For the last few months we’ve been testing a new idea to help you reflect and learn in practice: Learning Out Loud is our monthly learning forum taking place every second Friday of the month. Each session is 50 minutes long, free to join and designed to help you reflect on a recent learning experience. Those who have taken part in the sessions so far have found them really valuable – especially because of the enjoyable company of others in the social pedagogy community😊 It’s brought clarity, insight, appreciation, inspiration – and it’s an easy format to replicate within teams, too. Plus, it helps make reflection and learning a habit. 

In the Learning Zone

If you struggle to find time to stop and reflect on what you have actually been learning, then join the LOL session to ensure you give your learning the priority it deserves. The session format will enable you to make sense of a practice challenge by learning out loud, with the support of like-minded people.

Say you’ve had a difficult conversation with a colleague that you’re trying to process, or you’ve found it particularly tough to engage with a person you’re supporting, or you’ve achieved a breakthrough with something and are trying to extract greater insights from it to help you consider the best way to build on it …

Then enter your learning zone with us every second Friday of each month and gain greater clarity.

Session format

We’ll be doing 2 main things as part of Learning Out Loud:

• Our first method is called ‘sparkling moment’ and will focus on you sharing your learning story with someone else, who will tell it back. This is designed to help you identify what’s central to your learning experience and to have it reflected back.
• Our second method follows the 4 Fs framework to analyse your learning experience in greater detail, looking in turn at facts, feelings, findings and futures. This is designed to stimulate self-reflection and systematic insight. It also encourages you to think about how you want to use these insights.

Ready to give it a try? Sign up here to join our next session for free.

Most Significant Change: Storytelling in social pedagogical practice

11 March, 2024 9.30-12.30 (GMT) via Zoom
– FREE –

The importance of meaningfully gathering and exploring stories of change

Outcomes-focused evaluation has long been promoted – particularly in services and programmes focused on change and improvement. Gathering evidence of people’s outcomes is now a common-place requirement. However, measuring and gathering change outcomes in ways that are meaningful can be challenging. There is a growing recognition that people’s stories can be more powerful in learning-focussed evaluation. Most Significant Change is a storytelling approach to gathering and exploring change outcomes that was developed in the context of public health and community development (Davies and Dart 2005). It has been used successfully in a broad range of situations with individuals and communities to capture the impact of a change in their lives – from their perspective and in a way that enables their views to be heard and explored further in dialogue with relevant stakeholders.

What this event will cover

Led by Nick Andrews, research and practice development officer at the Developing Evidence-Enriched Practice (DEEP) project, this online workshop will introduce you to the essentials of Most Significant Change technique. It will outline the principles and practice of gathering MSC stories and exploring and learning from them in MSC story selection panels, with a range of examples that enable you to determine how you might integrate MSC in your own practice.

Who would benefit from this event?

Anyone with an interest in how to measure outcomes in a way that puts people and their stories at the heart of this process. MSC will be of particular relevance if you’re interested in evaluation, for instance in relation to a service, training course or programme focused on change or improvement.

This event is free to anyone and organised by ThemPra Social Pedagogy in partnership with the Global Alliance for Social Pedagogy and Social Education and the Social Pedagogy Professional Association. If you’re interested in learning more about social pedagogy, then check out the free resources on our website, join one of our experiential online courses, watch our webinar series or take part in one of our other learning events.

Are you ready to LOL?!?

Calling all social pedagogy enthusiasts! Are you ready to take your learning to the next level? Join us in Learning Out Loud, a vibrant virtual community where we cultivate our learning mindsets, share insights, and connect with like-minded individuals.

Unleash Your Learning Potential

In Learning Out Loud, we harness the power of reflection and shared experiences to transform your learning journey. Bring your recent learning experiences, whether from your practice, readings, podcasts, or webinars, and examine them more deeply within our supportive community.

Share, Explore and Grow Together

In our busy day-to-day practice, it’s easy to undervalue some of the little things we do that make a difference. Yet, often the learning from these experiences can be so valuable. In Learning Out Loud, you can share them with others to gain new perspectives, uncover hidden connections and enrich your understanding. Explore how others’ learning resonates with your own, opening up doors to deeper insights and enhanced practices.

Embark on a Collaborative Learning Journey

Learning Out Loud is more than just a learning space; it’s about being part of a community of like-minded people. We believe learning is critical in any profession, so you’re welcome to join whatever your job role or remit is, and you’re welcome to join for just one or as many sessions as you’d like. We hope you’ll love the opportunity to connect with others, share ideas, and forge meaningful connections that will inspire and motivate you throughout your learning journey.

Learning Out Loud sessions will take place via Zoom on the second Friday of each month at 1.00pm – 1.50pm (UK time). To join, please register below for our next session and discover the power of a shared learning experience!

Learning Out Loud: Where Social Pedagogy Learning Flourishes