#critlib chat on Critical Reflection, 12/19/2016
See http://critlib.org/critical-reflection-chat/ for announcement, discussion questions, suggested readings, and sample questions for reflective writing. Further readings will be shared in a forthcoming post at openbooklibrarian.wordpress.com
A few participants wrote blog posts and tweets on critical reflection before the chat:
- Some experiential background to questions for next Monday 12/19 #critlib chat, invite others to blog if so moved: https://openbooklibrarian.wordpress.com/2016/12/16/critical-reflection-seeding-the-1219-critlib-chat/ …
- #critlib @lisahubbell Personally I agree with Brookfield's (1995 pp.186-189) arguments seeing theory as an aid to critical reflection.
- #critlib @lisahubbell In particular to reframe our problems away from our natural "pragmatic fixation on the puzzles of our own practice".
- #critlib @lisahubbell In practice I tend not to say "theory" due to the interesting (theoretical) positions some folk take toward it.
- #critlib @lisahubbell Instead I think about values, how those values are embodied in practice, & how we reflect critically on practices.
- Look at these gorgeous, thoughtful questions for Monday's #critlib chat (7pmGMT) http://critlib.org/critical-reflection-chat/ … Thx @lisahubbell and h/t @preater !
- Another blog post for the 12/19 #critlib chat I'll be moderating on critical reflection: https://openbooklibrarian.wordpress.com/2016/12/17/critical-reflection-more-on-teachings-and-tools/ …
- Today's #critlib chat moderator @lisahubbell has a great metaphor of "seeding" it with blog posts. Here's mine: http://ryanpatrickrandall.com/2016/critical-reflection/ …
- #critlib chat in one hour, w/ @lisahubbell as moderator. Here's my blog entry ahead of the discussion: http://kevinseeber.com/blog/who-benefits/ …
The chat opened with a brief nod to codes of conduct:
- #critlib I’m helping out today so @lisahubbell can focus on the Qs. I’m avlbl if folks have concerns even abt me! leslzine@gmail or here 3/3
- It would be good to have such a CoC. #critlib https://twitter.com/zinelib/status/810923113005326336 …
Q1. How/when do you build in time to reflect on your own work/praxis? Frequently, sporadically, in certain settings/circumstances?
- A1. One benefit of being an academic librarian is being required to research, so I make this part of designated research time #critlib https://twitter.com/lisahubbell/status/810923915216199680 …
- @lisahubbell Great idea, especially since my to-dos are a sort of diary. Looking over might hlp ID how/where I spend my energies #critlib
- @beccakatharine @lisahubbell I started using a planner this year that is helping me merge these activities (to-dos + reflection) #critlib
- @beccakatharine I do! Re-reading my entries has helped me identify ways to improve my teaching. Super helpful to compare similar classes.
- @metageeky Totally. Shower thoughts often inspire what I really need to work on. #critlib
Lots of Q1 responses about shared reflection with colleagues:
- @AlicePrael Great practice. Any readings that have sparked good discussions? #critlib
- Great idea to think about doorway talking as reflection. I do that, mostly thanks to @PoorCharlotte. #critlib https://twitter.com/kevinseeber/status/810924583104708608 …
- A2. We also build in reflective questions throughout the year in department meetings, sometimes in all staff retreats #critlib https://twitter.com/lisahubbell/status/810923915216199680 …
- @lisalibrarian Such a great reminder, along w those re sharing readings w colleagues. Want to do this more intentionally w asst. #critlib https://twitter.com/lisalibrarian/status/810925527280340992 …
- @beccakatharine A1. Have been checking in w asst weekly when schedules overlap, more about projects but could build in reflection. #critlib
- A1. Build it into the meeting structure, with questions agreed on and shared in advance. #critlib https://twitter.com/beccakatharine/status/810926009323311104 …
- @beccakatharine Agenda item on monthly infolit cmmttee mtg is "Acclamations+Accolades" - to highlight, celebrate+learn fr successes #critlib
- . @beccakatharine while I don’t directly supervisor student workers, I make it a point to ask how things are going & ask for insight
- @beccakatharine I try to follow up with @Badgersssss & co. on a daily basis to talk about the "why" of what we do, but v. informal. #critlib
@kevinseeber @beccakatharine here are the reflection questions that I created for our teaching team, the answers were v thoughtful! #critlib pic.twitter.com/Wwz7OZJx2k- @beccakatharine A1 #critlib preferences in my team for reflective practice methods vary hugely; haven't been able to do this (yet).
- @lisahubbell This sounds *great*, have a had a few exploratory discussions abt a reading group / journal club at work. @beccakatharine
- How do you keep this separate from evaluation? Do supervisees feel comfortable reflecting openly with their boss? #critlib https://twitter.com/beccakatharine/status/810926009323311104 …
- I love to see different models of leadership & management like this one. Yay yous! #critlib #critleadership https://twitter.com/zoh_zoh/status/810928415352074240 …
A few comments on inviting feedback from students:
- @foureyedsoul I've been doing a post instruction survey to get immediate input directly from students. Short 10 Q online form #critlib
- @IreneKorber Cool! Very close to what we want to do. Main constraint is that most students have phone internet access, not laptops. #critlib
- @foureyedsoul We have a classroom in the library outfitted with laptops, in which we do majority of our IL instruction. Helps a lot #critlib
- Mine is three questions, and one asks how students felt in the class. ht @kellywooten #critlib https://twitter.com/IreneKorber/status/810928925656416258 …
Q2. Have you found any tools, practices, habits that spur such reflection for you? Is your approach more structured or free-form?
- A2 Both. Some is prompted by my readings, some by discussions here and elsewhere. Interactivity works better than journaling for me #critlib https://twitter.com/lisahubbell/status/810926391399043072 …
- A2 After instruction, a few minutes writing about the "muddiest point" for me & students works well! http://www.washington.edu/teaching/2015/02/02/reflecting/ … #critlib
Q3. Do you examine your work, strivings, failures in light of specific theories, models, questions? How do you engage with them?
- Would love to hear more about reflective practice in engineering @metageeky ! #critlib #waycool https://twitter.com/metageeky/status/810927522565091328 …
- @donnarosemary Schon is one of the major scholars on the topic. UW's Center for Engineering Learning & Teaching has some too #critlib
- @donnarosemary FYI, CELT funded a good deal of my graduate work (so potential bias): http://depts.washington.edu/celtweb/ #critlib
- @metageeky glad you aren't lurking! valued contributions! #critlib
- A3. I find Brookfield's critical incident questionnaire useful both re teaching & awkward interactions #critlib http://www.stephenbrookfield.com/ciq/
- A3 I think I'm more values based than model/theory based? But I'm also Buddhist, and that sort of combines all of the above #critlib https://twitter.com/lisahubbell/status/810928703240736768 …
- A3: The quintessential #critlib question that guides my work anymore is "who benefits?" http://kevinseeber.com/blog/who-benefits/ … h/t @donnarosemary
- @kevinseeber (reading now) aw can't believe you saved the URL to that tweet--your attribution game humbles me 💕 #critlib
- @kevinseeber Twitter search query: who benefits #critlib ; filter to tweets by @donnarosemary 👍 hehe
- @beccakatharine I would add in "How do those values interplay? Are those values shared by/important to all stakeholders?" #critlib
- @beccakatharine Stakeholder part is important. In my work on invisible disabilities, I found that while educators valued diversity #critlib
- @beccakatharine ...individual students with IDs valued more privacy and a sense of normalcy/belonging #critlib
- A4: @lisalibrarian I intro'ed my LIS students to Bolman/Deal this semester and found it resonated so much (with them AND with me!) #critlib
- A3 On a teaching level, John Bean's _Engaging Ideas_ has lots of tools & inspiration. http://worldcat.org/oclc/727047950 #critlib
- I think I judge my actions in consequentialist manner with the major goal/end being access to useful information #critlib https://twitter.com/lisahubbell/status/810928703240736768 …
- @glam_librarian Can you say a bit more about consequentialism? What does this look like in practice? #critlib
- @lisahubbell Consequentialism is a moral theory that states that the moral worth of action comes from its outcomes (if they are good or not)
- @lisahubbell the most popular form of Consequentialism is utilitarianism. But instead of judging an action on utility I think about access
- @lisahubbell examples: creating metadata is good because it creates access. Cutting databases is bad because it reduces access
- @lisahubbell in weeding you have reduce access to certain books to create more relevant access
- @lisalibrarian Will look into this to add to reading list. Let me know if you have a URL or favorite citation. #critlib
- @beccakatharine @lisahubbell My fav part is how it juxtaposes your beliefs, intentions+actions. Check for alignment/show gaps. #critlib
- I think I'm paraphrasing from bell hooks 'Teaching to transgress' here. #critlib https://twitter.com/preater/status/810932084302901248 …
Comments on religion and reflective practice:
- @schomj Blog from @foureyedsoul brings in Buddhism, mine brings in Quakerism, Ignatian examen. #critlib http://openbooklibrarian.wordpress.com
- It would be cool if someone pitched a religion/theology/faith-themed #critlib. http://critlib.org/twitter-chats/suggest-a-twitter-chat/ … https://twitter.com/zinelib/status/810932669148229632 …
- @zinelib (it ties into a project of ours that is currently in gestation @mariataccardi #allthebabymetaphors #sry #critlib) :)
Q4. What challenges or obstacles do you encounter in using critical reflection in practice? How do you overcome them?
- A4 Time—so I do my best to schedule reflection throughout the day. The pomodoro technique helps somewhat. #critlib http://cirillocompany.de/pages/pomodoro-technique/ …
- @hailthefargoats Agree! Then I tend to get anxious abt the time "lost" reflecting #critlib
- . @foreverhoward sometimes I have a hard time communicating my reflection to others (getting them on board to try st new) #critlib
- @kevinseeber This is exactly why I try to build critical reflection into more small things like to-do lists. #critlib
- A4: Getting buy-in from the massive, unwieldy medical school. Medicine, like librarianship, is steeped in "always done this way" #critlib https://twitter.com/lisahubbell/status/810932497315872768 …
- A4 One of my hats is assessment coordinator. It is VERY HARD to convince administrators to take a reflective approach to assessment #critlib https://twitter.com/lisahubbell/status/810932497315872768 …
- @metageeky in library work, especially non-instruction related stuff? oh yeah #critlib
- @lisalibrarian @schomj or we could be honest that reflection takes time and is worth doing
- @lisalibrarian Low-time reflection methods... IDK. I'm afraid if the conversation shifted that way, the focus would be on hurrying #critlib
- @lisalibrarian higher ed assessment is built to count things, like time spent, not problems averted / realizations achieved #critlib
- @lisalibrarian My background is in tech services, too, which impacts the kinds of assessment conversations I have #critlib
- @riqbd Yes. @amlibrarian addresses this well, falling into rote habit and not always digging deeper. #critlib https://info-fetishist.org/2015/05/01/loex2015/ …
- I cite this keynote from @amlibrarian at least once a week. #critlib https://twitter.com/lisahubbell/status/810934460875030528 …
- @lisalibrarian asking myself why- why did I do it? did it work well? how can I change? Otherwise, I get caught in just recounting #critlib
Q5. Does reflection propel you to shift your thinking, to take action? By itself, or combined with other input?
- A5 Yes. So much yes. Realizing that I needed to build reflection time into my schedule has helped me be kinder, among other things #critlib https://twitter.com/lisahubbell/status/810934716614356992 …
- A5. My research has found that critical reflection has a profound impact on librarian purpose & motivation. #critlib http://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/td/1054/
- @l1brar1an ooh this looks fabulous, thanks for sharing it out! #critlib
- .@lisahubbell Yes! Also what I get out of mindfulness practices I've tried: improving pattern recognition & faster realignment #critlib
- @foureyedsoul mindfulness practices....???? <ears perk up>
- @lisalibrarian Actually took tai chi for a couple years as "PE" in undergrad! Also remember small things from: http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/757483928
- @lisalibrarian Sure! I've also read really useful things from Thích Nhất Hạnh, but can't remember what exactly. Will share if I can recall.
- language as an act with consequences --toni morrison #critlib https://twitter.com/kevinseeber/status/810935991171022848 …
- A5.2. Reflection also manifests itself in big ways. Like, I don't know, renouncing your professional organization? #hypothetical #critlib
- @l1brar1an So true! Sticking with it, same questions come back around in cyclical ways. Plenty of opportunities to keep growing. #critlib
- @lisahubbell also the transformative aspect of reflection is often carried in our heads/hearts not simply the writing on the page #critlib
- @l1brar1an Absolutely. I find writing a gateway to carrying something in heart & mind, letting it keep working on me over time. #critlib
Anybody have a #critpitch for an upcoming event, job opening, etc.?
- #critpitch Form to suggest topics or volunteer to moderate future #critlib chats: http://critlib.org/twitter-chats/suggest-a-twitter-chat/ …
- Oh @lisahubbell's mention of job ops in #critlib #critpitch reminds me: we're hiring 2 TT instruction lib*ns, jobs to be posted after new yr
- In full transparency,reg working hrs will be 1-9pm M-F, but fac status, benefits, profdev, fac union all pt of package #critlib #critpitch +
- + I'll be sharing anouncement after new year so keep eye out for it! Would love citical lib*ns to apply #critlib #critpitch
Closing comments:
- Thanks @lisahubbell for leading a great #critlib and to some lurkers for delurking! I bet the lurking lurkers lurked reflectively, as well.
- Thank you for a fun #critlib @lisahubbell!
- Ok, now must close teh twitterz so I can go get schtuff done before my shift ends...fabulous #critlib chat, thanks for modding @lisahubbell!
- Really disappointed to miss today's #critlib on reflective practice. Thanks to @lisahubbell for making it happen!
