Paul FitzGerald and Alasdair McMillan University of Leicester

1. Thinking and Communicating like a Psychologist – Embedding personal development and employability into a core pathway for first year psychology students Paul FitzGerald and Alasdair McMillan University of Leicester

2. The spectrum of ‘embeddedness’ Seamlessly integrated Not fully integrated • Stand-alone workshop • Leicester Award (LA) Portfolio optional • Completely delivered by CDS • Relevant workshop content linked in LA e.g. how to write a CV • Co-delivered by module convenors and CDS •  LA learning outcome integrated into a departmental assessment • Students are not aware that specific parts of their module link to the LA • Less delivery by CDS • CDS input is working with module convenor to shape module content and assessment • LA assessment is not recognised as separate

3. Data highlighted psychology students were getting into jobs but not necessarily in the 'highly skilled' category Recognition of transferable skills potentially a problem

4. Key principles agreed... • Collaborative approach (stakeholder involvement) • Levelling opportunity • A 'philosophy agreed' • Hands off 'careers' • Future proofing students

5. TCP1 – Learning outcomes • On completion of this module, students should be able to: • Demonstrate written communication and ICT skills • Search literature, read and analyze scientific papers and synthesize the information therein • Appreciate how science is communicated into academic audiences using both prose text and poster media and how to adapt messages accordingly  • Design and prepare a poster demonstrating an understanding of experimental design • Collaborate with others as part of a team and present in front of an audience • Reflect on, and articulate, motivations, strengths and experience of developing one or more transferable skills

6. TCP2 – Learning outcomes • On completion of this module, students should be able to: • Demonstrate advanced literature searching skills to explore an issue of public policy to inform, argue and present theoretically justified recommendations. • Appreciate and critically compare how psychological science is communicated through different media and its accuracy  • Demonstrate oral communication and debating skills on controversial topics in psychology to the general public and naïve audiences • Appreciation of disseminating information to different audiences, language register, and tone in writing. • Be able to engage in effective group work and identify both strengths and weaknesses in team working communication, leadership, cohesiveness and problem solving. • Be able engage in self-reflection to become an autonomous and self-regulated learner.  • Reflect on and articulate motivations, strengths and experience of developing one or more transferable skills

7. Activity 1 – Establishing the thread • Read through the lecture overviews • In groups think about the elements of employability that could be embedded into each week • Think about what method this embedding would take

8. Thinking & Communicating Like a Psychologist  Activity 2 Working Styles and Teamwork

9. What makes a successful team? Compromise Communication Diverse Skills, Opinions and Strengths Organisation Leadership Cooperation Sharing the Workload Trust Clearly Defined Roles Respect Listening to others

10. Bolton & Bolton: 4 Distinct Working Styles • A simple model that provides a clear understanding or working styles including the one that dominates our own individual behaviour. • Helps us recognise how others may perceive us and the challenges of working across different styles • Operates on 2 axis, the assertiveness axis which is all about dominance and the responsiveness axis which is all about emotion • Four different working styles included in the model determined by the following two questions….. Bolton, R., & Bolton, D. G. (1984). Social style/management style. New York: American Management Association.

11. Assertiveness ‘Tell Directed’ ‘Ask Directed’ • Makes statements more often than asks questions • Speaks fast • Frequently interrupts others • Answers questions immediately • Frequently uses voices for emphasis • Tends to lean forward Note down which describes you better – Are you ‘Tell’ or ‘Ask’ directed? You may not fit all qualities, but which is more accurate • Ask questions more than makes statements • Speaks more slowly • Seldom Interrupts • Pauses before answering questions • Tends to lean backwards

12. Responsiveness ‘People Directed’ ‘Task Directed’ • Varied facial expression • Frequent eye contact while listening • Expansive body movement • Shows a broad range of personal feelings • Uses feeling oriented language Note down which describes you best – Are you ‘People’ or ‘Task’ directed? You may not fit all qualities, but which is more accurate? • Less facial emphasis • Infrequent eye contact • Minimal body language • Less demonstration of personal feelings • Uses fact orientated language • Less vocal variety

13. Greens (Task & Ask) Reds (Task & Tell) Blues (People & Ask) Yellows (People & Tell) Based on your previous answers which of these best represents you? Group yourself with those who have the same working style

14. How do you approach a task? Note down words that you think best describe how you might approach a task

15. How you might like others to see you/ how you see yourself • Precise • Careful • Reserved • Logical • Analytical • Exacting • Efficient • Determined • Direct • Decisive • Warm • Accepting • Patient • Co-operative • Friendly • Energetic • Creative • Open • Optimistic • Fast Reactor

16. Final Thoughts… • Consider how the working styles discussed today might relate to what you learned about yourself via your personality assessment • Have you started to see any of these working styles within your groups already? • Plan how you can work more collaboratively– think about how you perceive others and how they perceive you. • As you progress through your assignment don’t forget to record all the transferable skills you’re developing!

17. Core principles: • students are asked to approach and reflect on their approach to ill-defined problems • Strong emphasis on group work • Reflection

18. Impact? • The move to incorporate 'significant experience' • Significant rise in Leicester Award completion (will be 100% for 19/20 first years) • Communication with other departments • Larger influence of other stakeholders including library and LLI (Leicester Learning Institute)

19. Next – Thinking and communicating like a….

20. In summary… • Narrative/thread • Buy in/collaboration  • Tailored content • Managing expectations for students • Importance of group work and reflection • Academic/Personal/Professional

21. Contact Details • Dr Robin Green – rjg29@le.ac.uk • Dr Diana Pinto – diana.pinto@leicester.ac.uk • Paul FitzGerald – pjf15@le.ac.uk • Alasdair McMillan – aem23@le.ac.uk