Afterword: Collaboration, community building and ‘brokering’.

Abstract

To build community through collaboration has been the essence of my work, and this chapter shares examples of what I term ‘brokerage’ (Outram 2009). Actively engaging with others means co-creating and sharing, and also participating as equal partners. We all have something to offer. At the heart of my teaching practice is ‘working with others’ - in particular with students - to motivate and include them in a meaningful dialogue. Speaking but also really listening as we act together. This encompasses the blend between learning inside the classroom, learning within professional practice placements, and scaffolding informal learning outside the university. It is also at the heart of the various research projects in which I have been involved across the years - collaborating with diverse colleagues to produce innovative practice and resources for students. I extend this collaboration, taking real pleasure in sharing educational networks with my peers, developing their ‘circles of influence’ as they progress on their own career paths.