SocialPlaNet

SEWF 2018 Academic Symposium
SocialPlaNet: Applying a game-based group experiential learning approach to teaching social entrepreneurship in Higher Education
Elizabeth Cory-Pearce Tavistock Institute
Antonio Sama Canterbury Christ Church University

Transcript

1. SEWF 2018 Academic Symposium
   SocialPlaNet: Applying a game-based group experiential learning
   approach to teaching social entrepreneurship in Higher Education
   Elizabeth Cory-Pearce Tavistock Institute
   Antonio Sama Canterbury Christ Church University
   

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2. Introduction: CCCU/TIHR collaboration
   • Our talk emerges from a cross-sector collaboration
   (university & practitioner organisational research/
   consultancy)
   • Antonio Sama is a CCCU Senior Lecturer and a TIHR
   professional partner
   • Antonio advises TIHR Archive project (Wellcome Library):
   70 years of historical examples of Tavistock ‘socio-
   technical approach’ (STS) – optimisation of people with
   technology to maximise workplace morale and efficiency
   • Apply STS tradition to teaching social enterprise skills via
   a serious online game played in small groups
   • Learn also about group dynamics, role, authority &
   leadership (Tavistock tradition)
   

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3. Creating the SocialPlaNet Game
   • SocialPlaNet serious online role play game developed
   as result of Social Seducement Project 2014-2017
   (Erasmus+ Grant No: 2014-1-UK01-KA200-001830)
   • Built, piloted & evaluated a serious ORPG based on real
   SE case studies to develop key competencies & skills of
   adults facing exclusion/disadvantage from job market
   • A stakeholder consultation (training providers)
   highlighted positive EU policy context (pro-SE) but lack
   of learning programmes & entrepreneurial culture
   (key barriers)
   • Identified need for training programmes with skilled
   facilitation, grounded in real life examples & practising
   soft skills (key enablers)
   

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4. SocialPlaNet
   • SocialPlaNet offers this training and is designed to make a
   contribution to filling these gaps (lack of programmes and
   entrepreneurial culture)
   • SocialPlaNet Game & all project outputs can be accessed
   here (for free) www.socialseducement.net and TIHR project
   summary brochure http://www.tavinstitute.org/wp-
   content/uploads/2018/04/SocSed_Results-Briefing_v5e.pdf
   • There is a podcast about the project
   http://www.tavinstitute.org/projects/social-seducement-
   story-value-online-games-enterprise-creation/
   

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5. Game Pedagogical Model
   Game approach and pedagogical
   model
   Game concepts Game tools
   Constructivist learning approach
   supplemented with a degree of
   cognitive learning
   Group learning Facilitator
   Tailored learning technology
   Diversity of training material, including written,
   audio and video
   Collective social
   entrepreneurship
   Group learning and decision making Business model canvas modified for collective
   entrepreneurship
   Learning from real life cases Stories from real life social entrepreneurs to
   guide the journey towards becoming a social
   entrepreneur
   Inclusion and empowerment Integral learning Facilitator
   Group learning
   Avatars
   Collective forms of assessment
   

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6. What we are learning
   • Social Seducement pilot evaluation
   Game tested with c.180 players in Italy, Spain, UK, Belgium, Sweden
   Assessed learning gains through rigorous before / after evaluation which showed:
   - Players’ awareness of social entrepreneurship increased significantly
   - Game produced statistically significant improvements in players’ self-efficacy (assertiveness, confidence in
   dealing with unexpected events, problem solving)
   - Participation in game also improved acquisition and application of digital competences (changes were
   independent of country of origin, gender, age, educational level, ethnicity or labour market status)
   - Team formation among players is supported by game features & responsive facilitation (2 important factors)
   - Physical meetings helpful to go through more difficult aspects (e.g. BMC, budgets)
   - Remote facilitation can be anxiety provoking as not able to ‘read’ people’s behaviours… but… “However, I was
   surprised at how little I was asked for input/help. By observing some chat room conversations between students, I
   could see a high degree of independent, critical thinking and knowledge sharing being demonstrated and so was
   impressed that the game did seem to help people learn and progress in their ‘companies’, without the need of
   constant facilitation”
   What we are learning from CCCU delivery training:
   - Lecturers need to step back to become a group facilitator (and then hand group leadership role over to the group)
   - Importance of staying in role – facilitator role (not lecturer!) and to work with the group dynamics as they emerge
   ‘live’ in the game / course (distinctive to Tavistock approaches – sociotechnical optimisation; group relations
   psycho-social-dynamics)
   

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7. The road to inclusion (of SocialPlaNet
   into L&T of the CCBS)
   From 2013
   • Knowledge Transfer Partnership in conjunction with a leading
   children’s third sector organisation in the region
   • Consultancy, research on and with SE’s in the UK and Italy and
   PhDs (Leadership; Governance in Social Enterprises)
   • EE funded project on “Familiarising with social
   entrepreneurship” for promoting social enterprise education
   and experiential learning opportunities for final year
   undergraduate students regarding third sector organisations in
   the South East of England
   • Participation, as partners and consultants, in ESF funded projects
   (e.g. MBA taster for leaders and managers of TSOs and SEs)
   • SocialPlaNet
   

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8. Potential case studies
   • Applied Student Project Placements for final
   year undergraduate students in
   Contemporary Accounting Issues for BSc
   Accounting
   – Understanding the role of ‘Business Planning in
   SE’s’
   – Investigating Social Return on Investment
   – Social Enterprise ‘Gender Roles and Leadership’
   

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9. The state of play
   • Authorisation from HoS and Module Leader (Feb
   2018)
   • Presentation of the game to selected academic staff
   (March 2018)
   • Identification of potential modules: MAL; StraMan;
   Work based Learning; Business Ethics; BSc
   Sustainability
   • Training of selected academic staff (April 2018)
   • Offered as elective activity to students (April 2018)
   • Piloting in two StraMan seminars (2018-19)
   

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10. Fit between the SocialPlaNet and the
    Modules Pedagogical Models
    Game approach and pedagogical
    model
    Game concepts Modules Concepts Game tools
    Constructivist learning approach
    supplemented with a degree of
    cognitive learning
    Group learning Learning Community Facilitator
    Communities of practice Tailored learning technology
    Complexity Diversity of training material,
    including written, audio and
    video
    Collective social
    entrepreneurship
    Group learning and decision
    making
    Group learning Business model canvas modified
    for collective entrepreneurship
    Learning from real life cases Case stud Stories from real life social
    entrepreneurs to guide the
    journey towards becoming a
    social entrepreneur
    Inclusion and empowerment Integral learning Facilitator
    Group learning
    Avatars
    Collective forms of assessment
    

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11. The BSc Business Management
    Programme
    • Aims, among others, to support students obtaining “a
    sound understanding of theory in business management
    and its application in practice”
    ü Using the knowledge to solve problems
    ü Exhibiting an awareness of the provisional nature of
    theory and practice
    ü Demonstrating a comprehensive knowledge of, and
    understanding, of theoretical approaches and their
    application to practical circumstances
    

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12. The Management and Leadership
    Module (2nd Year)
    • The module is centred on the ability to systematically
    apply knowledge and understanding to complex and
    ambiguous situations in order to evaluate and justify
    recommendations for improved practices
    üUsing analytical frameworks to explore and interpret
    leadership and managerial issues and from the
    analysis develop recommendations for solutions to
    these problems
    

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13. The Strategic Management Module
    (3rd Year)
    • The module is centred upon the practice of effective
    strategic management, as researchers and practitioners
    in the area understand
    üApplying a selection of strategic analytical techniques;
    and
    üDemonstrating an awareness of implementation
    issues and their practical implications for an
    organisation.
    

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14. Principles of the pilot
    • Educational Minimum Critical Specification
    (STS)
    • Working digitally
    • Prototyping
    • Customisation
    • Embedding the L&T in mainstream modules
    • Knowledge Exchange with the local sector
    

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15. Questions for the audience
    • From your experience:
    – Is the game pedagogical model compatible with
    the pedagogical model of your
    programmes/modules?
    – What do you think could be the elements that can
    facilitate or inhibit the success of a pilot?
    

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16. FOR COPIES OF THESE SLIDES WITH WEBLINKS
    TO OTHER RESOURCES PLEASE EMAIL US:
    Dr Elizabeth Cory-Pearce
    Researcher and Consultant
    Tavistock Institute of Human Relations
    e.cory-pearce@tavinstitute.org
    Antonio Sama
    Senior Lecturer
    CCCU Business School
    antonio.sama@canterbury.ac.uk
    

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