Practice Context/Understanding your organisation/Exploring Context

Exploring Context
Context defined


 * the interrelated conditions in which something exists or occurs : environment, setting


 * Background, environment, framework, setting, or situation surrounding an event or occurrence.

Reviewing your context

Context can be viewed from multiple perspectives including:
 * the perspective of the learner, considering all the factors that influence and impact on learners in specific courses, programmes or environments
 * the perspective of the teacher/facilitator

As a teacher/facilitator it is helpful to review your own context from time to time to thus enable you to create the best possible context for learning for the learners you work with.

There are many ways in which you can examine the context within which you teach. Reviewing your context can be referred to an environmental analysis (a review of the environment within which you work).

Systems Approach

One way to explore the wider work context is using a systems approach that explores influencing factors in expanding concentric circles. This is based on Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory.

There is often a tendency to focus on immediate surroundings without thinking about some of the wider factors that impact on our contexts. Here are some suggestions of factors that can impact on the wider environments.