1. HULL UNIVERSITY Learning and Teaching Conference 2015 I.Pownall C.Hookham Williams

2. Content  Introduction  Threshold concepts  Leadership as a threshold concept  Residential Experiences  The residential experience as a mode for securing leadership threshold  Example for the current HUBS final year framework  Problems and uncertainties

3. Threshold Concepts Define disciplinary boundaries Troublesome to grasp Are integrative and require application Result in a permanent shift in understanding Require changes in behaviour and practice Threshold concepts in Business, Management and Economics

4. Leadership and Leadership Practice  Proposed as a threshold concept  Yip & Raelin (2011). Hawkins & Edwards (2013)  Highly relevant focus for the Business School  The study of leadership is insufficient to secure an expectation of becoming a leader  Cognitive understanding impacts and shapes its practice  Transformative learning typical of threshold concepts occurs in ‘provoked’ learning environments (Land, 2011)  Challenging environments require learners to confront doubt and uncertainty  Learners engaging with appropriate language and behaviour – indicative of transformative learning (Meyer & Land, 2005)  Leadership – foci on situational and shared leadership  Socially situated action learning (Yip & Raelin, 2011)

5. Residential Experience Mode- drivers  Non classroom based learning directly challenges ritualised learning and student expectations (Meyer & Land, 2005)  Residential experiences  Are ‘provocative’  Are typical of larger change management initiatives in organisations  Build and reshape the relationships between the learner and their environment  Can service multiple module learning outcomes  Offer higher levels of permanency of learning  Help support retention of students  Support identity development of learners  Illustrate the practical and real application of skills and knowledge  Indirect benefits

6. Residential Experience Mode-resistors  Financial Cost  Resource implications  Uncertainties:  Yip & Raelin (2011) – focused upon postgraduate studies – threshold applicable to UG students?  Are educators who have internalized threshold understanding able to enable learners with those same difficulties?  Should only nascent practitioners be employed?  What alignment is needed between ILOs and Threshold concepts?  What measures can be developed to locate a learner on their journey through this threshold concept?  Are there better modes of delivery and platforms for enabling engagement with threshold concepts (such as residential experiences)?

7. Mode Developmental Action Learning (MBA) Classroom learning (UG)Residential Learning (UG) Goal: Students examine diverse perspectives of leadership Process: Students deploy and enact new perspectives through class experimentation and within their own organisations Process: Students deploy new perspectives and enact through class experimentation and within exemplar organisations / case studies Process: Students deploy new perspectives through experimentation and within exemplar organisations / case studies in challenging new professional learning environment. Professionalisation of language and behaviour. Reflection: Integration of theory and practice through student designed, led and implemented project in their workplace – followed by reflection Reflection: Reflection and discussion of the potential merits and weaknesses of alternative solutions and approaches to student identified leadership projects Reflection: Reflection and discussion of the potential merits and weaknesses of alternative solutions and approaches to student identified leadership projects in an immersive and professionally enabled learning environment

8. ‘Current’ Proposal  ‘Leadership’ - a common exit theme across approx.75% of final year HUBS UG modules  Pilot model – from HUBS @ Scarborough  Weekend conference event  Pre departure expectations  Case Studies of leading change management in a number of organisations*  External speakers and guest consultants – comment and advise  Post event reflection  Develop final year UG experience – across the School through C2016/2016+ * Follows from work in Strategic Management: Synoptic Assessments

9. References cited Hawkins B. and Edwards, G., (2013),’Managing the monsters of doubt: Liminality, threshold concepts and leadership learning’, Management Learning, DOI: 10.1177/1350507613501736 Land, R.,(2011), There could be trouble ahead: using threshold concepts as a tool of analysis, International Journal for Academic Development, 16(2), 175-178, DOI:10.1080/1360144X.2011.568747 Meyer, J.H.F. and Land, R.,(2005),Threshold concepts and troublesome knowledge(2):Epistemological considerations and a conceptual framework for teaching and learning, Higher Education, 49, 323-388, DOI: 10.1007/s10734-004-6779-5 Yip J. And Raelin J.A.,(2011),Threshold concepts and modalities for teaching leadership practice, Management Learning, 43(3), 333- 354.DOI 10.1177/1350507611422476