and passion for transformative learning and related learning/practice theory, e.g., adult learning theory, contextual learning, learning communities, etc.
- Academic field or professional specific application
- Activities and presentations that demonstrate, explain, and engage participants to reflect on the soul and passion of teaching, training, and learning. How to teach with heart? Turning on our learners! The metaphysics of teaching and learning. The poetry of teaching.
Round-table Discussions
Planned are 4 to 8 round-table discussions of 4-12 participants offered concurrently. Topics should generally relate to the theme of this institute and include presentations and discussions about a program in which you are involved, or a suggested topic that would benefit from dedicated discussion (i.e., “Sharing transformative learning community experiences”, or “Transformative learning and the Health Professions and Rural Alaska”, or “In’s and out’s of transformative learning”, “Training vs. education: A matter of learner transformation”, etc.)
Posters
Posters that highlight transformative learning are also encouraged. However, you may also submit a poster that highlights your program, region, or similar efforts demonstrating innovations and excellence in teaching and learning. Posters will be displayed throughout the institute with special dedicated sessions.
Need More Information?
Contact Larry Roberts, Director Lilly Arctic Institute on Innovations & Excellence in Teaching
Email: lnroberts@alaska.edu
Phone: 907-456-4215 or 907-456-4214
Fax 907-456-4211
Submit Your Request for Proposals Now
(Proposal applications will be accepted until the agenda is completed. Proposals will be considered in order of their receipt. First review and announcement of proposal acceptance will be made by November 1, 2011. Upon notification of proposal acceptance, all presenters are required to register for the institute as formal acknowledgement.)