Prospectus

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Trainers Course Communication Skills

Course
2024-2025

Entry requirements

Admission through selection procedure, criteria:

  • Dutch speaking master’s students Psychology

  • Have taken courses related to group dynamics and communication skills.

This course has a max. capacity of 24 students therefore selection meetings will be held on 2 September 2024.

Description

This is a trainers course aimed at developing teaching skills for communication and social skills-training from a psychological perspective. The course, taught once a year, is a combination of theory, training and real-life practice and requires personal involvement of the student. In the training, on a task level, students practice core perceptual- and behavioural skills necessary to create an optimal learning climate. They learn how to work with exercises that enable trainees to acquire knowledge about the role of personal and contextual influences in communication. They also learn to apply educational principles, how to custom-design a course and how to build an appropriate training design with a particular purpose. Parallel to this task level, students are working on their goals for personal and professional development. Identifying personal talent, awareness of dysfunctional patterns, leadership style, and recognising ones own reactive behaviours, are part of this personal trajectory within the course. From September 9th till December 13th there is education on Monday and Fridays mornings, with integrative exercises in between. The course is thus intensive in terms of personal involvement and time. It is aimed at Master’s students who are willing and able to critically reflect on one’s own and other’s behaviour. It is suited for those who want to explore the vocation to professional trainership.

After this elective it is advised to find an internship to apply the skills learned. For a small number of students an internship opportunity (10 EC) is available in the second semester (February-June). As an intern you train, under supervision, 2nd year Bachelor’s students on Interpersonal Professional Skills (Interpersoonlijke Beroepsvaardigheden). We are making every effort to increase the pool of internship opportunities before February.

Course objectives

At the end of this course, students can:

  • create social skills training design based on evidence-based theory;

  • apply group dynamic interventions in trainings;

  • train other people in personal development and interpersonal professional skills;

  • evaluate their own knowledge and skills in personal and professional development.

Timetable

For the timetable of this course please refer to MyTimetable

Registration

Education

Students must register themselves for all course components (lectures, tutorials and practicals) they wish to follow. You can register up to 5 days prior to the start of the course.

Exams (if applicable)

You must register for each exam in My Studymap at least 10 days before the exam date. You cannot take an exam without a valid registration in My Studymap. Carefully read all information about the procedures and deadlines for registering for courses and exams.

Exchange students and external guest students will be informed by the education administration about the current registration procedure.

Mode of instruction

The course consists of weekly 2x 4-hour work groups (Monday and Friday mornings) during 14 weeks (wk 37-50 (excl wk 43)). Students will practice skills and techniques in role-taking as trainer/teacher. Weekly integrative and reflective homework exercises.

Attendance at the workgroup sessions is mandatory. See Brightspace for more information.

Assessment method

Theoretical knowledge will be tested by two practical assignments (2x15%). Furthermore, 5 areas will be considered for assessment (55%): Training skills, insight, learning capacity, motivation and work attitude. Ultimately also a meta view needs to be shown, in the format of a presentation of a portfolio (15%). For the 5 practical skills assessed, feedback will be provided all during the course (no resits possible). Grades < 5 on the theory assignments or portfolio can be resitted. For this resit a maximum of 6 can be obtained.

The Institute of Psychology follows the policy of the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences to systematically check student papers for plagiarism with the help of software. All students are required to take and pass the Scientific Integrity Test with a score of 100% in order to learn about the practice of integrity in scientific writing. Students are given access to the quiz via a module on Brightspace. Disciplinary measures will be taken when fraud is detected. Students are expected to be familiar with and understand the implications of this fraud policy.

Reading list

Oomkes F. (2001 or 2004). Training als Beroep, deel 1 Trainingstheorie. Sociale en interculturele vaardigheid. This book is no longer for sale (only second-hand), but can be borrowed from the University.

Remmerswaal, J. (2013). Handboek Groepsdynamica. 11de herziene druk (eerdere versies zijn niet bruikbaar). This book can be borrowed from the University.

Contact information

Chris Verhoeven verhoeven@fsw.leidenuniv.nl

Esther Verwayen e.n.verwayen@fsw.leidenuniv.nl