Research-Informed Schools SIG: The Case for Intellectual Wellbeing in Teacher Professional Learning: 05 March

13:00 (London time)

Hosted by the ECIS Research-Informed Schools Special Interest Group
Presenter: Professor Patrick Alexander, Oxford Brookes University

In this presentation, Professor Patrick Alexander advances a new way of theorising professional learning and development through the concept of intellectual wellbeing, or noetic syntonia, which he defines as the positive sense of self derived from an authentic engagement with the ethical, theoretical, and practical challenges of one’s professional domain. Drawing on concepts from philosophy and social theory, and particularly on the work of Simone de Beauvoir, he suggests that prioritising intellectual wellbeing is nothing short of a challenge for international schools to reconnect with the essence of what an ethical approach to education should be, and to move away from outdated practices and policies that promote a simplistic idea of personal ‘growth’ measured through assessment, audit, and foregone educational outcomes.

He begins by setting the scene for research into teacher professional identity before describing the concept of intellectual wellbeing in detail, including questions of ecology and value. He then offers an example of how intellectual wellbeing may be nurtured through simple, practical steps at the school level. This talk represents a valuable opportunity for educators and leaders to think about how intellectual wellbeing is supported in their settings, and what more can be done to encourage the practice of intellectual wellbeing.