Whole Brain® participatory action research to enhance professional development of academic staff in higher education

Abstract

As an education practitioner I had taken cognisance of the existence of a gap in the professional development of academics at the exemplar higher education institution where most lecturers were novices in facilitating and assessing learning. I adopted the Whole Brain® Teaching and Learning Model by Ned Herrmann (1996) to transform our teaching practice. The model calls for innovative methods of facilitating learning. I adopted participatory action research to transform our teaching practice. In a community of practice, 10 novice lecturers between 35 and 50 years of age who had taught in higher education for 10 years and less implemented the Whole Brain® Teaching and Learning Model. The study’s aim was to promote a scholarship of teaching and learning in the higher education setting. I formulated the primary question: How can my fellow-lecturers and I as a collective use the Whole Brain® Thinking Model to transform teaching in higher education in Zimbabwe? A mixed methods approach was used to obtain various thoughts and views about Herrmann (1996) Whole Brain® Model of transforming practice. Diverse learning opportunities which included: different questioning techniques; various learning activities and different media were adopted. The Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument® (HBDI®) data was used as baseline study to determine our thinking style preferences; while student feedback questionnaire data was used to evaluate the learning opportunities. Interviews, focus group meetings that were video - and audio-recorded were used to solicit qualitative data. Quantitative data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 23 and qualitative data was analysed using deductive thematic analysis. Results from the HBDI® report affirmed the diagnosis of our thinking preferences. The results showed that lecturers inspired students by their enthusiasm for work (73%); lecturers initiated learning by providing opportunities that reflected real - life situations (70%); lecturers promoted cooperative learning (71%). Students also contributed to their learning by developing a greater sense of responsibility (66%). The results of the two examinations were skewed towards the A and B quadrants. The general observation was that Whole Brain® methods of facilitating learning and the skill of setting Whole Brain® examinations were lacking.