This blogpost is a reflection on the UAL paper Embracing the silence, by Karen Harris (2022). This paper contemplates the question as to whether online teaching spaces could opportunistically provide a more quiet environment for students with an introverted learning preference. The paper proposes three provocations in response, written around the time of the Covid pandemic and published in 2022. This paper drew my attention as an educator who did a lot of online teaching during the pandemic and who is also more introverted than extroverted. Online teaching often suited our students, however I often assumed this was more to do with the fact that teaching computational arts is very much screen-based anyway. The leap from usage of computer-in-class, to computer-in-online-class wasn’t cumbersome and in some cases more appealing. The paper’s provocations have invited me to reflect on a different aspect of teaching on our course, which is how computational arts teaching may actually require a greater degree of silent concentration, as students are often having to look at software interfaces or code on their screens during class. To interrupt their workflow for the sake of enacting the classic call and response prompt for participation could indeed be counter-productive. So provocation 1: Might the pressure to actively participate actually be counter-productive? would seem to ring true for screen-based technical learning. Other types of activities would be more beneficial for active participation such as recreating John Baldessari’s ‘Post-Studio’ format that encouraged downing tools to discuss art and discourse.
The second provocation invites us to recalibrate the notion of ‘active participation’, and reconsider the false dichotomy of active vs passive learning. Here, the author proposes initiating silence, to provide a more welcoming environment for introverts, and space to think clearly and creatively. This is a provocative idea, and perhaps one that I unknowingly do in my own teaching practice, as someone who finds constant talking between myself and students uncomfortable. Our creative tools of choice often necessitate long periods of quiet focus, whether that is for coding or 3D modelling. In a way, the traditional notion of Fine Art ‘studio practice’ could be considered an exercise in creating a quiet, contemplative, and thus creative environment, where the students can hear their own thoughts.
The third provocation invites us to consider online classrooms as a silent and nurturing space. with benefit of hindsight, we can now say that in the long-term, online teaching can exacerbate introversion and isolation to the point where some students no longer feel comfortable attending in-person classes. A balance needs to be made to encourage more introverted students to participate in classroom environments that may feel daunting to develop important social skills and resilience. As educators attuned to pastoral care and wellbeing we arguably provide a safe environment for this. On the other hand, this provocation is making me consider reinstating some online teaching, as an additional form of classroom that may appeal to more introverted and/or neurodivergent students who may welcome the occasional learning environment that does not come with the additional social pressures.
References
Harris, K., 2022. Embracing the silence: introverted learning and the online classroom. Spark: UAL Creative Teaching and Learning Journal, 5(1), pp.101-104.