Sharedthinking: a social identity approach to critical thinking

Could a group‐level approach to critical thinking offer advantages over individual‐level strategies? To explore such an idea, this paper offers a social‐psychological perspective on critical thinking. This is extended to provide guidelines towards the design of an ‘identity‐mediated practice.’ A case study from a School of Education is provided to show these ideas implemented in the group-relevant context of student‐teacher placements. Finally, an emergent identity‐mediated practice called SharedThinking is presented. This work was initially developed from doctoral research at the University of Glasgow and supported by the Kelvin‐Smith Scholarship Fund (Bowskill et al., 2010, Bowskill, 2009, Bowskill, 2013)

A ‘Social Identity Approach’ as a Theory for the Design of Learning with Educational Technology: The Case of Clickers

This article explores learning design initially focussing upon clickers, a polling technology used largely in the classroom. We develop that to consider learning design focused at the level of the whole-group. We then apply this to education technologies in general. One distinctive contribution made here is to conceptualise clickers as a technology for groups to work as a group (collectively). To explore this, we consider two popular models for using clickers. One of these is Peer Instruction (Mazur) which is by far the most used and well-known model. The other is SharedThinking (Bowskill) which is a more recent addition. We go on from there to explore group-relevant theory and seek to widen this to consider theory for learning design using many technologies. Clickers are an under-theorised set of technologies and here is our second distinctive contribution in this paper. Researchers have called for ‘empirical work to develop theory’ (Boscardin and Penuel, 2012) for this technology. An additional concern is that ‘existing research does not connect to larger research on education or psychology’ (Penuel, Roschelle et al, 2004). We explore the possibility of a social identity approach (Bliuc et al., 2011, Haslam, 2004) as a theoretical tool for learning design in way which might address these concerns. We suggest learning design may benefit from a focus on the group-level of thinking as part of a technology-supported identity-mediated practice. Interestingly, other researchers have argued for different mediators of learning to be considered when designing pedagogical practice. Technology and networks (Siemens, 2005), language (Wertsch, 1980, Vygotsky, 1978), activities and tools (Engeström, 2007) and communities (Wenger, 1998, Lave and Wenger, 1991, Roschelle et al., 2004) have all been used to inform pedagogy. This paper proposes the addition of ‘identity-mediated group learning’ (Bowskill, 2017b) in which the situated group-identity provides the basis for development using a social identity approach. Finally, one researcher describes the use of clickers as having a ‘catalytic’ effect (Draper, 2009). Another notes the ’sense of community’ as an affective outcome arising from the use of this technology (Simon et al., 2013). In this paper, the suggestion is the ‘catalytic’ effect may be the moment of social identification when the group is made salient and deindividuation occurs. From this, we affirm the view elsewhere in the literature that ‘reference to peers has more influence than reference to facts’ (Goldstein et al., 2008)

Five case studies exploring the value of technology education in New Zealand secondary schools

There are many factors that influence students in their choice to take vocationally focussed or general technology subjects at secondary school. Equally, there are many factors that contribute to whether or not they succeed in their studies, and what value they place on the different types of knowledge and skills they learn. A student‟s choices cannot be separated from the social and environmental context in which the student acts. This study presents five case studies that explore the context and experiences of five, very different students of technology who have all recently graduated secondary school. Each case study brings together data from semi-structured interviews conducted with the student participant, one of their parents and their principal technology teacher at secondary school. They provide an insight into how each student perceived their technology education, what influenced them in choosing technology classes, what knowledge and skills they learnt, how that knowledge and skill has served them in their transition into the workforce or tertiary study, and what they perceive are the differences between vocational technology education and general technology education

Soft skills training for battery gigafactories 4.0

We probably all agree that well developed soft skills are essential for any human to have, both in private social life and the workplace. However, it has recently come before our eyes (read below) that soft skills maybe even more in demand than hard technical skills, even for high-tech machine operators in Industry 4.0. In this roundtable, we want to discuss how to integrate soft skills training in any course at any level of education. The participants inputs and contributions in discussion are essential for ongoing massive education and training development on the European level

Nostalgia, belonging and mattering: an institutional framework for digital collegiality drawn from teachers’ experience of online delivery during the 2020 pandemic

This article explores the experiences of two teachers in different institutions (UK and China) specifically selected for this study because of their largely positive institutional experiences of using technology during the first wave of the pandemic in early 2020. Our aim is to understand the emotional outcomes relative to their uses of technology, whilst working from home. In this study, we asked, “what is the role of technology in the affective outcomes of teaching during the pandemic when everyone was at home?” and “Why might teachers feel a sense of nostalgia for a moment of educational crisis?” A proposal was submitted and gained ethical approval from the University of Derby. A qualitative methodology was adopted using semi-structured online interviews and inductive analysis. We address concerns that ‘sense of belonging’ may be an incomplete account of the emotional landscape arising from the use of technology during this educational emergency. We identify three ways in which technology was used and which made experience (1) flexible (2) communal, and (3) visible. We map these uses onto corresponding emotional outcomes which are (1) mattering (2) belonging (3) nostalgia. As a result, we provide a model of ‘E-Motional Good Practice’ in support of institutional, and digital collegiality. Finally, we consider implications for university education departments

A social identity approach to learning with classroom technologies

This inter-disciplinary study develops a group level approach to learning design and practice in the classroom. This is supported by the use of technology to support learners in their collaborative development of questions. General use of these technologies has tended to focus on tutors setting questions and students responding. This thesis explores a more sophisticated view of these technologies using a student-generated perspective. Five case studies are presented including induction, professional development and placement review. These cases are each in different contexts. This study also develops a group-level concept of learning design. This approach has a structural view of group learning which consists of different ways of organising interaction amongst the whole class. In addition, it also has a psychological view of group learning based around the psychological impact of group membership and different group-level perspectives. This is in contrast with conventional instructional design approaches to pedagogy which are based on representative individuals. In response to this group-level approach, this study reviews individual and socio-cultural theories of learning on order to understand the interaction between individual and whole-group perspectives which are a feature of this practice. Social Identity theory is added to this as a potential bridge between these different theoretical frameworks. Shared Thinking, the name given to this group-level practice, completes the design, theory and practice framework of this study. This practice points to the pedagogical complexity implied by new uses of classroom technologies discussed in this study. The combination of an instrumentalist and a social psychological aspect of pedagogy illustrate this complexity based around the development and manipulation of a shared sense of identity. The tutor’s role therefore combines management of the process with the curation of social identity

Exploring the dual approaches to technology education in NZ secondary schools

NZ secondary schools are able to offer their senior students either industry-based vocational technology education programmes or NZ Curriculum-based general technology education programmes. Each of these approaches is designed to teach knowledge and skills that will help students to successfully transition into the workplace. Through conducting five case studies of recent secondary school vocational and general technology education graduates this research presents data around the perceptions the five students have of their technology education. It focuses on what knowledge and skills were valued by those students, and which pedagogical approaches engaged them. The research indicated that contextualising learning within a practical project, whether it is a component of vocational technology education or general technology education, seems to engage students more deeply and make learning more meaningful

Towards another kind of borderlessness: online students with disabilities

Online learning is crucial to success for higher education institutions. Whilst the existing literature predominantly focused on its economic advantages, we focused on its inclusivity. At an online learning unit of a UK university, the number of students with disabilities (SWD) is three times higher than the national average. Having a degree makes significant financial and psychological differences in the lives of SWD. Though recent literature focused on inclusivity of online learning, an appraisal of first-hand experience of SWD studying online is a missing perspective. Accordingly, we aimed to explore their experience, using thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews involving ten SWD. Three themes emerged: (1) having control over studies as an advantage of online learning, (2) personal touch helps SWD’s online learning, and (3) challenges SWD experience with the social element of online learning. Our findings will help to develop the inclusivity of online learning to a new level.N/