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The Traveler, Miner, and Gardener: Metaphors for Making Teaching and Learning a Meaningful Process

Qamar, Azher Hameed LU (2022) The 2022 Lund University Conference on Teaching and Learning
Abstract
Engaging students in active participation and collaborative learning is an important pedagogical component of teaching and learning in higher education. Teachers use a variety of activities to engage students, such as interactive lectures, presentations, group activities, and projects. A metaphorical understanding of the teaching-learning process may help in the implementation of innovative and ground-up pedagogical approaches. Using my anthropological research background, I will present three metaphors that can make the teaching-learning process more meaningful, ground-up, and accommodating of students' diverse learning styles. A traveler metaphor presents the learner as a traveler to both familiar and unknown places. A miner metaphor... (More)
Engaging students in active participation and collaborative learning is an important pedagogical component of teaching and learning in higher education. Teachers use a variety of activities to engage students, such as interactive lectures, presentations, group activities, and projects. A metaphorical understanding of the teaching-learning process may help in the implementation of innovative and ground-up pedagogical approaches. Using my anthropological research background, I will present three metaphors that can make the teaching-learning process more meaningful, ground-up, and accommodating of students' diverse learning styles. A traveler metaphor presents the learner as a traveler to both familiar and unknown places. A miner metaphor describes the learner as a miner who digs deep to get the desired 'minerals;' yet, the miner may obtain more than desired during the process. A gardener metaphor represents a gardener who cares for the garden from 'sowing' till 'reaping.' The gardener is also responsible for maintaining the garden by trimming and eliminating weeds. All three metaphors are about discovering, uncovering, and cultivating knowledge. The interesting thing about these metaphors is that the teacher and students are on the same 'journey' together. In this short presentation, I will reflect on these metaphors through the lens of a qualitative researcher (anthropologist) and relate them to the teaching-learning process. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to conference
publication status
published
subject
keywords
teaching, learning, higher education, metaphors, pedagogy
categories
Higher Education
conference name
The 2022 Lund University Conference on Teaching and Learning
conference location
Lund, Sweden
conference dates
2022-11-17 - 2022-11-17
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
7e5c6af6-5751-4eac-9744-585fc56b9d04
alternative location
https://konferens.ht.lu.se/lutl-2022/program-and-abstracts/
date added to LUP
2022-11-17 16:02:55
date last changed
2022-11-21 08:48:22
@misc{7e5c6af6-5751-4eac-9744-585fc56b9d04,
  abstract     = {{Engaging students in active participation and collaborative learning is an important pedagogical component of teaching and learning in higher education. Teachers use a variety of activities to engage students, such as interactive lectures, presentations, group activities, and projects. A metaphorical understanding of the teaching-learning process may help in the implementation of innovative and ground-up pedagogical approaches. Using my anthropological research background, I will present three metaphors that can make the teaching-learning process more meaningful, ground-up, and accommodating of students' diverse learning styles. A traveler metaphor presents the learner as a traveler to both familiar and unknown places. A miner metaphor describes the learner as a miner who digs deep to get the desired 'minerals;' yet, the miner may obtain more than desired during the process. A gardener metaphor represents a gardener who cares for the garden from 'sowing' till 'reaping.' The gardener is also responsible for maintaining the garden by trimming and eliminating weeds. All three metaphors are about discovering, uncovering, and cultivating knowledge. The interesting thing about these metaphors is that the teacher and students are on the same 'journey' together.  In this short presentation, I will reflect on these metaphors through the lens of a qualitative researcher (anthropologist) and relate them to the teaching-learning process.}},
  author       = {{Qamar, Azher Hameed}},
  keywords     = {{teaching; learning; higher education; metaphors; pedagogy}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{11}},
  title        = {{The Traveler, Miner, and Gardener: Metaphors for Making Teaching and Learning a Meaningful Process}},
  url          = {{https://konferens.ht.lu.se/lutl-2022/program-and-abstracts/}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}