1. Acting Up for Graduate Interview Success: A Forum Theatre Approach
Jackie McManus, Kay Stewart and Cathy Taylor
Careers Team

2. BACKGROUND
UWL – high numbers of first generation HE entrants, from low-income families;
Careers Team experience: that students under- perform at graduate job interviews;
Interviews require a level of cultural and social capital (Bourdieu and Passeron 1977) generally not available to working class students;
‘Bestowed at birth’/socialisation

3. THEORETICAL AND PEDAGOGICAL INFLUENCES
Paulo Freire: The Pedagogy of the Oppressed (1968) rejects ‘bankable knowledge’, delivered by experts preferring dialogic ‘circles of culture’.
Nancy Fraser: Justice Interruptus (1997) theory of social justice – Fraser argues that social justice is both distributive and ‘participatory parity’.
Boal: The Theatre of the Oppressed (1973)

4. Augusto Boal 1931 – 2009 Travelled extensively across Europe
Developed Forum Theatre as part of Theatre of the Oppressed
Brazilian Theatre
Director

5. THEATRE OF THE OPPRESSED
‘In Theatre of the Oppressed, reality is shown not only as it is, but also, more importantly, as it could be. Which is what we live for - to become what we have the potential to be’. Boal, A (2002) Games for Actors and Non-Actors

6. FORUM THEATRE Audience are the ‘Spect-actors’
The Facilitator is the ‘Joker’
The performance is a game between the Spect-actors and the actors – to find a viable solution to a problem

7. WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT MO-SYS?
What does Mo-Sys do?
Designs and manufactures camera robotics and virtual technologies for the high end film and broadcast industry
Mo-Sys employs: less than 50; less than 100; less than 200 people
Less than 50 people

8. Who founded and runs the company?
Michael Geissler
Which famous Bond film used Mo-Sys’ technology?
Spectre
Name a key international event where Mo-Sys exhibits its products
The NAB show – for media and film technology professionals

9. TWO MAIN TYPES OF QUESTIONS
Value based
Competency based

10. STRUCTURING CAR QUALITY ANSWERS
Circumstances: describe clearly and concisely
Action: actions taken (what you did)
Result: outcome of your actions, reflections
and learning outcomes

11. EXAMPLE QUESTION Can you tell us about something
that you’ve done recently that you are proud of?

12. CAR EXAMPLE ANSWER
I was employed at an independent retailer in the summer holidays, I was given the task of organising the stock control system.
I would look at factors such as when the stock was last ordered, what it was used for and how often it was used. I worked out a method of streamlining this process and redesigned the relevant electronic forms which I then submitted to my manager.
My ideas were accepted and implemented and a 15% reduction in stock levels was achieved meaning there was less wastage for the shop and increased profits for the owner.

13. STUDENT FEEDBACK
‘The session was fantastic, so many things explained to help us …[in an] interview
‘[I learnt] how to link all you say to the job description and what the employer is looking for’
‘The team were encouraging at showing ways I could improve’

14. ROLL OUT, OUTCOMES; AGCAS EXCELLENCE AWARD SHORTLIST
Feedback from students
Success rates
Shortlisted for AGCAS National Excellence Awards
Application for research funds