1. Reflective Collaborative Conversations: Articulating Intention and Reflecting upon Action
Dale Vidmar
Information Literacy and Instruction Coordinator/
Education, Communication, Health & Phys. Ed. Librarian
Southern Oregon University Library
Lilly West 2009 Conference on College and University Teaching
Pomona, California
March 20, 2009

2. Reflective Collaborative Conversations
Existential Question:
Why are We Here?
Participants will be able to:
Structure a reflective collaborative conversation around diverse activities such as classroom teaching, creating learning modules, organizational retreats, or strategic plans.
Function in the various roles of teacher, facilitator, and observer with colleagues.
Engage in a reflective process to promote formative collaborative assessment.

3. Reflective Collaborative Conversations
“The quality of student learning is directly, although not exclusively, related to the quality of teaching.
Therefore, one of the most promising ways to improve learning is to improve teaching.”
- Thomas Angelo
from Classroom Assessment Techniques

4. Reflective Collaborative Conversations
A formative process that facilitates introspection and self-awareness prior to, during, and after teaching.

5. The Intentional Teacher
A primary characteristic of an outstanding teacher is intentionality–
Having a purpose with which to cultivate informed reflection.

6. Why Reflection?
“Experience itself is actually the ‘greatest teacher,” . . .

7. What Does Our Experience Say?

8. Why Reflection?
“Experience itself is actually the ‘greatest teacher,” . . .
not
“we do not learn as much from experience as we learn from reflecting on that experience.”
- Thomas S.C. Farrell
from Reflective Practice in Action: 80 Reflection Breaks for Busy Teachers

9. Why Reflection?
Do you ever talk with colleagues after class about teaching?
How does this affect your teaching?
Do you ever talk with students after class about your teaching?

10. Reflective Collaborative Conversations
Intention:
Planning Conversation
Reflection:
Reflective Conversation
Classroom Experience
Critical Incidents: Transformative Events

11. Critical Incidents
Critical incidents (Brookfield) – a vividly remembered event that is unplanned and unanticipated
Opportunities to examine and better understand what we do and how we do it in order to initiate change and improvement

12. Reflective Collaborative Conversations
Individual:
Introspection
Facilitator:
Elicits critical reflection
Observer:
Moderates the process and takes notes
Trust & Collegiality

13. Reflective Collaborative Conversations
Two Primary Stages:
1. Planning Conversation
Clarify intentions: Lesson goals and objectives
Teaching strategy and procedures: What the instructor will do?
Student achievement: What the students will do to indicate success
Data to support self-assessment: What is important to the teacher?
Establish a positive, collaborative relationship between peers

14. Reflective Collaborative Conversations
Two Primary Stages:
2. Reflective Conversation
Assessment of Lesson: How did the lesson go?
Recall data to support reflections
Compare intentions with the actually lesson: What was different and why?
Effect on future lessons: new learnings, discoveries, or insights
Comment on the coaching process and refine as needed

15. The Cycle of Reflection
What am I doing?
Why am I doing what I do?
Is what I am doing effective?
How are the students responding to my teaching?
How can I improve what I am doing?

16. Reflective Collaborative Conversations
Role of the Facilitator
Set the groundwork for trust
Listen actively—seek clarification
Encourage reflection
Acknowledge the individual with nonverbal responses
Comments should further the conversation—”Tell me more...”
Enhance conversation rather than offer opinions or ideas.

17. Reflective Collaborative Conversations
Role of the Observer
Observe the process—note any deviation from role
Take notes for the individual to share for review and reflection
Note any thought-provoking comments or critical moments
Note nonverbal or verbal behaviors
Constructive criticism is the law

18. Reflective Collaborative Conversations
Let’s try it!
Form into a triad and choose roles—individual, facilitator, and observer

19. Reflection
In your group, list some qualities or skills that helped promote productive critical reflection

20. The Craft of Teaching
“Significant, meaningful, and long-term positive change will be achieved only when it comes as a decision from within the individual based on self-evaluation”
- Lapp, N., Lascher, T., Matthews, T., Papalewis, R.,
& Stoner, M.
from “A Proposal for Formative Assessment of Teaching”

21. References and Resources
Angelo, T. (1993), Classroom assessment techniques: A handbook for teachers, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco.
Brookfield, S. D. (1995). Becoming a critically reflective teacher. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Costa, A. & Garmston, R. (1994). Cognitive coaching: a foundation for renaissance schools. Norwood, MA: Christopher Gordon.
Farrell, T. S. (2004). Reflective practice in action: 80 reflection breaks for busy teachers. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Lapp, N., Lascher, T., Matthews, T., Papalewis, R., & Stoner, M. (2003, June). A proposal for formative assessment of teaching. Retrieved May 22, from coaching/FormativeAssessmentLitReview.pdf
Slavin, R. E. (2006). Educational psychology: Theory and practice. Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.

22. References and Resources
Vidmar, D. J. (2006). “Reflective peer coaching: Crafting collaborative self-assessment in teaching.” Research Strategies. 20 (3),
Vidmar, D. J. (2009, March). “Roles of the Facilitator and the Observer.” Retrieved March 20, 2009, from roles.doc.
Vidmar, D. J. (2009, March). “Collaborative Peer Conversation Questioning Strategies.” Retrieved March 20, 2009 from reflective_collaborative_conversation_questions.doc.

23. Reflective Collaborative Conversations: Articulating Intention and Reflecting upon Action
Dale Vidmar
Information Literacy and Instruction Coordinator/
Education, Communication, Health & Phys. Ed. Librarian
Southern Oregon University Library
Lilly West 2009 Conference on College and University Teaching
Pomona, California
March 20, 2009