Paul Leslie, my PhD student from the TAOS-VUB program just submitted his dissertation, leaving me with a big smile on my face.
His defense will be happening in September 2015 at the Vrij Universiteit Brussel, Belgium.
It was a pleasure to guide him through this PhD journey. Besides being a great researcher his topic is very appealing to me. His research focused on the exploration of what he calls The portfolio approach to teaching and learning. The portifolio aims at supporting the educational practitioner in their lifelong quest for learning. Through the intentional sharing of knowledge and narratives, all participants in these communities can benefit from each other.
Paul examined three spheres: 1) What are the range of skills and processes that will allow practitioners to present their own unique voice to their community of inquiry and their stakeholders? 2) What processes and skills must we develop as practitioners in order to participate in communities of inquiry and benefit from each other? 3) How can we work with other educators and students to allow them to determine their own voice without abandoning the institutional voice that comes from learning outcomes, program outcomes and the demands of the professional workplace?
His research methodology also includes his own voice by the use of an autoethnographic review of his own work, reviews, interviews, observations and focus groups, making the research very experiential!