Teaching

Teaching Areas

Masters in Education 'LEARNING FOR A SHARED SOCIETY'- THE FORMAL AND INFORMAL EDUCATIONAL TASK A Shared Society, in the contested society of Northern Ireland, will only be built when there is a wider civic culture that sees the 'other' as a potential gift, not a danger or someone out to destroy them. This demands that people and organisations develop an ability to acknowledge and deal with the reality of the past, promote ease with difference in the present and embrace the challenge of building a more interdependent and shared society in the future. Two modules in this cluster are designed to critically support individual citizen action, organisational and institutional culture, policies and practice and the civic contribution of people and groups in contributing to a 'Shared Society' in Northern Ireland. These modules will also be relevant, in a comparative manner, to those working and living in the Republic of Ireland, Great Britain and beyond. Each course is designed to host a diverse 'learning community' with members from formal education, informal community education and diverse public agencies. EDU 959 Essential Learning for a Shared Society- Learning Levers for a Change is taught with the mental model of 'as if change is possible'. Students are invited to take the opportunity to critically examine the values, vision, legal and policy levers on which a more open, fair, diverse, intercultural and interdependent 'shared society' can be promoted. They are asked to identify how education and learning structures can be promoted that limit the community dynamics that feed fear and limit trust and build new engagements and shared understandings. Course participants are invited through scenarios, case studies and their practical daily work to examine how they, and the organisations they work for, might work in a hopeful manner, promoting relationships, learning practices and organisational learning cultures that assist change and embed a shared society culture. EDU 960 Learning Practices for a Shared Society – Community and Organisational Learning critically supports course members work within political, civic and public life and promote a wider culture of openness to differences and interdependence. This is a lifelong education task demanding that educationalists work to a mental model where people are viewed primarily as equal and different citizens rather than as members of opposed and partisan traditions. This module is about how practitioners practically promote their education and learning practice, using the values and levers critically examined within the earlier module, in a manner that informs the policy and learning practices of their agencies. It will support participants in their relational and structural educational practice as they work to promote qualitative change towards a more open and shared society. This course invites participants from political, public and civic life; from education, faith, trade union and community organisations to show 'civic courage' (Shriver, 2005) and build civic-minded organizations and public institutions that become blocks to demeaning behaviours being tolerated and establish Good Relations between our diverse citizens as a necessity. At the conclusion of these two modules course members will have the confidence to: promote developmental work on organisational change that embeds "Good Relations" underpin the promotion of a 'Shared Society' culture within the organisational learning practices in civic, public, business, trade union organisations, faith or cultural groups. critically examine how enhanced standards of teaching and learning, leadership and management could be used to promote the values of equity, diversity and interdependence in their professional contexts. MASTERS IN RESTORATIVE PRACTICES For more information go to  www.socsci.ulster.ac.uk/restorativepractices/teaching.html As part of the suite of modules within the recently revalidated Masters in Restorative Practices, Derick Wilson is responsible for two modules currently. CYW 815, 'Promoting a Restorative Society' The purpose of this module is to provide students with an in-depth grounding on the origins of modern restorative practices, on their theoretical under-pinning and on the research into their effectiveness. Students will be enabled to critically consider how a restorative culture can be promoted through relational practices, organisational cultures, public policy and legal underpinning within Northern Ireland, post conflict, and in other societies. Students will critically examine the concept of a restorative society, with special reference to Northern Ireland. Informed by critical research and best practice texts and they will gain a systematic understanding on the diverse origins of restorative practices and critically evaluate how these assist societies moving out of conflict. Through a guided enquiry approach, students will develop a comprehensive understanding of how their agencies can promote restorative principles and promote the central values core to the area of study. Promoting Restorative Practices in Schools Schools as publicly funded places where all involved explore 'the challenges of relationships'. If we are to promote ease with different others as a societal imperative, essential for our well being as well as our future economic development, getting on with 'different others' is a challenge all must face into and, hopefully, embrace. Schools are one potentially formative space where 'otherness' (Levin's) is experienced, talked about and lived, if the structural and relational conditions are equitable, open to difference and committed to building an interdependent society (Eyben. K., et al, 1997).Relationships and their impact on learning. "The practice of restorative justice (approaches) in schools has the capacity to build social and human capital through challenging students in the context of social and emotional learning…The conviction is that the key challenge for schools is addressing the culture change required to make the shift from traditional discipline, driven by punitive (or rewards based) external motivators, to restorative discipline, driven by relational motivators, that seek to empower individuals and their communities. (Morrison, B., Practicing Restorative Justice in School Communities: The Challenge of Culture Change, Public Organisational Review, A Global Journal 5, 335-357, (2005) 'Restorative Practice within diverse Faith Traditions' This module is designed for students who work within faith communities or who are interested in the influence faith has had on restorative practices. It will examine the restorative contributions of different faith traditions to justice, peace making, reconciliation and conflict resolution. It will also explore the role of faith organisations in promoting and developing restorative practices. Over time staff will develop restorative materials drawn from the nine major world religions. It will enable students to: understand the restorative dimensions within diverse faith traditions; influence of faith on restorative practices; understand the restorative potential of different faith traditions in multi-cultural societies; and their role in relation to justice, peace making, reconciliation and conflict resolution.

Innovations

Innovations within the Prison System.Currently, with colleagues from the Restorative Practices Masters and Certificate programmes, I am developing innovative courses on restorative practices with Prison Officers and Prison Governors.We are also engaged in piloting a new course with long-term prisoners.These pilot approaches are being researched as they are developed. Innovations developed within Policing and the Criminal Justice Sector From 1993-2006 the Future Ways Programme I co-directed at the University of Ulster developed work on the sensitive issue of Policing in a Contested Society in support of Mediation Northern Ireland. This secured the support of the International Oversight Commissioner's Office and complemented the changes in policing in the pre-Patten Report and post-Patten actions. Each study trip involved politicians, community leaders, police and NGO staff on study visits with one week return programmes in Northern Ireland.1996 - New York and Washington with John Jay College, Harvard and Citizens Committee, New York1998 - Atlanta with Eastern Mennonite University2000 - San Diego with San Diego State University2001 - New York and Washington with Rutgers University2003 - Boston Police Department with Boston College Policing with the Community 2004-05 A series of workshops in support of Mediation Northern Ireland / Future Ways Programme with middle ranking officers.2006 Seminars with middle ranking officers on Policing and Reconciliation Organisational Change Programmes around the central values of equity, Diversity and Interdependence with: Probation Board for NI, NI Prison Service, 11 Local Councils and 3 NGO organizations. Restorative Cultures within Organisations Working with youth and community work colleagues to promote a more restorative culture in organisational and community practices.

Responsibilities

Higher Education Academy (UK) Award Holder for developing Teaching Materials relevant to Restorative Practices, 2011. At Masters Level MSC in Education responsible for: Two Modules on 'Essential Learning for a Shared Society' EDU 959 & 'Learning Practices for a Shared Society' EDU 960 . At Masters Level in Restorative Practices responsible for Three modules on The Restorative Society CYW 815, Promoting Restorative Schools TBA, Restorative Practices and the Faith Traditions TBA With Restorative Practices colleagues I offer support to various adult access level courses on Restorative Practices.