Allan Owens

Learning in third spaces: developing trans‐professional understanding through practitioner enquiry

The paper explores the value of practitioner enquiry in the development of common language and shared understandings for a group of mid‐career professionals from a variety of public service backgrounds, brought together to formulate responses to the English agenda for integrating services. It draws upon data gathered from multi‐professional action learning and focus groups via a collaboration between an English University and six regional authorities. Theories of ‘third space’ and ‘hybridity’ are engaged in arguing that the achievement of ‘integrated’ or ‘trans‐professional’ knowledge can develop within ‘undecided’ reflective spaces through which new ways of working are discovered. It concludes that collaborative multi‐professional practitioner enquiry offers a realistic means of embedding this challenging aspect of policy.

Beyond Text: the co-creation of dramatised character and iStory

Purpose In exploring the impact of reflective and work applied approaches, the authors are curious how vivid new insights and collective “Eureka” momentums occur. These momentums can be forces for work communities to gain competitive advantages. However, the authors know little of how learning is actively involved in the processing of creating new insights and how such a turning to learning mode (Passila and Owens, 2016) can be facilitated. In the light of cultural studies and art education, the purpose of this paper is to explore how the method of dramatising characters (DC) in a specific innovation culture can be facilitated. In this viewpoint, the authors are suggesting one approach for this type of turning to learning which the authors call Beyond Text, outlining its theoretical underpinnings, its co-creative development and its application. Design/methodology/approach In this Beyond Text context, the authors are introducing the method of DC and the method of iStory both of which are the authors’ own design based on the theory of the four existing categories of a research-based theatre. Findings The findings of this viewpoint paper are that both iStory as well as DC methods are useful and practical learning facilitation processes and platforms that can be adopted for use in organisations for promoting reflexivity. Especially they can act as a bridge between various forms of knowing and consummate the other knowledge types (experiential, practical and propositional) in a way that advances practice-based innovation. Originality/value The originality and value of iStory and DC is that they can be utilised as dialogical evaluation methods when traditional evaluation strategies and pre-determined indicators are unusable.

Learning Jam: An evaluation of the use of arts based initiatives to generate polyphonic understanding in work based learning

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to conceptualise “Learning Jam” as a way of organising space, time and people through arts-based pedagogies in work-based learning. This form of encounter originated in Finland to challenge functional silo mentality by prioritising polyphony. Through the use of a “kaleidoscopic pedagogy”, arts-based initiatives are used to collectively and subjectively reconsider practice. Design/methodology/approach – The research design is grounded in one of a series of Learning Jams co-created by practitioners from the field of arts and arts-based consultancy and academics from the field of arts, arts education, innovation and management, learning and development. The focus was on exploring the value of each participants work-based learning practice through the lens of an Arts Value Matrix. Ranciere’s critical theory was used to frame the exploration. The research questions asked; what are the ingredients of this creative, transformative learning space and in what ways can the polyphonic understandings that emerge in it impact on work-based learning? Findings – Findings of this study centre around alternative ways of being in a learning setting where we do not defer to the conventional figures of authority, but collectively explore ways of organising, where the main idea is to lean on something-which-is-not-yet. Research limitations/implications – A key research implication is that teaching in this context demands reflexive and dialogical capabilities for those who hold the role of organising and facilitating spaces for learning and transformation. The main limitation is in stopping short of fully articulating detailed aspects of these capabilities. Originality/value – The originality and value of the practice of Learning Jam is that managers and artists explore the potential of operating as partners to develop new ways of working to realise organisational change and innovation.

Process Drama as a tool for teaching modern languages:supporting the development of creativity and innovation in early professional practice

ABSTRACT This paper reflects on issues arising from a research-informed learning and teaching project intended to enable student teachers of Modern Languages to experiment with the use of unscripted ‘process drama’ in their classroom practice. The idea that process drama could become part of the language teacher’s repertoire has been in circulation for some time [Kao, S. M., and C. O’Neill. 1998. Words into Worlds: Learning a Second Language Through Process Drama. Edited by G. Bräuer. Stamford: Ablex]; yet there is little evidence to suggest that it has become widespread in schools in England. The aim of the project was to enable student teachers to acquire drama teaching techniques which they could incorporate into their own practice in order to enrich the learning experiences with their students through creative and imaginative use of the foreign language in the classroom. The research was undertaken by two teacher educators on a secondary initial teacher education programme in a university in England. The paper concludes that it is both possible and desirable for student teachers to encounter alternative approaches which challenge the norm and that with support they may develop innovative practices which can survive the ‘crucible of classroom experience’ (Stronach et al. 2002, 124).

Arts and Business Oriented Thinking: The Problematic When Bringing Together Two Different Worlds

The realm of arts and the use of arts and arts-based methods (ABM) in management education, training and practices have recently attracted much interest. The growing demand in the academy for criti...