Supported Challenge: Some Reflections

'Supported Challenge' was the title of some notes distributed in one of the T-eL sessions this semester (Gledhill, no date). The ideas within the document resonate well with me, as they argue for an approach to learning and teaching in Higher Education that moves away from the approach that has become the norm over the past couple of decades.

Gledhill notes:

In considering student satisfaction, we have concentrated too much on hygiene factors, the improvement in which can never do more than make students marginally less unhappy. Whilst not neglecting these things, we must appreciate that strong student learning will result in their radical transformation, bringing benefits to student lives including enhanced morale, greater motivation, stronger self confidence, a sense of purpose and self esteem.

As I read this paragraph for the first time, I asked the question in the margin... "And does t-eL do this?". In attempting to answer my own question, I suppse one might say, "it can do" or "it has the potential to". These are characteristics of the type of learning we do see on the MAPP, and this is due largely to (a) the nature of the course itself (positive psychology is very much focused around many of these issues, and (b) our person-centred approach to learning and teaching where we aim to support students in their chosen pathways through the assignment work. We are already adopting this 'supported challenge' approach to some degree?

Reference
Gledhill, M. (no date). Supported Challenge: Study, to learn, to change. Unpublished document.