Ako Aotearoa is excited to launch a new professional development course Bullyproofing the learner experience: A Toolkit for Educators that encourages practitioners to investigate the phenomenon of bullying in teaching and learning, and engage with some verbal tools to counter acute bullying situations.
The course is derived from the University of Otago CAPLE project (Creating A Positive Learning Environment, 2014-2019) which found that a unique ‘resilience approach’ can help staff deal with negative teacher-learner behaviours before they become chronic and affect learning.
Led by Dr Althea Gamble Blakey (Alfie) the research team found that staff (and learners) are rarely taught the skills that incorporate this approach, and that training would fill an important gap that empowers people to manage their inter-personal environments.
Since the emergence of Covid-19, the team noted many learning and work environments are facing additional challenges, and such skills seem even more important to preserving both learning and overall wellbeing.
Ako Aotearoa is grateful to Dr Gamble Blakey for jointly collaborating on the development of this important new professional development course for all practitioners across the tertiary sector. We look forward to receiving feedback from the initial pilot course participants.
According to Dr Gamble Blakey “prevalent bullying behaviours in the sector seem to be those by which a teacher uses an assessment opportunity, including offering feedback, to humiliate a learner, sometimes with the aim to feel better about themselves.”
She adds that “Similarly, teachers may experience negative learner behaviour when faced with challenging learning experiences.”
This course offers opportunities for everyone to understand why these behaviours might happen and take safe, respectful and low key steps to ameliorate what might be happening and to move forward positively.
The initial course launches on 29 June as an online series of two 1.5 hour sessions, plus preparation activities. Further details and registrations are available at Bullyproofing the learner experience: A Toolkit for Educators.