Learning Hubs

1. Learning Hubs Placements

2. How did I end up here? As part of my level 5 work and professional development module I chose the Learning Hubs stream. When I chose this stream my first question was . . . . . . . What are the Learning Hubs?

4. “One of the purposes of the Arundel Learning Hub is to provide students and staff with a physical location that they identify with. The Learning Hub is actually the whole building because all staff and students in the building form parts of the Learning Hub community.” Learning Hub Manager Jon Inns “We aim to offer a ‘base’ or ‘home’ for all students studying g the subjects found at Southbourne. It is also for all the staff who work in Southbourne. There are newly refurbished and equipped with technologies”. Learning Hub Manager Emma Heron

6. My Topic The topic I had chosen was to focus on placements in special education needs schools and the impact it has on the students at the placements. Things did not go accordingly to plan, the schools would not get back to me and with the Easter holidays it was hard to get in contact. So then I changed my topic to placements in teaching/education placements as a whole.

7. My Topic Methods I tried to contact staff at Sheffield Hallam University to help me get in contact with some of the students on the teaching courses. I did not get any response so I took it upon myself to get in contact with some of students that I knew were on those courses. I asked them to pass out some questionnaires out. The following slides shows the analysed data I received from the questionnaires.

8. The Students View 100% of the students found the placements very enjoyable. 100% of students said that placements affected their career choice very much.

9. Many students stated that they gained a lot of knowledge “of how to differentiate and plan for all children regardless of their ability”. Skills Learnt on Placement : Planning Inclusion Team Work Time Management Management with children Adaptability Producing resources Organisation skills

10. Working in different environments Skills learnt on special need placements : P – Scales Understanding different needs Assessment skills Adapting to different needs Communication “working with children with learning disabilities gives me a wider experience of working with others, and has given me an insight into the provisions needed for those with a range of special needs”.

11. Views on placements and advice to others • If you are unhappy do not worry to talk to partnerships • Take every to get involved • Having good organisational skills • Don’t be afraid to ask questions • It’s a very good experience • Ensure you understand about the planning and different needs of the children • Be approachable and friendly

12. Sheffield Hallam Staff view on placements • Conclusion on that The competition for graduate level employment is becoming increasingly fierce. Increases in the number of graduates looking for work make it important for students to look for ways to make themselves distinctive and employable. Students can become more suited to certain types of work by being tactical in the modules they choose, by gaining relevant work experience and by learning to get the most out of the work they do. Work-based learning is one way in which students can enhance their skills and prepare themselves for the world of graduate employment. In the social sciences, we have a core level 5 module on Work and Professional Development and an option at level 6 on Work and Careers in a Global Context. These modules aim to equip students with a theoretical understanding of the nature of work and encourage students to become reflective practitioners. These modules are offered in the knowledge that they will help students to develop the skills necessary to prosper in their chosen careers. Dr Gary Taylor

13. Contacting staff was much harder than I thought and I had to take into account that they are also busy. Dr Gary Taylor was the only staff who got back to me. With the schools I did not receive any of the questionnaires back. I still needed some school staffs perspective on it so I took it upon myself to contact other schools and not the ones that take on students on placement from Sheffield Hallam School

14. A deputy head at a school in the West Midlands spoke to me about placements and the impacts of it. She told me that they are vital in a course where you will be dealing with children as you have to adapt to different circumstances with them. You need to put theory in to practice so placements are vital. You learn a lot from the placements, things you may have not learnt in lectures or seminars. Looking back on her experience that the placements she had gone on had helped her recognise that the course was definitely for her and this is the job field she definitely wants to go into. Placements are a good way in showing students the different atmospheres they will be working with and how to tackle workload.

15. My experience as a Learning Hub Assistant

16. The Beginning When picking the streams I saw learning hubs and saw the word creative and knew that it was the stream for me. The beginning of the stream I thought it was going to be easy and I enjoyed the meetings and the starting of the tasks, as the tasks started getting challenging I kept thinking if I had made a mistake choosing this stream.

17. Halfway Stage After thinking this, getting the newsletter out and the challenges that came with it made the experience more enjoyable. I started to reflect on the challenges and the workload and saw that this is what the real word is like. Nothing is easy and I will face challenges in any work environment and getting over them is an accomplishment. The challenges and problems started to occur more frequently now but with the support given I was able to overcome them.

18. My Views – The End of the Stream Seeing the module guide stating work experience I was literally dreading the module. As time went on and the workload started and the late nights came. I knew that this stream was very beneficial for me. It showed me that work is not easy as you assume it might be. This stream has really helped me in improving my skills and got me thinking more about my career in a very positive way.

19. If I had to give advice to any student who was thinking of picking this stream it would be : This stream is a very good for those who would like to see the creative side as it is not easy but prepares you for the real world. The challenges and overcoming the problems makes you want to work hard and achieve more.