Evaluating the most effective advice and support mechanisms for progressing an

individual from student to classroom volunteer, in the WEA

Nicola Thorpe (Workers’ Educational Association)

This project has been developed and supported by the Foundation's Practitioner Research Support

Programme and the East Midlands Centre for Excellence in Teacher Training (emCETT)

Evaluating the most effective advice and support mechanisms for progressing an individual from student to classroom volunteer, in the WEA

Nicola Thorpe (Workers’ Educational Association)

Research Summary

Moving some of our students on into a volunteer role is something we in the WEA actively

encourage, and such a progression route is fundamentally ‘democratic’ in its intention. It is

part of our organisation’s ‘mission’ that students should advocate for, and take ownership

of, their learning, and that of others. How we successfully move an individual from being a

student to becoming a volunteer is however, less clear, particularly in relation to the role of

a classroom volunteer. For instance – what is the role of the tutor in preparing a student

for such a progression route? Should we use peer mentoring as a preparatory, bridging

role? How do we acknowledge and assess an individual’s skills in order to provide the

most appropriate IAG to allow them to progress onto classroom volunteering? Perhaps a

responsive and realistic ‘support and progression’ toolkit could be embedded within the

wider context of learning: this research project will test this theory.

Research Outline / Tasks

1. To identify and work with a small number of current WEA students, who have

expressed an interest in becoming a WEA classroom volunteer

2. To use a variety of support tools to assess and monitor their journey towards WEA

volunteering over two academic terms.

3. To evaluate the effectiveness of the support tools used, and discuss their

appropriateness within the context of informal adult learning.

4. To make recommendations as to how field staff, tutors and the students themselves

can best facilitate the student volunteer progression.

5. To model potential progression routes into, volunteering, and highlight the need for

support at crucial stages within the journey (with emphasis on what that support

might look like).

Explaining the implementation of a ‘Case Study’ approachThe two students chosen for participation in this research project were selected by

recommendation from WEA field and teaching staff, and both agreed to participate after an

initial meeting with myself. Choosing to undertake research centred on a small number of

subject case studies was a preferable methodology in this project and there are a number

of reasons for this:-

The nature of the research acknowledges that the route from student volunteer is

part of a transformational process that requires an investment of both time and

resource. (Therefore the smaller the number of students targeted the more detailed

the research could be).

The researcher could test a number of support ‘tools’ over a fixed period, and draw

conclusions on their effectiveness with information coming directly from the

students. (The researcher could implement a trial-and-error process, informed by

the students’ needs and reflections).

The research favours qualitative data, which will enable the project to define what

represents improved practice in supporting student volunteer progression (McNiff

& Whitehead 2009).

Any future recommendations for the researcher’s organisation would be

contextualised by ‘real’ case study evidence from WEA students.

The two students chosen for participation in this research project had already expressed

an interest* in becoming a WEA classroom volunteer, but both acknowledged that this was

a future aspiration.

*How had they done this? What mechanisms do we have in place to identify that WEA

students may wish to enter a WEA volunteering role?

Below is an extract from a WEA Individual Learning Plan. During the students’ assessment of

their progress and achievements at the end of a WEA course (which typically lasts for 11

weeks), they are asked to comment on what they plan to do next and as you will see one of the

options is to become a WEA volunteer.

Figure 1: Extract from WEA Individual Learning Plan 14/15

The two students’ ‘position’ and potential ‘distance’ to be travelled on the progression

journey from student volunteer made them ideal candidates for this research project.

What do I mean by a ‘Progression Journey’ into volunteering? What might one look like?

Is a progression journey the same for everyone?

What might hinder or help a student’s ‘Progression Journey’ into volunteering?

The diagram below tries to make some sense of these questions.

Figure 2: Possible Progression Journey into Volunteering

Considering the individualised responses to the factors highlighted in the above diagram, and

the order in which they may occur, could enable us to understand how our students can be

supported to realise their own progression route into volunteering.

The diagram clearly identifies points at which support could be implemented, the remainder of

this report will seek to explore the format that support could take, and who (within our

organisation) could help facilitate the student’s journey into volunteering.

An individual’s

Extant Skills

An Individual’s Motivations for Volunteering

Starting Point: An Individual’s WEA Learning Experiences

Identifying Further Get-to-Know / Get-to-

Learn Opportunities

Understanding of a Volunteer Role in the WEA, and how they might

fulfil it

Recognition & Value

Finding a ‘Match’

Skills Development & Support

Taking Action & Asking Questions

Acknowledging & Removing Barriers

End Point: Individual

progressing into a

Volunteer IAG & Peer Mentoring

Student ProfilesNB: Although both students with whom this research was carried out agreed to participate

fully in the project, for the purposes of this report their identities will be protected, and they

will, henceforth, be referred to a Student A and Student B.

Student A Student BLearning Background: Student A is currently a

student on our Family Learning programme. She

has completed a number of Family Learning

courses over the two years she has been a WEA

student.

Learning Background: Student B is currently a

student on our targeted programme, and is a

client of one of our partner organisations. He has

completed a number of courses on humanity

subjects and healthy lifestyles over the last four

years.

Reasons for Agreeing to Participate in the Research: Student A would like to become a

WEA volunteer, but acknowledges that this is a

future aspiration. She has requested support to

help her identify short and medium term goals to

help make steps towards this longer term goal of

becoming a WEA Classroom Volunteer.

Reasons for Agreeing to Participate in the Research: Student B is frequently asked to

support his peers in the classroom, but feels he’d

like to strike a balance between achieving his

own learning goals, and supporting those of

others. Student B has expressed an interest in

becoming a WEA Classroom Volunteer, but feels

he’d like to formalise his skills development (as a

peer mentor) to enable him to progress onto a

volunteering role.

Summary of Support Package Developed:1. Initial Discussion, with Student and Tutor –

using Coaching Cycle.

2. Summary of Short, Medium and Long Term

Goals, with Short term targets identified on a

Summary of Support Package Developed1. Initial Discussion with Student and Tutor –

using the Coaching Cycle.

2. 3 Stage Skills Development Programme for

Peer Mentoring implemented (weekly monitoring

Personal Development Plan (PDP), twinned

with goals on Individual Learning Plan3. Review of PDP (part of Coaching Cycle), and

development of medium term Action Plan

and completion of SWOT4. Review of Support Tool-Kit

undertaken by student & tutor).

3. Next steps Review Meeting completed with

student.

What might an effective support toolkit look like?

In the summary table above, I have highlighted the tool-kit developed and used for this research. I

intend now to share template examples of the specific tools used, these include:

1. Coaching Cycle

2. Personal Development Plans

3. Self Assessment Wheel

4. Action Plans

5. SWOT Analysis

6. 3-Stage Skills Development (for Peer Mentors)

7. Enrolment on a WEA ‘Skills for Volunteers’ Course

I also intend to explore the reasons for choosing these support tools, drawing upon wider research

findings to support the case, and explore how they worked in practice.

1. The Coaching Cycle: There are numerous examples of the coaching cycle available in books

and online. I chose to use the example shown below (see figure 3), because it outlined the 4 key

stages through which I would approach my work with the students.

The basis for successful coaching is an honest and

transformational alliance between coach and learner,

where the framework (or cycle) is action-based, goal-

orientated and involves a two-way process of active

listening, powerful questioning, problem-solving, self-

regulation and observation (Griffiths 2005). What

coaching does, alongside the other tools explored

here, is empower the individual to make choices and

to take ownership. The coach merely facilitates the

process and remains on-hand to prompt discussion

and reflection.

Figure 3: Example of the Coaching Cycle (after Hauser 2015)

2. The Personal Development Plan (PDP): The PDP allows a student / tutor (or coach) to

formalise and document the coaching cycle. The purpose of a PDP is to record the dialogue

between student and tutor (or coach) wherein goals are identified and action is planned

appropriate to the individual (Bullock & Jamieson 1998). The chosen structure of the PDP in this

instance was developed around short, medium and long terms goals. It proved successful in

eliciting student reflection and goal setting. It allowed the student to record where progress had

been made towards achieving the goals, to reflect, and where necessary set new goals. Below are

extracts from the PDP developed with Student A, its format included the following:-

Short term Goals (which included a list of suggested tasks, and a form to monitor & reflect

upon achievement)

Figure 4: Extract from PDP (completed with Student A)

Medium term Goals (with 3 key milestones) and a Long Term Goal / Aspiration

Figure 5: Extract from PDP (completed with Student A)

As you can see from Figure 4, the personal development plan helps to place the student’s personal goals within the context of their current learning opportunities, and seeks to make the goals achievable within a WEA course.

Completing the PDP with identifiable ‘tasks’ also helps the tutor envisage how (alongside course learning objectives) the wider personal development of a student can be addressed.

In this instance Student A identified 3 key skills that she wanted the opportunity to develop, and with the support of the tutor, identified, where within the classroom environment she could develop those skills.

Other students may also be able to identify opportunities, outside of classroom learning environment, where they could develop such skills.

3. Self Assessment Wheel: As part of the emCETT research process, I was introduced to a visual

assessment tool known as a self assessment wheel, which enables the user to assess their starting points (shown as grey on figure 6), and measure the distance travelled (shown as red

lines on figure 6) after the goals have been achieved. This Self Assessment Wheel can help

inform coaching discussions with students, and can prove a useful tool for self reflection, and well

as self assessment and review (Harvey-Lloyd 2013).

Confidence - contributing verbally in class

Confidence - answering questions in class

Confidence - leading a debate

Presenting Information - reading a piece aloud

Presenting Information - being the group spokesperson

Presenting Information - presenting work I have researched at home

Helping others - assigning people tasks

Helping others - asking people questions

0

2

4

Short Term Goals Reflection Wheel

Scaling: 1 is low, 3 is high,

How confident do you feel with....?

Figure 6: Example of a completed Self Reflection Wheel based on the short-term goals set by Student A.

The Self Assessment Wheel is a more innovative assessment tool, and particularly suits visual

learners, and those who respond to a quantifiable representation of their learning. NB: typically the

WEA uses Likert Scale of A-C or 1-10 as a way of measuring learning (included on the ILP), and

although the Likert scale has many advantages (such as ease of use) it can attract ‘opinion’ based

judgements that are not easily qualified by tangible examples (Kothari 2004).

Figure 7: Extract from Individual Learning Plan, showing the use of the Likert Scale for self assessment

4. Action Planning

An Action Plan is another means of formalising short and medium term goals. It can be used to

document goals, and can also enable the tutor / coach to signpost and support the student in

achieving those goals.

In the example of Student A, the Action Plan was implemented to support her facing a difficult

transition in her personal circumstances, where the medium term goals identified on her Personal

Development Plan (see Figure 5) became more immediate and thus required more focus. The

Action Plan enabled the tutor / coach to signpost at the coaching meeting and use ‘how to’ advice

to empower the student to make choices for themselves (see figure 7).

Coaching theory identifies that there is a point in the cycle whereby a student becomes familiar

with using newly acquired action-planning skills and may respond confidently to alternative forms

of target setting; specifically more self-orientated planning tools (Griffiths 2005). Used in

combination with a SWOT analysis, in may be possible to achieve a more results-orientated

developmental tool (Helms & Nixon 2010).

Figure 7: Action Plan for Student A (Implemented after 3 months of coaching).

NB: It is important to acknowledge that there is currently the facility within our tracking and assessment process for individual students to set themselves tailored learning goals (see figure 8). It may be necessary to support tutors to enable them to confidently use this pre-existing facility to manage and monitor goals directly related to student volunteer progression.

Figure 8: Extract from Individual Learning Plan, highlighting individual goal setting.

4. SWOT Analysis

A SWOT analysis encourages the user to consider their Strengths (S), Weaknesses (W),

Opportunities (O) and Threats (T), and this can be contextualised within their own learning,

achievement and progression. The user’s responses to these points are captured in a table, such

as that shown in figure 9.

Figure 9: Example of a template SWOT Analysis (available from creately.com)

The SWOT analysis process acknowledges that there are factors, both internal and external that

may influence a student, and their learning journey. In the example of Student A, it was important

to introduce a support tool that enabled her to balance both positive and negative factors that had

the potential to affect her progression and the achievement of her goals and aspirations.

Though there are advantages to using SWOT analysis in conjunction with tools such as Action

Plans, it is important to recognise how the process may reveal issues that both the student and

tutor may not be equipped to deal with.

The important message to accompany the introduction of a SWOT analysis is that the content is

not fixed, and it can be improved or overcome, in order to make new and more positive

opportunities (Best, Craven & O’Donnell 2011).

5. 3-Stage Skills Development (for Peer Mentoring)

The process and toolkit implemented with Student B was different to that offered to Student A,

because of the different circumstances presented by their learning opportunities. Student B was

routinely being asked by his tutor to adopt a peer mentoring role, but was finding differentiating

between his role as a student, and that as a peer mentor challenging. Student B wanted to know

what the different ‘roles’ should look like, and wanted ultimately to formalise his role as a peer

mentor to be able to develop skills to become a classroom support volunteer. The support package

began with an observation of a learning session – whereby it was crucial to identify the potential

conflicts arising from Student B’s ‘dual’ role.

An interesting and useful starting point for supporting Student B was to help to try to define the

differences between being a student and group member and a peer mentor. As a student and a

group member Student B would adopt a particular role in the classroom. He would seek to realise

his own learning goals, persuade others in the class to embrace his ideas, he would routinely take

the lead in group work. In the available literature, there is a diverse appreciation of the

requirements and role of a peer mentor, however, in the case of Student B, as a peer mentor, he

would seek to help and encourage others to understand, enjoy and appreciate their learning.

Student B started by articulating how he saw his role as a Peer Mentor ...“to help other people in the group to learn.”

Through observation and discussion it was established that Student B achieved this by ... “telling others what to do, and making sure they adopted my ideas.”

NB: this peer mentor role was modelled directly from the Classroom Learning Volunteer role description shown below.

Classroom Learning Volunteer

In this role, you will help engage and encourage students in their studies. You will be based in the classroom but you may have the chance to go on study visits with the students.

Main Tasks

Helping students understand, appreciate and enjoy the topicHelping and encouraging students in the classroom and during study visits.Helping with the preparation of learning materials –such as photocopying and making displays.Helping students to file their hand-outs, and to record information in their learning journals.Helping with the set-up and tidying of the classroom.Helping the tutor record classroom activities –such as taking pictures.

Figure 10: Extract from WEA Classroom Volunteer Role Description

Student B acknowledged he would seek to achieve this through compromise – moving from a

position where he desired to control learning of his peers to guiding their learning, to encouraging a

move to independent learning. It is recognised that peer mentoring, in whatever form it takes, can

and should adopt a facilitative ethos, rather than a purely hierarchical one (Colvin & Ashman

2010).

In order to support Student B in his development of his peer mentor role, it was necessary to

devise a 3-staged approach to supporting learning. Student B would reflect upon his peer

mentoring duties after each session, and comment upon the following three themes:-

Understanding learning

Achieving learning

Enjoying Learning

Student B would assess how he was mentoring (and supporting) his mentees, and think critically

about whether it was 1) controlled, 2) guided or 3) moving towards being independent. The chart

shown in figure 10 would help provide prompts for the student. Co-incidentally the chart also

enabled the tutor to frame the tasks she assigned Student B, so she too could support his skill

development and awareness.

Figure 10: Framework for 3-staged skills development for peer mentoring.

6. Enrolment on a WEA ‘Skills for Volunteers’ Course

I wanted part of the research and toolkit to consider and incorporate pre-existing support

opportunities for students wishing to progress onto a volunteering role, so I decided to visit and

observe the delivery of a WEA Skills of Volunteers course.

The course is not solely aimed at students aiming to become WEA volunteers, those accessing

this course desire to progress onto a whole host of volunteering opportunities.

What the course offers is a transformational learning experience with demonstrable, life-changing

outcomes for each and every student. It emphasises the value of an individual’s life-experience,

and gives them the tools to recognise and articulate these skills and experiences. An ethos built

around recognition, value, improvement and self empowerment, sits very aptly alongside the other

support mechanisms outlined in this research.

It is crucial for tutors to be aware of this opportunity for their students, and for them to seek to

actively signposting all students, who may be interested in becoming volunteers, to this course, as

it presents a positive model for nurturing new volunteers, from all backgrounds.

Figure 11: Advertisement for Skills for Volunteers Course

A brief consideration of wider debate around Informal Adult Learning and Pastoral Support and Guidance

It is clear that the tool-kit detailed above can enhance and formalise the wider pastoral support

needs of our students, particularly those who are keen to progress into a WEA volunteering roles.

However, there are wider issues around the responsibilities and expectations of pastoral support

for students undertaking informal learning in the lifelong learning sector. My research raised lots of

questions that I was unable to answer in the time I had to spend undertaking my research, but

never-the-less they are important considerations to make, if advocating the availability and

implementation of a suitable, wider support and progression tool kit. I have been fortunate to be

able to articulate my findings and ask these wider questions to key personnel within my

organisation. It is clear that the questions require much more detailed consideration however the

answers may influence to the future value of this research within my organisation, and thus will be

explored here for the purposes of exploring the wider debates underpinning my research.

It was a challenge to find much suitable research or extensive commentary on these issues,

however perhaps guidance could be sought from statements included in recent government

reviews on informal learning to justify continued research and development into such matters.

Recommendations such as informal learning should create pathways towards positive outcomes

relevant to individuals and which develops and evidences social and economic capital at an

individual, family and community level (see BIS 2011) may help the sector develop more wrap-

As a long time tutor in an adult education setting I have become acutely aware that

attendance to informal learning courses frequently transforms peoples' lives. Within the

context of specific course / subject learning this 'transformation' is managed very effectively by

tutors, through the use of Individual Learning Plans and progress discussions. However, to

what extent should the wider personal transformation (directly resulting from student

experiences on adult education courses) be acknowledged and supported? Do we, as

educators in informal learning settings indeed have any obligation or remit to do this, and, if so

to what extent? Are we clear and consistent about where our individual and organisational

responsibilities lie in terms of wider pastoral support? Do tutors think wider pastoral support is,

or should be part of their role? Do we recognise good practice around wider pastoral support?

Or even do we indeed capture how much wider pastoral support is undertaken within our

sector / our organisation? Is it quantifiable? Is there an impact measure we could be utilising?

around responses to supporting, evidencing and reviewing learning for self / skills development,

and recognise how learning is not necessarily confined to a particular subject matter.

At-a-Glance Summary of Support Toolkit

Support Tool Used Summary of Purpose / Value

Coaching Cycle A discursive framework to structure progression IAG.

Enables tutor / coach to facilitate discussions. Student takes

responsibility for goal setting, monitoring and review.

Personal Development Plan A proforma to document short, medium and long term goals.

Enables the tutor / student to identify how goals are achievable

within current learning context.

Self Assessment Wheel An alternative self-assessment and self-review tool. Suited to

visual learning, gives more tangible evidence of distance travelled

in relation to goals / targets.

Action Plan An alternative to a Personal Development Plan – can help

signpost students and offer choices. Monitoring of tasks / goals

undertaken by student. Could help structure post-course

progression options.

SWOT Analysis A means of exploring both positive and negative internal and

external factors influencing achievement and progression.

Likely to be used in conjunction with an Action Plan or Personal

Development Plan.

3-stage Skills Development

Framework

A means of supporting the skills development and progression of

a classroom peer mentor. Can help establish expectations of

‘role’ for both mentor and tutor. Raises an awareness of the

‘mechanics’ of learning, and helps mentor reconcile their potential

‘dual’ role in the classroom.

Conclusions

The purpose of this research was to highlight an issue facing some of our current students (and the

tutors supporting them), and to suggest, trial and evaluate possible solutions to that issue.

It is not anticipated or advocated that the toolkit recommended here should be used routinely by all

tutors in supporting the progression of students. As previously highlighted the current combination

of Individual Learning Plans and IAG discussions are often sufficient to support a student’s

progression. However, in some cases, a familiarity with a wider support toolkit is required, and

making these resources available to staff dealing with IAG issues, can ensure that we respond in

an appropriate way.

What is important to acknowledge is that research shows adopting a broader view of learning and

developing volunteering skills that goes beyond courses and workshops and which may include

coaching, peer mentoring, and developmental needs is crucial to meeting the needs (and

expectations) of would-be volunteers (Kerka 2003). What the resources used in this research have

shown is that IAG around progression routes into volunteering can be used to empower individual

students, and cement a process wherein the tutor merely facilitates wider pastoral support, and the

emphasis is placed on the student using a toolkit to enable them to recognise, value and improve

their skills and experiences.

“I want to make the connections between what I am learning and my future aspirations” Student A

“How can I record the extra support and advice I routinely provide for my students?” “How can I help them be more independent?” Tutor A

“How can my role as a peer mentor help me progress to

be a WEA volunteer?” Student B

“The coaching cycle means I am able to structure the support I give, and the student is clear of their individual responsibilities. They have become less needy and more proactive” Tutor A.

“I now think carefully about the peer mentoring tasks I am delegating to (Student B), and the materials help frame our discussions and set appropriate goals” Tutor B

“I have realised I needed to compromise more, and recognise that helping others learn,

helps me learn too – I have learned new skills, and learned a lot more about myself and I now understand that the process of

learning is different for everyone.” Student B

“I thought becoming a volunteer would happen overnight. I now know not to rush into something I

am not ready for – instead I am learning to enjoy the journey and I now understand much more about who I am and what I want to do with my future.”

Student A

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