Hattie Voelker in her lecture ‘performing to an invisible audience’ explains that the aim of her talk is to help us to develop our online teaching & performing. The word ‘performing’ struck me. The notion of teaching as a performative act is something I had never consciously considered, while always knowing subconsciously that my ‘performance’ determines what happens in the classroom. As bell hooks writes: “Teaching is a performative act. And it is that aspect of our work that offers the space for change, invention, spontaneous shifts, that can serve as a catalyst drawing out the unique elements in each classroom”[1] . Performativity implies an audience, and as was highlighted in the Vilhauer text, meaning is a two-way process: the artist creates, the viewer interprets and thus meaning is co-created. The same can be said in the context of a lecture where the audience are active participants. So much depends on the way the information is conveyed and the receptivity of the people receiving and reacting to the information. It has been fascinating revisiting the Teaching & Learning unit lectures and readings and observing how I am far more able to see the logical progression of the lecture content as well as better assimilate the content a second time around.
What struck me while watching Voelker present her talk was the way she stumbled a bit at the beginning! She suggests we embrace our awkwardness and not try to be too perfect. I have found that when our PGCert lecturers stumble or make mistakes I am able to relate to them better as they are no longer distant, perfect beings but appear more vulnerable and real. I realise I am a perfectionist and definitely need to let go of that. Voelker discusses the lack of feedback and consequent lack of connection in the online lecturing context, which is something I have really been struggling with. As a student learning in the online context, I have noticed that the tutors are very good at looking at the camera. Voelker stresses the importance of this. The audience is not where the screen is, we, as lecturers, need to look at the camera. This is very hard to do, particularly when one also needs to monitor the chat box! Another point she made was to not rush and respect silences. Again, I have observed myself speaking too fast (this is something I tend to do in real life as well) and I also constantly try to fill the silences. From listening to her presentation, I realise that I do some things well, for example I am always very animated, use my hands a lot and am definitely not stiff, although sometimes I feel silly! Perhaps that is good too, it is authentic! I definitely need to smile more. This talk really highlighted the importance of the way in which we deliver a lecture.
hooks writes: “We communicate best by choosing that way of speaking that is informed by the particularity and uniqueness of whom we are speaking to and with’[2] so that we can communicate with a diverse audience. This is important in the context of a cross cultural classroom where inclusivity is the goal – we should not alienate students by the language we use or the presumptions we make. hooks continues: “To teach in a manner that respects and cares for the souls of our students is essential if we are to provide the necessary conditions where learning can most deeply and intimately begin…”[3]
The text Rupturing the contract: Performative pedagogy, power relations and interruption[4] really made me think about the power relations implicit in the classroom. Again, this is something I have always been aware of however I have not adequately considered the way these power relations may be reiterated by my teaching methods. As mentioned previously in this blog, not coming from an academic background I am at times insecure in an academic context and don’t like to show my lack of knowledge. I realise that, if I apply hooks, and many other pedagogical theorists, notions of teaching and learning I need not be ashamed of my perceived lack of knowledge, as knowledge is co-created by teacher and students. In order to teach in a ‘non-threatening, anti-discriminatory’ manner, ‘teachers must be aware of themselves as practitioners and as human beings’[5]. A lecturer stumbling or dealing with unexpected technical issues at the start of a session humanises them. The classroom is a place where both students and teachers should be empowered, it is a ‘venue for the construction of knowledge, not merely for its inculcation’[6]. Sometimes I feel like students expect lecturers to have ALL the knowledge. Through critical pedagogy the teacher can encourage students to realise that this is not the case, and that the classroom is a place to challenge ‘life’s permanent conditions of oppression and exploitation’[7].
REFERENCES:
Burke, B. (2004) ‘bell hooks on education’, The encyclopedia of pedagogy and informal education. Online at www.infed.org/mobi/bell-hooks-on-education.htm. Last accessed26/08/21.
Campbell, L. 2018. ‘Rupturing the contract: Performative pedagogy, power relations and interruption’ in Spark: UAL Creative Teaching and Learning Journal, Vol 3 / Issue 2 (2018) pp. 104-115.
hooks, b. 1994 . Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom. Taylor and Francis. Routledge.
Voelker, H. Performing with an invisible audience, online at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hl5a_eU_H0o
[1] 1994:11
[2] ibid
[3] 1994:13
[4] Dr Lee Campbell, lecturer in Academic Support across Camberwell, Chelsea and Wimbledon Colleges of Art, University of the Arts London.
[5] Burke, 2004:online
[6] Kincheloe, 2008, p.88 cited in Campbell, 2018:106.
[7] Ibid