Teaching Students Process Competencies

Group Work and Graduate Attributes, the South African Experience

Feb 24, 2009 Frederick Veldman

SA democracy provides a concept environment. Yet, society is embraced with memories of the past. Teaching process competencies provides a solution to this problem.

South African democracy provides a concept environment which allows for modern diversity, more advanced than any of its kind in the “free” world. Society is nevertheless embraced with memories of the past. In general, the current social environment is not yet conducive to proper group work. Yet, this by no means implies that group work should be disregarded as medium of teaching.

Process Competencies

Teaching process competencies provides an eloquent solution to address problems related to group work and should be incorporated into our teaching styles. The evolution of South African democracy does not require much of an introduction. It is a process with a long history of human suffering, but also that of determination, and a will to survive. With the first Democratic Election in 1994, a new era much different to that of the past, posed a challenge to create an environment in which all individuals have equal opportunities. Yet, in practice, the impact of apartheid on cooperative learning still bares its marks.

In general, non-subject related skills are referred to as Process Competencies, soft-skills, transferable skills, or graduate attributes. These skills are required especially for the management of human capital. The term “transferable skills” can further be classified as “generic transferable” or “personal transferable” skills. “However, Process Competencies provide a more integrated view of these skills, and include the additional potential for personal development (Kolmos, A. and Kofoed, L. 2003. Development of process competencies by reflection, experimentation and creativity. Teaching and Learning in Higher Education: New Trends and Innovation. University of Aveiro. CD-ROM).”

The need to train learners skilled in verbal and non-verbal communication, team work, and sensitivity towards a diverse multi-cultural society has become a core responsibility of all education institutions across the globe.

A Group Work Experiment

The “Aalborg Model” of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) requires of learners to form small groups, with between 4 and 6 members. Each group is assigned a facilitator. Group formation is open. However, these groups are static for the duration of the program. In 2006/2007 a group of four individuals registered with Aalborg University, for a Master in PBL in Science and Engineering. For practical reasons the four South African individuals, all from the same higher education institution, were requested to perform a project based on group work.

The South African Group Work Experience

The four SA group members received schooling from different tertiary institutions, during different phases of the South African democracy. Two of the members entered Tertiary Education during a phase of “political transition”- i.e. 1990-1996. Another group member entered Tertiary Education in a post-apartheid environment, with another entering education during the pre-democracy regime. Two of the group members had no prior training in didactics. Individual readiness for the program differed considerably. None of the individuals had any prior formal training in Process Competencies, or for that matter, in Problem-Based Learning as didactic method.

During the first semester of the program, the individuals experienced group work as problematic and the environment not conducive to learning. The group was also faced with some additional challenges:

  • Institutional: different work load, different number of committees they serve on in their Schools and Faculties, community projects involvement, support from their direct supervisor, etc. These factors all had an impact especially on availability and time for group work, during office-hours;
  • Personal: different learning styles, enthusiasm, daily family issues, free time, transportation, access to the internet at home, motivation, vision, previous training and work experience, readiness;
  • Professional: people from different fields of study have a specific acquired way of confronting study material, different views on issues that require interpretation, different world views, approaches towards theories, models and philosophies;
  • Cultural: social interaction, ethnicity, sexual orientation.

At the end of the first semester the initial conclusion was that, to the dismay of the facilitator, the diversity of the Group supersedes its ability to function well. However, on request of the facilitator, it was decided that the four individuals would support another attempt in group work, during the second semester, which includes Process Competencies and Intercultural Learning as two separate modules of learning.

During consequent meetings it became evident that the group needs to apply theoretical models of Process Competencies in order to address some of the basic problems they experienced. Henceforth, the group proceeded into the third semester during which it became organized, using theoretical knowledge in Process Competencies to support this final effort.

Regular structured meetings, assignment of specific roles to Group members, improved communication strategies, the use of conflict resolution models based on group dynamics, regular scheduled meetings with the supervisor using Skype as a communication tool, and a positive attitude towards the group, eventually all played a significant role in contributing to effective and efficient Group work. As a result, the Group managed to complete the MPBL with success, having this experience as a tool of learning, for future use in their own classroom practices.

Teaching Process Competencies Provides an Opportunity for Effective and Efficient Group Work

Four diverse individuals from South Africa were expected to participate in group project work. Individual experiences differed. However, it is concluded that it is not the diverse nature of the South African society, but rather a lack of knowledge regarding the intricate practical characteristics involved during group work itself, that influence individual learning experiences. Process Competencies define these characteristics. It is suggested that education intervention should target Process Competencies to the benefit of group learning.

The copyright of the article Teaching Students Process Competencies in Teacher Tips/Training is owned by Frederick Veldman. Permission to republish Teaching Students Process Competencies in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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