Action Learning

1. Action Learning Project with first year Sociology students at university of roehampton

2. 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]

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. Ethics • Ground rules • Confidentiality • Trust • Maintenance of boundaries outside the set • Focus on work based issues

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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