APPENDIX 1: PHASE ONE ONLINE COURSE AND WORKSHOPS

COURSE OVERVIEW

graphic of logo: Taking Action

Through the Phase One course, you will explore ways to address impacts of violence on learning, including ways to facilitate holistic learning. During the course, you will read and respond to articles and other resources, engage in practical activities and plan a Changing Practices research project.

INTENTIONS

Each of us will bring a range of experiences, knowledge, values and interests to our learning in this course. Building on those, intentions for the course include:

  • Extending knowledge and understanding about violence, the impacts of violence on learning and ways to address the impacts.
  • Extending knowledge and understanding about ways to bring the whole self to teaching and learning.
  • Relating course content to practices / contexts.
  • Critically reflecting about personal theories, beliefs and practices in light of course content and activities and vice versa.
  • Developing knowledge and skills to plan and implement a Changing Practices project.

MODULES

The course includes six modules that will each run for two weeks. A new module will be posted in the eLit VALTA folder at the start of each two-week period. The posting will include an introduction to the topic, along with a list of readings, learning activities and activities to help you develop your Changing Practices project proposal.

Course activities will encourage you to bring your whole self to learning about the course topics and to adopt a research in practice stance. By practicing holistic learning ourselves, we hope to extend understanding about how to create conditions for holistic learning. A research in practice stance will help you to relate course content to our contexts and practices, consider similarities and differences and imagine practice-based changes you might make to address impacts of violence on learning.

For each module you are asked to:

  • Read the key readings
  • Read one further reading if you choose
  • Carry out observation in your program
  • Try out one or more of the art, music, movement, or other activities
  • Record your learnings in a journal and share them online
  • Take part in online discussion
  • Work on the plan for your Changing Practices project

Module One includes an orientation workshop. A concluding workshop will be held at the end of the course.

Descriptions of the course activities follow this overview.