Working With Individuals and Groups (WWIG)

This introductory level course covers working and learning with individuals and groups. Its focus is mainly on informal educational practice, although core ideas and processes are applicable in a wide range of situations including, for example, school settings, social care and social work.

The course is taught in the second semester and has a rating of 20 credit points.

On completion of this course participants will be able to:

Articulate key values underpinning work with individuals and groups
Account for and demonstrate the basic tenets of effective communication
Explain basic approaches to working with people in groups
State several key factors affecting group dynamics
Demonstrate familiarity with underpinning theory such as that developed by Rogers, Kolb, Dewey, Adair, Tuckman and Freire.
Explain the significance for learning of the relationship between the individual and their wider social context

Dr John Bamber is the Course Organiser for WWIG

John says:

"This course gives a good basic introduction to working with people in groups. It's a very interactive class, using structured exercises to get people talking and sharing experiences and ideas. Students find the presentation exercise challenging - it is a lot of work outside class time - but they generally gain a great deal from doing it."

You can find out more about John's work and publications at the departmental webpage.

Learning and Teaching Strategies

Problem based learning, lectures and shorter theoretical inputs will employ a variety of methods including audio-visual materials. Students will engage in reflection upon own and others’ experience. There will be opportunities for skill development through roleplay, simulation exercises and other structured experiences. Interactive material will support self-study including course readings. Student led presentations will be used as a basis for group discussion. Students will be expected to complete 3 hours of class contact time, over 11 weeks, approximately 20 hours work on structured study tasks including assessment and approximately 50 hours of self-directed study.

Assessment

Students will work in small groups to prepare a presentation refering to the theoretical and practical elements of the course, to demonstrate their understanding of basic processes of working with people in groups. Following the presentation, groups will submit an account (500 words) of the process of working in the group to include:

the group contract
minutes of meetings
summary of contribution of each member
overall comment on issues arising in working as a group
individual comments on contribution and learning

CUE has been developed at the University of Edinburgh by John Bamber and Clara O'Shea as part of the Student Recruitment and Admissions 'Transitions' Project in 2006/7. For further information on CUE and on CUE: Community Education contact: John Bamber, Department of HIgher and Community Education, Moray House School of Education, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH8 8AQ, Tel.: +44 - (0)131 - 651 6116, E-mail: john.bamber@ed.ac.uk

Website updated: June 19, 2008