Everything is Subjective: A “Timely” #Rhizo15 post for Week 1


          #Rhizo15 could not have come at a better time for me and this week 1 prompt really resonated. This is the first week of my “new life” as I like to call it because my administrative contract post ended last Friday. I now find myself with a lot of time on my hands as I have moved from a 35hr 9-5ish position to contract work (on top of my twice of week teaching). Though I have grading to complete, research and blogging to do, and a conference paper that I am editing to be presented at the end of the month,  #Rhizo15 is ironically allowing me to put some order in disorder, by providing a space to partake in more disorder; let me explain…

                When Dave (@davecormier) challenged us to reflect on our “learning subjectives” for this course it echoed what I have been doing this week in my own practice. When I get up I no longer seem to have “objectives” but more like “subjectives” for the day. I know that whatever I do not finish or tie up in a day can be pushed to the next because I now have the luxury (or punishment) of time. And that is what I think rests at the heart of learning subjectives—time.

                As someone who cringes when I see an improperly written learning outcome (eg. with random non-measurable verbs like “understand” or two verbs in the same outcome) I can however, still see the importance of making the big leap to a subjective space. I teach English literature so one of the biggest refrains I hear from students is that grading in English is “subjective.” I usually propose grade descriptors at the beginning of the term as a way of demonstrating (in the biggest most nebulous box as I can) what the different levels of writing look like. I know there is much debate about grading and pedagogy but this is not the purpose of this post. The purpose in mentioning this is that this idea of subjectivity or learning subjectives is something that seems to necessarily inform my field of study. These grade descriptors have something innate to them, and that is the ability for change. And that is the other intersection that is important to learning subjectives—change.



                When I was completing my doctorate at Western a student gave me this mug at the end of the semester to remind me of “all I had done for her” (her words). I drink coffee from this mug when I need to remember a few things: one that creating those connections in teaching is important, and two change is important, nay necessary.  I think the learning subjectives for any course or learning experience live and move along two axis, time and change. Like so: 


That little teeny tiny dot at the beginning of the line, that’s your learning objective. The line which spreads out into infinity, that’s your learning subjectives.  Learning objectives and learning outcomes are always about what one can do or accomplish in a set time and are always predicated on no change at all. Learning subjectives live in that smooth space (woot D&G) and are always there alongside learning objectives but are sadly ignored (willingly or unwillingly). The structure/architecture of Higher Ed today seems to box out learning subjectives and hone in on that one node, that one point (because we like deliverables, woot?).

                This is where instructional design is so important. Holistic instructional design sees everything, does not hone in on that one learning outcome node but rather opens the space up to non-linear organic learning, like #rhizo15. Design allows learners  to seek, aggregate, and curate what is important/necessary to them, apply that to whatever learning outcome is required of them, and then horde and disseminate the rest for future use (I’m actually surprising myself at how hunter gatherer this is turning out as I am writing it). So seemingly in the face of a lack of design (like #rhizo15 seems to be on the surface but really @davecormier is so meta he doesn’t even realize it) we all move from learning objectives to learning subjectives simultaneously.


                So my learning subjective(s) is really just this: interact with as many people as possible (in whatever form that may be) and pull in as much information and knowledge (in whatever form that may look like) even beyond the chronological confines of this course (yay #rhizo14). How subjective is that?

Comments

  1. One interaction. .... Check!
    😀
    Kevin

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    1. You crack me up, way to fulfill that list! Lol

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  2. I like that, Ann -- "we all move from learning objectives to learning subjectives simultaneously." As a once and forever learning designed who struggled with seeing anything beyond qualitative research, I agree!!

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    1. Yes that simultaneity is often lost in a sea of deliverables. It is nice to pause and reflect on how they are truly connected.

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  3. So glad to have met up with you, Barry! The magic of the un-course! I really appreciate your use of the word "holistic" here which seems to me is really important, side by side with subjective. I also teach writing, and writing is such a holistic practice: every time I see rubrics which try to segmentize and metricize someone's writing, I feel so uncomfortable because it just seems to cut things up into pieces while missing the whole. When I give feedback to students I just comment comment comment, on little things, big things, overall, sentence by sentence. I don't do any grading at all (I've heard exactly what you have: subjective grading... and that's the teacher's subjectivity, not the student's...). Anyway, it sounds like we will have lots to connect about here. I blogged about my subjectives here:
    Rhizo15... Learning SUBjectives: whoo-hoo!

    ... yes, another happy blogspotter :-)
    And I absolutely LOVE the hunter-gatherer metaphor!!!!!

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    1. Hi Laura, that is totally why I moved to more open ended grade descriptors instead of rubrics. I agree that rubrics are very segmented and are not conducive to bettering writing ability, especially for ELL students. Glad you liked my post, I liked yours as well!

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  4. Oh my gosh, total sharing mixup by yours truly: Barry shared this link at Twitter and I didn't even notice Ann's name here. Ann, my apologies! I have subscribed to the blog and I will go make sure I label the feed ANN'S BLOG, ha ha. Thanks to Sarah H. at Twitter for dis-entangling me. :-)

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    1. I hope my next post lives up to your expectations (:
      Tough act to follow.

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    2. Oh Barry, you are too kind- I am glad to make new connections. I hope your #rhizo15 experience is great!

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    3. Ann, I really like the way you configure objectives and subjectives here. For me, the objectives seem like the DNA of a learning while the subjectives are the unpacking or the objectives within a dynamic and unpredictable environment. I think the subjectives, then, are where all the fun happens—though the objectives have their role to kick the whole thing off. Thanks for saying.

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    4. Hi Keith, I like that biology analogy very much. Yes building blocks and the unknown, sounds like a hit to me, or maybe a new Indie band name! Thanks for your comment!

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