Stepping through the daylight gate: compassionate spaces for learning in higher education

Abstract

Soon it would be dusk: the liminal hour-the Daylight Gate. He did not want to step through the light into whatever lay beyond the light. (Winterson, 2012:3) This paper is concerned with troubling emotions felt or aroused in all aspects of academic practice, including teaching, learning, research and relationships. It discusses the emergent processes of a research group whose multidisciplinary interests coalesce around discomfort, disturbance and difficulty in the processes of higher education. We talk about what happened in the space when we explored the liminal landscapes of troubling knowledge. The paper draws upon social, philosophical and psychodynamic perspectives on emotions (Boler, 1999; Pitt and Britzman, 2003) and Shotwell's (2011) epistemology of 'knowing otherwise'. In this paper, we discuss ways in which we created and worked with the permissive and loose space of our collaborative pedagogical research group. In this compassionate learning atmosphere, we shared stories of 'troubled' academic work. Through this paper, we seek to contribute to a critical understanding of troubling emotions and the work of compassion in higher education. We do this by exploring their educative value in different learning spaces, and by sharing the sense of quiet hope that has enriched our everyday lives.

Social Work Educators’ Opportunities During COVID-19: A Roadmap for Trauma-Informed Teaching During Crisis

“…The trauma-informed teaching principles of trust and transparency are useful for the online learning environment as a way to establish clarity and provide consistency (Carello & Butler, 2015). Fostering trustworthiness in the classroom entails maintaining appropriate boundaries, demonstrating dependability and patience, and being honest (Carello & Butler, 2015;Haynes & Macleod-Johnstone, 2017). Providing structure and reliability during turbulent times cultivates trust and creates a compassionate learning environment (Haynes & Macleod-Johnstone, 2017;E.…”

“…Fostering trustworthiness in the classroom entails maintaining appropriate boundaries, demonstrating dependability and patience, and being honest (Carello & Butler, 2015;Haynes & Macleod-Johnstone, 2017). Providing structure and reliability during turbulent times cultivates trust and creates a compassionate learning environment (Haynes & Macleod-Johnstone, 2017;E. Lee & Hannafin, 2016).…”

“…A syllabus that provides information about resources, writing tutors, technology support, and office hours helps alleviate stress and anxiety related to help-seeking in a remote classroom. Integrating self-care within the syllabus informs students of the importance of being mindful of shared trauma responses, creating a compassionate learning environment (Brunzell et al, 2015;Carello & Butler, 2015;Dabbagh & Kitsantas, 2004;Haynes & Macleod-Johnstone, 2017). Finally, providing extra-credit opportunities helps alleviate anxiety related to the fear of failing (Hanewicz et al, 2017).…”

“…Subsequently, students' primary incentive becomes performance and grades rather than learning and skill development. Trauma responses exacerbate anxiety during high-stakes testing, which may interfere with learning and knowledge retention (Hanewicz et al, 2017;Haynes & Macleod-Johnstone, 2017). Therefore, course content that promotes student choice and empowerment may alleviate trauma responses, improve intrinsic motivation, and encourage the development of practical skills and knowledge (Hanewicz et al, 2017;E.…”

Being more human: rooting learning analytics throughresistance andreconnection with the values of higher education

“…Within the hyper-competitive, biofinancialised HE context, it is no surprise that academics are beginning to seek out and undertake activities that facilitate compassion amongst and between fellow academics (see Haynes & Macleod-Johnstone, 2017;Mutch & Tatebe, 2017). However, surprisingly, there is limited explicit focus on academics being compassionate towards and actively with students.…”