Analysing Teaching-Learning Interactions in Higher Education: Accounting for Structure and Agency PDF
Preview Analysing Teaching-Learning Interactions in Higher Education: Accounting for Structure and Agency
Analysing Teaching–Learning Interactions in Higher Education AlsoavailablefromContinuum ChangingPedagogy,Xin-minZhengandChrisDavison TheConsumerExperienceofHigherEducation,DeirdreMcArdle-Clinton LifelongLearning,JimSmithandAndreaSpurling PedagogyandtheUniversity,MonicaMcLean PerspectivesofQualityinAdultLearning,PeterBoshier TeachingandLearninginHigherEducation,HarrietEvans WideningParticipationinPost-CompulsoryEducation,LizThomas Analysing Teaching–Learning Interactions in Higher Education Accounting for Structure and Agency PAUL ASHWIN Continuum TheTowerBuilding,11YorkRoad,LondonSE17NX 80MaidenLane,Suite704,NewYorkNY10038 www.continuumbooks.com ©PaulAshwin2009 Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproducedortransmitted inanyformorbyanymeans,electronicormechanical,includingphotocopying, recording,oranyinformationstorageorretrievalsystem,withoutprior permissioninwritingfromthepublishers. PaulAshwinhasassertedhisrightundertheCopyright,DesignsandPatentsAct, 1988,tobeidentifiedasAuthorofthiswork. BritishLibraryCataloguing-in-PublicationData AcataloguerecordforthisbookisavailablefromtheBritishLibrary. ISBN:978-0-8264-9418-4(hardcover) LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData Ashwin,Paul,1970– Analysingteaching–learninginteractionsinhighereducation:accountingfor structureandagency/PaulAshwin. p.cm. Includesbibliographicalreferences. ISBN978-0-8264-9418-4(hardback) 1. Collegeteaching.2. Teacher-studentrelationships.3. Interactionanalysisin education. I.Title. 378.1'25--dc22 2008046617 TypesetbyKennethBurnley,Wirral,Cheshire PrintedandboundinGreatBritainby... Introduction Contents Acknowledgements vii 1 Introduction 1 2 Conceptualizingstructureandagencyinrelationto teaching–learninginteractions 15 3 Currentwaysofanalysingtherelationsbetween structural–agenticprocessesandteaching–learning interactions 29 4 Analysingtherelationsbetweenteaching–learning environmentsandteaching–learninginteractions 51 5 Analysingtherelationsbetweenstudentandacademic identitiesandteaching–learninginteractions 71 6 Analysingtherelationsbetweendisciplinaryknowledge practicesandteaching–learninginteractions 87 7 Analysingtherelationsbetweeninstitutionalculturesand teaching–learninginteractions 105 8 Implicationsforresearchingteaching–learninginteractions 125 References 143 Index 163 To my wonderful Emma Introduction Acknowledgements Many people have contributed to the development and writing of this book. There are a few whom I wish to thank particularly. Carolyn Jackson, Monica McLean, Keith Trigwell, Murray Saunders and Paul Trowler all spent time discussing different aspects of the ideas that I explore in this book and assisted considerably in their development. I have been fortunate to be a member of the Department of Educa- tionalResearch,LancasterUniversity,inwhichstudentsandstaffalike are willing to discuss the difficult issues around how to generate and make sense of data about teaching and learning. In particular, the discussions I have had with students on the Doctoral Programme in EducationalResearchandtheMAinEducation/EducationalResearch contributedgreatlytomyunderstandingoftheissuesIexplore,asdid my discussions with members of the Teaching and Learning Cultures Reading Group. I’d also like to thank my department and Lancaster University for the term of sabbatical leave that gave me the space in whichtobegindevelopingtheargumentsinthisbook. Finally, I’d like to thank my family for their encouragement and care; especially Emma and Rosa who have had to put up with my preoccupiedmoodinessasIhavecompletedthisbook. PAUL ASHWIN vii This page intentionally left blank Chapter 1 Introduction As its title suggests, this is a book about analysing teaching–learning interactions in higher education. It asks questions such as: when an academic engages with a group of students in a seminar, how is the interaction affected by the actions and reactions of those involved? What impact does the teaching–learning environment have on this ongoinginteraction?Howdotheidentitiesofstudentsandacademics influence the ways in which they respond to each other? Does the disciplinary focus of the material that students and academics discuss influencethewaysinwhichtheyengagetogether?Doestheparticular institution in which this interaction takes place have an impact on the developing form of the interaction? In addressing such questions, I discusswaysofaccountingforsocialstructureandindividualagencyin analysing teaching–learning interactionsinhighereducation. TherearethreebroadaspectstotheargumentthatIdevelopinthis book.First,Iofferacritiqueofthewayinwhichcurrentresearchinto teaching–learning processes in higher education analyses teaching– learning interactions and the way in which it accounts for social struc- tureandindividualagencywithintheseinteractions.Second,Iexplore alternativewaysofanalysingteaching–learninginteractionsthatgivea senseoftheirdynamicnatureandthewayinwhichtheyrelatetowider socialprocesses.Third,Iexaminetheimplicationsforfutureresearch of both my critique of current, and my consideration of alternative, approachestoanalysingteaching–learninginteractionsinhigheredu- cation. Inordertoprovideaninitialsenseofthisargument,inthischapter I address the question of why any of this matters. After an initial word about terminology, I tackle the issue of why teaching–learning inter- actions in higher education matter and what are the problems with the current mainstream approaches to analysing these interactions. A danger of focusing on teaching–learning interactions is that a sense 1
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