The five Ps of LD in practice: student partnership approaches in one-to-one, workshops and online work

Authors

  • Helen Michelle Webster University of Oxford

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47408/jldhe.vi32.1457

Keywords:

partnership approach, formulation, inclusive pedagogy, empowerment

Abstract

Learning Development espouses values that promote tailored, holistic, empowering, emancipatory, non-judgemental and student-centred practice. However, it is harder to imagine what these values look like as concrete principles in the context of our work, so we can ensure that we are consciously and deliberately enacting them. The Five Ps of LD (Webster, 2023) were developed as a framework to embed the principle of ‘formulation’ into LD practice. Formulation is a partnership approach, borrowed from counselling and psychology, in which the student and the LDer work together as equals to explore academic skills issues holistically and identify suitable ways forward in the context of the student’s own lived experience, rather than a hierarchical, directive one in which the LDer diagnoses and prescribes guidance to the passive student. It also offers a way to turn Academic Literacies (Lea and Street, 1998) from an abstract theory to a pedagogy and a praxis.

This partnership approach has many benefits, not least ensuring that provision is inclusive, emancipatory, and empowering rather than normative and oppressive. It centres and validates the student’s perspective, expertise, and experience of their own learning, not just that of academia, inviting them to respond to the practices and conventions of higher education as works best for them. It also offers a lens to make visible the distinct expertise that Learning Developers bring.

This workshop explored practical approaches for using the Five Ps of LD in a range of common LD contexts: the one-to-one tutorial, small and large group workshops, and online resources. It considered how to use dialogic partnership approaches even in circumstances which favour one-way dissemination of ‘skills guidance’.

Author Biography

Helen Michelle Webster, University of Oxford

Helen Webster has worked in Learning Development since 2006. She has headed two Learning Development services, and held hybrid roles as a consultant in Higher Education learning and teaching as well as membership of ALDinHE’s steering group, leading on CPD. She is a National Teaching Fellow (2019), SFHEA, and was one of the first Certified Leading Practitioners of Learning Development. She currently works at Oxford University as Educational Development Consultant (Academic Skills).

References

Lea, M.R. and Street, B.V. (1998) ‘Student writing in higher education: an academic literacies approach’, Studies in Higher Education, 23(2), pp.157-172. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079812331380364

Webster, H. (2023) ‘The Five Ps of LD: using formulation in Learning Development work for a student-centred approach to ‘study skills’, Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice, 20(4). Available at: https://doi.org/10.53761/1.20.4.07

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Published

31-10-2024

How to Cite

Webster, H. M. (2024) “The five Ps of LD in practice: student partnership approaches in one-to-one, workshops and online work”, Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education, (32). doi: 10.47408/jldhe.vi32.1457.