I have recently attended the Association of National Teaching Fellows Symposium 2023 (#ANTF2023), and it was the most amazing conference that I have ever attended. I wish to share some of the things that I have learned from this as I have been greatly inspired. I am not going to talk about the technical aspects of the projects, which the speakers presented. Instead, I am going to share the key messages and philosophies which underpin these fantastic initiatives. This blog will introduce who the National Teaching Fellows are, followed by the key messages that I took away from this symposium, finishing with my final reflections. I hope that you enjoy this article at least a fraction of how much I enjoyed ANTF2023.
Who are the National Teaching Fellows?
The National Teaching Fellowship (NTF) award is a prestigious award of recognition for contributions to teaching and learning in higher education. Their work is evidence-based and has demonstrated an outstanding impact on student outcomes and the teaching profession. In short, the NTFs are the greatest minds behind the advancement of teaching and learning in higher education.
“Create a safe space to fail”
It is natural to want to succeed and not fail. It is also natural to have a fear of failure. I do not like the words “fail” or “failure”, even though they are common in higher education in marking and assessment specifications etc. This is because there are negative connotations with this word, meaning that it can often be internalised and built into one’s identity. However, it is an essential part of learning. In the wellbeing panel on Day 1, Dr Wendy Garnham (Reader (Psychology), Director Of Student Experience, University of Sussex) discussed that “having a safe space to fail” helps to reduce anxiety, build confidence and support learner development. It enables learners to have a go at completing a task, knowing that it is a learning exercise, and regardless of the outcome, they will receive feedback to support their learning. This was also discussed in the innovation panel on Day 2. Every idea tried is not going to be successful, and that is fine. Learn from it and try again. Being brave to try, knowing that there is a chance to succeed or fail, is what is important. I encourage you all to be brave, do your best, learn from your experiences and learn how to be better. This can only be done if we feel safe to do so though.
“Find your tribe”
I attended a workshop led by Professor Julie Hulme (NTU Psychology, Nottingham Trent University). One of the key messages from this workshop was to “find your tribe”. In essence, it is finding those people that you respect, and that respect you. They value you for who you are and value your ideas, encouraging you to pursue your goals. Your tribe will support you at times that you are unsuccessful, and can help you to learn from that experience to work towards success the next time. Knowing who your tribe is will help you build your self-worth, self-confidence, self-efficacy and resilience. It is a two-way relationship, so you will be supporting others as well, which can be fulfilling and rewarding. Relating to the above, knowing that you have support from those that value and do not judge you, helps you create environments where you can try your best and know if you are not successful, it does not matter as you will be supported to learn from this experience.
“Be authentic”
In short, this is knowing who you are, what you value and have confidence in your own abilities. Others may not understand what you stand for, or may judge you, but do not worry about what others think. Find what you are passionate about. What is it that is meaningful to you, that you find fulfilling when you are doing it? Find this and do more and more of it. This may mean that you do not fit in the categories that others hope that you will neatly fit in. Be true to yourself. Be open with others about who you are and what you stand for and they will respect you for it.
It should be “fear and fun at the same time”
On Day 2, the panel discussion focused on the importance of innovation and being creative in learning. In this discussion, Haleh Moravej (Senior Lecturer in Nutritional Sciences at Manchester Metropolitan University; MetMUnch Founder and Nutrition Entrepreneur) talked about how innovation is a creative journey to becoming fearless of trying new things. Finding your “innate passion” will help you to build courage to invest in what you are trying. Sometimes this means that you will experience “fear and fun at the same time” as being innovative can be scary at times, however, it has to be fun. If it is not fun, why are you doing it? I believe that this philosophy can be applied to other areas, not just innovation. We have to find our passions and what we enjoy. Sometimes, this means experiencing new things, which can be scary, however, if we do not push ourselves, and stay within our comfort zones, we cannot progress and develop.
Final reflections for now
ANTF 2023 has had a significant impact on me and the way that I think about how to approach my work. It has made me reflect on my values and those around me who I value and who value me. It has given me confidence to try and find spaces where I can try and be creative and innovative, without the fear of failure being a barrier. This does not mean that I will not feel fear, but I hope that the fun of doing what I am passionate about will outweigh the fear. It has reminded me that not being successful is just as important an experience as being successful when considering how to develop. I hope that after reading these messages, that you have been inspired, as I have, and that it gives you the confidence to find your tribe, follow your passions, try things new, with the knowledge that failure is part of the process of learning and not be blocked by the fear of this. Good luck finding what is fun, even if it scares you a little!
About the author
Dr Iain Wilson is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology within NTU Psychology. He specialises in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning within Psychology, with particular interests in employability learning and written reflective assessments. Iain is currently working on a sabbatical, in the 2022-23 academic year, which is evaluating a new model for assessing reflective writing, as well as developing resources to support the teaching, learning and assessment of reflection.
Psychology at Nottingham Trent University 