Dr Avery Calhoun

Assistant Professor, Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Connie Bird

University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Students' Experiences of Mainstream and Alternative Teaching Strategies: An Exploratory Study

Abstract

The traditional university classroom reflects its context, which includes the dominant philosophical perspective of mind-body dualism. With mind as the focus, post-secondary education has placed high value on abstraction, deductive logic, and empirical (particularly quantifiable) processes of knowledge development. If values and feelings are introduced in this milieu, they are typically approached analytically and rationally. Alternatives to mainstream teaching approaches have recently been articulated and are variously characterized as liberatory, transformational. inclusive and engaged. Several principles are identifiable across the literature on these alternative approaches, including that 1) learning needs to engage students not only on the cognitive but also on the experiential and affective levels,

2) learning best occurs as a collaborative and cooperative project, and 3) learners must begin to assume responsibility for their own learning and for their role in teaching others. While the theoretical literature is developing regarding alternative teaching approaches, there appears to have been little empirical work investigating its impact. This paper presents the results of a small, qualitative study exploring students experiences of traditional and alternative teaching strategies.

Bionote

Avery Calhoun brings a post-modern feminist perspective to her work as a teacher, social work clinician, and program evaluator. She has particular interests in the areas of interpersonal violence and restorative justice. In her current role as Assistant Professor at the University of Calgary, Faculty of Social Work, Avery teaches clinical and research method courses.

Connie Bird is an undergraduate student of social work at the University of Calgary. She aspires to graduate education and, eventually, to teach and conduct research in social work. Her interests include poverty and the criminal justice system.

Presentation Type
30 min. Paper

Presentation Equipment and Other Requests
Data Projector (will bring own laptop and power adapter)

Speaking Date/Time Restrictions

Country
Canada