Disequilibrium

During the reading and writing of my first AoL I realised that I was approaching the subject from a limited perspective.

Chatting it through with Adesola it was clear that I found it difficult to identify what 'captures' my learning, as learning for me in the Ofsted-fuelled and led world of FE has become (I am told) that if learning cannot be evidenced (on paper or via data in a spreadsheet) then it is not valid.  How sad, in the true sense of the meaning.

What resulted from the conversation was a shift from one, rather dry, approach, to a different perception of learning.   I literally felt my brain move.

Disequilibrium ensued as I tried desperately to work out where I was, what I was doing, and who I am in light of this!

Regaining (some) balance came from much thinking and wondering.

In essence, I needed to move from my anecdotal 'What I do and how I do it is evidence of my learning' (which is not wrong in itself, it is the truth after all), I needed to dig deeper to identify what encapsulates my learning in the broader sense.

An example could be:
AOL 1 - Project Management
AOL 2 - Mentoring
AOL 3 - Dispute Resolution

Becomes:
AOL 1 - Interpersonal Skills

Encapsulating the learning here, provides a greater opportunity to research and link theory to practice; a broader range of experience, knowledge, skills and abilities to be discussed, a deepening of how this has impacted learning as reflection takes place,  and a greater understanding of how this could further impact practice.

It's early days for me.  I am still scratching my head.  However, it has helped me to understand that my current perspectives, whilst not 'wrong', could change, and with that so could my practice.

Happy AOL'ing.