Thursday, November 06, 2014
too busy not to listen
As the Semester ends at Uniting College there is the usual tiredness, mixed with piles (and piles) of marking. At times of busyness, the need to make time to listen is even more important. In fact, listening is one of the most important things a leader can offer their community. We have two ears but only one tongue for a reason. Hence the following invite, being sent out to our students in the next few days. It is an invite to be listened to ….
Greetings,
It has been a year of significant change for students at 34 Lipsett Terrace, Brooklyn Park. Whether you are studying for a Flinders University or Adelaide College of Divinity award, there have been changes – with new technologies, with the library, in ecumenical relationships.
As the year ends, Janet Buchan (Executive Officer, ACD) and Steve Taylor (Principal, Uniting College), would like to spend some time listening to students. Whether you are undergraduate or postgraduate, part-time or full-time, we would like to hear from you.
What is working well? What could work better?
We will offer you pizza. We will guide you through a process of clarifying and refining the good and the bad.
We make three commitments
- We will provide you with pizza if you RSVP
- We will listen
- We will make what emerges a priority for us into 2015.
Date: Wednesday, November 19, 5:30 pm-7:15 pm, student common room. RSVP by Monday, November 17, to lynda dot leitner at flinders dot edu dot au
Hoping to see you
Janet Buchan and Steve Taylor
)
Will you offer a space via online for students to reflect?
I can’t get there but would like to share my thoughts on study this year.
Comment by Nicole Mugford — November 6, 2014 @ 10:56 pm
Hi Nicole,
We talked about this. For this event we are using a group process that we want to test face to face. If it works, we will have the experience to then do it digitally.
We were also unable to work out how to do pizza digitally :(.
We did a survey of online experience at the end of the first semester, the results of which were presented recently at a national research conference.
steve
Comment by steve — November 7, 2014 @ 7:23 am
Was all good for me, Steve. You can deliver the pizza to my home 🙂
Comment by Chris McLeod — November 7, 2014 @ 7:56 am
A person with your skills – you could come and cook the pizza for us
Steve
Comment by Steve — November 7, 2014 @ 7:58 am
Glad I coincidentally looked at your blog. Thanks I like pizza.
Comment by Susan Doughty — November 8, 2014 @ 2:47 pm
Glad you did too Susan. Individual email to all students early next week when Lynda Leitner is at work 🙂
Steve
Comment by Steve — November 8, 2014 @ 7:06 pm
Dear Steve I am an apology that could not make this event but am very interested to know what was
the outcome ? Being a distant student it is difficult to come along to these functions.
I am interested to know what more changes are ahead in 2015 ?
I also would like to personally thank the ACD for all the help and encouragement that you all do give to students whatever the background or diversity! God bless you Steve and Janet and all lecturers , markers, librarians EVERYONE!
Kind Regards Sylvia
Comment by Sylvia Carter — November 22, 2014 @ 2:07 pm
Thanks Sylvia.
We did have a number of distance students participate – Adobe connect allowed them to live video conference in.
The outcomes need to go first to the various Boards but rest assured, they will form the basis of 2015 and we will communicate that to students, who are our major stakeholders.
Thanks for the thanks 🙂
steve
Comment by steve — November 23, 2014 @ 12:03 pm