Learning Team Coaching
Imke Buß; Jutta Rump; Janina Kaiser; Melanie Schiedhelm; Petra Schorat-Waly
a) Description of the method (abridged version)
Learning team coaching is an education/learning format that can be combined with guided and autonomous self-study. The focus is not on imparting knowledge by the teacher, but on supporting the acquisition of learning content by providing well-prepared materials and feedback on the learning process. The format can completely or partially replace face-to-face events such as lectures.
What is it good for?
Learning team coaching supports independent learning. Experience shows that self-learning accompanied by coaching can lead to the best study results. Success depends to a large extent on the preparation and attitude of lecturers and students for the new role of coach or self-learner. In addition, the size of the group and the frequency of the coaching meetings are crucial for success.
Procedure
Learning team coaching consists of three recurring phases that are repeated every 2-3 weeks:
1stphase: individual self-learning (individual work)
The students work on the content independently, solve exercises, clarify what they have understood and not understood and formulate questions. The role of the teacher here is to provide reading notes, comprehension questions and integrated exercises.
2nd phase: self-organized learning in a team
Working in a learning team allows students to discuss the text and tasks together with fellow students. In this phase, students should ask questions, discuss the content (critically), support each other and ask questions.
3rd phase: guided learning in a team with the professor
In this phase, a joint meeting is held between the learning team and the professor. The aim is to deepen and consolidate what has been learned and there is the opportunity to discuss open questions and close gaps in understanding. In this context, coaching refers to the professor's support for the learning process and the development of knowledge and skills. The lecturers moderate the session, clarify questions, make additions and discuss individual learning issues.
Through the different rounds of the three phases, the students should reflect on the content from phase to phase as well as analyze and discuss improvements in learning strategy, preparation for the meetings and cooperation in the group.
Group size and time required
With a group of 40 students and a teaching time of 2 SWS (total attendance time 18 hours), the lecturer can coach 10 teams of approx. 4 people for 30 minutes every three weeks. Intermittent face-to-face sessions may be useful to discuss complex issues with the entire group.
Room facilities
No special requirements. Ideally, group workstations should be available to the groups or a seminar room should be booked to provide a space for the group meetings.
Material
The lecturer provides students with comprehensible learning texts, reading notes and integrated exercises.
b) How does the learning team coaching promote/challenge the following diversity dimensions?
Prior professional experience & Prior knowledge
Prior experience and knowledge can be queried in advance. Their consideration can result in an adapted group formation for the second phase. By acquiring knowledge in individual work and in teams, an individual learning pace is possible, which accommodates different levels of prior knowledge. Particularly in the case of interdisciplinary questions, different levels of prior knowledge are advantageous and help the discussion in the team. Very large differences in the level of technical and social skills within a team can be problematic. Success then depends largely on the coaching provided by the teacher.
Core competence independent work & Learning
Independent work is most strongly demanded and promoted in the self-learning phase and to some extent also in the team-learning phase, as the focus here is on the independent organization of one's own knowledge acquisition. Learning objectives and required activities must be transparent so that students can plan their learning process. In the third phase, educators can monitor students' understanding and gain in competence by asking appropriate questions.
Motivation to study
The self-study phase in particular requires self-motivation and independent work. The format promotes and challenges students' ability to motivate themselves and later the team for a task. Feedback should be given in the third phase. In order to address intrinsic motivation, it is helpful to allow students to organize the learning content according to their own interests and pace and to additionally deepen and focus it.
Academic & Social integration
The integration of students is strongly promoted by learning team coaching. Social integration is promoted by working in a team (peer-to-peer). During the coaching phase, exchange and feedback with the teacher is encouraged. It may be useful to support the group formation process as a teacher in order to reduce social exclusion processes.
Time & location restrictions
The time and location restrictions are less than in weekly face-to-face courses. In the self-study phase, students can organize themselves independently; in the group phase, suitable dates can be arranged with the group members. It can be challenging to coordinate the different time requirements of the students. Overall, regular self-study is necessary. Online communication (telephone conference, chat, virtual classroom, document discussion) can be used to organize the group phases independently of location.
Literature
Fleischmann, P.; Geupel, H. (2003): Learning team coaching. Office of the Study Commission for University Didactics at Universities of Applied Sciences in Baden-Württemberg. Nürtingen. Available online at www.hochschuldidaktik.net/documents_public/
5._TdL_2003_-_Verfahren_94.pdf, last checked on 19.05.2016.
Grundert, C. (2014): Planning and designing guided self-study. In: Research project "Offene Hochschule Oberbayern".
Pfäffli, B. (2005): Education at universities. University didactics for the development of knowledge and skills. Bern, Stuttgart, Vienna: Haupt Verlag.
Citation
Buß, Imke; Rump, Jutta; Kaiser, Janina; Schiedhelm, Melanie; Schorat-Waly, Petra (2017): Learning team coaching. In: Rump, Jutta; Buß, Imke; Kaiser, Janina; Schiedhelm, Melanie; Schorat-Waly, Petra: Toolbox for good education in a diverse student body. Working Papers of the Ludwigshafen University of Business and Society, No. 6. www. hwg-lu.de/arbeitspapiere
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