Practitioner partnership model delivers transformative student learning experience

Practitioner partnership model delivers transformative student learning experience Chris Cutforth Senior Lecturer, Sport

Session purpose To share my 2 years' experiences of delivering a MSc module through an innovative approach involving a partnership with an industry practitioner/ consultant

Background • MSc Leading and Managing PE & Youth Sport, Sports Development • Strategic Policy and Practice module • 5/6 students per year - recent graduates, 3/5 years work experience in PE or sport development roles • 15 credits delivered over 2 weekends (12 hours contact time)

Rationale for the approach • Aspirations for students (leaders of the future) • Subject complexity • My limited knowledge base • My time constraints • My professional relationship with Steve • His interest in the HE sector

Our approach • • • Module content built around the recognised 5 stage strategy process Critique of academic literature (self-directed task) 'Real life' case study and 'model' outcomes framework Role play and character acting - tutors and invited guests Group exercises Discussion/debates Coaching techniques - visualisation, goal setting and motivation Introduction to advanced communication skills Self-directed tasks completed between sessions Signposting to additional academic and professional resources Assessment - critical investigation of an organisation's approach to strategy

Key issues • Interpretation of the definitive document - needs led approach • Going above and beyond • Relinquishing some control, taking calculated risks • Sowing seeds for the future • Aspiration to provide a leading edge, transformative learning experience

Student feedback • "The module was a valuable experience that I have taken back into my workplace and have already applied in my leadership role. I am confident that what I have learnt will further aid my ability to use strategy in the short, medium and long term" • "The learning and teaching methods were innovative and engaged me to think about strategy in a different light. Practical industry knowledge and the academic underpinning enabled me to look at strategy from a number of perspectives" • "Extremely relevant to my current role" • "Having both an academic and a practitioner in the room really brought the content to life. It was also interesting to see that on occasions their viewpoints were different. Worked really well"

Practitioner comments • The approach enablesdthe students to be exposed to leading sport sector strategic concepts & practices (e. g. Outcomes Frameworks) that they wouldn't be able to read about (because little has been written about them yet!) • The approach triggered debate between the tutors & the students, which created energy, engaged the students, challenges & changed their thinking • The approach created the opportunity for real examples & cases studies, which engaged the students and enabled them to develop clarity • The approach allowed practical application of the concepts within the students' organisations. This represented added value for the students & their employers as they can use the Module to generate actual improvement within their organisations. • The approach provided the opportunity to present joined-up thinking relating to organisational excellence. This type of 'system thinking' is as the heart of future success for the sport sector. • The approach gave us the opportunity to develop the type of strategic thinking which will be vital in leaders of the future

The future • MSc Leading and Managing PEYS/SD course currently under review • CIMSPA professional development framework new business opportunities, meeting industry needs • Wider application of innovative teaching approaches to other modules

Thanks for listening - any questions. . ? c. cutforth@shu. ac. uk, ext 5626