Building working relationships in learning communities Lee Beck, Phoebe Maina, Felicia Stanford Susan K Robbins BSc PGCE MPhil PhD FHEA Principal Lecturer in Student Experience University Teaching Fellow ASKe Fellow Email: srobbins@brookes.ac.uk School of Life Sciences
Transition to University Relocation: making the move from home to university Domestication: learning to live independently Integration: mixing with different people Building networks: making friends and meeting colleagues Lifestyle issues: making independent choices Academic issues: recognising differences between teaching at school and university School of Life Sciences
Integration Where students come from: Global catchment area: the whole world Social catchment area: all social backgrounds, though unbalanced ratios Economic catchment area: various, wide-ranging Disabilities: various, wide-ranging Ages: various, wide-ranging within a cohort So… how do we set about integrating these students into a learning community? School of Life Sciences
Support networks Previous support networks: family, friends, peer group, teachers, work colleagues, social and sports groups Making new friends: university social life: clubs, societies, residential groups (halls) Building collegiate groups: discipline-based peer groups, peer support for study, student-staff working relationships, personal tutor support School of Life Sciences
Building learning communities Developing cohort identity through activities: doing things together, experiential learning Example from Extended Sciences, foundation year prior to starting science degree study Induction: using experiential learning to break down barriers and establish friendships and working relationships Using outdoor pursuits to build friendships, working groups, belonging… School of Life Sciences
Experiential Learning: integrating Foundation Students Cohort: 30-50 students; age range 18-50; ethnicity – various; socio-economic – various, many WP; domicile – local, regional, UK, overseas Activity Day as part of 3-day induction programme Invitation to outdoor pursuits centre to participate in an exciting programme of activities Two-thirds of students attend each year All participants gave resoundingly positive feedback Non-participants wished they’d not missed out! School of Life Sciences
School of Life Sciences
School of Life Sciences
School of Life Sciences
School of Life Sciences
School of Life Sciences
School of Life Sciences
School of Life Sciences
School of Life Sciences
School of Life Sciences
School of Life Sciences
School of Life Sciences
School of Life Sciences
School of Life Sciences
School of Life Sciences
School of Life Sciences
School of Life Sciences
What the students said then … Before: I was nervous and excited, also curious, scary. After: I felt different from before the experience, it wasn't that scary. I loved the experience of getting to know each other. Before: Thinking that it would be a little boring going doing simple tasks with people I didn't know. After: Friday was amazing. Wasn't boring at all. I was fully involved and having fun throughout all of it. Managed to get to know everyone a lot better as well. Before: I was in suspense as to what, where the day would intail (student’s spelling!). After: It could well be a pivotal tool to help new students break the ice and get a fun element out of team working and getting to know one another better. School of Life Sciences
What the students say now … Over to Phoebe, Felicia and Lee… Phoebe FSC 2007-8, now entering final year Biomedical Science Felicia FSC 2008-9, now entering Stage 2 Cell and Molecular Biology Lee FSC 2009-10, now entering Stage 1 Nutrition School of Life Sciences
Acknowledgements The Extended Sciences Activity Day was funded by Brookes Student Learning Experience Strategy (2007&8) and is now funded by the School of Life Sciences (2009) Photography: Sheona Bellis, School Photographer Support from colleagues helping me run the activities Staff at Longridge, Marlow http://www.longridge-uk.org/home/ School of Life Sciences