Space, Time and Encounter in the University Classroom

An interdisciplinary ethnographic examination of the idea of authenticity as played out in a series of higher education classrooms.

This book explores space, time and encounter in an interdisciplinary higher education classroom during a typical academic year, considering how they might present as protagonists of authenticity. In this ethnography, the author is both the researcher and the teacher, delivering highly interactive and student centred modules for undergraduate students at a leading science and engineering university in the UK.

Chasing the spirit of authenticity throughout the writing, the book demonstrates a remarkable alignment between the design and aspirations of the teaching, the experiences within the classroom, and the conduct of the research. Revealing the inner thoughts and inspirations of the researcher, the book includes insights from philosophy, anthropology, education, neuroscience, music, architecture, photography and popular culture.

This examination of both the classroom experiences and the research itself reveals the messy, uncertain, imperfect – and yet fascinating nature of these very human experiences with an engaging richness. This book supports the reader to find their own version of ‘authentic’, evoked by being immersed in the story world of this research and the classrooms contained within. Readers are invited to reflect along with the researcher, and apply the insights revealed to their own teaching, learning or life experiences and take the spirit of authentic encounter into their own future.