Seminars

Seminars are an important way of learning - by discussing and questioning issues, clients can clarify their own ideas and also learn from each other. The ability to articulate ideas is also an important life skill which will be required outside the academic world in the world of work, for interviews, consulting experts, getting and understanding advice and giving work presentations etc. Seminars give practice in these general skills and help students to develop confidence. They also underline the democratic nature of learning-everyone has the right to express their point of view and to comment.

We learn about learning. It's a bit like the old saying 'two heads are better than one'. By listening to others, we can check our own understanding against theirs - what is similar, what is different. Being academic means being aware of different points of view. We can also become aware of argument- what is logical in terms of the structure of the points made and how far they fit in the 'real' world. In articulating our own ideas, we examine our understanding, capture knowledge and develop strategies with which to consider new knowledge. We make new links in our thinking which happens more readily than just through reading or listening and writing. Learning is co-operative and tutors can find out what goes on in students' heads through this feedback. They find out where there are gaps in understanding and what help students need that they can give.