I Have had this in my drafts for a while as I have been pondering the Bakhurst article and the student experience.
THIN experience – what a university can measure, what they can provide evidence for (feedback, recognition, community, engagement, employability, creative curricula)
The THICK experience is what Bakhurst talks about, the experience you cannot quantify (fullfilling, enriching, inspiring, affirming, personal and authentic)
The thick experience is such a vital part of the learning experience. Now understanding the terminology, especially the personal aspect, I almost feel like it validates all those times I have spent some of the classroom time just talking to students about their lives, jobs and interests. It helps me understand them as a student and what their struggles and aims are. I also share things that are happening in my life whcih makes me personable and someone they feel able to talk to. It takes me back to the first session with Iestyn where we all had to talk a bit about ourselves- it made Iestyn, not a scary tutor, but someone we could relate to.