Contributor: Lindy-Ann Blaize Alfred, Robert Gordon University and l.blaize-alfred@rgu.ac.uk

Ingredients: (Hi tech – craft supplies, drawing supplies; low tech – pen and paper)

Method: The activity relates to professional identities. Start with pictures of two characters and ask – can we tell what job these people do? Which person is likely to have more influence? Why? [or random questions] then show the second set of pictures and ask the same questions. The difference was  that

The items in the hands of these two character’s tells a bit about their identity, their abilities(talent + passion) and their influence. What’s in your hand?

An example: In my hand there’s a piece of chalk – this speaks to my identity as a teacher [and also my age!], I think that a key part of this identity is my love for teaching [I’ve wanted to be a teacher since I was 6 years old] and the buzz I get from engaging with students, irrespective of age, in an educational setting. I think I’ve been able to be a role model for my students – at different times and in different contexts. I think this is especially true working in HE in the UK that for a range of students – international students, female students, non-white students, fat students, students that have a lisp…I’ve been able to be an example of …’I can’.
Special Notes

Acknowledgements: original perhaps in its application to the HE context, however the idea emerged from a TedTalk delivered by Rick Warren

References: none in an educational context

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