Exploring Learner Cohesion

As a lecturer of Employability and Personal Development (E&PD) as well as basic skills for Entry to Employment (e2e) students, I am interested in an aspect of teaching and learning that relates to learner cohesion: conversation as experiential learning and reflective practice.

The February 2009 e2e Programme had three cohorts: Construction, Salon Service and Food and Drink Service. In regard to learner cohesion and the ability of learners to work collectively, some of the cohorts were more cohesive than others. It is my opinion that this could be due to the type of vocational environment learners operate in and whether or not it lends itself to team work such as that of the Food and Drink Service.  In this vocational area students have to work together in a real restaurant setting. It is an experiential learning stimulus that students are exposed to early on in their course, whereby they become actively involved in a process of change. They have to communicate and they have to work together collaboratively in order to achieve a task that is demand led by the customer. In Curzon’s appraisal of the works of Karl Rogers (1902-87), he states:

‘Experiential learning has the following important elements: it possesses a quality of personal involvement and stimulates the feeling and cognitive aspects of personality; it is self-initiated, in that the impetus to learn come from within; it is pervasive and can affect the learner’s entire personality; it is evaluated by the learner as satisfying a need; its essence is ‘meaning’. (Curzon, 2003:p.117)

For this cohort, it has encouraged the sense of belonging and desire to please for rewards within the hierarchical communal space of kitchen and restaurant. This environment creates the incidental but necessary impetus for teambuilding. The hidden agenda and benefit to learner and lecturer is the transference of team working skills learnt to classroom-based activities. It is what Beem describes as  ‘it a shared set of values, virtues, and expectations’ (Beem, 1999:20)

The development of this skill depends upon mutual trust. This need for reciprocal trust is explored by James Coleman (1990:pp.175-196) in his book Foundations of social Theory: Chapter 8: Systems of Trust and Their Dynamic Properties. He suggests it results from an interaction between a trustor and trustee where the balance between potential loss and potential gain forms the basis of common interest between individuals. The dynamics of this communal space provides a forum for receiving positive feedback, which in turn promotes the incentive for individuals to receive more verbal affirmation. Participants involved in this process develop a sense of obligation through which symmetry of commitment arises. Coleman states:

‘As trustor, each makes his contribution to the activity of common interest, trusting that the others will as well; as trustee, each decides whether to keep the trust of the others or to break it by withholding his contribution. (1990:p.189)’

Within this setting the teacher acts as intermediary and facilitator between learners with learners and learners with other established communities of that vocational area. As an arbitrator of any dispute or lack of commitment, the teacher will act as advocate for learners who want to progress onto the next level. It is in the interest of the learner therefore, to show good participation and commitment.

However, other cohorts of the February intake did not aspired to working collaboratively. It is my intention to explore the reasons why at a later date

References:

Beem, C. (1999) The Necessity of Politics: Reclaiming American public life., Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Coleman, J.S. (1990) Foundations of social Theory. Harvard University Press

Curzon. L.B., (2003) Teaching in Further Education: An Outline of Principles and Practice. (6th Ed) London: Continuum