Developing Object Based Learning at Leeds

Angela Newton - Library

Project overview

This LITE project will explore exemplars of OBL (Object Based Learning) both within the University of Leeds and at other UK HEIs. Adaptations of this best practice, including ways to make it accessible, will subsequently be tested out in partnership with the School of Sociology and Social Policy with small groups of students, and their responses to the experience will be collected and analysed. The ultimate aim of the project is to build accessible evidence-based OBL scenarios that could be used in teaching, both within the School of Sociology and Social Policy and across Faculties, giving students new, unique and inspiring learning opportunities.

Key findings

• OBL is a robust experiential learning method for promoting and practicing critical
thinking and other crucial skills.
• Taught students enjoy participating in OBL and find it beneficial to the process of
working with others.
• Learning in a multisensory way is engaging and interesting to taught students.
• Students in Sociology and Social Policy saw direct links between the objects in our
experimental workshops and their own in curriculum learning.

Implications for practice

• OBL can be beneficially used with taught students for many purposes including the
development of teamwork and collaboration and critical thinking.
• Objects have the capacity to spark high levels of reflection and engagement in taught
students from numerous disciplinary areas including Sociology and Social Policy, where
they can stimulate disciplinary thinking.
• ‘Slow looking’ techniques are effective in OBL experiences, allowing students to
‘interrogate’ objects deeply, thus engaging their observation, critical thinking and
hypothesising skills.
• There are many creative ways in which OBL could be used at the University of Leeds,
both with historical and contemporary objects.

If you want to find out more details about this fellowship or what the next steps were upon completion please read the full snapshot or contact Angela Newton

Project start date: September 2023