1. ALT- CONFERENCE APRIL 2017

2. Group work assignment in Law: Equipping learners for work?
Dr Maribel Canto-Lopez

3. The presentation Context of this work Where does it fit?
Research Questions
Methodology
Some findings
Your suggestions

4. Context of this work

5. Context of this work This activity started 3 years ago.
It is part of a 1st year core subject ‘Introduction to Law’ with a cohort of 469 students (429 in the 2nd Semester).
AIM of the exercise is for learners:
Develop the ability to work effectively as part of a group
In researching, analysing and presenting legal information
Professionally in the form of an advice letter to a client
The assignment consists on 2 Lectures ( 1 by Law, 1 by Careers); a presentation by Law Firm and 1 tutorial + lots of independent work by the groups.
Letters are assessed and the group that produces the ‘best’ one is sponsored to a day in the London Law firm for training, all inclusive.

6. Where does it fit?

7. Where does it fit?
3rd Nov 16 the HEA published that according to UKES only 51% of undergraduates felt they had the skills to ‘ready them for work’.
Literature Review:
Bring a broader base of empirical inquiry? Berger &Wild (2016) , datasets from registry/ others 12 – 131 students questionnaires.
Add other skills: like group work and professional writing to work by Turner et all (2016) (learning through skill-based approach)
Hannaford (2016), Assessment in HE, post-graduate level/ 1st year.
Dickerson et all (2016), learning on relation to employability, perception of their own learning and that of others. (qualitative data)/ add quantitative data.
The assessment of “wicked” competences’, Knight and Page (2007) holistic way: employability + self-confidence/ Turner (2014) self-belief/ Masika & Jones (2016) social participation.
Add Collaboration with Careers and top Law firm.

8. Research Questions

9. Research Questions
EQUIPPING LEARNERS FOR WORK?
Are we motivating students into acquiring and/or understanding the importance of employability skills?
Have we enhanced students’ confidence and experience on team work skills and on their learning?
Are we equipping students as workers and learners?
Are we equipping them to gain confidence in the process?

10. + Methodology Quantitative Method (Questionnaire)
Qualitative Method (Focus Groups)

11. Methodology (Quantitative Data)

12. Methodology (Quantitative Data)
340 QUESTIONNAIRES BACK
OUT OF 429 STUDENTS (2ND SEM)

13. Methodology (Quantitative Data)

14. Methodology (Qualitative Data)

15. Methodology (Qualitative Data)
Thematic Analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006).

16. Methodology (Qualitative Data)
EQUIPPING LEARNERS FOR WORK
Questions in Focus Groups gravitated around: Organisation of the activity, Group dynamics, Their learning in the process, Skills and Employability and Well-being in general.
Themes:
Process of equipping:
External input (lectures, tutorials, prize incentive…)
Initiating self-equipping (own group meetings, own rules…)
What are students equipped with after the activity:
Skills (team-work, professional writing, better CV…)
Reflections on their group and individual learning
Subject knowledge
Confidence
Keeping students equipped for their future

17. Some findings Prevalent themes emerging from the focus groups
PROCESS OF EQUIPPING:
External input: activity too early on the year
Initiating self-equipping: got to know each other better
STUDENTS EQUIPPED WITH:
Skills: Professional writing, (so cool!)
Learning: Mixed answers
Subject: Letter content too easy, not challenging.
Confidence: Word used in all groups, for different achievements
KEEPING STUDENTS EQUIPPED: Massive emphasis on continuing with group work now they know each other and the dynamics.

18. Your suggestions

19. THANK YOU!