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Inclusivity skills in group work for academic outcomes and employability Theo Gilbert PhD Candidate, University of Hertfordshire, England . HELEN PAYNE, PhD Professor of Psychotherapy, Arts, Counselling and Psychotherapy Research Group, School of Psychology, University of Hertfordshire.
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Inclusivity skills in group work for academic outcomes and employabilityTheo GilbertPhD Candidate, University of Hertfordshire, England. HELEN PAYNE, PhD Professor of Psychotherapy, Arts, Counselling and Psychotherapy Research Group, School of Psychology, University of Hertfordshire MARY THORNTON, PhD OSCAR ODENA, PhD Professor of Education, Reader in Education, EdD Programme Director SFHEA, National Teaching Fellow 2004 National Teaching Fellow, 2004 University of Hertfordshire University of Hertfordshire
An Action Research Project (2009-2012): 24 tutors, 4 HEI’s – Law, Art and Design, Business School, Education, and HumanitiesUH: 3 schools, 19 tutors, 350 students
IN CLASS GROUP WORKWhat do my fellow students most value in me that I contribute to their development?What is it that I most value from my fellow students that they contribute to my development? sm
Monopolising • Locking eye contact • Not grading language • Not reading • Not contributing
Impact on Group cohesion and student experience?Example: eye contact • When you’re in a group of half a dozen you need to be looking at everybody equally when you speak (L6) • It makes you think your point could be valid… so you speak. (L4) • Why were we not given all this in the first year? (L6) • I wish - Looking back it could have made such a difference to my undergrad seminars – it’s a shame (PG)
Reward of proactive compassion in assessed small group discussion? Impacts on: • Quality of academic output • Academic standards
Group critical thinking T4: “The intervention group – in terms of the questions they came up with - were better than the first group, even though some of the individuals in the first group [the non intervention group] were stronger than in the second [intervention] group; [I ] got many more, - many, many more [questions] from the intervention group.”
Criteria for assessment of UG/PG interaction • For 1st class in the category: Excellent use of eye contact and inclusive body language; eliciting, encouraging and acknowledging the contributions of others; asking for clarity or elaboration; checking the understanding of the group.
And at the other end? • Body language signals little or no interest in what is said by others, or may focus on one other student only. Either monopolises or makes little contribution to discussion. Speaks too fast, or inaudibly.
Three External Examiners for the UH • I don't have an issue with this at all... some of the questions I had have been addressed; the context and the application is clear. (Business) • It isn’t just an assessment; it is also a learning experience. (Business) • This is sensitive, innovative work by the teaching team. (Literature)
Merged cognitive processes • Your contributions were always productive and thought-provoking, and the way in which you often brought the analysis back to [the topic] was very useful indeed… you were responsive to the contributions of others, and your …direct questions … played a key role in maintaining the momentum of the discussion. (UH Lit)
Quality of group academic output T14: [They] gelled as a group and they did bring the quieter ones in ….. and, in discussions stronger writers had to concede to them: four or five who were 2:2s in their written work, were asking 2:1, if not 1st class questions. That surprised me. (UH Hist)
Four Inclusivity strategies 1. Unglue the cliques – speed meet quickly 2. Put the negative behaviours on the table • Hand over responsibility to students – you are only one person • In an assessed piece of in class group work – Health and Human, Business School, Humanities …Incorporate reward criteria for the agreed inclusive strategies
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ReferencesChickening, A. W. (2010). A retrospect on higher education’s commitment to moral and civic education. Journal of Collegeand Character,11(3), 1 - 6. Evers, W. Colin., (2007). Culture, Cognitive Pluralism and Rationality Educational Philosophy and Theory. 39 (4) , 364–382 doi:10.1111/j.1469-5812.2007.00345.xKingston, E. (2008b) Emotional Competence and Dropout Rates in Higher EducationEducation and Training. 50 (2), 128-139 Kirkpatrick, L., Neff, K. & Rude, S. (2007). Self-compassion and adaptive psychological functioning. Journal of Research in Personality.41, 139-154. Pitner, Ronald, O., & Sakamoto, I., (2005), The Role of Critical Consciousness in Multicultural Practice: Examining how its strength becomes its Limitation, American Journal of Orthopsychiatry. Vo.l 75, No 4, pp684-694