project with first year sociology students at university of roehampton action learning
TRANSCRIPT
P R O J E C T W I T H F I R S T Y E A R S O C I O L O G Y S T U D E N T S A T U N I V E R S I T Y O F R O E H A M P T O N
ACTION LEARNING
WHAT IS ACTION LEARNING
• Technique employed to allow for reflection, and personal and professional development
• Workplace based
• Up to 6 people in a “set”, usually same responsibility levels and types of employment
• Democratic and flexible [few resources/facilities]
WHAT HAPPENS?
• Regular meetings, focus on ‘presenter’ who discusses a problem or challenge
• Open questions from standpoint of ignorance and confusion – no advice
• Presenter comes to own conclusions about action to address problem
• Reporting back
• Emphasis is on action, and the action to be taken to improve a situation or activity
• Learning comes through questioning and reflecting on the impact of actions
• Do not dwell on why there is a problem, but what the problem is and what would make it better
OUR EXPERIENCE
• Change in the University structure from Schools to Departments and move to shared office space
• Four of us across different programmes in the department formed a set
• Teaching Fellowship Award – paid for facilitator
• Created a cohesive team, we addressed working difficulties collectively
ETHICS
• Ground rules
• Confidentiality• Trust• Maintenance of boundaries outside the set• Focus on work based issues
PROJECT WITH FIRST YEAR SOCIOLOGY STUDENTS
• Self-selected students from one first year tutor group
• Diverse group who did not all know each other well
• Facilitated the student set together
• Met outside the classroom and provided refreshments
• Met 4 times in total
• Changed the format so that students each had a chance to speak each time
• Students immediately good at open questions
• Topics selected to support development as independent learners
ACTION POINTS
• Set early deadlines
• Break down work into manageable chunks
• Decide on the topics you are going to revise for the exam
• Manage your DVD watching so that you reward yourself for working.
• Aim higher – think about next year and increasing expectations in the standards of work you will be required to submit
• Check with friends who are doing the same work as you how far they have got so that you have a comparison with others to better judge where you are
• Reflect on mentality of first year and how this has affected your learning this year to try and motivate yourself.
• Find nutritious snacks to eat while working
• Research online what is good for you
• Manage how you are eating – prepare food, do some work, then eat
• Think about ways of feeling comfortable so that you can concentrate.
FEEDBACK AT END OF PILOT
• Realizing problems and addressing them in a safe environment
• Feeling of control, capability and independence in realizing solutions to own problems
• Important for students to learn they are capable of tackling their own obstacles
• Easier to follow own solutions than other’s advice
• Everyone deals with things differently, and Action Learning helped us discover what solutions worked for us, by finding them ourselves
• Has helped me in other areas of my life as well
ROLLING OUT ACTION LEARNING ACROSS ALL FIRST YEARS
• Involuntary
• In the class room after compulsory module
• Up to 25 students in a room broken up into smaller groups
• Issues of noise and confidentiality
• Topics chosen for students:
• I find it difficult to listen and take notes in class• I am struggling to do the reading• I cannot settle down to working• I’m not sure what I should be doing• I am worried about writing my essay/doing my
exams• I am too shy to speak in class• Being at university is too different to my sixth form
college
WHAT HAPPENED
• Well….
• Evaluation mixed and surprising
• Group that seemed least engaged reported being most interested in carrying on
• Group that seemed most receptive reported least interest• Needed more structure and support• Didn’t like involuntary nature of sets• Topics relevant and it was useful to listen to others