Community and Collaboration

Jackie Stewart and Pauline Brown

School of Education

May 2013

Interview Process for B Ed Early liaison with schools, eg ASPIRENorth. Attendance at

Recruitment Events, and hosting parents/prospective students throughout the year.

At interview, we look for suitability for the profession. Interviews are done in collaboration with staff from the School of Education and local Head Teachers, underlining professional partnerships.

Candidates are aware of the selection process and so value the offer of a place on the course.

113 places, 786 applications (2013 entry) Prospective students will already have had experience in schools

and so will have a sense of being part of the ITE experience.

“Getting Off to a Good Start” Welcome pack sent out to students over summer, along with joining

instructions Staff (both Academic and Admin) attend Freshers’ Fayre, along with

current students, to meet and greet and give information 2012/13 “Getting off to a Good Start” event marked the start of the degree

programme, made students feel welcome (tea and scones!) and collaborative activities gave early opportunity to make friends

In collaboration with Blackwells, staff set up a book stall so that students could buy packs of course texts at reduced cost. This was timed to coincide with signing up for tutorial groups. This helped students orientate.

Early meeting with PPA (Personal and Professional Adviser) “Welcome” lecture as part of induction week Structured orientation process and support system allows informal support

to flourish

Learning How To Learn

Experienced tutors model and practice inclusive and supportive pedagogy

Tutorials are designed to develop collaborative ways of working. Examples: student groups leading tutorials, peer assessment, community investigation leading to group poster presentation

Learning Community As students need to depend on each other in order to carry

out learning activities, effective working relationships are formed. Collaborative working also leads to the development of close personal friendships.

Attendance is key for effective collaboration and working relationships

• Our students also participate in community projects within the local area, such as working with local children in after-school ‘homework clubs’ and playing football with them on Saturday mornings. These intense experiences help our students develop a sense of ‘vocation’

• Students on the current B Ed course have a common goal….they want to be teachers. Common goals are a key element of a successful, cohesive community.

University Classroom

CollaborationAcross the four years, students continue to work

collaboratively, for example in years one and two, they work in schools in pairs in year two they plan and deliver a ‘Creativity Conference’

for local children in year three they work on paired assessments with

children in schools, create a University Classroom in MacRobert

in year four they plan and present a learning conference, participate in an ATLAC elective (Arts as a Tool for Learning Across the Curriculum)

Buddy System/Induction Programme

Year 2 buddies for Year 1 studentsInitial meeting during induction programme,

usually followed by other meetings throughout the year

‘Like’ buddiesOther support systems include Education

Society, Class Reps, Staff Student Liaison Committee

“At present, it seems fair to conclude that human beings are fundamentally and pervasively motivated by a need to belong, that is, by a strong desire to form and maintain enduring interpersonal attachments”

(Baumeister and Leary, 1995, p522)

Year 3 and 4 School Experience and Transition Workshops

Transition: Formal support vehicle where students pair and share experiences and advice

Tutors present ‘team’ lecture where they introduce themselves (if necessary!) look at aspects of the year ahead, including offering significant dates for diary and book lists

Year 4 students support year 3 students while on school placement

GraduationTutors attend graduation ceremony and ball…In years to come, tutors and students will find

themselves working together again; this time to support a new generation of student teachers

Full circle… a sustainable, cyclical process

“Students are more likely to complete their studies successfully if they feel part of a community”

(University of Aberdeen Scottish Funding Council Outcome Agreement, March 2013)

BibliographyBaumeister, R.F. And Leary M.R. (1995) The Need to

Belong: Desire for Interpersonal Attachments as a Fundamental Human Motivation in Psychological Bulletin 1995, Vol. 117, No. 3, 497-529

Hobson , A.J. & Malderez, A. (Eds.) (2005) Becoming a Teacher: Student Teachers‘ Motives and Preconceptions, and Early School-based Experiences During Initial Teacher Training (ITT) University of Nottingham Research Report RR673

University of Aberdeen Scottish Funding Council Outcome Agreement, March 2013