Demand-oriented method “Building a town” Discovering Competencies – Tools for Your Future

1. Demand-oriented method “Building a town” • Discovering Competencies – Tools for Your Future • Training Workshop Athens, 19-20 June 2012 - • Dr. Anja Lietzmann 1

2. Demand-oriented appraoches • „Building a Town“ = example of an observedgroupexercise • Developed in Germany • Demand-orientedapproach, market-needbased • Systematicobservationandassessment of individual competenciestowardsrequiredqualifications, knowledgeandskills in a specificworkcontext • Assesses ‚hardskills‘ connectedto a specificjobas well as personal andsocialcompetencies

3. Background of demand-oriented approaches Concerns regarding labour market demands • school performance • physical characteristics • behaviour • core competencies teamwork communication skills conflict management etc. • Can the applicant work with others on a task? • Is the applicant open for compromises? • Is the applicant able to integrate into a group? Possible measurement method: Assessment Center exercises

4. Objectives of „Building a town“ • Identify vocation-related potentials – thereby identifying personal and social competencies as well as motor and methodological skills • Improve confidence and self esteem • Reduce insecurity and fear connected to the Assessment Centre Method – fun aspect

5. Contents of observation • Methodological competences • language competences • Social competences • interpersonal skills • teamwork • communication skills • conflict management • politeness • empathy • Psychomotor features • motor skills • reaction rate • physical properties • Personal competences • concentration • flexibility • patience • accuracy • diligence • perseverance • flexibility • independence • stress management • Activity competences • ability to learn and to plan work processes • motivation • initiate action / impetus

6. General feature of „Building a Town“ • Task: to design a city consisting of buildings and infrastructure out of a set of provided materials (cardboard, paper, cartons, cloth etc.) within a certain period of time (3 hours) • Working in observed groups of 4 to 6 young adults

7. Scenario of „Building a Town“ • Imagine you are a team of urban planners and architects. Next year a small town is to be built near your town. You have been asked to plan a city and construct a model of it. • Keep in mind that a few thousand people will live and work in this town, that they will need various public facilities and want a variety of leisure time activity venues. • Objective: • To optimise your team’s chance to win the commission to build the town, the town you design must possess all the important and necessary facilities. The new town should be a nice place to live in and offer something for every age group. • After the completion of the model, your team will present the new town to the rest of the group. • Time: 3 hours (including short breaks) • Tips: • - Take your time for planning and discussion. • - Begin building your model as soon as possible. • - All the material provided for the project may be used. • - Also think about how your team will present the model of the town. • And now have fun building your town together!

8. Implementation of „Building a town“ - requirements

9. Implementation of „Building a town“ – Processes • 1. Introduction • Presentation of exercise, objectives, andschedule • Explanation of theassessementprocess • Answeringquestions 2. Realisation • Formation of groupsof 3–4 participants • Participants work in small groups • Observation: by at least 2 assessors, documented in a detailed form • Fill in observation sheets • Change teamsat half time • 3. Presentation of thegroup results / the „cities“ • 4. Group evaluation • 5. Feedback • Self-evaluation of the participant • Accompanied by external evaluation: observers’ conference to summarize observation results • Individual feedback talks with participants • Certification entailing a summary of results

10. Role of the moderator • Preparations • - Introduces contents and objectives of the exercise to participants • - Explains purpose of the exercise (no competition but demonstration of personal skills) and contents of observation • - Explains a) implementation conditions and b) evaluation procedure • Implementation • - Sets up working groups • - Explains the task: Task understood? Purpose clear? • - Assigns observers, ensures clarity about what skills and traits will be observed • Support during the process • - Deals with occurring problems (missing material, framework conditions) • - Ensures role of the observers (stay in background, remain neutral etc.) • 4. Involved in final assessment and feedback to participant

11. Evaluation • 3 steps: • Each participant undergoes a self-evaluation • External assessment by the observers in the assessor meeting • General satisfaction with the task and perception of the observation situation • Evaluation of the group work • Work process: planning, decision making, use of material • Personal contribution to the overall result • Discrepancies between results of self-evaluation and external observation • Face-to-face feedback talk for each participant which presents results of assessment • Documentation of the assessment findings in the observation form • Highlights strength and weaknesses of the participant • Interpret the results in terms of significance and meaning with regard to specific job or training objectives

12. Feedback • Multiple ways of feedback: • Participants provide feedback to each other (peer evaluation) • The whole group provides feedback on the entire process • Participants receive a thorough review during the feeback talk

13. Documentation - Evaluation form (social competences) (there are equivalent forms for all types of competences)

14. Documentation - Evaluation form (overall evaluation)

15. Feedback Talk – Example • General acceptance, enjoyment or dissatisfaction with the task • Did you like the exercise “building a town” in general? If not, what exactly did you dislike? Reasons? • Review of the observed situation • How was it for you to be observed? Could you ignore the observer? • Communication and cooperation in the group • How did you find the composition of your group? Do you think your group worked well together? • Planning phase • Do you think your group took enough time to plan the town? • Decision making • Utilisation of material/tools • Shifting between individual and group work • Personal contribution to the overall result • Discrepancies between self evaluation and external observation • Possible significance of the talk for career decision making

16. Challenges of the approach • Combine playful character of the exercise with its seriousness concerning the evaluation • From the beginning of the assessment process, trustful relationship between particpant and observers/assessors needs to be established • Creating a trustful atmosphere in the group to faciliate creativity and to minimize fears of competition • Considerations of potential language problems • Intercultural competences, target group oriented language, patience and empathy (own migration background is an advantage)

17. Standardized procedures and forms lead to „objective“ results Individual interaction between the participants and the observers in a detailed feedback interview „Fun“ exercise Praxis oriented Can be successfully applied to young adults with migration background if adapted to their needs (language issues etc.) Methods of AC are perceived by the participants as selection process per se Mistrust towards purpose and use of the results Excersise is difficult to communicate due to potential barriers of language Gender or culture-dominated role behaviour can cause different results Advantages and disadvantages of the approach Advantages Critical points