Reimagining Relational Practices in Higher Education: Enhancing the Well-Being and Autonomy Within Complex Academic Partnerships

• In Event: Walking the Talk: Well-Being in Practice

Abstract

Contemporary higher education has the responsibility to inspire forthcoming generations of educational researchers in the interests of “interrogating consequential education research”. In order for education research to matter in policy and practice with equitable outcomes, we need to humanize postgraduate experiences for stakeholders within the academy. We suggest that reimagining relational pedagogies within complex academic partnerships has the potential to strengthen and humanize research activities and collaborative processes.

At this critical moment in history, we are confronted by numerous challenges that impact the way we live and respond to our environment. In higher education settings, the current pandemic has exposed and intensified student and faculty wellbeing challenges. (Dinu et al., 2021; NZUSA, 2022). Traditionally, the neoliberal framing of higher education structures and processes contradict concern for the wellbeing of students and faculty. Furthermore, the traditional position of postgraduate students in a university may involve low levels of agency or autonomy over their experience (Schmidt & Hansson, 2018). Consequently, realigning the relational characteristics and power dynamics of student-academic relationships is critical to reimagine relational pedagogies between postgraduate students, supervisors and academic communities.

From a complexity perspective (Gilbert, 2020), relational practices and pedagogies may transcend traditional structures, roles and associated practices (Gravett, Taylor & Fairchild, 2021) to enhance the wellbeing and autonomy of those within the academy. When seen as living complex systems, contemporary higher education institutions are viewed as interdependent, diverse, ever-evolving systems, which are in a constant state of flux (Allen, 2019). Complex systems can be influenced in two particular ways: by initiating nudges and attending to the quality and quantity of interactions within and across systems. First, nudges or ‘safe to fail probes’ (Snowden & Boone, 2007) provide insights into the dynamics of a complex system. Second, increasing the quality and quantity of interactions between the agents may influence a system (Cilliers, 2002). Interactions between agents keep energy, information and emotion flowing and evolving within and across a system, stimulating conditions for emergence and enabling change. Thus, to influence the wellbeing and autonomy of agents within a system, we can focus on nudging the quality and quantity of interactions between such agents by actively reimagining working relationships and partnerships in the academy.

If we consider wellbeing as a relational practice, myriad ways exist to enhance the quality and quantity of interactions between people. In this paper, we draw on relational pedagogies, such as restorative, culturally-responsive, contemplative and trauma-informed practices. Positive relationships move beyond a culture of niceness, into honest, vulnerable and respectful interactions with oneself, others and the environment. We consider relational dynamics to frame healthy connections within postgraduate and faculty communities. A strengths-based approach to relationship dynamics includes acknowledgement, empathy, care, kindness and appreciation (Strengths-Based Organization, 2009).

In an academic environment, relationship dynamics may be explored through reframing the roles of students and supervisors as colleagues and mentors with fluid expectations and interactions that promote relational wellbeing. Investing in relational practices may unleash opportunities to enhance wellbeing and autonomy, navigate academic partnerships and humanize experiences in complex educational institutions.

Authors

• Suskya Goodall, Victoria University of Wellington
  Presenting Author

• Joanna Higgins, Victoria University of Wellington
  Presenting Author