Michael Atkinson

Background

About Michael Atkinson

Michael Atkinson is a teacher of English language to adults at Victoria University, researcher at LaTrobe University and PhD candidate at La Trobe. I love understanding how people learn. It combines psychology, communication and identity all in one. The etymology of learn is derived from the Old English to mean 'to find the track or path'. The irony is that so much of contemporary learning is not in finding one's own track but rather in following someone else's path Amazingly I have had 5 journal articles published and one book chapter. I say amazingly because I never saw myself as a writer, My most recent publication is on mentoring between members of mainstream society and members of refugee communities. Further articles look at transformative learning and the power of dialogue to change lives. I would like to say that I have achieved this and I've done that but in truth my life has been one of understanding who I am and helping in some small way to help other people understand themselves. I love seeing my students learn and in so doing gain confidence and I always have time for people's stories. Even the mundane is a window into human truth. I am seeking my own transformation into a world of researching the stories that can lead to positive societal change.