The autumn term saw the successful launch of the ILME module. Successful because learners from many countries – Nigeria, UK, Cyprus and others worked together and supported each other in a community of practice to develop their practical management and leadership skills as well as their academic skills! The students never felt isolated as there were four sessions using Collaborate Ultra where the groups met and chatted swapping ideas in a great critical environment in real time. The banter helped spur everyone on and the tutors looked forward to this as much as the students!
A versatile mix of this real-time group work and videos created by the highly qualified, friendly and experienced team of tutors made for a varied and supportive mojo over the module time.
Each step of the way was mapped out so there were no gaps in what the students had to achieve- just below using a Padlet board is only one of the ways that service personnel and civilian students shared their ideas enthusiastically to form the basis for their ILME reports.
In some of the groups some learners met up with people who were third party contractors to the joint services and could really identify with themes being bandied around! All in all everybody agreed that the supportive module helped them not only progress their academic skills of discerning reading and critical writing, but to develop practical management and leadership skills as well as developing a more authoritative voice in the work setting to lead to organisational effectiveness.
Written by Module Tutor Michael Myciunka with ideas from the Engineering Management group of students.
