BECOMING INTEGRAL EDUCATORS FOR SUSTAINABLE FUTURES: A HUMAN-DECENTRED DESIGN APPROACH TO TEACHER DEVELOPMENT IN AN INDEPENDENT SECONDARY SCHOOL Nikolas Michael Winter-Simat BA, AF HEA Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy (Research) Creative Industries Faculty School of Design Queensland University of Technology 2019
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BECOMING INTEGRAL EDUCATORS FORSUSTAINABLE FUTURES:
A HUMAN-DECENTRED DESIGNAPPROACH TO TEACHER DEVELOPMENT
IN AN INDEPENDENT SECONDARY SCHOOL
Nikolas Michael Winter-Simat BA, AF HEA
Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of
Master of Philosophy (Research)
Creative Industries Faculty
School of Design
Queensland University of Technology�
2019
Becoming Integral Educators for Sustainable Futures: A human-decentred design approach to teacher development in an independent secondary school i
Keywords
Integral Education; Collaborative Design; Holistic Teacher Development; Non-
ii Becoming Integral Educators for Sustainable Futures: A human-decentred design approach to teacher development in an independent secondary school
Definition of Key Concepts
Collaborative design: A participatory design methodology that identifies, values and involves the diverse ways of knowing and being of multiple stakeholders and actors in the work to solve complex problems and generate mutually beneficial outcomes. Co-design: An approach to problem solving that involves users as experts and collaborators in the design process addressing relevant problems. Consciousness Development (Expansion): A process of worldview transition towards increasing inclusivity, belonging and other-orientation. An individual and collective expansion from self towards ever increasing inclusivity and complexity. Decentred Design: A non-anthropocentric design approach that moves beyond the human-centred to include the agency and validity of non-human actors involved in a given network or context. Ontological Design: A theory that describes the agency of the designed world to shape all areas of human thinking and expression. Often understood as a circle in which human designed objects, systems, ideas etc. contribute to the forming of realities which found future human thinking, behaviour and designing. More-than-human: The consideration of human and non-human actors as co-participants in a network or system. Human decentred: An approach to thinking, acting and being that acknowledges the interdependence and co-evolution of all that exists rather than positioning the human as central. Transformative Learning: A process of change in thinking, values, beliefs, being and actions due to exposure to new information and a process of critical internal and external reflection and discourse. Sympoiesis: The understanding that complex adaptive systems are not self-making (autopoiesis) but reproduce, maintain themselves and adapt through complex relationships with often heterogeneous partners. Integral Education: An approach to education that acknowledges the need for humans to develop a coherent process of sense-making within an interconnected understanding of the world in terms of the relationships between mater, life, culture and consciousness.
Becoming Integral Educators for Sustainable Futures: A human-decentred design approach to teacher development in an independent secondary school iii
Abstract
The majority of current human-centred cultures, systems and behaviours are
unsustainable and threaten a life-supporting Earth. To transition to genuinely
sustainable futures, requires the development of more sustainable ways of being. This
involves transformation at the ontological level towards a more integrated sense of self
that extends beyond the dominant anthropocentric worldview.
Education, including the training and continued development of teachers, rarely
addresses these issues, and thus reinforces development within dominant
unsustainable paradigms of consumption and individualism. The theory of ontological
design offers a way of understanding human change in relation to what and how we
have designed. Considering this, the hypothesis of this research is that an integral and
human-decentred design approach to education might contribute to the ontological
changes needed to support the urgent work of transitioning to sustainable societies.
This research examines how a pedagogical framework might be developed to
engage secondary teachers in an ongoing process of personal and professional
development and contribute to the transition to a more integral and transformative
approach to education. It does so by proposing and applying a human-decentred
conceptual pedagogical framework to the design and facilitation of a series of co-
design workshops involving educators at a small independent special assistance
secondary school in Brisbane, Australia. Positioned within a developmental and
relational understanding of the world, this research employs a collaborative design
methodology of inclusion and change.
Findings provide insight into the capacity of the Decentred Pedagogical
Framework to facilitate participants’ expansion beyond the human-centred approach
to engaging in the world. This includes changes in participants’ perspectives on
educational priorities and values, transformative learning aligned with key mindsets
associated with sustainability, and an expanded capacity for collaborative work on
complex problems requiring non-dual thinking.
The thesis then draws together the findings to discuss limitations, future work
and the overall theoretical and practical implications of the research and the Decentred
Pedagogical Framework.
iv Becoming Integral Educators for Sustainable Futures: A human-decentred design approach to teacher development in an independent secondary school
Table of Contents
Keywords ............................................................................................................................. i
Definition of Key Concepts .................................................................................................. ii
Appendix A Collaborative Design Workshop 1 ................................................................ 103
Appendix B Collaborative Design Workshop 2................................................................. 105
Appendix C Collaborative Design Workshop 3................................................................. 107
Appendix D Collaborative Design Workshop 4 ................................................................ 108
Appendix E Collaborative Design Workshop 5 ................................................................. 109
Appendix F Workshop Data Examples ............................................................................. 110
Appendix G Data Analysis ............................................................................................... 113
Appendix H Enlarged Figures 2, 3, & 5 ............................................................................ 121
Appendix I Ethics Documents .......................................................................................... 125
vi Becoming Integral Educators for Sustainable Futures: A human-decentred design approach to teacher development in an independent secondary school
List of Figures
Figure 1 Four Quadrants of Integral Theory (Wilber, 2000) .................................... 23
Figure 2 Integral Map of AQAL and Spiral Dynamics (Wilber, 2000) .................... 33
Figure 3 Thinking, Being & Acting Model of Development. Diagram designed by the author based on the works of Wilber (2000), Beck and Cowan (1996) ....................................................................................................... 40
Figure 4 Human-Nature Relationship Evolution Model. Diagram designed by the author. ................................................................................................. 41
Figure 5 Research Design ....................................................................................... 48
Figure 6 Artefacts from Workshop 1 ...................................................................... 59
Figure 7 Artefacts from Workshop 2 ...................................................................... 63
Figure 8 Artefact from Workshop 4 ........................................................................ 68
Figure 9 Spiral Dynamics model adapted from Beck and Cowan (1996). ................ 84
Figure 2 Integral Map of AQAL and Spiral Dynamics (Wilber, 2000) .................. 121
Figure 3 Thinking, Being & Acting Model of Development. Diagram designed by the author based on the works of Wilber (2000), Beck and Cowan (1996) ..................................................................................................... 122
Figure 5 Research Design ..................................................................................... 123
Becoming Integral Educators for Sustainable Futures: A human-decentred design approach to teacher development in an independent secondary school vii
List of Tables
Table 1 Ontological Themes, Decentred Design Principles and Integral Quadrants. Integral Quadrants from Wilber (2000) .................................... 39
Table 2 Movement towards an integral learning paradigm ...................................... 42
Table 3 Research Paradigm Summary ..................................................................... 45
Table 4 Questions for Validity and Quality in Inquiry (Reason & Bradbury, 2006) ........................................................................................................ 56
Table 11 Emergent Categories by Theme ................................................................ 73
viii Becoming Integral Educators for Sustainable Futures: A human-decentred design approach to teacher development in an independent secondary school
List of Abbreviations
AQAL: All Quadrant All Level EfS: Education for Sustainability AuSSI: Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative ACTLF: Arethusa College Teaching and Learning Framework HCI: Human Computer Interaction
Becoming Integral Educators for Sustainable Futures: A human-decentred design approach to teacher development in an independent secondary school ix
Statement of Original Authorship
The work contained in this thesis has not been previously submitted to meet
requirements for an award at this or any other higher education institution. To the best
of my knowledge and belief, the thesis contains no material previously published or
written by another person except where due reference is made.
Signature:
Date: April 2019
QUT Verified Signature
x Becoming Integral Educators for Sustainable Futures: A human-decentred design approach to teacher development in an independent secondary school
Acknowledgements
Many have contributed to the formation and completion of this work. On the
broader scale, I want to acknowledge some of the wild places which have revealed
mysteries of interconnectedness in ways that text and thought cannot achieve. I want
to thank Fraser Island and that one very old tree, Nickel Lake for its still wisdom and
Storm King Dam for a quiet place to write. These places and their dynamic webs of
partnerships have been teachers, friends and home.
I thank QUT and the staff and structures that thoughtfully consider and support
the research journey. Thanks to my fellow research students and sessional academics
who have given feedback and shown interest in this work. A special thanks to my
colleagues and research participants at Arethusa College Spring Hill and in particular
Marj Hetherington.
I would like to give genuine thanks to my supervisory team, including Cara
Wrigley, Jaz Choi, Natalie Wright and Manuela Taboada. In particular I want to thank
Manuela and Natalie for seeing me through the final year and all the challenges that
emerged. Thanks Manuela for understanding the personal journey this work was
entangled with, muito obrigado.
Thanks especially goes to my wife Sharne for listening to countless hours of
verbal processing, confusion, breakthroughs and soul work, and to our two children
Ivy and Otis for their support and deep knowledge about what is most valuable.
Chapter 1: Introduction 1
Chapter 1: Introduction
This chapter first establishes the background (section 1.1) and context (section
1.2) of the research. Section 1.3 articulates the problems, gaps in the literature and
research questions as well as the contributions and significance of this work. Section
1.4 describes the scope of the study and section 1.5 provides an outline of the thesis.
1.1 BACKGROUND
Due to human actions, several of the Earth’s major life systems are under threat
of irreversible and abrupt changes that could be disastrous for all life (Rockström,
2009). A thriving Earth life community will require a human population that has
developed beyond its current dominant anthropocentric stage of consciousness
characterized by over-consumption, disconnection, and competition.
Considering this need for human and systems transformation, secondary
education might be the most efficient current cultural mechanism to effectuate the deep
Collaborative design as a methodology of future-oriented action, change and
Chapter 5: Research Design 45
participation is well aligned with the four ontological themes and decentred design
principles that emerged from the data as central to design work towards sustainable
futures.
Table 3 Research Paradigm Summary
Integral Quadrants
I WE IT ITS
Integral Ontology Themes
a decentred and inclusive consciousness
the collaborative co-generative nature of reality based on mutuality
a relational and interconnected view of the world
a co-emergent, non-dual and evolutionary understanding of the world
Decentred Design Themes
Transformative: humans as reflective instigators of change
Collaborative: work on problems together from the inside
Mutualism: work for common good based on inter-connectedness
Participatory: more than human actors in a network
Collaborative Design Methodology
Acknowledges personal changes central to changed or improved futures through
Focuses on co-creation as a mode of contributing to holistic outcomes
Identifies relationships, connections and interactions as central
Advocates for the inclusion of diverse shareholders and complex partnerships
Table 3 above illustrates some of the ways in which a collaborative design
methodology aligns with the Decentred Pedagogical Framework. This research applies
collaborative design methods to involve educators in their own development of skills,
knowledge, values, agency, wisdom and maturity that are needed to contribute to more
sustainable futures and a transformative education paradigm. The methods employed
in this research stem from this collaborative design methodology.
5.1.2 Research Design
Guiding the design of this research is a commitment to the four themes of a
decentred design approach within a collaborative design methodology. Based on both
the literature review and conversations with the participants, a collaborative workshop
series was determined to be an appropriate and effective format for this research. From
an Integral Theory framework, the workshop series needed to address both the interiors
(personal and cultural values, mindsets, meaning-making frameworks etc.) and
46 Chapter 5: Research Design
exteriors (knowledge, skills, understanding etc.) of teacher development. As such, the
series is considered a personal and professional development program. Engagement
with participants and a review of school documents contribute to understanding the
local context, identifying central problems and the initial design of the workshops. The
length and frequency of the workshops was determined in negotiation between the
researcher and the campus principal. Although the researcher established the initial
workshop structure and agenda, once the workshops began, participants
collaboratively steered the direction, design and content of the workshops.
The collaborative design of this research serves several functions. First, by
involving participants as co-researchers they would be able to gain the insights,
learning and growth usually experienced by the researcher. Second, the involvement
of participants in finding solutions to relevant problems often results in more effective
and sustainable solutions. Third, collaboration as a decentred ontological design act
reflects the interconnected nature of reality and contributes to the transition to a more
integral human development. Finally, as a political act, collaborative design can
contribute to the development of a more equitable and ecological society.
Methods
Through the collaborative design methodology, participants were involved in all
aspects of the design process, from the design of the workshop activities, development
of the workshop series, to the design of transformative education tools and approaches.
Considering an ontological design perspective, critical reflective practices were used
to expand awareness of the generative nature of the current designed world context
and the agency of design. To contribute to the rigor and validity of the findings,
participants were also involved in certain aspects of data analysis and the identification
of themes. Considering the situatedness of data in a phenomenological framework,
multiple mediums of data generation (visual/verbal, individual/group) were used to
triangulate and thus identify themes.
Chapter 5: Research Design 47
Project objectives
The following objectives were identified in the design of this project to ensure
alignment within the Decentred Pedagogical Framework and a collaborative design
methodology.
• Understand local context and identify problems.
• Get to know participants’: worldviews, values, priorities, educational views.
• Identify preliminary strengths, weaknesses and underlying problems based on
Integral Theory.
• Design collaborative workshop sessions and activities to generate a common
understanding of and vision for transformative education.
• Present AQAL as an integral framework for transformative education.
• Co-design further workshop sessions with participants to help them identify
problems and work collaboratively to solve them.
• Involve participants in aspects of workshop design, activity design and data
analysis when possible
The Research Intervention
The research design chosen for this project includes two stages: (1) a preliminary
study; and (2) a series of five workshops. The preliminary study included the
examination of school documents and an exploration of staff ideas and practices
around the purposes of education. This short preliminary study, including participant
engagement and the review of school documents, was conducted to identify local
problems related to the research area. Based on an Integral Theory framework this
preliminary study informed the initial design of a personal and professional educator
workshop series.
48 Chapter 5: Research Design
Figure 5 Research Design
The series of five workshops consisted of four to five thirty-minute sessions
each. They built from personal experiences towards the collaboration of ideas and
theory and culminated with the cogeneration of a transformative education philosophy.
Collaborative design as a methodological approach informed the design of this project,
placing an emphasis on the involvement of participants in cycles of design and
reflection. In this way, the participants contributed to the direction of the project, and
at times were involved as co-researchers. Following is an outline of the workshop
structure, including the aims, format and instruments for each workshop.
Workshops
The workshops consisted of a combination of group activities, focus groups,
presentations, individual activities, group discussions/inquiry and questionnaires. The
researcher took photos, field notes, collected workshop artefacts and kept a reflective
journal to document the process, collect data and contribute to the planning of the
following session. At the beginning of each of the five workshops, the researcher met
with one or more of the participant/validation group members to receive feedback and
Analyse data for emergent themes, unexpected results and new ideas.
Workshop 1 Personal Education Experiences
Workshop 2 Futures and Worldviews
Workshop 5 Cogeneration of a Transformative Education Philosophy
Workshop 3 Transformative Theories, models and Co-design
Workshop 4 Application to Practice
Creative visualisation
Questionnaire
Co-design Artefacts
Focus group Focus groups
Focus group Individual and group
design projects
Final Survey Focus group Co-design process
Group design project
Co-design Artefacts
1. What theories, methods and approaches might be appropriate to guide such transition work?
2. What is the perceived value of a collaborative method for change in education?
How might a pedagogical framework be developed to engage secondary teachers in an ongoing process of personal and professional development and contribute to the transition to a more integral and transformative approach to education?
Document through
multiple sources
Revise approach and plan new actions based on participant consultation and emergent data. Reflect
Plan
Observe
Researcher participates
Act
Chapter 5: Research Design 49
contribute to the development of the following workshops. The workshops were
conducted as follows:
Workshop 1: Personal Education Experiences
Aim: To establish a creative, collaborative and reflective workshop approach in line
with the theoretical framework of this research, explore participants’ experiences of
education, and allow participants to get to know each other better and build trust.
Format: A creative work representing individuals’ education experiences, group
reflection on the project, interactive activities exploring the themes that emerged,
collaborative project documenting those themes.
Instruments: creative visualisation (artefact), discussions, reflective journal, field
notes
A more detailed account of the activities and processes that were specific to this
research site context in Workshop 1 is provided in Appendix A.
Workshop 2: Futures and Worldviews
Aim: To better understand the participants’ view of the world, futures and preferred
futures.
Format: Individual and group activities in which participants explore and document
their concepts of perceived and preferred futures. A questionnaire exploring preferred
worldviews for graduating students.
Instruments: Focus groups, individual and group design projects (artefacts), reflective
journal, field notes, questionnaire
A more detailed account of the activities and processes that were specific to this
research site context in Workshop 2 is provided in Appendix B.
Workshop 3: Transformative Theories, models and Co-design
Aim: To work with theories to collaboratively develop models and approaches to
transformative learning appropriate to the site.
50 Chapter 5: Research Design
Format: Presentation of AQAL and spiral dynamics, focus groups on transformative
learning, co-design of visual models
Instruments: Focus groups, group design project (artefacts), reflective journal, field
notes
A more detailed account of the activities and processes that were specific to this
research site context in Workshop 3 is provided in Appendix C.
Workshop 4: Application to Practice
Aim: To connect participants’ experiences, values and worldviews to their practices
by developing a shared set of desired outcomes of the school campus.
Format: Individual and group activities to create a visual map of a graduate student,
explore purposes of education, identify education practices and priorities that connect
with the values and desired futures of participants
Instruments: Focus groups, individual and group design projects (artefacts), reflective
journal, field notes
A more detailed account of the activities and processes that were specific to this
research site context in Workshop 4 is provided in Appendix D.
Workshop 5: Cogeneration of a Transformative Education Philosophy
Aim: Collaboratively design a school specific transformative education philosophy
based on the workshop series.
Format: Focus groups to design the process, individual and group activities to generate
content, a focus group to revise the document, a reflective discussion on the
philosophy, a final questionnaire.
Instruments: Focus groups, individual and group design projects (artefacts), reflective
journal, field notes, questionnaire.
A more detailed account of the activities and processes that were specific to this
research site context in Workshop 5 is provided in Appendix E.
Chapter 5: Research Design 51
This outline provides only the basic structure of the research design due to the
highly context dependent nature of this kind of collaborative design work. In different
contexts, the specific application of this design would need to adapt and evolve with
the collaborative input from the participants and other unique environmental factors.
5.2 RESEARCH SITE AND PARTICIPANTS
5.2.1 Research Site
This research was conducted at the Brisbane campus of the Independent Special
Assistance School (SAS) Arethusa College in Queensland, Australia. Opened in 2008,
the college is founded on an inclusive Christian ethos and has several campuses around
south-east Queensland with a central office at its original campus near Deception Bay.
The school is accredited by Independent Schools Queensland (ISQ) and is governed
by a Board of Directors. The school attracts both federal and state funding annually
through a student census process and charges no regular school fees to students or
families. As a SAS, the school works with young people who have or at risk of
disengaging from education and are not participating in vocational training or full-time
employment. Due to the different localities and student demographics, each campus
differs in their points of engagement with students, specific activities, and community
involvement. Across the school there is a common focus on creating a supportive
education approach and environment that accounts for the significance of physical,
social, intellectual and emotional factors that can impact on a young person’s ability
to learn and become a healthy adult. As a part of this, all campuses have a restorative
justice process, reduced class sizes, a reduced school day, partnerships with local youth
support agencies and a focus on diverse post-secondary transitions.
The Brisbane Campus has a focus on creative arts to engage students in
education, personal development and global citizenship. The site offers both junior and
senior secondary education and has a total enrolment of approximately 80 students
from year 7-12. Both the junior and senior classes are further divided into male and
female programs. The junior program is based on the Australian National Curriculum
and the senior program offers National Curriculum Mathematics, English and
Recreation Studies as accredited courses. Both programs also offer a number of co-
curricular electives designed and delivered by staff. The site has ten staff which include
52 Chapter 5: Research Design
three teachers, four education support officers, a program coordinator, a campus
support officer and a principal. Due to the diverse needs of the students and the reduced
student contact hours, professional development is both prioritised and more easily
scheduled. Negotiated with the principal and approved by the Board, this project was
able to secure a weekly 20-30 minutes morning time slot available as an option to all
ten staff.
The site was primarily chosen for the high level of access, the support of the
principal and the researchers’ knowledge of and connection with the site as a program
coordinator. Also, the size of the campus and student hours allowed for the entire staff
team to attend morning meetings and subsequently the workshop sessions. Finally, the
researcher identified that early or experimental transition work ideally occurs at the
margin of dominant systems. Therefore, as a special assistance school it could
experiment at the margin of mainstream education, while research results could still
have direct implications to it. In many ways the site informed aspects of the research.
It is acknowledged however, that although findings may be transferable, limitations
may exist due to the unique structure and student population of the research site.
5.2.2 Participants
Upon gaining access and permission to conduct this research at the Brisbane
Campus of Arethusa College, a low-risk human ethics application was developed and
submitted through Queensland University of Technology (QUT) Human Ethics Board
(See Appendix H). Upon approval, emails (See Appendix H) were sent to the Brisbane
campus staff inviting them to take part in the study. All ten of the campus staff agreed
and signed the permission waiver. Beyond these full-time staff, two university work
placement students also participated. Participation was and continued to be voluntary
throughout the project and staff attendance remained between nine and twelve for each
workshop. The project therefore included three teachers, four education support
officers, a program coordinator, two placement students, a campus support officer and
a principal. The activities in the workshops were designed in a way to allow
participants to contribute in a number of different ways to account for different
learning styles and participation preferences. Small groups were encouraged to change
members throughout the project to address potential issues of power and groupthink.
Chapter 5: Research Design 53
5.2.3 Researcher Roles
I have been the program coordinator for the male program at the Brisbane
campus since its inception in 2012. In 2017, during the data collection period, I
transitioned to a part-time role as the coordinator for a new innovation and design
program that offers co-curricular and Certificate programs to all senior students. My
role and experience at the school allowed access, insight and relationships that an
external researcher would not have. I am also aware of the potential risks of having
multiple roles in a research project. I am at times a researcher, co-participant, program
coordinator, and co-worker at the research site. Throughout the course of the project I
endeavoured to clarify my role to myself and others. This is identified and noted in the
data methods.
5.3 INSTRUMENTS
Observation as a data collection tool is central to a collaborative design
methodology. As a co-participant, observations include the interactions, emotions,
behaviours and experiences of the participants and the researcher. Therefore,
observations, direct quotes and reflections were documented in the researcher
reflective journal throughout the project (See Appendix F for example).
Focus Groups were used in this research as the primary way of engaging in
discussion and collaborative design. The focus group allows for the researcher to set
the initial agenda or topic (often based on outcomes of previous sessions) to initiate
the process yet also allow participants to redirect the focus. Field notes, photographs,
collected artefacts and a reflective journal are the primary methods of recording data
from the focus groups.
Two questionnaires (See Appendix G for example) were used in this research to
allow for individual and reflective responses to support or contradict findings from
group work. The design of the questionnaires was based on emergent data from earlier
workshops.
The design of artefacts throughout the workshops served several purposes. First
as a visual design for group reflection and further development. Second, as a
54 Chapter 5: Research Design
contribution to the development of practical tools for use in the transition to a more
transformative education approach. Third, as a way to use the act of making together
as a phenomenon contributing to a new shared understanding. Artefacts that
participants individually and collaboratively made as a part of the workshops were
collected and photographed for analysis (See Appendix F for examples).
5.4 PROCEDURE AND TIMELINE
5.4.1 The preliminary study
The purpose of the preliminary study was to gather information on the mission,
purposes and approaches of the school from both school documents and campus staff.
To do this, the Arethusa College Teaching and Learning Framework (ACTLF)
document was analysed according to emergent categories. Similar statements,
concepts and ideas were then consolidated into five themes. The researcher also wrote
a short reflection based on experiences working at the research site and conversations
with staff. These five themes and the reflection was then checked with co-workers to
clarify and define the initial context and problems to inform the co-design workshops.
Aim: To gather information on the mission, purposes and approaches of the
school. To identify problems related to the research area.
Instruments: Desktop research and reflections on casual staff interviews
5.4.2 Workshop Series
The purpose of the workshops was to trial a collaborative education philosophy
design approach in order to promote personal and professional staff development
towards a more transformative and integral education approach. The local problems
were situated within the context of the larger systemic problems identified in the
literature review. Integral Theory, Ontological Design and a decentred approach to
sustainable futures provided a framework in the development of the workshops.
The workshop sessions were held once a week on a Tuesday morning for twenty
to thirty minutes, over 25 weeks. Occasionally a week would be missed due to school
event conflicts. The workshops consisted of a combination of group activities, focus
groups, presentations, individual activities, group discussions/inquiry and
Chapter 5: Research Design 55
questionnaires. The researcher took photos, field notes, collected workshop artefacts
and kept a reflective journal to document the process and collect data. At the beginning
of each of the five workshops the researcher met with one or more of the
participant/validation group members to receive feedback and contribute to the
development of the following workshops.
5.5 ANALYSIS
Emergent Thematic Analysis was used as the primary method for making sense
of the data collected. A three-step thematic analysis process advocated by Creswell
(2005) was used. This includes familiarisation with the data, grouping similar data and
synthesising groups into emergent themes. This approach aligned well with the design
of the research as a preliminary analysis of data was required throughout the research
as a reflective process to inform the ongoing design of the workshops.
Data was analysed and grouped into categories. After several iterations of the
categorisation of data, themes were then analysed to identify possible relationships,
connections or reoccurring patterns (Boulton & Hammersley, 2006). These categories
were then combined into four themes. The AQAL map (Wilber, 2000) and the stages
of consciousness development in Spiral Dynamics (Beck & Cowan, 1996) contributed
to further analysing and discussing the findings according to the Decentred
Pedagogical Framework proposed in Chapter 4.
Credibility of data, themes and claims were assessed through reflexive analysis
(Greenwood & Levin, 2007), triangulation, a validation group and by addressing the
validity and quality questions (see Table 4) proposed by Reason and Bradbury (2006).
Triangulation: To ensure reliable data, the use of diverse forms of visual and
verbal data in the form of observation, researcher reflective journals, questionnaires,
and participant activities (artefacts) was compared (Efron & Ravid, 2013).
Validation group: In order to ensure accuracy and credibility, a validation
group was established that included the two school staff members involved in the
student co-curricular class development. They were consulted regularly to discuss
problems, review data, and give constructive feedback (Grey, 2014).
56 Chapter 5: Research Design
To ensure the rigour of this research project, the researcher used a framework of
questions for validity and quality in qualitative research proposed by Reason and
Bradbury (2006) (see Table 4).
Table 4 Questions for Validity and Quality in Inquiry Adapted from Reason & Bradbury (2006)
Questions for validity and quality in inquiry Does the research lead to questions of emergence and enduring consequence? Within an understanding of ontological design, the pedagogical framework has been developed to contribute to an emergent, evolutionary, educational process of engaging with self, persons, communities sustained over time. Topic Questions This research Questions of outcomes and practice
Practical outcomes. Does it work? what are the processes of inquiry? Are they authentic? Life enhancing?
Reflective practices. Situated, authentic and democratic action research. Building consensus, collaboration, mutuality and relationships
Questions about plural ways of knowing
An extended epistemology of Experiential, presentational, propositional, and practical knowing. What dimensions are emphasized? is this appropriate? Validity and relationship between different ways of knowing.
Integral Theory, AQAL framework and collaborative design promote diverse ways of knowing and being The pedagogical framework promotes engaging in the more-than-human world as co-participants.
Questions of relational practice
How have the values of democracy been actualized in practice? What is relationship of initiators and participants? Infrastructure and political implications?
Co-design workshop format with all staff. Researcher, co-worker, participant relationship. Emergent themes and participant contributions influence project design and direction.
Questions about significance
What is worthwhile? What values have been actualized? Is the inquiry process truly worthy of human aspiration? Spirituality and beauty?
Development of connectedness, contribution and purpose. Transformative learning as situated within an ontology of belonging, relationship and response-ability towards human planetary consciousness.
The left and centre columns contain the topics and questions posed by Reason
and Bradbury. The right column contains the ways in which this research addresses
those questions.
Chapter 6: Results 57
Chapter 6: Results
This chapter describes and analyses the information gathered throughout the
duration of this study. The data is presented in a chronological narrative form due to
the developmental nature of the main research question and the iterative and
participatory nature of the methodology. Themes, patterns and resulting changes in
workshops are described as they emerged throughout the study. The chapter is divided
into two sections, first a short narrative reporting the results of the preliminary study
followed by a longer narrative reporting the workshop results. These results are
divided into the five workshops chronologically.
The colours referenced in this chapter refer to the stages of development
according to the spiral dynamics model developed by Beck and Cowan (1996) found
in the AQAL map (see Figure 2 and Figure 9). This model was presented to the
participants and thus discussion and reflection reference some of the terminology and
colours from this model.
6.1 NARRATIVE RESULTS OF PRELIMINARY STUDY
The purpose of the preliminary study was to gather information on the mission,
purposes and approaches of the school from both school documents and campus staff.
A thematic analysis of the ACTLF demonstrated that although more holistic
approaches to education were promoted, the larger purposes of education were focused
almost solely on personal success, educational achievement and employment
outcomes.
Based on conversations with participants, staff were feeling a tension between
an increasing school leadership (off-site) focus on objective measurable outcomes and
the staff focus on student and school community development and health. There
seemed to be a difference of approach and perhaps difference of values between the
campus staff and those in management positions. Although there was a strong sense
of unity in the local campus team the lack of clearly articulated and practiced values,
58 Chapter 6: Results
mission and approach throughout the school was impacting the staff’s sense of morale.
Staff often discussed not feeling supported or valued by the organisation in different
ways. This was often linked to decisions being made without consultation with staff.
Although there was a general desire to provide a more ‘holistic’ and ‘alternative
approach’ to education in comparison to mainstream schooling, Arethusa Brisbane
campus staff did not have a specific education theory or philosophy to guide their
development as educators and as a school. Staff reported a lack of clarity and unity
regarding the central mission and practices of the school.
6.2 NARRATIVE RESULTS OF CO-DESIGN WORKSHOPS
The table at the beginning of each workshop contains a central question and three
objectives identified by the researcher to guide that particular workshop, as well as
themes that emerged from that workshop. Many of the questions and objectives were
informed by themes from previous workshops. It should be noted that each workshop
represents four to six half-hour sessions which might include multiple activities, topics
and methods. Within this narrative, important example outcomes have been
highlighted in a shaded box for clarity and emphasis.
6.2.1 Workshop 1: Personal education experiences
Table 5 Workshop 1 Question, Objectives and Emerging Themes
Question Who are the participants and what are their education experiences, values, views & practices?
Objectives Establish a participative, creative, active and collaborative environment
Better understand the participants, their education experiences, values, views and practices
Explore how worldviews are shaped by experiences
Emerging Themes
Belonging/Not belonging
Inter-subjectivity and dual/nondual tensions
Transformation, redemption, restoration
At the start of Workshop 1, participants were asked to reflect on their
experiences as secondary students. The space chosen, the large communal paper on
the table and the selection of writing and drawing utensils were set ahead of time to
Chapter 6: Results 59
contribute to a relaxed, creative and collaborative workshop environment. Several staff
expressed excitement for the opportunity to be creative and reflective with no pressure
to produce something finished. Nearing the end of the session participants began to
notice and comment on each other’s work. The visual and textual results (as illustrated
in Figure 6), as well as the informal dialogue, showed a strong theme of belonging or
not belonging in the participants’ education experiences.
In the second session, participants showed willingness and excitement to share
their personal education experiences. Most used the visuals and text from the previous
session as a guide. A sense of belonging or not belonging was central to many of the
participants’ narratives. This ranged from relationships with peers, teachers, family
and school communities. A theme of redemption and restoration also emerged from
several participants, as they described an experience or juxtaposed belonging and not
belonging.
One participant identified a specific teacher’s anxiety and took time to listen to
her and later, made adjustments specifically for her. Another juxtaposed “yes” teachers
and “no” teachers, and expressed how she felt seen and heard by “yes” teachers. This
became an intimate and vulnerable session, as participants shared very personal and
life-defining events from their histories.
Based on the strong emergence of the themes of (not) belonging and redemption,
I decided that it might be important to explore this further before moving on, as it may
contribute to a better understanding of our own and each other’s worldviews and
approaches to education. In consultation with one of the teachers, we developed
several activities including forced choice, role-play and forum theater to further
explore this theme.
In the forced choice activity, participants moved considerably between contexts
of belonging (such as family, school campus, Australia, Earth etc.), demonstrating that
Figure 6 Artefacts from Workshop 1
60 Chapter 6: Results
belonging was not necessarily a constant experience for participants, but could change
contextually. Participants were encouraged to reflect on their different states of
belonging and engage in how others experience belonging differently. Conversations
afterwards centred around how surprised people were at how much everyone moved,
how spread out everyone was for each category, and how each person’s understanding
or interpretation of the category was influential.
Example (Earth): Some who had moved to the “strong sense of belonging”
side of the room voiced the beauty of the Earth and wonder and science/astronomy
contributed to their decision. On the other side of the room one person voiced not
always fitting with society and therefore not a strong belonging with the
world/Earth. Another voiced the destructiveness of humans and therefore not
wanting to associate or belong to cultures of hate, greed and destructive behavior.
(he interpreted Earth as societal structures and human actions)
Considering this experience, participants identified terms that represented
belonging and not belonging to them and assembled them on the large paper in the two
themes. In discussing the assembled terms, one participant summed up the discussion
saying “it seems like exclusion and isolation sums up the not belonging category and
acceptance, connection and care seem to sum up the belonging category.”
Although participating in the role play was difficult for some participants, all
were very willing to engage in discussion. Several participants reported that they found
themselves identifying specific students that they thought might be experiencing not-
belonging in a similar way that they themselves have. Some participants expressed
that they were surprised by how the other person experienced not belonging differently
to themselves, and what particular students they identified as also experiencing not
belonging in this way.
This seemed to further uncover the diversity of how each person might
experience the world. Discussion developed around empathy and understanding
certain students more than others based on our way of experiencing the world. The
group seemed very excited about this as a way to better understand students and
improve teaching practices. The themes of redemption, restoration and transformation
emerged stronger here as a central focus for most staff in their work with students.
Chapter 6: Results 61
In the final session of this workshop participants were given the chance to work
together to better understand student behaviour as it relates to not belonging, and trial
different restorative approaches. The structure of the activity seemed to allow
participants to learn from each other’s practices in a way that is rarely possible, as
many staff do not get to see or learn from each other’s classroom practices. A common
theme that emerged was the tension between taking the time to address a behaviour in
a restorative way and maintaining an undisrupted classroom. This tension of holism in
a dualistic system also first emerged here, with one teacher explaining “I think the
students can’t engage in learning until they feel safe and that they belong, so this has
to come first” and another asking, “how do I balance the behaviour/emotional needs
of students with the reportable outcomes?”
Summary
The participants included inexperienced to highly experienced teachers,
education support officers (youth worker/teacher aids), program coordinators, a
campus support officer (involved in student and family contact and restorative justice)
and a principal (qualified teacher). Based on this workshop series all the participants
expressed a high value on belonging, community, family and friends. Relationships of
care, and the experience of belonging/non-belonging highly impacted their educational
experiences, and several expressed how it influenced their current education approach.
Several participants identified key relationships that were redemptive or
transformative in their schooling experience. Togetherness, holism, inclusiveness and
seeing students as individuals came through in most of their practices and dialogue.
Redemption, restoration and transformation emerged as a strong value and focus of
staff. Restorative justice was a central process in dealing with conflict in the school.
Themes of inter-subjectivity and non-dualism also began to emerge.
62 Chapter 6: Results
6.2.2 Workshop 2: Futures and Worldviews
Table 6 Workshop 2 Question, Objectives and Emerging Themes
Question How do the participants view the world, futures & sustainability? Objectives Understand
participants views on people, nature, futures and sustainability.
Explore how worldviews are connected to purpose and practice in education.
Articulate what worldviews might lead to desired futures.
Emerging Themes
Nature-culture dualism: Destructive and constructive capacity of humans
Need for change, transition, revolution
Sustainable (preferred) futures defined by other-oriented and mutual relationships of wellbeing and power
Workshop 2 focused on identifying the values and beliefs that make up the
participants’ worldviews, as well as creating space for participants to become more
aware of the relationship between their worldviews and their education practices.
Table 6 highlights the objectives and resultant emerging themes.
In the first activity participants described the world in ways that highlighted a
dualistic understanding of the world in terms of nature and humans as separate entities.
Many portrayed nature as ‘good’ and human disruption of nature as ‘bad’ or
destructive. Comments included “the world is being destroyed by human actions and
is getting unhealthier every day” and “the world is full of beauty and life but is being
changed and damaged by human needs and greed.” In describing the school campus,
participants showed both an understanding and frustration with the subjective way in
which the campus could be perceived and understood.
Using individual and group activities, participants described their perceived
futures and preferred futures (see Figure 7). In describing what they thought the world
would be like in twenty years, many expressed tensions between nature and culture,
human constructive and destructive actions, power/greed and community/sharing.
Most participants viewed the world as moving in a destructive and unhealthy direction
and in need of dramatic change. The changes indicated trended towards a human-
centred society with high values on individual and community health and development
over industrial or economic development. Several participants indicated the need or
inevitability of a collapse or revolution.
Chapter 6: Results 63
When describing the world in which they want to live, most participants
indicated a need to shift towards a human society focused on awareness, empathy,
community development, subject to subject relationships, equality, inclusivity,
diversity, and decentralized power. Many focused on a shift to a human-centred or
well-being focused society. Holism and collaboration were common themes. There
appeared to be a disparity between the depth and detail in which participants described
their preferred futures.
This workshop series concluded with a questionnaire (See Appendix G) focused
on the worldview and values that participants hope students develop. The questions
addressed self, others and the world (all four AQAL quadrants) resulting in the
following themes and key words. The terms used were strongly centred in the
subjective “I” and inter-subjective “WE” interior AQAL quadrants.
comp, connect gratitude, Understanding, other oriented
• World: Respect, care, interconnected, wonder, curiosity, value, gratitude
Figure 7 Artefacts from Workshop 2
64 Chapter 6: Results
Summary:
Most participants viewed the world as moving in a destructive and unhealthy
direction and in need of dramatic change. Many expressed tensions between nature
and culture. Most views of futures and sustainability indicated a need to shift towards
a human-centred society focused on awareness, empathy, community development,
subject to subject relationships, equality, inclusivity, diversity and decentralized
power. The tension of a dualistic human/nature world seemed to be resolved for some
participants in a “preferred future” based on collaboration, sharing, interconnectedness
and holism. This could represent a transition from dual to non-dual consciousness or
conflicting worldviews.
6.2.3 Workshop 3: Transformative Theories, models and Co-design
Table 7 Workshop 3 Question, Objectives and Emerging Themes
Question What are the participants’ views and understanding of human learning, change & transformation?
Objectives Present Transformative Learning Theory
Present overview of models of understanding human being and becoming
Collaborate in developing a collective understanding of how transformation can occur in a learning environment
Emerging Themes
Change requires whole human development
Change occurs in safe social environments
Other-orientation (empathy) is essential for change
This third workshop series focused on presenting theories and approaches to
human change and collaboratively designing and customizing these to contribute to a
more transformative education approach for the campus. Table 7 Summarises the
objectives and resulting emerging themes.
Using three domains of the human, represented by ‘thinking’, ‘being’ and
‘acting’, participants explored the relationship between the three in relation to human
change and learning. In a focus group (See Appendix F), participants explored and
developed each of these domains and critically examined their own practices.
Participants noted and agreed that “mainstream” education often has a primary focus
on the ‘thinking’ domain. ‘Acting’ was acknowledged as the domain of kinaesthetic
Chapter 6: Results 65
learning, yet ‘being’ was the focus for most of the discussion. Many were interested in
how the interior development was involved in transformative learning and human
development. Participants reflected on their own teaching experiences and student
behaviour/learning to synthesise ideas and concepts. Transformative Learning Theory
and models of Spiral Dynamics were activated by collaboratively sharing ideas and
experiences. Through discussion, participants identified that learning might originate
primarily in one of the three different areas for different students, but that
transformative learning would then need to also activate the other two. There was
particular interest in the relationship between the three domains and how some people,
groups and cultures might emphasise one or two above others. The mutual relating of
these three was discussed at length illustrated by the quotes below.
“enough people have to all want the same kind of change bad enough”
“individual greed and selfishness has to be dealt with somehow”
“whole industries and political systems need to change, value people and the
earth more than profits or power”
“we all need to learn how to look outside ourselves, look out for others”
“it might not all change but maybe there can be pockets of change first, healthy
communities”
Several staff acknowledged that someone who operates primarily in one domain,
such as ‘acting’, might see the world and transformation in terms of that domain. This
discussion furthered the theme of empathy or understanding the ‘other’ as a subject
with perhaps a different way of being in the world.
Based on the emerging theme of other-orientation (empathy), I presented the
Spiral Dynamics model of human consciousness evolution (Beck & Cowan, 1996) in
terms of a continuation of expanding inclusion. Participants connected well with the
‘stages of development’ and tended to identify specific students that they identified at
different stages. Participants were invited to use descriptive words that might
characterise each stage of development in the context of students in the school. The
Egocentric stage was characterised by all negative attributes. The Ethnocentric stage
was characterised by both positive and negative ones. The Anthropocentric and beyond
66 Chapter 6: Results
were all positive attributes, although the Integral stage seemed hard for participants to
connect with.
Through a focus group discussion, there was a general agreement that
developing further along these lines would contribute to the preferred future world
identified in the previous workshop. Discussion then focused on practicality of
applying an understanding of Spiral Dynamics to co-curricular and personal
development class planning, student conferencing, restorative justice processes and
elective activities.
Summary:
Participants in general had a holistic understanding of learning, in that it is not
just a cognitive activity, but a social and emotional engagement. Most identified that
belonging, feeling safe and self-esteem were of high importance to learning. An
interconnectedness between the ‘thinking, being, acting’ categories was strongly
developed by the participants. Personal development (becoming a healthier person)
was one of the strongest themes brought up through this process.
Most seemed to believe that personal change and transformation are related to
social environments and communities. The data indicated a strong belief that healthy
change in students was highly dependent on being able to value diversity, inclusivity
and looking out for others’ (empathy) wellbeing. Collaboration and mutuality were
identified as important to larger transformations in society. The stages of development
represented by Spiral Dynamics was well received and explored as a way to better
understand different students and create a more holistic education community.
Chapter 6: Results 67
6.2.4 Workshop 4: Application to Practice
Table 8 Workshop 4 Question, Objectives and Emerging Themes
Question What do the participants value about education and what is its purpose?
Objectives Identify what participants think is the value and purpose of education
Explore perspectives on the purpose of education
Collaboratively align worldview, preferred futures and education
Emerging Themes
Skills and abilities to thrive and contribute to a better world
Personal character attributes for personal and social health
Bring a larger awareness and understanding of self, others, world
Its transformative potential: personal, community, society wellness and wholeness
Workshop Four was designed to expose what participants value about education
examine how these might align with the preferred futures articulated in the previous
workshop through a series of activities, co-design projects and focus group sessions,
with Table 8 above summarising these objectives and emerging themes. Responding
to the preliminary findings of the ‘student worldview’ questionnaire of the previous
workshop, the first session allowed participants to freely identify and document the
‘characteristics’ deemed important for a graduate of the school. Participants
individually and collaboratively documented their thoughts and ideas on a large outline
of a human figure representing a ‘graduating student’ (see figure 8). I purposefully
defined characteristics with a list of other terms to allow for as full a range of responses
as possible (skills, competencies, character traits, views, opinions, abilities,
understanding, knowledge, wisdom, etc.). The data demonstrated a strong emphasis
on personal healthy character development, and social and community development.
Interestingly, there was very little focus on personal success or individual
achievement. Within the Spiral Dynamics framework and its associated colours, these
results (with a focus on inclusivity, acceptance, equality, diversity and empathy)
indicate that participants might be operating from primarily the “green-sensitive self”
meme. When posed with the question as to why those graduate characteristics are
important, responses centred around creating whole, healthier, happier, and aware
selves and communities that contribute to a better world. Again, there was little
mention of personal ‘success’ in terms of economics or status, but rather the focus was
68 Chapter 6: Results
around positive change and transformation. Data from this session also positioned
participants primarily in the ‘Green’ stage (awareness, empowerment, freedom,
improve relationships) and potentially some in the ‘Yellow’ integral-self stage
(understand interconnectivity, so they can pass on these qualities, values, skills to
others/generational).
Figure 8 Artefact from Workshop 4
In the next session participants identified individual and collective campus
practices that they felt contribute to the characteristics and purposes identifies earlier.
Most practices were relational, with a focus on togetherness and belonging (restorative
justice, check-in/out class meetings, connection with support people, calm voice
interactions, student conferencing, personal interest in activities, challenging
mainstream thinking or assumptions in discussions, fun, sport, active interactions).
Several other practices were structural (consistency and fairness, well planned PD
classes, adequate planning time). Discussion after this session focused on the
challenges to contribute to ‘change’ in students, and for staff to continually change
approaches in program to create space for change. Here transformation and change
again emerged as a central theme and motivation for most participants. At this point,
the focus of change shifted from external actors (students, systems, cultures, other
people) to changing internal perspectives and personal approaches.
One of the teachers helped develop a ‘life boat’ group activity to further explore
participants’ values and priorities in education and triangulate around the emerging
data. From this activity, participants reported strong reactions to the time pressure,
Chapter 6: Results 69
competition and exclusion of others, as illustrated by one teacher who said “I kept
thinking why do we need to get rid of these they are all good things”, and another who
noted that “the competition of it felt unproductive.”
Discussion afterwards centred on how subjective the concepts were, and how
they might be understood differently according to person and situation. Many
participants noted how many of them could be joined together within larger themes.
This contributed to the development of the emerging themes of inclusion, inter-
subjectivity and interconnectivity.
In the previous session’s discussion time, the concept emerged that different
people from different roles in education might have different values surrounding
education and even different ideas about the purposes of education. Based on this
concept, a focus group in the final session of Workshop Four encouraged participants
to imagine what might be the main educational values and priorities from six different
roles. By analysing the data according to Spiral Dynamics stages and the four
quadrants of Integral Theory (AQAL), participants identified teachers as uniquely
having a more integral (all quadrant) approach to education from primarily a ‘green’
stage. This would place teachers in a position of both potential understanding and
conflict with those from other roles.
Summary:
Participants valued the capacity of education to contribute to the development of
personal, mental and emotional health; healthy social and community life skills; and a
larger awareness of the world (ability to see perspectives outside themselves). These
educational priorities led to a focus on the larger purposes of education to contribute
to a healthier life, positive social changes and a more empathetic and respectful world
(more than human). The participants’ beliefs in the potential for education to
contribute to meaningful change was central. Several forms of data illustrate staff
identify as a strongly ‘Green’ stage staff group in their values and views of education.
70 Chapter 6: Results
6.2.5 Workshop 5: Cogeneration of a Transformative Education Philosophy
Table 9 Workshop 5 Question, Objectives and Emerging Themes
Question What does the education philosophy & co-design process say about the group’s views, values & approaches to education?
Objectives Identify the groups views, values and approaches to education
Co-design the philosophy development process
Co-generate an education philosophy representative of the group
Emerging Themes
Humans and nature have a complex and paradoxical relationship with each other and change
Personal and social development is central to education
Education should be holistic, focused on transformation towards the mutual health of people, society and larger systems of life.
In this final workshop, participants collaborated to develop their own education
philosophy including the design process.
The participants first identified the purpose and value of an education
philosophy, what it should cover, participation, and methods. The participation
focused process continued to highlight the participants strong value on collaboration,
relationships and inclusion, as noted in the emerging themes in Table 9 above.
The first stage consisted of small focus groups writing down terms and phrases
in response to the five topics selected in the previous session. After consolidating these
responses, they were presented back to the participants to individually attempt to write
a summary paragraph for each topic. From this, two participants worked with the
researcher to draw the themes together and write the final education philosophy to be
reviewed by the group. Data from both of these activities as well as the final
philosophy statement was analysed for emergent themes. The results included the
following initial themes. The bold signifies the lead-in phrase from the five topics from
the previous session and the remainder is the focus group’s synthesis of the participants
answers. Table 10 below displays the final Education Philosophy and AQAL analysis.
• In a world that: struggles with dualisms and power systems resulting in a
both/and or non-dual view.
• Considering that humans are: Struggling with human nature dualism and
good and bad dualism, focus on human capacity for good and change
Chapter 6: Results 71
• Education should: Transformation focus (personal and social and societal).
Education should make changes.
• By engaging students: other oriented values and practices, connected
awareness, action and change
• In order to (self, others, world): ensure peace, equality, mutuality, empathy,
sustainability
Table 10 Education Philosophy Analysis
Education Philosophy: consolidation focus group Data from textual artefact Themes AQAL Para 1
We believe that humans are inherently good, have the capacity to affirm life and the power to enact positive change, yet often act in contradiction to this and participate in inequitable, unethical and destructive cultures and systems that are severely damaging our complex, evolving yet resilient world.
Green, Yellow
IT, ITS
Para 2
As educators we are committed to initiating change through reflective practices, holistic approaches to learning, personal and community development while maintaining and promoting open and flexible mindsets.
Green, Yellow
I, WE
Para 3
We endeavour to do this by engaging students in relevant and meaningful learning experiences that develop curiosity, creative problem solving skills, collaboration and resilience within a safe community of shared values and goals.
Green I, WE, IT
Para 4
We hope that our students become empowered, inclusive, active and caring members of diverse, respectful, compassionate and revolutionary communities that work towards a more sustainable, just and interconnected Earth community.
Green, Yellow
NTGRL ITS
An analysis of the final education philosophy statement using the AQAL map
showed three things. First, participants were strongly embedded in the ‘Green’ stage
and occasionally the ‘Yellow’ and ‘Orange’. Second, all four AQAL quadrants were
addressed in the philosophy. Third, there was a high value on personal and social
transformation (interior quadrants) towards holism, wisdom, health, connectedness
and mutuality (exterior quadrants).
Summary:
Through the education philosophy design workshop sessions participants
demonstrated a dualistic view of nature and culture, as well as a non-dual
understanding of the complex systems involved in the nature – human relationship
72 Chapter 6: Results
with change. They reinforced their focus on education’s role in the personal
development of values and mental and emotional health, as well as a very strong focus
on equity, respect, collaboration and belonging towards a more connected sustainable
world (more than human at times). Data suggests that within a Spiral Dynamics
framework (Beck & Cowan, 1996) the participants’ collective worldview is within the
‘Green’ and occasionally ‘Yellow’ stage (see Figure 9).
6.2.6 Final questionnaire
At the end of the five workshops series, a final survey was conducted with
participants (see Appendix G). In this survey participants reported a high value on the
collaborative workshop process, learning from each other, thinking and reflecting in
new ways, examining values and practices and continued development in relational
education practices. The results of the survey confirmed the importance of the
collaborative methodology to the participants as well as their commitment to education
that promotes growth and change. Below is a summary of the key outcomes of the
workshop series:
• High value in the co-design and participatory approach
• High value of the philosophy co-design process 4.6/5
• Most reported personal changes as a result of the workshops/co-workers 3.8/5
• Most reported noticing changes in student worldviews during the course of the
workshops 3.2/5
• Very high value on the development of a young person’s worldview as a part
of education 4.9/5
• Most reported that the process influenced their thinking about education 3.7/5
These results demonstrate a direct relevance to the research questions. First, in
terms of the participants’ continued engagement in both personal and professional
development. Second, in the participants’ willingness to engage in theory and
collaborate on the development of models. Third, in the continued engagement in the
co-design process.
Chapter 6: Results 73
6.3 EMERGENT THEMATIC ANALYSIS
This section will outline the data analysis process including checks for validity
and reliability and describe and analyse the four resulting themes. Findings are then
summarised for further interpretation and evaluation in Chapter 7.
6.3.1 Analysis
An analysis of emerging themes was conducted according to the process outlined
in section 5.5. As previously mentioned, data was first analysed and grouped into a
number of categories through an iterative and critically reflective process. These
categories were again analysed and grouped together resulting in four themes. Table
11 illustrates how the preliminary categories were grouped to create these four themes.
The validation group was consulted several times throughout this process to further
ensure the reliability of the analysis process.
Table 11 Emergent Categories by Theme
Emergent Categories by Theme Theme 1: The need for holistic transformation & change
Theme 2: Value of personal and social health and development (relational/community focus)
Theme 3: Other-oriented awareness, mutuality and collaboration
Theme 4: Complexity, non-dualism, pluralism and paradox
Redemption/ restoration
Personal and Social development
Other-orientation (empathy) is essential for change
Nature – culture dualism; Destructive and constructive capacity of humans
Transformation towards the mutual health of people, society and larger systems of life.
Belonging Not belonging
Bring a larger awareness and understanding of self, others, world
Humans and nature have a complex and paradoxical relationship with each other and change
Its transformative potential: personal, community, society wellness and wholeness
Personal character attributes for personal and social health
Sustainable (preferred) futures defined by other-oriented and mutual relationships of wellbeing and power
Frustration with diverse needs of students, Struggle to engage students in transformative learning,
Change requires whole human development
Skills and abilities to thrive and contribute to a better world
Need for change, transition, revolution
Change occurs in safe social environments
74 Chapter 6: Results
As per the objectives of this research and due to its use in the workshops, the
AQAL map was also used to contribute to the analysis of data and description of the
themes. The four quadrants of AQAL and colour stages of development of Spiral
Dynamics are thus used in the following theme descriptions (see Figure 2).
6.3.2 Themes
Theme 1: The need for holistic transformation & change
Participants reported a very high value in the education philosophy development
process and showed a strong interest in the transformative learning process and
evolution of consciousness.
Participants held a high value and educational focus on student growth and
change, expressed in particular by the interest in human development and holistic
wellness. In general, these changes were valued in terms of personal health and
wellbeing, extending to healthy relationships and communities. Only upon questioning
and focus groups did participants expand their responses to include social and societal
transformation as a purpose of education. This could be due to some of the more
immediate social and emotional needs of the students and the fact that very few
students are with the school for their entire high school education.
Although change and transformation were highly valued, it seemed that it had
not been connected with the larger societal transformations required for a transition
towards sustainable futures for some participants. It remained at the individual level.
One of the things the workshops seem to help with, was connecting the focus on
change in the individual with the change in human futures, as this theme elicited a high
level of interest.
The workshop sessions in which participants described their preferred futures
showed common themes, but also showed a disparity between those who described the
future in detail and across diverse areas, and those with short simple responses. This
could show that there is either a large difference of interest in futures or experience in
exploring and imagining futures. Considering the need for education to be directly
contributing to sustainable futures, this demonstrates a need for educators to be
regularly challenged to reflect on the future-orientation of their practices.
Chapter 6: Results 75
Theme 2: Value of personal and social health and development (relational/community focus)
This was the strongest theme across all the workshops and demonstrated the
participants belief in the importance of personal and community development. It is
perhaps possible to assume that within a Special Assistance School there is a greater
focus on personal development due to students’ higher needs in this area. Further, the
capacity of students to self-regulate and engage in healthy social behaviours was seen
as preliminary to being able to excel in academic study and vocational programs. The
focus on personal and social development at times excluded, or was prioritised, over
the objective exterior quadrants. This might have to do with a response to the perceived
stronger focus on objective academic outcomes in mainstream education.
Connecting personal and social development with the larger changes needed in
society was an opportunity to engage participants in thinking more integrally and
working in the two exterior quadrants as well. Further, the stages of human
development presented in terms of an expansion of value from self to group to others
to world, highlighted the need for development in the interior quadrants in education.
Theme 3: Other-oriented awareness, mutuality and collaboration
Participants regularly demonstrated a high value on this theme for themselves,
students and the school. ‘Empathy’ and ‘understanding other perspectives’ were
common themes throughout the workshops. Within the framework of Spiral Dynamics
this value is consistent with the ‘Green’ or sensitive-self stage of development.
According to Ken Wilber (2001), this stage values inclusivity, diversity, equality and
participation, but opposes any form of directive authority or hierarchy. This seems in
line with the data from the workshops and could explain the high value on the
collaborative education philosophy process (4.6/5 on the questionnaire) and the
continual frustration with the directive and hierarchy style leadership of the school
outside of the local campus.
Interestingly, according to Integral Theory, students at an earlier stage of
development would first need healthy forms of hierarchy and structure before being
able to fully engage in a more collaborative and participative learning environment.
76 Chapter 6: Results
Theme 4: Complexity, non-dualism, pluralism and paradox
Throughout the workshops, participants held a range of different and sometimes
conflicting views and approaches regarding complex and paradoxical situations. There
was a consistent uneasy tension between humans and nature. Humans were primarily
seen as separate from nature with the ability to impact nature in both destructive and
constructive ways. Simultaneously, participants acknowledged the interconnectedness
and shared future of both humans and nature. The strong value on transformation and
restoration seemed to emerge through the workshops as a source of hope for many and
seemed to resolve some of the dualistic tension between humans and nature and the
human capacity of both ‘good’ and ‘evil’. Another source of frustration that emerged
was the complexity of working with students with very diverse needs. The workshop
sessions that framed stages of development in terms of Spiral Dynamics provoked
interest and discussion in how this might influence the design and approach of a
Special Assistance School, but time did not allow the further exploration of these
possibilities. This emerged as an area recommended for further study. Participants
regularly expressed frustration with the school’s value on providing students with
skills to survive and thrive in the current systems, and their personal conviction to help
students develop beyond some of the mindsets and values inherent in the dominant
system. This tension seemed to result in polarising the campus’s focus on
transformation and the management’s focus on measurable outcomes.
6.3.3 Summary
In summary, the data suggests a strong desire for change in students and in the
world and a high value on change, growth and transformation in education.
Participants prioritised education’s role in both students’ interior development (i.e.
mental and emotional health & community and relational health) and exterior
development (i.e. deep understanding and awareness outside of self). One of the
strongest themes pertained to the value of empathy, other-orientedness, connection and
collaboration. Throughout the project, participants struggled with the tension between
a dual and non-dual understanding of the world, including the nature-culture
relationship, human capacity for both ‘good’ and ‘evil’, and plurality in values. In the
final survey participants reported a high value on the collaborative workshop process,
Chapter 6: Results 77
learning from each other, thinking and reflecting in new ways, examining values and
practices and continued development in relational education practices.
The following chapter will analyse and discuss these results in terms of the
Decentred Pedagogical Framework, methodology and AQAL map.
Chapter 7: Findings and Discussion 79
Chapter 7: Findings and Discussion
This chapter discusses ways in which the development of the Decentred
Pedagogical Framework, the collaborative design methodology and the AQAL map
(as a design, learning and assessment tool) contributed to the results and emergent
themes from Chapter 6. In each section aspects of both the design and practice are
considered. Following this, are insights on the entanglement and coevolution of
participants, methodology and researcher and the need for a phenomenological
approach to understanding and interpreting the findings. The chapter concludes with a
summary of this discussion in section 7.5
7.1 DECENTRED PEDAGOGICAL FRAMEWORK
This section reflects on how the design and practice of the Decentred
Pedagogical Framework contributed to the results and findings in relation to the
literature. The framework is based on the four ontological themes and four decentred
design principles as established in Chapter 4 (see Table 1). This section is organised
according to the four themes that emerged from the data.
Theme 1 represents multiple ways in which the participants identified the need
for holistic transformation and change. This was initially centred on the individual and
collective students, but through the course of the workshops expanded to include the
need for educational and societal transformation. This focus on change as a human
trait and is embedded in the Framework of the workshops in the first decentred design
principle of ‘transformative: humans as reflective instigators of and participants in
change’. This focus on transformation was reinforced by the AQAL map and in
particular by the stages of development outlined by Spiral Dynamics (see Figure 1).
Transformation is identified by many as central to human development, agency and
identity (Beck & Cowan, 1996; Fry, 2012). In this way, it is possible that the focus on
transformation in the workshops and their participatory involvement expanded
participants’ understanding of change to include interiors and exteriors. Corroborating
data reported that strong emotional engagement occurred when the participants
explored the relationships between ‘being’, ‘thinking’ and ‘acting’ in the context of
transformative learning in Workshop 3.
80 Chapter 7: Findings and Discussion
Theme 2 represents the participants’ value of personal and social health and the
importance of a relational community. The third and fourth framework principles
support this with a focus on interconnectedness and participation. According to
Integral Theory, phenomenology and ANT, the world is inherently relational, based
primarily on interactions and relationships rather than independent objects. This
relational foundation of the workshops allowed participants to explore these complex
webbed connections between students, families, school staff, school structures, culture
and even the school dog. This resulted in deeper understanding. However, some
participants also occasionally reported feeling overwhelmed by the complexity.
Theme 3 represents the participants preference for other-oriented awareness and
collaboration. This theme is illustrated by the repeated occurrence of empathy,
identified as a characteristic central to teaching, learning and healthy development; the
high value on collaboration demonstrated in the survey results; and strong participation
in the co-design workshops. This theme directly corresponds to both the second
(collaborative) and third (mutualism) decentred design principles. Although some took
a more-than-human understanding of mutualism, others applied this in a more human-
centred way. The data suggests that for some participants this theme corresponded to
long-held values, but that for others this theme represented new ideas that they were
willing to explore.
Theme 4 represents the participants’ continued struggle with complexity,
plurality and paradox throughout the research. This theme appeared to draw the most
division within the group, as some participants embraced complexity at multiple
levels, while others resisted and became frustrated. The stages of development of
Spiral Dynamics provided some possible insights into this which are described in
Section 6.3.2. This theme is best reflected in the Decentred Pedagogical Framework’s
fourth ontological theme of ‘a co-emergent, non-dual and evolutionary understanding
of the world’. This aspect of the framework seemed to resonate with some participants
and frustrate others, which would potentially align with the difference between a
modern and post/trans-modern worldview. According to Spiral Dynamics (see Figure
9) the ‘Orange’ and ‘Blue’ stages of development thrive on structures and hierarchies
and only at a ‘Green’ stage begin to engage with non-duality.
The proposed Decentred Pedagogical Framework models were useful to
illustrate novel concepts, trial new ideas during focus groups, and provide common
Chapter 7: Findings and Discussion 81
language and images with which to discuss complex assemblages. In particular,
models that participants were able to contribute to became more used and referenced.
For each of these it is difficult to know in what particular ways the design of the
framework impacted the emergence of themes, but there does appear to be a strong
relationship between the emergent themes and the decentred design principles of the
Decentred Pedagogical Framework. Conclusions can be drawn that the design of the
framework had a direct relationship with the themes that emerged from the research.
Finally, reflecting on this and on the postures and mindsets identified by Irwin
et al. (2015) as required for individuals to actively contribute to the larger transitions
to sustainable societies, the application of this framework demonstrated development
in several key areas. In particular, was the promotion of a mindset of openness; the
process of self-reflection; a willingness to collaborate; a sense of urgency and
optimism for change; a deep respect and advocacy for ‘others’; and the ability to work
with uncertainty, ambiguity, chaos and contradiction. The development of the first five
of these are well supported by the data and align well with the decentred design
principles within the Framework (see Table 1). In particular, this final mindset was
strongly reflected in both the participants engagement and struggle with complexity
and nonduality as demonstrated in theme four from the data (see Section 6.3.2).
7.2 METHODOLOGY
This section discusses how the design and implementation of the workshop
series emerged throughout the project in relation to the methods and approaches of a
collaborative design methodology. Reflecting on the literature, it will then outline how
these findings might contribute to the gap previously identified.
Based on the Decentred Pedagogical Framework of this research, the methods
and approaches selected for the workshops were based on notions of collaboration,
interaction, co-evolution and mutuality. Within a collaborative design methodology
these values contributed to an openness to change and adaptation from multiple
sources. The weekly cycles of reflection and action documented in the researcher’s
reflective journal, illustrate the participants’ collaborative involvement in the
evolution of the workshops. Based on a growing responsiveness to the interest and
engagement of participants, activities, topics and methods were customised and on
82 Chapter 7: Findings and Discussion
occasion extended, deepened or curtailed as required. Co-reflection and critical
dialogue with participants between sessions further influenced the design of activities,
workshop structures and session ordering. One teacher in particular, who had a
background in theatre, helped develop many of the more interactive activities. The data
showed how the methods emerging from a collaborative design methodology
encouraged learning from each other; taking initiative and increasing participation;
working with diverse and sometimes conflicting perspectives; negotiation across
different worldviews and values and the synthesis of diverse ideas. These capacities
were particularly demonstrated in Workshop 5, where participants co-designed an
education philosophy. In this process, they had to negotiate multiple perspectives and
sometimes conflicting ideas to create a coherent and representative written text.
In the literature, collaboration skills, reflective practices, divergent thinking and
working in diverse groups have all been associated with design thinking and design
approaches to education (Carroll, 2015; Carroll et al., 2010; Dorst, 2011; Goldman et
Zamberlan, 2015). Interestingly, a later workshop on graduate outcomes and education
priorities led to participants reflecting on the preferred futures themes which in turn
appeared to impact the development of their education philosophy and reflected the
‘sense of urgency and optimism for change’ mindset identified by Irwin et al. (2015).
This is demonstrated in paragraph 4 of the final education philosophy in Table 10
where it is stated that
“We hope that our students become empowered, inclusive, active and caring
members of diverse, respectful, compassionate and revolutionary
communities that work towards a more sustainable, just and interconnected
Earth community. “
This design principle also addresses the importance of engaging in the complex
non-dual nature of reality. Although it was the frustration and struggle with these
concepts that emerged as one of the four themes from the data, the engagement rather
than avoidance was important. This demonstrated at the very least, a desire and
capacity to engage in a more integral way of thinking and being.
8.1.5 Methodology, Methods and Approaches
The collaborative design methodology was central to the effectiveness of
applying this framework and enabling holistic personal and professional development.
First, it promoted a culture of listening and engaging with each other with curiosity
Chapter 8: Conclusion & Implications 93
and openness. Second it allowed for the agility needed to respond to the needs of the
group and include them in decision making and power sharing. Third, it promoted a
diversity of knowing and being that allowed for more than one right way to do things
and more inclusive and holistic solutions. Finally, collaborative design’s bias towards
action, creative and critical thinking and diversity/inclusivity contributed to the
experiences, critical reflection, and rational discourse crucial to the process of
transformative learning (Mezirow, 2000). In evidence of this, most participants
reported ‘personal changes as a result of the workshops’ as a high value on the
collaborative nature of the workshops. Further, the resulting co-designed education
philosophy demonstrated a holistic approach to education in that all four quadrants
were well represented.
Within this collaborative design methodology, methods and approaches that are
transformative, meaningful and inclusive of the more-than-human world were
employed. These included kinaesthetic or interactive activities such as role-playing,
focus groups, forced-choice, design challenges, co-design projects, prototyping and
theatre games. Individual reflective activities such as drawing and mapping were also
used to avoid problems associated with groupthink. The development and application
of these activities was guided by the four decentred design principles, transformative
learning theory and collaborative design.
8.2 CONCLUSIONS
In conclusion, the application of the Decentred Pedagogical Framework was
shown to have a transformative capacity in three ways. First, the Decentred
Pedagogical Framework was effective in engaging participants in ways that moved
them and the body of work beyond the human-centred paradigm. Second, the focus on
holistic development as central to the transition to sustainable futures impacted
participants’ perspectives on educational priorities and values associated with
dominant cultural structures. Finally, the highly collaborative and participative
methods triggered personal and collective transformative learning. This kind of
holistic human development is a determinant aspect in the transition to more integral
approaches to education and more integral societies.
94 Chapter 8: Conclusion & Implications
Although it is beyond the scope of this research, it is likely that by
experientially engaging in their own personal development, participants will be more
inclined and capable of prioritising holistic human development in their individual and
collective education practice. As teachers participate in this Framework and engage
with collaborative methods, it is plausible that they will expand their capacity to teach
in this way. This however, needs to be tested in further research.
8.3 SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPLICATIONS OF THE RESEARCH
8.3.1 Significance
This research is important for three major reasons. First, rather than innovate
teaching and learning practices from within unsustainable paradigms, this research
engages educators in integral thinking that expands beyond the dominant cultures of
individualism and consumption towards more relational and participative worldviews.
Second, this work establishes a human-decentred framework that is flexible and
adaptable. It can be applied within individual teaching practices, existing or new
schools, and across mainstream and alternative education approaches. Finally, this
work is timely and important because, within the growing awareness and concern for
preparing learners for a rapidly changing world, this research rather than focus on
individual success in a broken and unsustainable paradigm, provides a framework that
is coherent with the larger transition movements outside of education. In this way, this
work seeks to develop the personal and professional capacity of teachers and learners
to help change the game rather than win in the current one.
8.3.2 Implications
The Decentred Pedagogical Framework used in this research could be applied to
the development of individual teacher development, classroom environments and
approaches, the personal and professional development of educators, school transitions
and the initial set up of new schools. As a Theoretical Framework, it could also
contribute to decentred approaches to transitions outside education.
For individual teachers, this framework can provide the theory and principles for
their personal development and the development of classroom design. For pre-service
Chapter 8: Conclusion & Implications 95
and in-service teacher development this framework can be used to guide the
collaborative design of transformative education tools and approaches, while
contributing to the evolution of mindsets and ways of being. Towards the transition of
whole schools, this framework could be applied by teachers and school leaders to guide
the redesign of school systems, methods, approaches and structures. With the
involvement of educators, students, parents and community members this framework
could also be used to establish new and innovative schools and expressions of
education. In particular, this framework has the capacity to help schools partner with
sustainable transition endeavours outside education. These strategic partnerships
might further generate novel and scalable education possibilities that are horizonal
rather than bound by the dominant paradigm (Carse, 1986).
8.4 LIMITATIONS
Several limitations of the findings in this research have been identified. First,
this research represents a snapshot in time of the interactions and relationships
described in the specific context of this school, with these people. Each school at
different times will have its own unique combination of staff (personalities, stages of
consciousness etc.), education theories and approaches. From a phenomenological
perspective, factors such as individual and collective histories, cultures, environments,
languages and organisational structures will all contribute to unique dynamic contexts
that must be considered. Second, in this research context the researcher was an
‘insider’ in the organisation and consequently had deep insights and established
relationships.
Therefore, it is acknowledged that due to the highly contextualised nature of this
research direct applications are limited. This study was conducted only once at a small
urban Australian Special Assistance School. Further, the research was limited in that
it focused only on educators and did not include the perspectives of students,
administrators, parents or executive directors. The hope is that this research and in
particular the Decentred Pedagogical Framework might contribute to the growing body
of work around realistic and optimistic transitions toward sustainable futures.
96 Chapter 8: Conclusion & Implications
8.5 RECOMMENDATIONS
It is the recommendation of this research that this study be extended in several
areas. First, it would be important to further develop the Decentred Pedagogical
Framework based on the results of this research for increased usability and
transferability. Second, there is a need to trial the Framework and workshop series in
multiple schools outside the context of a Special Assistance School. Third, there is a
need to explore how engagement with the Decentred Pedagogical Framework impacts
personal and professional development over time. Research is also needed exploring
the implementation of this framework in new schools or education programs. Finally,
it is recommended that further study be conducted on how to coordinate the Decentred
Pedagogical Framework developed in this research with human-decentred transition
design work outside of education.
8.6 FINAL THOUGHTS
The importance and urgency of transdisciplinary work that contributes to the
development of more integral human-nature societies and thus sustainable futures
cannot be overstated. This academically rigorous ‘ontological turn’, with growing
interest in complexity, larger patterns and meta-narratives, is emerging across many
disciplines, but crucially now in education. During the final stages of publishing this
work, two books were published that highlight the application of Integral Theory to
Education, which is the object of this research. One is a book titled ‘Education in a
Time Between Worlds’ by educational philosopher Zachary Stein (Stein, 2019), and
the other is ‘Integral Theory and Transdisciplinary Action Research in Education’
edited by Veronika Bohac Clarke (Bohac Clarke, 2019). The publication of these two
volumes reaffirms the importance, relevance and timely aspects of this research. In an
era characterised by high levels of danger and opportunity, radically new ways of
knowing, acting and being are needed. Considering the centrality of education in the
development of sense-making, worldviews and cultures, I believe this research makes
an important contribution to the transition to more integral ways of being in the world
and sustainable futures.
Reference List 97
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Appendices
Appendix A
Collaborative Design Workshop 1
Workshop 1: Personal education experiences
A. Personal Experiences of Secondary Education: individual visual project The main purpose of this workshop was to establish a personal, creative, collaborative and reflective workshop approach in line with the theoretical framework of this research. It therefore set the stage of how our social experiences contribute to who we are and how we think and act. Further, it also allowed participants to get to know each other better and build trust and connection. Around a large meeting table covered in paper participants were asked to use any combination of drawing and writing to reflect on and express their education experiences. A variety of drawing and writing utensils were provided. The question posed was: “What was your experience of school like for you, your social group or school community? Describe the school (size, demographics etc.). How was it structured and what were its focuses or purposes?” These questions cover the four quadrants of AQAL. Participants were given the remaining 25 minutes to work on this project and told that next week they would be given a chance to share with the group.
B. Personal Experiences of Secondary Education: project narrative Sitting around the artwork, each participant was given the chance to describe and explain their experiences with education. The researcher took field notes. Although clarifying questions were allowed, each participant was encouraged to have an uninterrupted 2-3 minutes to present.
C. Belonging: forced choice activity To explore how participants experience belonging in differently this forced choice activity uses different contexts. Signs that say “strong sense of belonging” to “no sense of belonging” are placed at either end of the room and the space between represents a continuum between the two. Categories are: family, friends/community, work, city/region, country, Earth, the Universe. When each category is stated the participants are asked to move along the continuum to a space that represents their corresponding experience of belonging. For each category one or two participants are asked to speak to why they have chosen that spot on the continuum.
D. Belonging: individual activity and group discussion/reflection Based on the two previous sessions participants were asked to select a color and shape of paper to write down the ideas, feelings, thoughts, systems, places, groups or themes
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that contributed to their experiences of belonging and not belonging. They were then asked to glue the compilation of papers on the large sheet of paper around the circles of “belonging” and “not belonging”. As a group, the participants were asked to reflect on the compiled papers. The question was posed “are there themes or connections? How might this impact our practices at this school?”
E. Role Play: partner and group activity In order to explore how the findings of the previous sessions might play out in students’ lives and their actions and behaviours at school we then conducted a role play activity. Participants were instructed to choose one of the contexts or situations in which they felt the least belonging and journal the impact of not belonging on their feelings, behavior, actions and relationships. They then shared this in a pair and discussed how they thought the experiences would play out in a school context for a student. Each group was then asked to share one scenario with the group as a roleplay.
F. Forum Theatre: group activity and discussion In order to learn how different staff might creatively deal with student problems this workshop examined some of these scenarios as a group and shared different approaches and possible outcomes. Participants volunteered to act out the roles of the scenarios while one participant acted as a facilitator that can pause or rewind the scene. The other participants made suggestions of different approaches or strategies the “actors” could experiment with in the scenario.
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Appendix B
Collaborative Design Workshop 2
Workshop 2: Futures and Worldviews
A. Describe the world we live in: focus group In order to better understand the participants’ view of the world this session explores how each individual describes the world. To position the session this statement was put on the board.
“If we are wanting a cohesive, collaborative and purposeful campus,
what are our common practices and how do they contribute to this? what goals or outcomes are these connected to?
what larger purposes do these outcomes fit within? where does all this fit in our current understanding of the world and futures?”
After explaining the reverse engineering process above and a short clarifying discussion, this question was posed: “Describe the world we live in. Describe the world from your perspective”.
Participants were given 3 minutes to think and jot notes before sharing and discussing. It was stressed that there is no right or wrong, or good or bad way to answer this question, the most honest and authentic answer is ideal. The group then shared their view of the world one at a time with a limit of 2 minutes each with a reflection/discussion at the end. This session closed with a final question for any participant to answer with a one line response.
“describe this school campus” B. Describe the world in 20 years: individual project and group discussion
This session was designed to allow the group to articulate and make conscious how their view of the world contributes to their thinking about the future. Participants were instructed to take 10 minutes to use new blank paper circles to individually write or draw to describe what they think the world will be like in 20 years from the present. They were allowed to use any combination of terms, images or ideas. Following this each participant was encouraged to share with the group what they had done and explain. This session concluded with a short 5 minute reflection/discussion.
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C. Describe the world you want to live in: individual project and group discussion
This session is designed to both identify the diverse and common ideas of the group and expose the dissonance between the perceived and desired futures. Participants were asked to describe the world they want to live in on the back of the circles used in the previous session. They were again encouraged to use any ideas, images or terms they like. Following this each participant was encouraged to share with the group what they had done and explain. This session concluded with a short 5 minute reflection/discussion.
D. Student worldview questionnaire After a 5 minute collaborative recap of the workshops to date, a questionnaire was given to each participant eliciting a short written answer. 20 minutes was allotted.
1. Describe the worldview you hope students develop by the time they finish high school.
2. How they will view themselves?
3. How will they view others? 4. How will they view the world?
5. How will they view the earth? 6. How will they view wild nature?
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Appendix C
Collaborative Design Workshop 3
Workshop 3: Transformative Theories, models and Co-design
A. Transformative Learning: focus group/co-design Participants were presented with the “being thinking acting” terms on the board as asked to explore as a group how they can be better defined and how they think they might contribute to transformative learning. One participant volunteered to write and draw at the board while the group suggested ideas and discussed the relationships between the three. The researcher facilitated by posing questions when the group got stuck.
B. Being, Thinking and Acting: presentation, discussion, co-design To begin this session participants were presented with the question “how can the world we want to live in become a reality?” After a short discussion, participants were shown an overview of the 4 quadrants of AQAL and the researcher’s “being, thinking and acting” categories for understanding humans. They were then shown how the data from the previous workshops can be aligned within it. Participants were invited to question, critique and make changes as a group as to where terms should be aligned. This session concluded with 10 minutes of discussion, observations, contribution to the model, questions and feedback.
C. Human Development & Transformation: presentation, discussion, co-design
To build a larger understanding of Integral Theory and human change this session introduced spiral dynamics model of human development in relation to the “being thinking acting” model and practical school experiences. Participants were invited to collaborate on further developing the table presented in this session. The researcher gave examples of people operating from different stages. The session concluded with a discussion with the trigger question “what kind of behaviours or cultures result from a majority of people operating from different stages of development? Try to identify where the “world we want to live in” fits in this model.”
D. Spiral of Evolution: presentation and discussion To contextualize transformative learning and spiral dynamics, a spiral model of development designed by the researcher was presented, explained and discussed. A visual design of the “being thinking acting” transformative learning model co-developed in the previous workshop was presented for feedback and critique.
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Appendix D
Collaborative Design Workshop 4
Workshop 4: Application to Practice A. The High School Graduate: Individual and group project
To begin connecting participants experiences and worldviews to their practices, this session explores the desired outcomes of the school campus. On another large sheet of paper participants traced around one staff member to create an outline of an “ideal graduating student”. Participants were then asked to use the outlined figure to draw/write/express the characteristics (skills, competencies, character traits, views, opinions, abilities, understanding, knowledge, wisdom, etc.) that they think are important for young people to have when they leave high school. Participants were then asked to share what they had written/expressed and identify if anyone saw any gaps.
B. Purposes of Education: group project and group discussion Participants were asked to brainstorm words or phrases answering the question “why do graduates need these characteristics” while one person wrote them down in the middle. They were then asked to collaboratively identify themes or categories for this list.
C. Education Practices: focus group While looking at the graduate characteristics map created in the previous two sessions participants were asked to identify some of the activities, approaches and methods they each practice (or notice that others practice) that seems to contribute to the development of the graduate characteristics identified in the previous session. After 15 minutes of discussion the trigger question asked, “when do students seem to be most likely or able to develop or practice the characteristics?”
D. Education Priorities: “Life Boat” group activity This session is designed to reengage the group in a more interactive activity and to further explore the competition of priorities in a dualistic approach and the collaboration of priorities in a more integral approach. For this activity each staff member was given a slip of paper that represents a goal, priority, purpose or outcome of education (academic achievement, personal development, personal resilience, economic stability, ecological intelligence, creative problem solving, vocational training, social development, emotional intelligence). In the scenario, every 3 minutes another member of the team (least needed in a school) must be eliminated by the group until there are only three left. The group was instructed to discuss and decide together for each one while participants were allowed to defend the priority they have if desired.
E. Education Priorities: focus group, group discussion Based on the experiences and reflections on the “life boat” activity held in the previous session a focus group was held to identify the perceived values and priorities of education according to six different role/perspectives (parents, teachers, students, school administration/leadership, government & policy makers, politicians).
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Appendix E
Collaborative Design Workshop 5
Workshop 5: Cogeneration of a Transformative Education Philosophy
A. Education Philosophy: review of workshops & co-design of process This session began with a review of workshops and topics to date and the introduction to the education philosophy co-design project. Through a facilitated focus group participants contributed to the categories and process to undertake the project. The researcher provided several trigger questions: “how could this philosophy be used? What will it cover? How will everyone contribute? What will the process be?”
B. Education Philosophy: group project In groups or 2-3 participants wrote words or phrases in response to the questions: In a world that… Considering that humans are… Education should… By engaging students… In order to (self, others, world)… The researcher then compiled them.
C. Education Philosophy: individual project The participants worked individually to summarise the compiled terms from the previous workshop project into summary sentences.
D. Education Philosophy: consolidation focus group Two staff were nominated by the group to work with the researcher to consolidate the group work into an education philosophy statement while maintaining the integrity and diversity of groups ideas.
E. Education Philosophy: validation of philosophy statement, final questionnaire
The summarised and edited version of the philosophy statement was presented back to the group for feedback and validation.
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Appendix F
Workshop Data Examples
Reflective Journal Example Workshop 3. Belonging (part 1) Plan (format, what, why) As a kinesthetic activity around belonging and to explore different ways of experiencing belonging we will do a forced choice continuum activity: signs that say “I Belong” to “I don’t belong” are placed at either end of the room and the space between represents a continuum between the two. Categories are: family, friends/community, work, city/region, country, Earth, the Universe. In this activity I hope to gain some insight into what participants might mean when they talk about belonging and also for us all to visually see that we all have different experiences of belonging from different people, places and concepts. Action When each of the categories are named, staff are to move to the place on the continuum of belonging that represents their experience of belonging for that category. For each category one or two people will be asked to volunteer to share why they have moved to the place where they are. Observation (what happened? Thoughts) Family: mostly belong but depends on current relationships and perhaps stage of life. Friends community: mostly belonging but one person had just moved and was feeling isolated. Work: All strong belonging to local campus but mostly not to the larger organization. City/region: A mix, several stated that they only work in the city and commute so don’t feel belonging in one specific city/suburb. Two stated a strong sense of belonging due to living and working in the city. Country: Mostly strong belonging. High levels of Australian pride. Grateful for opportunities. Great place to live. Etc. Planet: Split. Some strong sense of belonging voiced the beauty of the Earth and wonder and science/astronomy. One voiced not always fitting with society and therefore not a strong belonging with the world/Earth. One voiced the destructiveness of human cultures on earth and therefore not wanting to associate or belong to cultures of hate, destructive behavior etc. (he interpreted planet as societal structures and human actions) Universe: Two had a strong belonging due to spiritual connection to the universe, one fairly high due to scientific interest is cosmology, the rest were fairly low. One stated the universe felt large cold and lonely. Often belonging could shift quite dramatically from one context to another. Many people were surprised by others positions. People interpreted the categories differently. Critical Reflection
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This activity was effective in demonstrating the changes in belonging according the situation or context. As people interpreted the categories differently and have very different experiences of how where and when they belong it showed how we don’t have very coherent socially constructed ideas about belonging. This could impact the staff (and schools) approach to a safe and inclusive approach to education. Implications This activity should provide a good source of content for discussion and reflection on how this impacts our teaching approaches and practices as well as for the continuation of this theme in the next workshop in visually mapping this theme.
Workshop 3 Focus Group Co-Designed Table of Human Development
Domains Being
(inter)subjective
Interior
Spirit
Art/Spirituality
Heart
Knowing/thinking
(inter)objective
Exterior
Mind
Science
Head
Acting
Behaviour
Design
Body
Ethics
Hands
Themes Identity
Belonging
Empathy
Connected
Relational
Interdependent
Grace
Perspectives
Purpose
Awareness
Critical and Creative
Thinking Skills
Social communication skills
Empathy
Curiosity
Agency
Motivation
Ethics/morality
Social interactions
Considering
consequences
Intentionality
Student behaviours, values or
cultures according to stages of
development
Egocentric I am important, I belong, my
experiences and values are
universal, I am independent, I
am valuable
I know the truth, I trust my
experiences, I am right
I do what is best
for me, I meet my
needs first,
everyone and
thing is in my
story
selfish, oppositional, no
empathy, hurt others, abusive
actions and language, stealing,
suspicious of others intent
Ethno-
centric
I am my group, we belong
together, I can empathize with
those like me, we work together
for our common good, we are
valuable
My community/culture is
right, my culture is best,
empirical science is the
only truth, absolutism,
hard sciences, we know
better
I serve my
community, I take
care of my own,
gang behaviour
school pride, strong friendships
and friend circle, aussie pride,
racism, family focus, gang
mentality, students vs. staff
Anthropo-
centric
I am a part of the human race,
we all belong to each other, I
can imagine having a different
life situation, universal human
rights
Human equality,
egalitarian, reality is
socially constructed,
relativism, nihilism,
Humans are separate and
better than nature
Anthropology/sociology
Universal human
rights, collective
action, health
care, dismantle
hierarchies,
Peacemaker in class,
welcoming to new students,
inclusive, projects about
human rights, caring, empathy
for others
Biocentric I am a part of all life, all life
belongs, I am concerned with
the wellbeing of other species,
all life is connected (web of life)
Start of non dualistic
thinking, web of life
science, systems thinking
Environmental
action, animal
rights,
has pets, loves animals, likes to
be in nature, high empathy-not
just for people, compassionate,
non-violent
Ecocentric We are a part of a larger story,
everything on Earth belongs to
each other, my
survival/wellbeing is connected
to the Earth’s, life is based on
mutualistic relationships
Lateral thinking,
interdisciplinary thinking,
ecology, whole systems
Simplicity,
thoughtful
interactions with
other life and non
life/systems
aware of climate change,
notices and values good
environments (even classroom
spaces), sees connections more
Integral We are a part of the cosmos,
everything belongs, everything
is connected and in synergistic
relationships
Unified field
Noogenesis
Acting in synergy
with others
hard to imagine a student
here, meditates, peaceful,
doesn’t get in arguments,
probably frustrated with others
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Co-Designed Transformative Learning Model
BeingSoul
BelongingConnectedness
Grace
ActingBodyDesignAgencyEthics
ThinkingMind
PurposeAwarenessEmpathy
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Appendix G
Data Analysis
Thematic Analysis Summary Table
Thematic Analysis Summary Table Workshop
s & Questions
Answer Themes Data Samples
1. Personal Education Experiences Who are the participants? What are their education experiences, values, views & practices?
The participants range from second year to 27 years teachers, education support officers (youth worker/teacher aids) program coordinators, campus support officer (involved in student and family contact and restorative justice) and principal (teacher as well). Based on this workshop series all the participants expressed a high value on belonging, community, family and friends. Relationships of care, and the experience of belonging/non belonging highly impacted their education experiences. Several participants identified key relationships that were redemptive or transformative in their schooling experience. Togetherness, holism, inclusiveness and seeing students as individuals comes through in most of their practices. Restorative justice is a central process in dealing with conflict in the school.
Belonging: inclusive, relational,
Seen, deep kindness, friends x3, guidance, learner-focused, inclusive community, I see you, you are worth it, embrace differences, embraced culture, community, groups, caring, sports, community, Feeling passionate, not being forced, having a choice, one tiny piece of the puzzle, not knowing anything else, very close and loving family, small but close, doesn’t matter how much time passes, encouragement, everyone knows everyone, being able to connect creatively, being heard, my perception, Struggle, change, growth, time, mutuality, Having a voice, acceptance, physical connection, spiritual connection, Choice, control, created, Universe, sense of being, family support, community, friendships, Like-mindedness, shared experiences, time, landscape/connection to place, history, known, loved “I think students can’t engage in learning until they feel safe and that they feel safe and that they belong, so this has to come first.”
Not belonging Lost, anxious, inadequate, guilt, pressure, closed-minded, broke mould, restricted, floater, you’re on your own, I don’t have time, waiting in lines, my anxiety, my perception, distant and very unknown, unknown!, not knowing anything else, exclusive, impersonal, static, distance, Fear of rejection, “only if” conditional acceptance, invisible (enneagram 9), Question???, lack of understanding, unsure, Mainstream way of thought, Busyness, too big (who are you?, can you help me?, what am I meant to be?, where am I going?), just a cog, not known and understood
Redemption & Restoration
Noticed my struggle, Grace, Alternative program, Second chances, Supported me, Wanting to make a difference, Teachers cared and mentored, Creative and humanities teachers seemed to be more interested in us as students and cared, RJ practices, one on one chats, student conferencing, alter program/approach, Empathy,
2. Worldviews & Futures How do the participants view the world, futures & sustainability?
Most participants viewed the world as moving in a destructive and unhealthy direction and in need of dramatic change. Many expressed tensions between nature and culture, human constructive and destructive actions, power and greed and community and sharing. The changes indicated trended towards a human-centred society with high values on individual and community health and development over industrial or economic
Nature-culture dualism: Destructive and constructive capacity of humans
Need for change, transition, revolution
Sustainable (preferred) futures defined by other-oriented and mutual
holistic awareness, empathy, community development, collaboration, ecological intelligence, subject to subject relationships, equality, inclusivity, diversity, decentralized power.
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development. Several participants indicated the need or inevitability of a collapse or revolution. Most views of futures and sustainability indicated a need to shift towards a human society focused on awareness, empathy, community development, subject to subject relationships, equality, inclusivity, diversity, decentralized power.
relationships of wellbeing and power
3. Human Development & Transformation What are the participants’ views and understanding of human learning, change & transformation?
Personal development (becoming a healthier person) is a strong focus of the participants. Participants in general had a holistic understanding of learning in that it is not just a cognitive activity but a social and emotional engagement. Most identified that belonging, feeling safe and self-esteem were important to learning. An interconnectedness between the “thinking, being, acting” categories was strongly developed by the participants. Most understand personal change and transformation are related to social environments and communities. The group all agreed that healthy change in students was highly dependent on being able to look out for others’ (empathy) wellbeing. Collaboration was identified as important to larger transformations in society.
Change requires whole human development
“I think good education covers all three”, “they are all connected”
Change occurs in safe social environments
“it might not all change but maybe there can be pockets of change first, healthy communities”
Other-orientation (empathy) is essential for change
“we all need to learn how to look outside ourselves, look out for others” “individual greed and selfishness has to be dealt with somehow”
4. Purposes of Education What do the participants value about education and what is its purpose?
Participants valued educations capacity to contribute to the development of personal mental and emotional health and social awareness and life skills. Combined with a larger awareness of the world and the ability to see outside themselves (other perspectives), these education priorities were focused on the ability to have a healthier life, contribute to positive social change as well as a more empathetic and respectful world (more than human). Potential for education to contribute to meaningful change.
Skills and abilities to thrive and contribute to a better world
Personal character attributes for personal and social health
Seeing change in young people. Transformative learning towards wholeness.
Bring a larger awareness and understanding of self, others, world
Understanding how the world works around them. Understanding interconnectivity
Its transformative potential: personal, community, society wellness and wholeness
Education should engage the whole person and empower to solve problems and change the world together
5. Collaborative Education Philosophy Development What does the education philosophy & co-design process say about the group’s
Through the education philosophy design workshop sessions participants demonstrated a dualistic view of nature and culture as well as a non-dual understanding of the complex systems involved in the nature – human relationship with change. They reinforced their focus on education’s role in the personal development of values and mental and emotional health as well as a very strong focus on equity, respect, collaboration and
Humans and nature have a complex and paradoxical relationship with each other and change
The world is… full of complexity, contradictions, individualism is changing, beautiful, full of potential Needs change, is made by human action, is being used, suffering, seen as disposable chaotic and soul destroying values versatility and variety
humans are… powerful, influential, imperfect driven by greed, power, lethargy, competition limited in vision and foresight controlled by system a small part of the world Diverse in abilities and strengths
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Workshop 4 Session E Data Summary
Workshop 4 Session E Data Summary Q: What are the main values and priorities regarding
education from the perspective of… SD meme
Quadrant
1 Parents: Successful well-paying jobs, resilience, healthy and happy children, safety, quality, fit in society
Blue, Orange, Green
I, IT
2 Teachers: Well-rounded and curious learners, engaged in life/proactive and resilient, contribute to a healthy/better society, treat others well, healthy people, safe/no problems, enjoyable work environment.
Orange, Green
I, IT, WE, ITS
3 Students: Get an education and job, be able to have money/freedom, independence, pathway to do what they want to, socialize, sense of community.
Orange IT, WE
4 School administration & leadership: efficient systems, successful outcomes, order and progress, development/new ideas
Blue, Orange
IT
5 Government & policy makers: Efficient (cost wise) and effective systems, progressive compared to global standards, effective reliable workforce, no embarrassing problems, safety & public welfare.
Blue, Orange
IT, ITS
6 Politicians: Good image/no bad publicity, common good of area governed, better outcomes than other (states/countries etc), safety, efficiency, measurable and comparable quality
belonging towards a more connected sustainable world (more than human at times).
Untapped potential to change self and world Inherently good Natural problem solvers.
Personal and social development is central to education
It has helped me understand what I value about education and it was the multiple perspectives that helped develop that.
Education should be holistic, focused on transformation towards the mutual health of people, society and larger systems of life.
Teach humility, resilience, hope, collaboration, curiosity, independence Be transformative, inclusive/individual needs, authentic push boundaries, challenge confront ideas/beliefs promote new ideas/perspectives empower to solve problems and change the world together engage the whole person
Post workshop Survey
High value on consultation and collaboration and a participatory approach. High value on student worldview development.
Because there is a lot of wisdom, experience and knowledge that comes to the table, and we can learn from each other. Consultation is the key. “The more the merrier”. Need to include policy-makers in the discussion When all are included it promotes success because of ownership to the process and outcomes.
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1. Describe the worldview you hope students develop by the time they finish high school. All 4 quadrants
1. blank 2. blank 3. I hope that students would develop a worldview that is holistic and not narrow. Christian 4.Connectedness – the idea that they are connected to others, community, history, the environment, things that come before and after them. That each individual has a place and a purpose and a contribution to make. 5. blank 6. I hope they realise there is a world beyond themselves and that they can have an impact on something bigger. 7. Everyone has their own crap. We don’t have to be so isolated > working together is not weak – it makes us and the world stronger. 8. blank 9. blank
2. How they will view themselves? I quadrant
1. As equal to others, empowered, able to solve problems. With wonder and gratitude, an important part of a community. 2. Capable, strong, independent, valued 3. They’ll see themselves as powerful and welcome to be themselves and see themselves as loved. 4. as designed uniquely, with a purpose and a story to tell. 5. Confidence, compassion 6. as a cog in a much bigger system 7. Capable – change makers – full of love 8. Able, capable, purposeful 9. Able, potent, connected, skilled, important, valuable
3. How will they view others? WE quadrant
1. As equal and as extension of themselves, the same, but different, with gratitude 2. Kindness, compassion, openness, sense of community 3. As brothers, sisters, friends. Not as strangers. 4. As unique individuals, each worthy of value and respect and opportunity. 5. Understanding, compassion, respect, empathy, kindness 6. As potential allies. 7. Community, collaboration, a source of help, people to help 8. With compassion and understanding 9. Inclusive, as partners, valuable, compassionately connected
4. How will they view the world? ITS quadrant
1. A place to live and explore respectfully. 2. Challenge injustice, free to be themselves, inclusion 3. As a place they can positively impact and actively love. 4. Interconnected, relationally, good and evil. 5. Connected, hope, insightful, open minded, less boarders and red tape. 6. with interest, intrigue and respect 7. work towards an ethical world in all senses – full of possibilities 8. as having more in common than differences 9. a connected system, participatory
5. How will they view the earth? IT & ITS quadrants
1. As a home to be cared for, a rock that sustains many, a part of a much larger expanding universe 2. Don’t take for granted (valued), ownership – rather than blaming other or pretending you are not a part of the problem 3. As their home – our home. As a gift. 4. Precious, finite, beautiful 5. Hope, safe 6. with interest, intrigue and respect 7. A privilege, not something to take advantage of. 8. As a gift to treasure 9. As a home and a home to share with others
6. How will they view wild nature? IT quadrant
1. with respect and wonder 2. Imparative, connected to them, valued 3. They will view nature with awe, they will see it as a gift. 4. wonder and horror 5. hope, respect 6. I hope they consider their impact and become aware of how small things matter. 7. Something to preserve and respect. A source of freedom and tranquillity. 8. To be nurtured, preserved, protected. 9. Curiosity, wonder, a teacher, evolving
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Final Survey Example
Please circle one 1 2 3 4 5
No not at all. Somewhat. Yes. Quite a bit. Yes very Much.
Quotes from the final survey I had put some thought into my personal philosophy due to studies that required me to, but never delved into it and couldn’t say that I was passionate about any sort of philosophy surrounding teaching and learning. I wasn’t really aware of what to ask myself / how to reflect productively. Hearing different perspectives and experiences always expand own thinking. It opened up my mind to think about my worldview and how that relates to my practice as an educator. It helped me develop a stronger philosophy around education. Considering the type of world we desire and bringing that back to the nuts and bolts of what we do in the classroom. It made me truly assess my values in an education setting – what I feel is important. It has helped me understand what I value about education and it was the multiple perspectives that helped develop that. I’ve learnt from co-workers what other methods work for them, and if applied to me maybe will work. reminded that there are ‘like minded’ people working alongside me. That its not alone. Learning that to teach effectively I must build relationships first. By observing the practices of others I continually evolve. I heard a lot of new perspectives about education and learning philosophy which helped me weigh up my thoughts and then come to an understanding of what I wanted my philosophy and practice to be. It has been great to find common ground. To hear others’ passions. It has made me feel a part of something bigger. Realising that everyone had very similar ideas and values made me feel like more good could be achieved. I am much more aware, and on a daily basis trying to create a community that is a microcosm of a better world. I’m now more about connecting with the students than ticking boxes for the government. More patience. I have attempted to develop more curiosity through my teaching this year. The way that I have attempted this is through opening up more conversation around the learning topic rather than just teaching and leaving it.
Questions from the final survey Score out
of 5
Do you see value in co-developing a document like the education philosophy as a group? 4.6/5 Is the development of a young person’s worldview important as a part of education? 4.9/5
their worldviews this
year?
Please explain.
Through practicing this worldview in class I have seen students who
are education holistically respond incredibly well. I have especially
seen students develop levels of empathy for others that was unseen
before the development of my education and learning philosophy. As
well as seeing students connect into the community and engage in
their education and learning.
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Appendix H
Enlarged Figures 2, 3, & 5
Figure 10 Integral Map of AQAL and Spiral Dynamics (Wilber, 2000)
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Figure 11 Thinking, Being & Acting Model of Development. Diagram designed by the author based on the works of Wilber (2000), Beck and Cowan (1996)
Anthropocentric
Planetary Consciousness
Integral Consciousness
Ethnocentric
Biocentric
Ecocentric
Premodern Era
Modern Era
Postmodern Era
Metamodern Era
Posthumanism
Egocentric Design:
Power & Dominance
Design: Self Expression
Design: Cultural Desires
Design: Human Survival
Universal Design
Decentred Design: Mutualism,
Cohabitation, Sustainment
Integral Design
Human Centered
Design
Cosmology of Belonging & Participation
Pluralistic Relativism & Nihilism
Cosmology of Origins
Design (Acting)
Stages of Consciousness according to Spiral Dynamics (Being) -Survival/Undifferentiated -Magic/Animistic -Egocentric/Power -Absolutistic/Truth -Multiplistic/Rational -Relativistic/Pluralistic -Systemic/Integral -Global/Universal
Scientific Realism
Integral Cosmology
Stages of Consciousness expansion Egocentric > Ethnocentric > Anthropocentric > Biocentric > Ecocentric > Integral
Worldview/Mindset (Thinking)
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Figure 12 Research Design
Analyse data for emergent themes, unexpected results and new ideas.
Workshop 1 Personal Education Experiences
Workshop 2 Futures and Worldviews
Workshop 5 Cogeneration of a Transformative Education Philosophy
Workshop 3 Transformative Theories, models and Co-design
Workshop 4 Application to Practice
Creative visualisation
Questionnaire
Co-design Artefacts
Focus group Focus groups
Focus group Individual and group
design projects
Final Survey Focus group Co-design process
Group design project
Co-design Artefacts
1. What theories, methods and approaches might be appropriate to guide such transition work?
2. What is the perceived value of a collaborative method for change in education?
How might a pedagogical framework be developed to engage secondary teachers in an ongoing process of personal and professional development and contribute to the transition to a more integral and transformative approach to education?
Document through
multiple sources
Revise approach and plan new actions based on participant consultation and emergent data. Reflect
Plan
Observe
Researcher participates
Act
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Appendix I
Ethics Documents
Ethical Clearance
A low risk human ethics application has been submitted and approved. Permission forms have been generated for staff workshops, staff interviews and journals, existing student data and student interviews. Project Title: Co-designing the settlement experience with recently settled immigrants Ethics Category: Human - Low Risk Approval Number: 1600001014 Approved Until: 24/10/2021 (subject to receipt of satisfactory progress reports) We are pleased to advise that your application has been reviewed and confirmed as meeting the requirements of the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research. I can therefore confirm that your application is APPROVED. If you require a formal approval certificate please advise via reply email. CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL Please ensure you and all other team members read through and understand all UHREC conditions of approval prior to commencing any data collection: > Standard: Please see attached or go to http://www.orei.qut.edu.au/human/stdconditions.jsp > Specific: None apply
Participant Recruitment Email
Empowering Innovative and Active Global Citizens Dear Arethusa staff member My name is Nikolas Winter-Simat from Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and I am conducting research as a part of a PhD looking into the value of a design thinking approach to secondary education and global citizenship.
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I would like to invite you to participate in short (20-30 minute) weekly creative professional development workshops held at Arethusa College. Agreeing to participate does not require you to attend all or any workshops. You have been invited to participate in this project because you have contact with students at Arethusa College. Please view the attached Participant Information Sheet and Consent Form for further details on the study. Should you wish to participate please complete and return the attached consent form. If you have any questions, please contact me via email. Please note that this study has been approved by the QUT Human Research Ethics Committee (approval number 1600000339). Many thanks for your consideration of this request. Nikolas Winter-Simat Nikolas Winter-Simat PhD Student 3138 9471 or 3888 0709 [email protected] Natalie Wright Associate Supervisor 3138 7786 [email protected] Dr Jaz Choi Principal Supervisor 3138 7657 [email protected] Creative Industries Faculty, Queensland University of Technology