The Scholarship of Engagement for Politics: A Research-Based Approach to Placement Learning Alasdair...
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Transcript of The Scholarship of Engagement for Politics: A Research-Based Approach to Placement Learning Alasdair...
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.