At FireWare we do not judge the contents of a Webinar or (online) training. We facilitate the process of knowledge transfer. Either in person, or in an online environment. And we are more than occupied by that!
You see the image? How is the sound quality? Will the streaming be ok? Are the second and the third circle ok? Questions we are occupied with. It is up to the instructor to transmit his vision and teaching material. We are happy to help. But each instructor and each security region will do things his or her own way. That is not a problem for us. We all contribute in our own way to www.vakbekwaamopafstand.nl.
A safe learning environment for the student
The Dutch Youth Institute defines a socially safe learning environment as the situation where every student and professional knows how to respect and accept, regardless of religion, ethnicity or sexual orientation, and which is free from unlawful behaviour and violence, be it material, psychological and physical. Also the learning environment provides a quality environment so safe learning is ensured (physical security). It is a definition we as FireWare agree with.
In recent years there in the care sector, much has been talked about the safe learning environment, especially for the student. Does the student feel respected and accepted? Can anyone ask questions without being "denigrated"?
Safe learning environment for teachers
Due to this corona crisis a totally new learning environment has been created. Teaching remotely is now invented. With successes and learning curves. Things go well and things go ... a bit less well. And we learn from that.
The big question that arises now is: how do we create a safe learning environment for the instructor or teacher? In the recent digital practice evenings of the different regions we are seeing a number of things that are worth mentioning:
- Instructors will not teach in front of the camera because they are afraid to say anything "wrong". Does their idea agree with the ideas of Firefighting Netherlands, or the ideas of other firefighting colleagues?
- Chances are that what is said in an online class, continues to circulate "forever" on Internet. What if that is not true? It is problematic for instructors to participate.
- The atmosphere in the chats, in particular in the third circle, is rapidly getting harder. Statements are less differentiated and less mannered. Sometimes they even get personal.
- Because in the chats opinions are more extreme.
In the last two weeks we see the atmosphere in the chats change - notably by the increase in scale. Some people are even removed from chats because of language use. Even statements like "I hate this, I quit" and "he is talking nonsense" are typical statements that are typed quickly, but can have a big impact on the instructor who is in front of the camera.
What do we want?
There is a group of people in the Netherlands who make the extra effort to find alternative ways to be involved with competence and who stay. These people leave the protected environment of the classroom and transmit their knowledge and skills, their vision, or a combination of these elements with colleagues across the country. That is a risk. Please let us continue to treat these people with due respect. And yes, if you stick your neck out you, can expect comments. And that is part of interactive teaching. But can we perhaps agree that the tone remains normal and polite? This means people remain available who want to continue to provide the training sessions.
Great, you think otherwise!
A discussion is a form of conversation, like a call, chat, or other form of communication between two or more parties on a particular topic; parties try to convince each other of a particular position. So you want to "win the argument". The big question is whether a chat with more than 300 people, during a digital training evening, is the ideal place.
An alternative form to look at it is based on the idea "how nice, you think differently." Which happens when we compare positions. We look at the problem from different perspectives and have different opinions. So we keep talking to each other and learn from each other. Perhaps we can do something in the digital lesson plans to facilitate this line reasoning. More than gaining the argument, we go to comparing positions.
Does it mean that we should shy away from a heated discussion? Certainly not! But let us consider the time, the place and the company. Whether a request for explanation, a supplement or an insight may be a more valuable addition to the whole company.
Creating a safe learning environment: for whom?
Back to the central question here. For whom and how do we create a safe learning environment: for both the instructor and the student? And how do we maintain interactivity and interaction? We really have no idea. Therefore good ideas are welcome. But perhaps it is a good start not to type things in a chat we never would say to someone in a classroom. On the other hand, the instructors and teachers who are in front of the camera must also be more resilient to issues when acting for the "general public". It is an interaction.
Why did we write this article?
Does this document fix the problem of a safe learning environment? Probably not. But a little awareness is maybe fine. At FireWare we have open and honest conversations with the instructors. Instructors who are for years in front of their class and try suddenly do something different, out of passion. Instructors come trembling in front of the camera. And then look again at the broadcasts and read the chats again. We would like to share that idea.
