1. Louise O'Connor LSBU Mar. 20081 Collaborative Learning in Partnership Louise O’Connor London South Bank University March 2008

2. Louise O'Connor LSBU Mar. 20082 “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

3. Louise O'Connor LSBU Mar. 20083 Focus of Study & Workshop Plan First stage of two-part study Undergraduate BA Social Work & BSc Nursing and Social Work (learning disabilities) Focus on teaching & learning of ‘Partnership & Participation’ Overview & Background Research project Collaborative task Reflections? Initial findings Questions / Themes

4. Louise O'Connor LSBU Mar. 20084 Partnership - a dangerous liaison? (Preston-Shoot 2007:670) Original Module & assignment (essay) Involvement in SCIE Knowledge Review (2006) Missed opportunities? 06/07 Piloted group learning activity Students + lecturer reflection & feedback on pilot and assignment What does it mean? How can we teach this?

5. Louise O'Connor LSBU Mar. 20085 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’ (Mc Dowell, 2001)

6. Louise O'Connor LSBU Mar. 20086 Learning Process & Assessment Tasks Group task (40%) Random groups Identified self-directed study periods Exploration of key themes related to partnership Application to case scenario Group presentation and group mark Individual Task (60%) Produce poster Criteria included : understanding of partnership and participation analysis of anti-oppressive aspects reflection on learning process & group experience identification of personal skills

7. Louise O'Connor LSBU Mar. 20087 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).

8. Louise O'Connor LSBU Mar. 20088 Workshop Small Group Task Task: 1. Introductions, name & role. 2. Plan a group presentation called ‘The Strengths and Limitations of Service User Involvement in Social Work Education’ 3. Identify 3 key areas of theory / research that will inform the presentation 4. 3 weeks to prepare; present in CCCU 31 March 5. Develop basic plan to achieve task

9. Louise O'Connor LSBU Mar. 20089 Workshop Task Consider: How would you plan this as a group? Assume your normal ‘day job’ / roles continue. How can you collaborate? What needs to be thought about? What challenges or difficulties might arise?

10. Louise O'Connor LSBU Mar. 200810 Reflection: Stop & Think! How did you:  share information about yourselves?  negotiate plan?  agree communication?  agree roles?  negotiate practicalities  identify possible challenges? Did everyone have a voice? Secret fantasies?

11. Louise O'Connor LSBU Mar. 200811 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 Taught jointly – 12 week module Questionnaire (Likert Scales) & Focus group Stage 2 – 50 Social Work & 25 Nursing / Social Work students (May 08) 37

12. Louise O'Connor LSBU Mar. 200812 Respondents: 14 White / White British 10 Minority Ethnic 4 Ethnicity not indicated Age 25-57. (Mean 42) 18 female 8 male 1 disabled 28 questionnaires completed 1 focus group

13. Louise O'Connor LSBU Mar. 200813 Views on Personal Learning ‘I learn more when..’(1 strongly disagree 5 Strongly agree) I experience challenge or tension I am involved in small group discussions

14. Louise O'Connor LSBU Mar. 200814 Skill development: Time management Team work Communication Negotiation Personal awareness Reflection Presentation Assertiveness Use of IT Researching literature Group task improved skills in all areas Range – 70-92%

15. Louise O'Connor LSBU Mar. 200815 Improve Skills in Interprofessional Practice?

16. Louise O'Connor LSBU Mar. 200816 Understanding of Theory / Literature: Group dynamics* Groupwork models Partnership Participation Anti-oppressive practice* Applying theory to practice* Group task improved skills in all areas Range – 64 –77% * Increase in ‘Disagree’ / ‘Don’t know’

17. Louise O'Connor LSBU Mar. 200817 Focus Group - analysis in progress Initial themes:  Strong emotions and behaviours experienced in groups  Complexity of process  Learning achieved

18. Louise O'Connor LSBU Mar. 200818 Questions raised by Preliminary Analysis: Facilitation of groups to enhance learning and conflict resolution? – or will this prevent learning? Relevance of identities within and across professional boundaries? Impact of physical location on behaviour / identities ?

19. Louise O'Connor LSBU Mar. 200819 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’..

20. Louise O'Connor LSBU Mar. 200820 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..

21. Louise O'Connor LSBU Mar. 200821 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 workplace..’

22. Louise O'Connor LSBU Mar. 200822 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…’

23. Louise O'Connor LSBU Mar. 200823 Correspondence to Louise O’Connor oconnol@lsbu.ac.uk Senior Lecturer in Social Work Faculty of Health & Social Care, London South Bank University

24. Louise O'Connor LSBU Mar. 200824 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.ukwww.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) 2 nd 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