Reflact on Tour
Reflact has been on the road in various contexts. Online and onsite.
We keep being on tour!
Our tour highlights at a glance:
Kreidezeit?! Conference
At Kreidezeit, everything turned out differently than expected. And we reached top form, as that's what reflact (sic!) is: ready to be different.
In November 2023, we were invited to host a "Kreidezeit?!" discourse workshop at Kaiserslautern University of Applied Sciences. The topic of the conference was: "What are 21st century competencies at universities?".
We think that reflact fits in very well in this context, as the following future skills are included in our framework:
(Self-)reflection competency
Systemic expertise
Competency in designing and shaping the future
Prepared and aiming to #reflact together with the participants on site, we wanted to arrive the day before the conference. Due to a rail strike, we were unable to travel and at the same time contribute our expertise in designing hybrid formats. The following considerations were part of our decision-making process.
The strike allowed us to get from Munich to Kaiserslautern. However, we would not be back in time for already agreed appointments on Friday.
-> We take a clear stance: driving from Munich to Kaiserslautern and back to Munich in a car that is not even used 50% of the time, for a workshop that lasts 90 minutes (however exciting): we don't think that's sustainable.
In other words, we have decided to work hybrid.
We didn't know beforehand how many people we would be working with.
Nor did we know whether the technology would work or not.
But one thing was clear to us:
We create space for possibilities.
We stay in contact with the participants.
Clarity emerges through the process. Thanks to the coordination with the #kreidezeit team, we were able to gradually gain clarity about the setting of the event.
And we talk in a reflecting team, systemically and appreciatively: How do we experience the room and the group? How are we feeling? What impulses do we have as teachers?
Despite the unplanned changes to our schedule, the joy remained high! Because this is exactly where we see the competence in teaching at universities in the 21st century!
Dealing with the unforeseen.
Welcome those who are there. No matter "how" and "where".
Making contact with the people who can be there.
Opening up and observing in tandem, in front of and with our participants: How do we now succeed in reflacting (sic!) together?
And this is exactly what we successfully implemented in our hybrid workshop. Thanks to the great efforts of the Kaiserslautern University of Applied Sciences team, everything was technically well implemented.
Future skills = reflacting.
At the conference, we were also invited to take part in a poster walk. We would like to share our poster with you here and ask you these questions:
What is going through your mind when looking at the poster?
What would you like to discuss with us?
We would be delighted to have a joint discussion with you!
SFBTA Conference 2023
Wow. Our virtual workshop at the US Solution Focused Brief Therapy Association Conference was a 2023 highlight for #Reflact and #Lehrnen.
Reflact (reflect + act) in the USA: i to the power of 3!
i as in interdisciplinary:We had the opportunity to meet colleagues from the fields of teaching, training, therapy, consulting, school, coaching, and organizational consulting. We got in contact and dialogue with each other about solution-oriented and resource-oriented elements in Reflact.
i as in interactive: Our Hoola-Hooping-Switch on three levels was so fun! Self-reflection, break-out dialogues, plenary sharings. One of our highlights was the reflection walk across time, place and weather:
"It's raining this morning" - "Humm, no, it's sunny this evening...”
i as in intercultural: We welcomed professionals from around the world, from Frome/UK via New Jersey/USA. We went to Fort Worth/Texas/USA to Toronto, to Vancouver/Canada, to Switzerland to Germany and finally to Singapore. The more nationalities, the more diverse the perspectives on solutions and resources.
What a journey #reflact leads us on. Thank you!
Turn Conference 2023
Which side to choose?
Being a pracademic is exciting and demanding. Shifting between worlds. As qualitative researchers, we love the world of qualitative data and evidence as the habitat. At the same time, we embrace the world of organisations, groups and individuals who are curious for new experiences and insights into learning.
Not often do these two worlds meet. However, the TURN conference #turn23 der TH Köln and Stiftung Innovation in der Hochschullehre allowed for a taste of sharing both: How do we create meaningful learning environments of the future?
When diving for answers, it is worth looking at systemic approaches. And, most of all: We should ask the ones we teach and work with: The students! Therefore, we are keen to learn more about a way to analyse all the data we received over the years and semesters. As feedbacks, portfolios, video reflections, emails, word clouds.
Power quotes of students suggest that a difference is made when contact is put first. That is how #Reflact has emerged: Reflect + Act = Reflact. Reflact is a framework for interdisciplinary fields. It builds on the principles of systemic teaching and learning.
Thank you for listening and sharing ideas in our Transfer Check, Oliver Janoschka! It was encouraging to learn that the Hochschulforum Digitalisierung (HFD) shares similar questions about future approaches. Reflact meets research meets practice! We enjoyed sharing ideas about innovative forms of teaching and learning.
Who would have guessed that a Blind Date of researchers can be exciting and providing insights to such an extent! Thank you for putting yourselves in our shoes, Friederike Holtmann, Bernhard Schaefermeyer, Sylvia Maus, and Dr. Laura Popplow! Such an inspiring bunch of curious researchers! Thank you for our spontaneous talk, Stefanie Spöth and Franziska Richter!
Reflact in Vienna, Austria:
WIFI Vienna - Congress for Training and Continuing Education 2023
In May 2023, Reflact travelled to Vienna, virtually. At the yearly WiFi training congress, we were invited to host three workshops. With curious participants from the fields of training, learning and development, teaching and HR, we shared the attitude Reflact builds on. What a pleasure for us to be there!
Reflact in Stockholm, Sweden: IDG Masterclass Compassionate Systems Leadership
Next stop: Sweden in March 2023! Peter Senge and Gustav Böll invited more than 100 leaders from all over the world to Stockholm's Fotografiska. We explored the question of how #reflact and the approaches of the Inner Development Goals go hand in hand.
We left with the inspiration: Reflact contributes a lot to the question of how we can promote systemic thinking, feeling and acting in terms of a sustainable future!
Thank you for the exciting encounters! We can reflact everywhere. Always. No matter how old we are or where we live, work and love.
Collegial consulting at Fresenius University of Applied Sciences
"How can teaching succeed even better?"
In November 2022, we were invited by Fresenius University of Applied Sciences to share insights on Reflact with other teachers. Together, we shared insights and students’ feedbacks with lecturers, professors and employees of the university. We shared on specific things we prepare and do through the first three steps of our Reflact Hoops. As always, the focus here was: We don't talk about Reflact. We DO it - together with our participants. Interactively. That requires courage and a willingness to self-reflect.
Our research question: How important is relationship building and contact at eye level for successful learning? How can we make it work for all of us involved in the courses?
Reflact in Innsbruck, Austria:
Reflact in an intercultural context @MCI Innsbruck
Teaching faculty travelling across countries: At the invitation of the MCI, we heard EU commissioner Mariya Gabriel at MCI | The Entrepreneurial School®.
For the European Year of Skills 2023, the European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth asked for the missing skills in research: “Share examples with us, speak more loudly about your experiences."
In our experience as organizational developers, a systemic approach is part of the solution. We believe that a focus on contact and dialogue across disciplines is key.
From the fragmentation of disciplines to a diversity of perspectives. With Reflact, the framework for innovative didactics and group dynamics in systemic co-teaching.
Reflact, international: NEXTpreneurs: Sustainable Business Summit
In May 2022, we were invited as reflact-tandem to the Sustainable Business Summit of NEXTpreneurs. In the self-designed format "Role Retros", we were able to share our knowledge about systemic approaches in agile work contexts in an international round - and make connections to the topic of sustainability.
Teaching Award of the Fresenius University of Applied Sciences
Since winter semester 2020, we have been teaching "Systemic Coaching" together in tandem at the Fresenius University of Applied Sciences in the degree programs Applied Psychology and Business Psychology with great pleasure.
In April 2022, we were awarded the teaching prize of the Fresenius University of Applied Sciences in Cologne for our innovative framework of systemic teaching. What an appreciation!
Since then, the interest of universities, further education institutes, organizations, executives and HR departments has been so great that, in a next step, we have started to share our knowledge in in-house formats and open groups with great pleasure.
Virtual DGSF Association Day 2021: "Welcome to the Lemon Tree".
On 19.3.2021 a virtual meeting day took place with about 200 participants for which we designed the kick-off. The event focused on creating contact, relationships and dialog in the virtual space: