IDEAS, NEWS AND RESOURCES | September 2021
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The Taos Institute's mission is to bring together scholars and practitioners concerned with the social processes essential for the construction of reason, knowledge, and human value, and their application in relational, collaborative and appreciative practices around the world. |
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The Many Ways to Get Involved! |
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Brief Encounter with The Taos Institute |
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"I conducted, with my student graduates, a participative action research, about relational learning, creating dialogic classrooms and including industry linked learning in the marketing curriculum."
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"Over the years, I have continuously embraced a strong emphasis on Relational Learning with particular attention to dialogues in classrooms and project-based learning where I have strived to link the learning in the many business projects to different industries."
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Relational Learning in a Women’s
College Classroom
By Giovanna Bejjani, Taos Institute Associate, and Senior Lecturer – Business, Faculty of Business, Higher Colleges of Technology, United Arab Emirates
The invitation to write this short piece took me back to my journey working on my relational learning research with Prof. Mary Gergen. This month also marks a year since Prof. Mary left us to the other world. One year has passed and I still think about our journey and relational learning work every day. Mary’s strength, graciousness, support, and mentorship over the years will live with me forever. She prized my constructed relational learning approach, appreciated its impact on my women students and graduates, and encouraged me to bring it to light though my relational research via stories of many of these women in their context. Hence, I conducted, with my student graduates, a participative action research, about relational learning, creating dialogic classrooms and including industry linked learning in the marketing curriculum.
My relational learning stories come from the land of Ras Al Khaimah Emirate, in the United Arab Emirates (Referred to as the Emirates or the UAE.) These are stories of my young Emirati women college graduates, with whom I have spent enlightening, enriching and gratifying moments through their learning paths over the last twenty years of my life. These women graduates are now wives, moms, employees, managers, masters, and Ph.D. holders and some even climbed to "Antarctica". They are more enabled women who have transferred their relational learning in the women college, into their respective lives' diverse situations.
Over the years, I have continuously embraced a strong emphasis on Relational Learning with particular attention to dialogues in classrooms and project-based learning where I have strived to link the learning in the many business projects to different industries.
Our Dialogic Classrooms
In a typical dialogic class, I move to the back of the room, and I sit next to my students, I break the barriers between us; we are all learners. I invite the trust, the willingness to dialogue and share. We reshuffle the tables, create circles many times, and sit comfortably in our class. I smile; I listen to their life stories. I listen and listen.
We debate about our Marketing topics, it is not them with me, it is them together, it is them and I am part of them, we become one group, we discuss, talk and share. I come to the classroom and say, for example, today is about tourism and environment, what do you understand by that? Think, reflect, and speak anything you like about it, relate to your life and to your daily experiences. They speak, engage, get enthusiastic, share, exchange ideas, debate, open up, express their views and learn.
It does not need to be only words. It could be gestures; when I look at my students with enthusiasm, I am conveying a message that I am happy to be dialoguing with them. It can be a drawing and pictures too…it is a dialogue... it is a togetherness! I think it is through our attitude of embracing the other... the togetherness, willing to accept, listen and converse that we co-create learning and possibilities.
Students and I converse about the topics, but I also open the space for students to express themselves. They deviate from the topic sometimes; I am okay with this, I give them the voice, the space, the freedom to express; then I bring them back with a story from the industry that I link to the topic, but particularly to examples from their daily lives related to our marketing topics. They relate better; they open up, they get excited to share. I divide them into debating teams, they live it, and they love it!
I challenge them with unusual questions too, what if? I invite the co-creation of scenarios; I invite the different voices; these young women students get engaged, they get involved, they give feedback to each other. I invite them to voice their opinions; I diffuse an idea and wait… I respect… I say my famous ‘bravo'… I encourage the students to reflect on the concepts by linking them to their daily interactions and lives. The students respond as it touches their lives. They consider me an older sister… I break the taboos. I demonstrate respect for the point of view of the students.
Students might refrain at first from participating but with trust built and open atmosphere they start participating, and it is only the beginning of the beautiful flowing of ideas.
Hence, in my relational research stories, I explored how these relational learning approaches have helped young Emirati women students - who have now graduated - learn, change and transform during their college time, acquiring communication skills, and beyond, in their job interviews, starting positions, managerial positions, career paths and in their lives overall.
Using appreciative in-depth protocols, I interviewed 25 of my women business graduates who had experienced relational learning in my marketing courses. I also used appreciative in-depth interviews seeking the insights of three industry representatives in RAK who had helped many of these graduates in the industry-linked projects. The research resulted in a rich description of the stories of these graduates and industry representatives.
The emergent themes showed that relational learning in marketing, in the research context, is an education innovation, an education application, leads to heightened 21st century competencies, and potentially empowers women. This research informs a number of different stakeholders who can act as change agents, helping women students and graduates learn, change and transform.
I leave you with this reflection and welcome yours as well.
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Professional Development Opportunities |
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There is still time to Register!
October 4 - November 8, 2021
A 6-Week Online Course with
Relational theory now provides cutting edge ideas relevant to practices across the professions. The major theoretical shift is from the traditional focus on individuals to the relational processes that are co-produced. This 6-week online course introduces common premises and orienting ideas central to relational theory. The course consists of six modules with online conference meetings, readings, videos and online dialogues.
Participants also explore Ken Gergen's book, Relational Being: Beyond Self and Community, which gives voice to the critique of individualism, but also develops and illustrates a far more radical and potentially exciting landscape of relational thought and practice that now exists.
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The East Side Institute Presents
Sept 25 - Oct 16, 2021 - Virtual events over four weekends
A global gathering of “performance activists” who are exploring the power of performance and play to re-imagine the world and creatively engage social problems, educate, heal and activate others, with the intent to bring new social, cultural, psychological and political possibilities into existence.
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The world is ready for replacing assembly-line classrooms with the vitalizing powers of relating. The directions are clear: from standardization to dialogue, from control to co-creation, and from regimentation to collaboration. Here lie the wellsprings of creativity, caring, and curiosity. Here we prepare for a global future in which inclusion, innovation, and improvisation are essential for a world in harmony.
We will gather from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm EDT, over three days, for stimulating conversations. The program includes plenary sessions with international thought-leaders, many concurrent sessions to choose from on a variety of topics related to all levels of education, from primary to university, many opportunities for small group discussions, and a chance for you to host your own dialogue. Participants get access to a dedicated conference website, lots of resources to take home, CCU if required, and are sure to form lasting connections around the world.
Join us shaping the future of education!
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Invite a young person to join you for this conference - the voices of students need
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Dialogue with the Authors |
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with Daniel R. George & Peter J. Whitehouse
Free webinar on October 13, 2021
10:00 am - 11:30 am EDT (New York time)
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For decades, researchers have chased a pharmaceutical cure for memory loss. But despite the fact that no disease-modifying biotech treatments have emerged, new research suggests that dementia rates have actually declined in the United States and Western Europe over the last decade. Why is this happening? And what does it mean for brain health in the future? In American Dementia, Daniel R. George, PhD, MSc, and Peter J. Whitehouse, MD, PhD, argue that the current decline of dementia may be strongly linked to mid–twentieth century policies that reduced inequality, provided widespread access to education and healthcare, and brought about cleaner air, soil, and water.
During this live conversation you will explore:
- The social construction of Alzheimer’s disease.
- How history can inform the fundamental confusion underlying the Alzheimer’s field.
- The sources of power that distort our thinking about cognitive aging and dementia today.
- Population health and humanistic approaches to improve prevention efforts and quality of life outcomes.
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All past Dialogue with the
Authors webinars are now
available on YouTube!
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Now available as a free download! |
by Gitte Haslebo and Maja Loua Haslebo
In unforeseeable ways, events in organizations can lead to loss of face, violations of personal dignity, damaged relationships and poor results. Managers, employees and consultants search for ideas that might help them deal with complicated situations in morally respectful ways. By telling nine dramatic real life stories the authors illustrate how one might find inspiration in key social constructionist concepts and relational ethics. They introduce and unfold five key moral obligations in relational ethics: social responsibility, dialogic obligations, shared responsibility for positioning, inquiry of value to the work community and the obligation to interact as morally responsible agents.
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Now available on YouTube! |
Dialogues with the Authors
Free webinar series
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ISSUE 11 Available Now!
This free journal brings together members of a growing international community of practitioners, scholars, educators, researchers, and consultants interested in postmodern collaborative practices.
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FREE downloadable books in 12 different languages. Like all of the Taos Institute Publications, WorldShare Books represent significant contributions relevant to social constructionist theory and practice. With over 30 books in English and many more from around the world, you will enjoy reading about education, spirituality, organizational life, community building, group dynamics, leadership and more.
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By focusing on the positive aspects of aging and the availability of resources, skills, and resiliencies, research brings useful insights into the realm of practice, creates hope and empowers action among older people. By moving beyond practices of repair and prevention, to emphasize growth-enhancing activities, practitioners also contribute more effectively to the societal reconstruction of aging. For 20 years, late Taos Institute co-founder Mary Gergen, Ph.D. has inspired and driven the publication of this free newsletter - also translated in 9 languages!
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Access hundreds of articles and papers on topics such as:
- Appreciative Inquiry
- Collaborative Practices
- Dialogic Practices
- Creativity and Change
- Narrative Practices
- Relational Research
- Relational Learning
- Qualitative Research
- and so much more!
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Donate to the Taos Institute
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Amazon Smile:
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In loving memory of Taos Institute co-founder and board member Mary Gergen, Ph.D.. Mary was an innovator in feminist theory, social constructionism, and qualitative methods. She was an inspiration and mentor to thousands of people around the world. She deeply cared about making the world a better place and her contributions will be felt for generations. Read more
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