The Scholarship of Engagement for Politics: A Research-Based

Approach to Placement Learning

Alasdair BlairDe Montfort University

andSteven Curtis

London Metropolitan University

The project team

Staff from the Politics and IR departments of the University of Warwick, Oxford Brookes University and Coventry University.

Transferability partners: the Politics and IR departments of the University of Huddersfield, the University of Leeds, Keele University, and London Metropolitan University.

Existing models of placement learning

Our survey of Politics and IR departments found: 28 out of 94 departments used placements. Three ideal types focused on employability:• ‘The Brunel sandwich.’• ‘The Westminster model’ (Norton).• The work placement module.

Lengthy duration and possible social exclusion.

‘Free-floating’ quality: often not embedded.

Model

Attributes

The Brunel Sandwich The Westminster model Work placement module

Description Students take the third year out of their studies for work

experience

The third year of a four year legislative studies degree

spent with MP in Westminster

Module, usually at level 3, assessing work placement

Universities Aston, Bath, Brunel, De Montfort, Glamorgan, Kent,

Leeds, Manchester Metropolitan

Hull, Leeds, Salford Cork, East Anglia, Exeter, Greenwich, Huddersfield, Limerick, Liverpool John

Moores, London Met, Middlesex, Queens Belfast,

Sheffield Hallam, Surrey, Swansea, Westminster, West of England, Wolverhampton

Duration One year One year or one semester Varies. Usually at least one month full time, often at least ten weeks or more

Placement organised by Student Academic staff Student

Integration into course Varies. Often very low High Varies

Enhancement of employability

High Very high and tailored for careers in politics

Medium

Potential for adoption across HEIs

Medium Low – there are only 646 MPs High

A new approach

Short (5 to 16 days), local, during term time. Embedded in the curriculum (EU, British

politics or independent study module). A research-based approach (Boyer):• Researching politics in action.• Undertaking a research project for

placement provider. Placement learning, not work placements.

What have we learned?

Practical issues: setting up placements, partnership agreements and assessment.

Enriching students’ understanding of politics.

Personal efficacy: political education and employability.

The benefits of blogs (online journaling).

An enriched understanding of politics

Placements illustrated class-based learning.

Placements complemented formal learning.

Prior learning enhanced placement activity.

David’s enriched understanding

Phil learns about local government

Political education and employability

The re-enchantment of politics: Enriched perceptions of politicians and

processes. Enhanced sense of personal efficacy (including

out of knowledge from studies).

Politics as a vocation: A broader range of options. Finding entry points (e.g., local government). Relevant experience: first step on ladder.

Helen: knowledge in practice

Anna: preparation for employment

The benefits of blogging

Promotes creativity (“a self-expression session”); flair and humour in “writing for publication”; use of photos; and reflection on politics, not personal feelings.

Students are more likely to keep journals up to date, producing a better record for their essays and reports.

Facilitates remote monitoring of placements. Enables student interaction.

Andy: blogging as a release

Remote monitoring of placements

Blogs permit rapid identification of problems with placements and immediate intervention.

Remote monitoring enhances students’ sense of ownership of their placements, along with feelings of autonomy and responsibility.

We were able to insert comments into the students’ blogs, spurring deeper reflection.

Calls for intervention

Like the previous time he said he would look into arranging a monday at [the placement provider’s office in London] however as yet he hasn't done [sic] contacted the people involved.

(excerpt from Stuart’s blog)

i made a firend today, there are lots of ppl here doing short placements and im goin to go sight seeing with her on friday as i ahve the day off!

(excerpt from Shelley’s blog)

Lucie and Natasa on autonomy

Spurring deeper reflection

Among our interventions in blogs, we asked students to reflect on and research:The value of traditional political procedures.Institutional resistance to new technology.The extent to which constituents’ letters are in response to parliamentary debates.Whether written questions from one MP to another are about making political points or acquiring information.

Publications to date S. Curtis and A. Blair (eds.), The Scholarship of

Engagement for Politics: Placement Learning, Citizenship and Employability (Birmingham: C-SAP, 2009).

S. Curtis et al., ‘Placement Blogging: The Benefits and Limitations of Online Journaling’, ELiSS: Enhancing Learning in the Social Sciences, Vol. 1, No. 3, 2009.

S. Curtis et al., ‘Making Short Politics Placements Work,’ Politics, Vol. 29, No. 1, 2009.

P. Sherrington et al., ‘Research-Led Placements in Politics: A New Approach?’ European Political Science, Vol. 7, No. 2, 2008.