Communities of Practice in the first-year business classroom: Cocreation through action research with employers, students and staff for employability development

Bird, Sara

Abstract

This doctoral study evaluates the effectiveness of a transitional Community of Practice between employers, students and academic staff in a first-year marketing classroom. Through cocreation processes embedded in three action research cycles, all stakeholders engaged in identifying and comparing conceptions and prioritisation of key graduate attributes, choosing attributes for focus and approaches to teaching in each phase, with subsequent evaluating and preparation for the subsequent cycle. This research considers the impact of Legitimate Peripheral Participation through evolving discussion and employer stories over the course of the module, in contrast to one-off guest lectures and more typical employer engagement. It also explores how cocreation did, and did not, support improved learning, and the psychosocial barriers to effective cocreation processes when used to develop pedagogic approaches. Resulting impacts on student confidence and intentions to apply for placements in the following academic year are discussed.

Citation

Bird, S. (2020, September). Communities of Practice in the first-year business classroom: Cocreation through action research with employers, students and staff for employability development. Paper presented at Chartered Association of Business Schools Learning and Teaching Conference, Online

• Presentation Conference Type: Conference Paper (unpublished)
• Conference Name: Chartered Association of Business Schools Learning and Teaching Conference
• Conference Location: Online
• Start Date: Sep 14, 2020
• End Date: Sep 16, 2020
• Deposit Date: Sep 29, 2021
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/7450689