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Slide 1: Learning to Learn: the Collaborative Challenge. Louise O’Connor London South Bank University January 2008 Louise O'Connor LSBU Jan. 2008 1

Slide 2: “It’s all good in the end. This Unit drags you out of your comfort zone by the throat and batters you with learning.” Student quote Louise O'Connor LSBU Jan. 2008 2

Slide 3: Focus of Study & Presentation Plan  Background to  First stage of two-part innovations in study collaborative  Undergraduate BA learning / teaching Social Work & BSc and assessment Nursing and Social Work  Structure of course (learning disabilities)  Research project  Focus on teaching &  Initial findings learning of ‘Partnership &  Questions / Themes Participation’ Louise O'Connor LSBU Jan. 2008 3

Slide 4: Spirit of Partnership?  Reform of social work education in UK  Emphasis on multi-disciplinary approaches to education & practice  Social Work located within diverse faculties (health, education, psychology, law, social policy or social sciences…)  ‘Partnership working’ a prescribed curriculum area in England (DoH 2002) Louise O'Connor LSBU Jan. 2008 4

Slide 5: Partnership - a dangerous liaison? (Preston-Shoot 2007:670) What does it mean? How can we teach this?  Original Module & assignment  06/07 Piloted group learning activity  SCIE Knowledge Review (2006)  Missed  Students + lecturer opportunities for reflection & challenges / feedback on pilot experiential and assignment learning? Louise O'Connor LSBU Jan. 2008 5

Slide 6: Revised Module aims:  Maximise collaborative inter / intra- professional learning  Explicit emphasis on: - group work theory and skills - personal and experiential learning  Effective collaboration necessary to achieve outcome  Group & individual elements  ‘Intrinsic motivation’ LSBU Jan. 2008 2001) Louise O'Connor (Mc Dowell, 6

Slide 7: Learning Process & Assessment Tasks Group task (40%) Individual Task (60%)  Random groups Produce poster  Identified self-directed Criteria included :  understanding of partnership study periods and participation  Exploration of key themes  analysis of anti-oppressive related to partnership aspects  Application to case  reflection on learning scenario process & group experience  Group presentation and  identification of personal group mark skills Louise O'Connor LSBU Jan. 2008 7

Slide 8: Study – Stage 1: Key Questions  Impact of an innovative learning and assessment process?  Contribution to students’ collaborative and individual learning?  Skill and knowledge development (within and across professional boundaries). Louise O'Connor LSBU Jan. 2008 8

Slide 9: Study – Stage 1: Data  Two cohorts of employment based (EBR) undergraduate social work students (social care posts, attend part-time)  Mature, experienced & ethnically diverse: EBR 06 – 17 students EBR 05 – 20 students  37 Taught jointly – 12 week module Stage 2 – 50 Social Work & 25 Nursing / Social Work students (May 08) Louise O'Connor LSBU Jan. 2008 9

Slide 10: Study – Stage 1  Questionnaires using Likert scales  Focus on: - views on personal learning - skill development - understanding of theory / literature - motivation  Focus Group Louise O'Connor LSBU Jan. 2008 10

Slide 11: Respondents:  14 White / White British  10 Minority Ethnic 28  4 Ethnicity not indicated questionnaires  Age 25-57. (Mean 42) completed  18 female  8 male 1 focus group  1 disabled  14 indicated student group (6 – EBR 05 & 8 – EBR 06) Louise O'Connor LSBU Jan. 2008 11

Slide 12: Preliminary Findings  The following slides provide examples of some of the preliminary findings.  The themes & correlations identified are tentative and will be the subject of further analysis.  Stage 2 of the project will be evaluated following delivery of the current module to both nursing and social work students. (post June 2008) Louise O'Connor LSBU Jan. 2008 12

Slide 13: Views on Personal Learning ‘I learn more when…’ I am involved in small group I experience challenge or discussions tension Louise O'Connor LSBU Jan. 2008 13

Slide 14: Skill development:  Time management  Team work  Communication  Group task improved  Negotiation skills in all areas  Personal awareness  Reflection  Range – 70-92%  Presentation  Assertiveness  Use of IT  Researching literature LSBU Jan. 2008 Louise O'Connor 14

Slide 15: Skill development ?  Resolving conflict 31% disagreed / didn’t know  Interprofessional practice 23% disagreed; 23% didn’t know;  Working with difference 18% didn’t know Louise O'Connor LSBU Jan. 2008 15

Slide 16: Interprofessional Practice? Interprofessional Practice Cumulative Frequency Percent Valid Percent Percent Valid Disagree 6 21.4 23.1 23.1 Don't know 6 21.4 23.1 46.2 Agree 9 32.1 34.6 80.8 Strongly agree 5 17.9 19.2 100.0 Total 26 92.9 100.0 Missing System 2 7.1 Total 28 100.0 Louise O'Connor LSBU Jan. 2008 16

Slide 17: Interprofessional Practice? Louise O'Connor LSBU Jan. 2008 17

Slide 18: Understanding of Theory / Literature:  Group dynamics*  Group task improved skills in all areas  Groupwork models  Partnership  Range – 64 –77%  Participation  Anti-oppressive * Increase in ‘Disagree’ practice* / ‘Don’t know’  Applying theory to practice* Louise O'Connor LSBU Jan. 2008 18

Slide 19: Increased motivation & involvement & learning process? Motivation to:  Learn more about topics*  Improved motivation  Participate in 70-78% collaborative learning*  Undertake individual  Disagreed / don’t study / tasks know 14-21%  Explore different perspectives Louise O'Connor LSBU Jan. 2008 19

Slide 20: Motivation to participate in collaborative learning: Louise O'Connor LSBU Jan. 2008 20

Slide 21: Motivation to participate in collaborative learning participate in collaborative learning Cumulative Frequency Percent Valid Percent Percent Valid Strongly disagree 1 3.6 3.7 3.7 Disagree 4 14.3 14.8 18.5 Don't know 3 10.7 11.1 29.6 Agree 15 53.6 55.6 85.2 Strongly agree 4 14.3 14.8 100.0 Total 27 96.4 100.0 Missing System 1 3.6 Total 28 100.0 Louise O'Connor LSBU Jan. 2008 21

Slide 22: Significant correlations  Age is significantly correlated to score for anti-oppressive practice (5%)  Score for ‘Participate in collaborative learning’ is highly significantly correlated to score for anti-oppressive practice (0.5%)  Ethnic group is significantly correlated to assertiveness (5%) Louise O'Connor LSBU Jan. 2008 22

Slide 23: Qualitative Data Main benefits? Student quotes: :  ‘putting partnership skills into practice – clarifying roles, challenging each other, developing shared responsibility..’  ‘working with difference i.e. colleagues’ perspectives, attitudes & ways of working .. helped me to accept these and share my ideas..’  ‘Learning to manage group dynamics and the complexities involved’..  ‘good practice to work as a team with people you don’t know well..’ Louise O'Connor LSBU Jan. 2008 23

Slide 24: Qualitative data Main drawbacks? Student quotes:  ‘personalities & levels of participation … although this exists in the workplace managers and supervisors are there to support the group’..’  ‘not being able to complete tasks to my own agenda, timeframe..’  ‘it does not always show the difficulties that occurred and the learning that took place’  Group conflict …. it got nasty and personal.. Louise O'Connor LSBU Jan. 2008 24

Slide 25: Focus Group  Analysis in progress Initial themes:  Strong emotions and behaviours experienced in groups  Complexity of process  Learning achieved Louise O'Connor LSBU Jan. 2008 25

Slide 26: Focus Group Themes: Tension, safety, control …  ‘It was very difficult .. Lots of tensions, lots of ‘storming’ all the way through..  ‘Two cohorts .. power dynamics going on..’  ‘There was a feeling … “them and us”…’  Maybe they felt it was a safe environment .. the university .. a lot of stuff came out.. they would not have been said in workplaceLSBU Jan. 2008 Louise O'Connor ..’ 26

Slide 27: Focus Group Themes: professional boundaries / identities  'they would be disciplined for some of the things that were said…  ‘work is safe because you know there is some sort of redress…’  ‘in work … always difficult professionals .. [but] always someone higher managing that…’ Louise O'Connor LSBU Jan. 2008 27

Slide 28: Possible themes to explore, subject to further analysis:  Relevance of identities  Facilitation of groups to within and across enhance learning and professional conflict resolution? – or boundaries? will this prevent learning?  Impact of physical  Greater linking of taught location on behaviour / topics with collaborative identities? experience of partnership in action  Similarities or differences with Stage Louise O'Connor LSBU2 data cohort ? Jan. 2008 28

Slide 29: Learning to learn – the collaborative challenge ‘It’s all good in the end. This unit drags you out of your comfort zone by the throat and batters you with learning.’ student quote ************** Correspondence to Louise O’Connor oconnol@lsbu.ac.uk Senior Lecturer in Social Work Faculty of Health & Social Care, London South Bank University Louise O'Connor LSBU Jan. 2008 29

Slide 30: References Barr, H. Interprofessional education, Today, yesterday and tomorrow. A Review. Learning & Teaching Support Network for Health Sciences & Practice, CAIPE. Jackson, c. (2007) Motivating learning through innovative assessment http://www.bournemouth.ac.uk/eds/presentations/conference_2007/caroline_jackson.ppt Accessed online 20 Jan 2008 McDowell, L. (2001) Students and innovative assessment. York: LTSN Generic Centre [available online] www.heacademy.ac.uk Preston-Shoot, M. (2004) Responding by Degrees: Surveying the Education and Practice Landscape. Social Work Education Vol. 23, No. 6, December 2004, pp. 667–692 Race,P, Brown, S, Smith, S. (2005) 2nd Ed. 500 Tips on assessment. London: Routledge. Taylor, I, Sharland, E, Sebba, J, Leriche, P, with Keep, A & Orr, D. (2006) The learning , teaching and assessment of partnership work in social work education. Knowledge Review 10. Social Care Institute for Excellence Louise O'Connor LSBU Jan. 2008 30