WORKSHOPS (60 minutes)
Why and how you matter: learning development as everyday leadership
Maria Kukhareva and Carina Buckley
University of Bedfordshire and Solent University
Abstract:
For the learning developers, operating within the third space brings its rewards, but also well-documented challenges, such as uncertainty around own professional identity; own place in the institutional culture and infrastructure; entitlement to CPD; and career progression trajectory (Silvey, Pejcinovic and Snowball, 2018; Obexer, 2020; Clark, 2021).
Learning Developers may find themselves grappling with finding ways to capture and evidence impact of their activity on their students’ academic and broader experience and proving their worth to their institution and the sector on the whole (Riggio, 2020).
Our institutions may feel like worlds of academic standards and managerial constraints, neither of which helps reinforce the feeling of empowerment and belonging among learning developers.
Everyday leadership, as a position and behaviour of choice, can help navigate these challenges, at individual, institutional and LD community levels. Everyday leadership has links with a stronger sense of empowerment, self-fulfilment and belonging – to the collective LD community, and to the institution (Drury, Evripidou, and Van Zomeren, 2015). Everyday leadership implies influence, and therefore, impact.
We borrow our thinking from Cashman (2017) and Whitelaw (2020) and define leadership as extending your energy into “things that matter” (Whitelaw, 2020. NP), to create value for others. Everyday leaders are all individuals, notwithstanding of their status, who “influence others to achieve shared objectives for the good of the collective” (Riggio, 2020, NP).
We invite our participants to explore, and reframe their activity from the angle of everyday leadership – such as influencing peers and students, mentoring peers, initiating or leading a project, speaking up, acting as an active bystander.
We will also be referring to broad themes from the ALDinHE Leadership Community of Practice.
Participants share practice and come up with a range of everyday leadership ‘expressions’ which are meaningful to them, within the context of their value and purpose; empowerment and belonging; influence and impact. Participants are encouraged to commit to one new everyday leadership action/ behaviour.
References
Cashman, K. (2017) Leadership from the Inside Out: Becoming a Leader For Life, 3nd Edition, Berrett-Koehler Publishers
Clark, D. (2021) Third space professionals and the challenge of CPD. Advance HE [Online], 12 May 2021. Available at: https://www.advance-he.ac.uk/news-and-views/third-space-professionals-and-challenge-cpd. Accessed on: 1 January 2023
Drury, J., Evripidou, A., & van Zomeren, M. (2015). Empowerment: The intersection of identity and power in collective action. In D. Sindic, M. Barreto, & R. Costa-Lopes (Eds.), Power and identity (pp. 94–116). Psychology Press
Obexer, R. (2022). Lost in third space: Identity work of a “blended professional” in higher education. Studies in Technology Enhanced Learning, 2(3).
Riggio, R.E. (2020) What Is Everyday Leadership and Why Does It Matter? How each and every one of us can lead in our jobs and communities. Psychology Today[Online] September 5, 2020. Available at: https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/cutting-edge-leadership/202009/what-is-everyday-leadership-and-why-does-it-matter Accessed on: 1 September 2022
Silvey, V., Pejcinovic, L., Snowball, T. (2018). Crossing Divides: Professional Development for Third Space Professionals. In: Bossu, C., Brown, N. (eds) Professional and Support Staff in Higher Education. University Development and Administration. Springer
Whitelaw, G. (2020) The Zen Of Leadership – And How It Can Save You In These Wild Times. Forbes [Online], Oct 2, 2020. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/ginnywhitelaw/2020/10/02/the-zen-of-leadership–and-how-it-can-save-you-in-these-wild-times/?sh=a68e3ed711e9. Accessed on: 1 January 2023
Session outline:
- Opening discussion: Explore the concept and ways in which participants are acting as everyday leaders.
- Activity: participants consider concepts: purpose, values (individual and ALDinHE values), empowerment, identity, belonging, influence and impact. In groups, participants identify what drives their interactions the most and share examples of their activity. Feed back.
- Activity: participants work in pairs in ‘peer coaching’ style and commit to a new ‘everyday leadership’ activity which aligns with their values, purpose and desire to make a difference – in the classroom; in their institution; in the LD community.
- Takeaways: reframed individual and collective LD activity; clearer understanding of own actions as leadership, and how they link to influence, impact and belonging; expanded everyday leadership ‘toolkit’ as a result of shared practice; one new action participants commit to.
“Turn and face the strange”: the challenges of supporting students in an ever-changing revision and exam environment
Moray Bennet, Sam Gridley, and Darryl Taphouse
University of Surrey
Abstract:
In response to the impact of the pandemic, as a team of Learning Developers we have grappled, and still are grappling, with the best way to support students through the ever-changing landscape of revision and exams and help them manage their study wellbeing.
This workshop explores how we have developed revision and exam learning support for students, to address the many variables associated with altering learning expectations whilst transitioning through the pandemic (Aucejo et al., 2020; Means and Neisler, 2021). These variables include uncertainty and unfamiliarity with the types and timings of exams, the range of possible revision and exam strategies and, as Arora, Chaudhary and Singh (2021) explore, the increased stress, pressure and anxiety associated with these ongoing changes. Considering these, we have devised a range of self-directed learning (SDL) opportunities for students to develop personalised revision, exam, and self-care methods, to suit their circumstances. Such SDL opportunities are intended to foster holistic and transformative learning experiences, that enable students to form interpersonal and intrapersonal connections (Du Toit-Brits, 2018). Furthermore, by offering a greater choice of online and in-person SDL opportunities outside of the classroom (e.g., Du Toit-Brits, 2015), we aim to provide an inclusive hybrid learning environment for students (Kantcheva and Bickle, 2023).
We will share our provision development journey from primarily workshop-based activities to the current offerings and invite you to share your institutional experiences of revision and exam support. Specifically, we will discuss the challenges associated with providing effective learning development opportunities and our progression to a more flexible, holistic, and inclusive approach. This new provision includes both virtual and in-person Revision and Exam Zones, themed appointments and drop-ins, and peer support from student mentors, who will also share their perspectives at the workshop. This session will provide a collaborative environment to share examples of learning development practices, to aid students’ development.
Reference List
Arora, S., Chaudhary, P. and Singh, R. (2021) ‘Impact of coronavirus and online exam anxiety on self-efficacy: the moderating role of coping strategy’, Interactive Technology and Smart Education, 18(3), pp. 475-492. Available at: https://doi-org.surrey.idm.oclc.org/10.1108/ITSE-08-2020-0158
Aucejo, E. M., French, J., Ugalde Araya, M. P. and Zafar, B. (2020) ‘The impact of COVID-19 on student experiences and expectations: Evidence from a survey’, Journal of Public Economics, 191. Available at: https://doi-org.surrey.idm.oclc.org/10.1016/j.jpubeco.2020.104271
Du Toit-Brits, C. (2015) ‘Endowing self-directed learning in learning environments: interrelated connection between students’ environments and self-directed preparedness’, Journal of Education studies Special Issue, si-1, pp. 32-52. Available at: https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC187880
Du Toit-Brits, C. (2018) ‘Towards a transformative and holistic continuing self-directed learning theory’, South African Journal of Higher Education, 32(4), pp. 51-65. Available at: https://doi.org/10.20853/32-4-2434
Kantcheva, R.B. and Bickle, E. (2023) ‘Inclusive learning development practices: the consequences of flexibility and choice in the hybrid era’, Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education, 26, pp. 1-8. Available at: https://doi.org/10.47408/jldhe.vi26.886
Means, B. and Neisler, J. (2021) ‘Teaching and learning in the time of COVID: The student perspective’, Online Learning, 25(1), pp. 8–27. Available at: https://doi.org/10.24059/olj.v25i1.2496
Session Plan
Starter activity: 10 mins (images activity)
- How do you feel about providing student support and advice on revision and exam methods?
- How do you think students think about revision and exams?
Background and context: 10 mins
- Background to previous revision and exam provision, including the challenges and opportunities that led to the progression of the current provision. This includes the voice of the Student Mentors.
Breakout activity: 15 mins
- Share experiences of approaches to revision and exam support. Chance for discussion and collaboration.
Group sharing and feedback: 15 mins
- Whole group feedback, identifying key points. Chance for discussion and collaboration.
Moving forward / conclusion: 10 mins Exploring possibilities for development and further investigation.