University of Lincoln Teaching Academy

It feels rare these days to find scholars whose work brings together the creation of exciting ideas and practices for teaching with public critical analysis of the politics of higher education, critical pedagogy and a thoughtful interrogation of technology. Anna Feigenbaum’s blog, We-Thinking the Classroom: Collaborative Learning Projects and Playful Pedagogies, is therefore a delightful discovery.

‘We-thinking the classroom’ raises questions including: Can the ethos of open-source be used in an HE learning environment? Can this model tap into current demands for engaged, reflexive and peer-focused learning? And perhaps most crucially, Can we-thinking the classroom provide students with the skills necessary for entering a precarious labour force and offer them tools for fostering ethical and sustainable working environments?’

‘As new media buzz coincides with universities’  cost cutting corporate initiatives, there are many repercussions for faculty member’s jobs, autonomy and access to resources, and with these, threats to students’ well being and learning. Yet through the cracks of this crisis in education, pockets of people continue to cultivate alternatives, to invest in collective and creative re-thinkings of university life. This project aims to contributes to the cultivation of such spaces.’

The site has some inspirational ideas for Undergraduate (and advanced UG) and Postgraduate pedagogies, course design for collaborative learning, organising teacher exchange workshops, and a great interview on ‘radical teaching and organizing within and beyond the university’. Well worth a visit.