case study

The team I was on did the case study on the RCMP. We were fortunate to have a well-defined group to research as a few of the other teams had much broader groups to try and focus on. This was probably a Godsend because it took us a bit of time to clarify what exactly the assignment criteria were and even after considerable thought, we came up with a different interpretation than all the other teams.  It just goes to show you that perspective comes into play everywhere. This was certainly true of our group dynamics – I don’t think anyone was very happy with the process that got us to the finish line but I think we were all pleased with the final product. We may not have used our strengths in the best way possible but we allowed (or in my case was reminded by a good friend to allow) others to learn and try what they wanted to try. I am proud of the accomplishments of the team but I’m pretty sure there are a few team members that will cringe if they have to work with me again.  I hope I’ve learned something from the experience and I know you are all safer with me at home than in person.

born again researcher

I think I am a born-again researcher. If you had asked me which ‘team’ I belonged coming into the residency, I would have firmly planted my feet on the quantitative side of the great research divide, being of the opinion that only real numbers can tell the real truth.  But I now realize that like beauty, truth is in the eye of the beholder.  I can see myself doing research, if for nothing else but to satisfy my personal curiosity.  Many of my questions revolved around the training of student denturists at NAIT, but unfortunately I doubt I would be able to do a thesis on a topic regarding my own students.  Denturism is a fairly young profession and little or no research has been done regarding any aspect of the field.  A few years ago, denturists, along with many other smaller professional groups, were gathered under the umbrella of the Alberta Health Professions Act. This has proven to be a somewhat painful and disruptive process for many practicing denturists as they can’t seem to grasp the difference between what is now legislated and what is discretionary.  For example, members sometimes feel that the Registrar of the College of Alberta Denturists has a personal vendetta against them, not understanding that he is legally bound to investigate a complaint in a certain way.  There is a lifetime of research just waiting to be done on denturist behaviour and education. I hope to be a pioneer in this area because I have lots of questions that I would like to address.  Maybe someday I’ll even be published ( hopefully not in the gossip column of Cosmopolitan).

wrap up

I have had some time to think about our experience at RRU.  You’ll note I did not use the word “reflect” as it is a word that does not come easily to me; I perceive it to be for sensitive, deep, humanistic, NDP-voting, qualitative analysis, MBTI ‘feeling’ types – not shallow, coldhearted hags like me.  But bear with me…..

I saw learning-associated changes occur in our class and was struck by how much some people transformed during the session. Whether or not this is a change that will result in adaptation or merely assimilation is still to be seen but there is no doubt that we were all affected by the residency experience to some degree.  I saw very introverted people become more extroverted as they became more confident in themselves and more familiar with the cohort.  (Did anyone else notice that “cohort” rhymes with “wart” – I think they are from the same word family).  I saw people that ‘normally’ would not discuss how they ‘feel’ let some of their inner feelings out.  It is interesting that both a feeling of trust – the ability to open up to these new friends – and a feeling of anonymity  – you were not going to see these people again in your ‘real’ life – existed in unison. I saw people who live VERY busy, serious lives use the residency as a getaway from their ‘real’ lives but by the last morning the break was over and they were back to their Blackberries, wondering how in the hell they would find the time to catch up at work.  For a couple of weeks we were the same but now we are once again different.  But we are different in two contexts.  First we have all become separate beings with dissimilar lives, and secondly, we have each changed at least somewhat from the experience at RRU.  Assimilation maybe, and perhaps for some of us adaptation. I guess time will tell.

What have I learned?

I woke up this morning with a headache – not a hangover headache but the kind of dull achy one that you get from concentrating too hard, looking at a computer screen too long and not sleeping enough.  Our time here is drawing to a close and I have decided to reflect on the experience of residency.  The thing that surprises me the most is in the ‘what have I learned?’ category. I came here expecting to learn a lot of theory about adult education and research and while I did grow in my knowledge in these areas, the thing I learned the most about was me.  I managed to function – albeit not terribly well- in a group environment, something that is as comfortable to me as having my eyelids tattooed.  I learned that I use my poor humour as an ice breaker or perhaps a defense.  In the team building exercise yesterday with the plates, EVERY comment was in regards to my sense of humour. I was surprised at my reaction to this – while I’m sure it was meant to be complimentary, in my heart I guess I hoped that at least someone might have seen that there is more to me than a wicked tongue.  But I guess that since humour is a really big part of who I am, I shouldn’t expect to be taken too seriously. Maybe once we are online and my tongue will be slowed down, some of my other qualities will become more evident.  For example, I do a mean armpit fart….

 I’ve made new friends here and have a true affection for many of you.  Please stay in touch by blog or email.  Go home to your families and remind yourself why you are doing this. We’ll gain from this experience in ways that I’m sure none of us can anticipate.

Let’s talk support

We have all come here for different reasons, from different places and from different backgrounds.  Yet despite these differences, we have come together as a group and I sense a general support and encouragement that permeates the classroom discussions and team assignments. Our differences make us stronger and more interesting.  I hope that this feeling of ‘being a team’ continues once we are off campus.  I am fortunate to have great support from my family and employer, so I feel that there is a tightly-knit safety net below me that will catch me and bounce me back up should I fall. I hope that I have the insight to notice if any of you are wobbly and need to be propped up because I know that you would do the same for me.  We’re half way through our 2-week residency and I think we are over the hump.  Let’s get this thing done!

More about imposter syndrome

I have done a little research into Imposter Syndrome and am learning much interesting information about it. Not surprisingly, it is more common in females than males.  Why is this?  I had hoped that in 21st century North America young women had been empowered  and confident.  But as an instructor at NAIT, I see that this is not the case.  But I digress…..

I am wondering, having a not-s0-mild case of IS, what effect does doing group work have on graduate students with Imposter Syndrome?  Does it contribute to these feelings or does the group work help to alleviate the feeling of inadequateness.

What I’ve learned about learning and learners

As the week progressed, I found that I got to see more of the personalities of my cohorts, along with their skills.  I really found the presentations on Friday to be good, and was particularly impressed by ( among others) 1) how wonderfully Brian delivers when speaking, 2) Tyler’s awesome voice quality, 3) Margaret A’s logic and clarity, and 3) the amount of discussion that occurred as a result of the presentations.  I particularly appreciated the discussion regarding how students are accepted into programs.   I think RRU has gone beyond some of the preconceptions and biases of many ( most?) universities concerning qualifications of applicants.  If you were to make a judgement based on the confidence, intelligence, contribution &  expertise of the students in our cohort, you would never be able to guess who came into the program without degrees.  It impresses the hell out of me that some of us ( not me) have jobs of great responsibility that usually require a degree; these folks must be excellent performers to be able to earn and keep their positions.  Sometimes I think the system proliferates imposter syndrome, even though we all know that a piece of paper does not make you the best person to do the job.  Maybe basing intake qualifications on marks or other prerequisites is the most expedient, inexpensive  or legally defensible way of accepting students or in choosing employees?  Maybe this is a good research topic……

I am now explained ( but not understood)

I’m sure it came as no surprise to anyone in this class that I am a last-born child.  I surprised no one asked if my parents were circus performers ( the loud mouth man and the hairy woman  - I am an interesting mix of both sides of the gene pool).  I have found all of the information that Judith has been giving us on learning to be very interesting.  I have no formal training in educational theory so all of this stuff is new and very revealing to me. I can see exactly where my kids are on the developmental scale ( read- I’m still in the safe zone but WAIT until they are 14!) and I can see that some of my adult students may not have progressed as far as I would have expected them to by the time they enter college.  I now understand why some students might be ‘needier’ than others.  The session with Hillary ( whose last name has to be YUSS) regarding feedback is totally applicable to my job as I must provide feedback, often regarding poor performance, to students on a regular basis.  I will now approach feedback in a new light, being better prepared to control my responses and maintain my focus by using listening skills.  I hope with practice some of these skills will become automatic- if so, it will benefit both me and my long-suffering students.

And we’re off and running

Well, we’ve been here 2 days and it feels like it has been 2 weeks!  I found the class this morning very interesting, especially the Meyers- Briggs indicator assessment ( you’ll note that I did not use the word ‘test’).  I definitely had preconceptions about the ‘type’ certain people are ( for example, I thought FOR SURE Paul was an introvert- no wait, that’s per -vert) that but the session showed me that you cannot judge a book by its cover and that all geeks are not created equal.  Who knew that IT people could have a feeling side – isn’t that counterintuitive?  I’ve learned that I cannot prejudge learners and so must listen and evaluate prior to making assessments as to M-B typing.  I’d have to say that I learned more about myself today, both as student and a person.  I took the MBTI about 6 years ago  when I first started teaching at NAIT.  I had come out of private practice and had certain character traits that I assumed were innate.  I think I developed some of those traits as a result of being a small business person – perhaps out of necessity- and am not sure that my real self ever developed.  My M-B assessment is now significantly different than it was in 2002, both in terms of areas that show dominance and how dominant the traits are.   I feel that the newer assessment is more valid and shows a more true definition of my ‘type’.  Do you think that people can change over a period of time or do you think that you are, as Hillary stated, born with certain irrefutable predispositions?

Clint’s class

I am now a quasi expert in blogging because Clint has shown me the light.  It is a dim light but I can still see faint shapes and shadows of how to blog effectively. I guess time will tell.