A Loughborough College initiative taking IT students from screen to team has proved so successful that growing numbers of learners are enjoying the benefits of keeping their eye on the ball.
The College IT and Sport collaboration launched with only a small group in the summer but has already proved so popular that barely a month into the new term the numbers of students taking part has passed 200 – and continues to rise.
“We are all aware of the stereotype of IT students motionless in a dark room with only the glow of a screen, so we asked our Loughborough College Sport Maker Tara Burgess to help us introduce something which was not computer-related - and the impact it has had on the students has reached far beyond them simply becoming more active,” said Keira Hand, progress tutor for IT at Loughborough College.
“Students who had never been involved with sport were playing dodgeball and football, no one wanted to be on the sidelines, everyone wanted to be part of the teams and individuals who had been withdrawn began to interact with the group. The positive effects then began to translate to the classroom.
“No one missed a session, basketball, bench ball and cricket were introduced and as others heard about it we added further IT groups. Students became increasingly focused and attentive in lessons and they were more cohesive as a group, collaborating on their work far more effectively. Confidence levels also grew with the formerly very quiet students who were becoming less so in the sport sessions also engaging with their fellow students in the classroom. Overall it’s been a fantastic success.”
“We started off aiming to bridge the gap between inactivity and activity but through the sessions there has been a really significant general transformation,” agreed Loughborough College Sport Maker Tara.
“As time has gone on, we’ve increased the frequency of sessions and built in a greater variety of sports and I’ve also incorporated strategy and team building activity so any students who have had bad experiences with sport are not put off by that being the emphasis. Any self-consciousness quickly disappears and above all it is fun and social.
“It’s also making a difference to learning with students appearing to have more motivation, taking the leadership they’re demonstrating in the sport sessions into classroom group activities and generally seeming more confident.
“News has travelled fast and it’s not only IT students who are enjoying the benefits of the programme. I am now working with ten curriculum areas at the College including students with disabilities, those studying motorsport, hair and beauty, health care and travel and my group of ESOL students speaks eight different languages between them. There are more than 200 students and counting. It’s fantastic.”
Pictured: Loughborough College IT students in action with Sport Maker Tara Burgess as part of a successful collaboration also reaping benefits in the classroom