At the start of semester, students are asked to find a partner in the class - someone they don't know, or don't know very well. They are asked to exchange phone numbers. Then 3-4 times a semester, students must complete a 'phone a friend' task. In those weeks, prior to class, students are required to 'phone their (new) friend' and discuss the tutorial question for that week. The tutorial question is a discussion question that requires students to have done the readings for that week, reflected on them, and turned their mind to a novel question (eg. How effective is the law in dealing with x problem? What changes to the law would you recommend to achieve purpose y?). Both students must take written notes of the discussion and bring them to class that week. If they have completed the task to my satisfaction (ie. I am convinced the discussion occurred and that they adequately addressed the question) they receive one mark. I don't have high expectations of the notes - they just provide me with evidence that the discussion occurred. I ask students to practice introducing themselves every time they have a phone conversation with their 'friend'. I require them to introduce themselves and inform the other people why they are calling: 'Hello, my name is X, and I am calling to discuss Y. Do you have a moment to talk now?'. This way, I hope that this 'speech' rolls off their tongue, so when they are required to phone a client, it is not quite so daunting.
Details
- CLASS SIZE
- 80-100
- CLASS LEVEL
- Second year, Third year
- ASSESSMENT SECURITY
- Medium security
- TIME REQUIREMENTS
- Low time
- GRADUATE ATTRIBUTES
- Effective communication skills, Ethical and social understanding
- CONDITIONS
- Work-related, Group
- FEATURES
- Authentic, Problem based
- TAGS
- embodied learning, interview, active learning, client liaising, collaborative learning, staged, peer-led learning
Advantages
This task requires that students have prepared for class (by doing the readings) and integrated the new material with previously learned content. If all students in the classroom have prepared for class, and reflected on the materials, the learning environment in the classroom is enriched. The task also encourages peer support - students build relationships with one another, assist one another to understand the content, whilst also practising their oral communication skills.
Challenges
Occasionally, students will be unable to connect with their partner to undertake the exercise (eg. where a student withdraws from the course, or is unwell or otherwise unreachable). There is no way of knowing the nature of students' discussions, or whether they are approaching the task seriously or not.
Tips for implementation
The most common problem is students losing their partner, but this is easily fixed. Even if there are odd numbers, students can be placed in a group of three (or join an existing group of 2) and have a 'teleconference'. This turns a negative into a positive as teleconferences bring unique challenges that students must then navigate. If a student is absent from class, I ask that they email me their notes (as a record of the discussion) prior to the start of class that week.
Professor Tamara Walsh
t.walsh@law.uq.edu.au
Professor Tamara Walsh has degrees in both Law and Social Work, and her interest is in social welfare law. Her research studies examine the impact of the law on vulnerable people including children and young people, people experiencing homelessness, people on low incomes, people with disabilities, mothers and carers. Most of her studies are sociolegal and empirical in nature, and she draws on human rights discourse and social exclusion theory to explore the influence that the law has on complex social problems. Her research has spanned 15 years and has been widely published, both in Australia and internationally. In 2008, Tamara designed and established the UQ Pro Bono Centre, along with Dr Paul O'Shea and Prof Ross Grantham. The UQ Pro Bono Centre facilitates student and staff participation in pro bono legal activities, particularly public interest research and law reform. It is now a flagship program of the Law School. In 2010, Tamara established the Manning Street Project, a joint initiative between the TC Beirne School of Law and Caxton Legal Centre, which engages students in action-research on a volunteer basis to contribute to the law reform activities of the community legal sector. In 2016, Tamara established the UQ Deaths in Custody Project, which she runs in partnership with a team of pro bono law students and IT staff. This Project monitors deaths in custody across Australia, and administers a public website which is an important resource for researchers, coroners and members of the public: www.deaths-in-custody.project.uq.edu.au. Tamara is currently the lead researcher of the ARC Linkage project 'The criminalisation of poverty and homelessness: A national study' (2017-2019). She is also completing a project on the impacts of the child protection and youth justice systems on vulnerable young people, and she has been instrumental in the proposed establishment of a Community Justice Centre in southeast Queensland. Tamara undertakes pro bono legal practice in the area of child protection, and she lectures in human rights law and constitutional law. Find out more