The learning of others

The learning of others - students as 'learning facilitators'

School of Social Sciences

Dr Faith Tucker

This project will develop resources to help students to recognise and develop their geographical skills through reflection and practice. Through applying for and undertaking a role in facilitating the geographical learning of others, students will develop skills of reflection, analysis, presentation and organisation, gain valuable work experience and become independent learners. Students will keep reflective diaries of their development as 'learning facilitators' and integrate this into their personal development planning.

Working closely with Careers Advisors, the project will develop transferable learning resources (including materials suitable for use within Virtual Learning Environments) on reflective learning, career planning and methods of facilitating the learning of others, that are embedded within personal development planning. The project will build upon existing work on 'geographers as teachers' by providing opportunities for students to gain experience of facilitating others' learning in a range of work-based contexts. Opportunities to facilitate others' learning within schools and voluntary organisations (through The University of Northampton's nationally recognised 'Community Volunteers' programme) will be available, as will opportunities for working with peers in both classroom and fieldwork contexts.

This project will develop materials to help broaden the range of environments in which work-based learning may take place. Materials will be trialled with a 'cascading partner(s)' in 2006/7. The project responds to government initiatives and the university's Strategic Plan with respect to personal development planning and reflective learning. Information about the project will be disseminated through internal dedicated webpages, external websites, seminars, conference papers and publications. Links will be made with other HEIs and five selected HEA Subject Centres. This project is embedded within the university's Learning and Teaching Strategic Aims and therefore this will ensure the sustainability of the work.