RAISING ASPIRATION THROUGH THE REFLECTIVE PROJECT

REBECCA AUSTIN PICKARD

SHAPING FUTURES AND RAISING ASPIRATION WITH THE REFLECTIVE PROJECT

This session explores how the reflective project can be used as a vehicle to raise the aspirations of students and really help them shape their future in dynamic ways.

Taking the ethical, critical and reflective skills at the heart of a successful reflective project we will explore real world examples where an understanding and implementation of these skills has been fundamental to success... And the role inquiry plays in getting the most out of these real world examples

Motivation 1

I DIDN’T HAVE AN ETHICAL RADAR FOR YEARS, ADMITS FOUNDER OF CAMBRIDGE ANALYTICA’S PARENT COMPANY

The Times August 20 2018

Motivation 2

HOW CAN YOU COMMUNICATE THIS TO STUDENTS?

Motivation 3

THE CONTEXT OF LEARNING

‘Productive learning is where the process engenders and reinforces wanting to learn more. Absent wanting to learn, the learning context is unproductive’

SEYMOUR SARASON ‘And what do YOU mean by Learning?’

‘The future belongs to those that have made an active lifelong commitment to continue to learn’

HOWARD GARDNER ‘Five minds for the Future’

HOW DO YOU GET CURIOUS?

‘School just would have been

better if I’d known the

questions to ask’

Jonny, Sports Marketer

‘We all need to think better.

Think differently. Learn

better. Learn Differently’

Professor Peng Khaw,

Opthalmic Surgeon

B: KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF ETHICAL DILEMMA (9)

THE CENTRAL ETHICAL DILEMMA IS ANALYSED FROM DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES …

DEVELOPED KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING …

THE USE OF A LOCAL OR GLOBAL EXAMPLE IS EFFECTIVE AND WELL INTEGRATED …

THE IMPACT OF THE ETHICAL DILEMMA …

ANALYSIS OF HOW CULTURAL PERSPECTIVES CAN INFLUENCE …

C: CRITICAL THINKING OF ETHICAL DILEMMA AND EVIDENCE (12)

CONSIDERED AND CONVINCING DISCUSSION …

INTERPRETING AND APPLYING EVIDENCE …

CONCLUSIONS ARE PERCEPTIVE AND CONCISE …

CONNECTIONS MADE BETWEEN IDEAS ARE INSIGHTFUL, SUSTAINED AND COHERENT

E: ENGAGEMENT AND REFLECTION OF THE PROJECT IN THE RPPF (6)

EVALUATIVE.

THE CAPACITY TO CONSIDER ACTIONS AND IDEAS IN RESPONSE TO SETBACKS …

INTELLECTUAL AND PERSONAL ENGAGEMENT …

AUTHENTICITY, INTELLECTUAL INITIATIVE AND/OR CREATIVITY IN THE STUDENT VOICE…

Key assessment criteria for accessing highest marks/impact

Different perspectives

Developed Knowledge

Local and global examples

Ethical impact

Cultural perspectives

Convincing Discussion

Interpretation

Perceptive Conclusions

Sustained Connections

Authenticity

Evaluative

Setbacks

Intellectual engagement

Creativity

Initiative

Education & career path

Ethical considerations

Intercultural understanding

Successes & setbacks

The Learner Profile’s

significance

Importance of Lifelong

learning

‘What has helped you

succeed the most?

Experience

Mentoring

Practical

Training

Pragmatism

Influence

Failures

Reflective Practice

‘What has been

your motivation and

has this changed?

Contribute to society

Care for society

Develop skills

Lead

Passion

Creative Freedom

Positive impact

Well paid

General questions

generate interesting

responses …

… but they need

further analysisUSE THESE

TOPICS TO

SHAPE

QUESTIONS

DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES CONVINCING DISCUSSION AUTHENTICITY

INTERVIEW TOPICS

Education & career path Ethical considerations Intercultural understanding Successes & setbacks

The Learner Profile’s significance Importance of Lifelong learning

A well cultivated critical thinker:

•raises vital questions and problems, formulating them clearly and precisely

•gathers and assesses relevant information, using abstract ideas to interpret it effectively comes to well-reasoned

conclusions and solutions, testing them against relevant criteria and standards

•thinks open-mindedly within alternative systems of thought, recognising and assessing, as need be, their assumptions,

implications, and practical consequences

•communicates effectively with others in figuring out solutions to complex problems

(Taken from Richard Paul and Linda Elder, The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking Concepts and Tools, Foundation for Critical Thinking Press,

2008)

Developed Knowledge

Local and global examples

Ethical impact

Cultural perspectives

Interpretation

Perceptive Conclusions

Sustained Connections

Evaluative

Setbacks

Intellectual engagement

Creativity

Initiative

TYPES OF CAREER

Sole business owner

Local business

Multinational business Employee

Private sector

Senior Management

Director

Entrepreneur

Senior Public sector

Self employed

Contractual

Vocational

Freelance

Retrained

Practical

Academic

Low paid

High salary

Varied

‘Cherry-picker’

Necessity

GENERAL AREAS

EDUCATION

MARKETING

MEDICINE

RESEARCH

DEFENCE

FINANCE

CHARITY

HEALTH

SOCIAL

DESIGN

SPORT

ARTS

CARE

LAW

AGRICULTURE

MARKETING

WHO

World leading Opthalmic Surgeon

Retired CFO for Transnational Company of 169,000

employees

General Manager of Strategic Brand and Packaging

Design Company in London, New York and Singapore

Director of Sports Marketing Company specialising in

digital and social media forums

Professional cellist and small business owner

Major in British Army for 16 years

Freelance accountant and member of educational trust

Consultant registrar in Emergency medicine in the UK and

Tanzania

Former research associate in Biochemistry now graduate

trainee Science teacher

Freelance copywriter

Retired solicitor and district judge

Director of global educational training company

Social worker specialising in adult’s mental health

Social worker specialising in family

Organic farmer and pre-school teacher

12MY GROWING NETWORK

The Eye

SurgeonCFO

Transnational

CompanyGM of

Global

Design Co

Emergency

Medicine

consultant

UK & Africa

Major in

British

Army

Director

Sports

Marketing

Co

Organic

farmer

Family

Social

Worker

Financial

Lawyer

Research

associate in

Biochemistry

Professional

Cellist &

EntrepreneurFreelanceAccountant

Retired

District

Judge

Copy

writer

IT

manager

Charity

It’s not about what’s right

and wrong but the

multidimensionality of the

workplace that’s important

and discovering where you

stand

DESIGNER

‘’Great ideas

change the world.

When you think of

yourself as the expert,

you turn into a process

and stop being creative’

‘If I don’t

ask the right

questions, my whole

business

is compromised’

SYNTHESIS OF

OUTCOMES SO

FAR …

FARMER

‘I have to simplify

the complex in all

communications’

DOCTOR

‘Teamwork is

everything: Fail

fast and learn’

MARKETERThe Financial Crisis/

Technology/International

Relations/ Government

funding/ Global Warming

have shaped/ shape my

career

RESILIENCE &

RISKTAKING

‘I’ve always had the sense

that I’m a small part of

something much bigger and

have responsibilities’ ARMY

MAJOR

It’s not the best salary

but it’s value driven/It’s

a very good salary for

creative

freedomVALUES &

PRINCIPLES

I’m not someone who

learns quickly or

easily but reflection &

asking questions is how

I got here

CFO and

LAWYER

‘Without cultural

sensitivity, I could

compromise my own

ethics and others’

ETHICAL &

REFLECTIVE

PRACTICE

Life Long Learning can apply to

building relationships and

bringing

out the best in people

CONCLUSIONS from this interview process …

SURPRISED – SHOCKED – AMUSED – INSPIRED – DELIGHTED - DISAPPOINTED - CURIOUS

Prompts ethical, critical and reflective discussion of careers as well as reflection of the learner profile in an authentic way

Increases knowledge and curiosity of a wide range of professional paths, approaches and choices

Allows for the evaluation of the impact inquiry has on career paths

Creates a platform for multiple reflective perspectives and experiences from a wide variety of stakeholders

Has a really positive impact on interviewees as they have not been asked questions in this way before

COLLABORATION

Students develop ethical, critical and reflective inquiry skills through the interview of professionals and the creation of their own career-related network.

This can increase access to the top bands of the reflective project criteria but more importantly raises aspiration and focus generally at any stage for the learner.

SO …

1. What are interesting questions to ask and why are they interesting?

2. How do you get students generating ethical, critical and reflective questions?

Inspiration