Yesterday, Natalie, Claire and myself, accompanied by Sabine went forth (at a ridiculously early hour in the morning) to Manchester Metropolitan University. We had been invited by Chris Dawson, a lecturer in the Business School there to come along and take a lecture for two of his second year groups all about the joys and rewards of IBL. We did not know quite what to expect or how receptive students would be, but nevertheless we prepared an exciting one and a half hour workshop for them. After much discussion of how this workshop should be structured, we decided that business students more than anyone may be interested in improving their employability skills and so this is the way we decided to introduce IBL to them - as a way to gain these vital skills. Natalie kicked off proceedings by explaining who we were, what CILASS was, and what exactly IBL was. Claire, as our token business student (!) then gave them a great example of an IBL module she did in the Management school here in which she got the opportunity to design Wayne and Coleen Rooney’s wedding, and take part in simulated projects in order to learn skills in project management. I then spoke to the students about how to recognise the IBL they already do in their everyday university lives, especially when conducting library research. (I also managed to slip the seven pillars of information literacy in there, Pam would be proud). We then launched into the most exciting bit - the workshop itself. We asked the students to mind-map the skills they thought could be gained from IBL. We then presented them with a real-life application form for a graduate management scheme at the Co-op, and asked them to fill it in as best they could using the skills they had mind-mapped, plus specific examples they could think of of how they developed these skills at university. Finally, we hosted a small discussion where students had the oppportunity to suggest ways in which IBL could be implemented in their degrees and ways in which they could take action to improve the learning and teaching in their course.
Overall we had an absolutely brilliant day and we all successfully identified our first teaching ‘buzz’ as Sabine calls it! We had a great response from the students who seemed really motivated and engaged throughout the workshop. I think relating IBL to employability is a way of really bringing it ‘down to earth’ for students as this is something they can all relate to. They found the activity of filling in the application incredibly useful, as it was the first time some of them had even looked at one. We had some great suggestions to pass on to Chris from the students, and some even stayed behind to ask about how they could be more involved. We are now considering conducting this workshop at Sheffield as well, as we feel it was very successful. We may even try to liaise with the Careers Service.
Oh, and we had the most fantastic steak sandwich at lunch!
Source: Alison Bestwick