A case study exploring facilitators’ experiences of implementing a student-led Power Hour of Progress initiative within an undergraduate psychology community

This case study explores the perceptions of three student-facilitators who aimed to implement an initiative delivering regular, short and structured writing sessions (Power Hour of Progress; PHoP) within the undergraduate student body. Power Hours were already established as a practice amongst staff and post-graduate students. However, Power Hour practices have not been implemented in undergraduates. Based on the previously observed benefits with staff, we anticipated Power Hour sessions would help develop study- and time-management skills and build a sense of community within the student body. A staff-student collaboration was initiated wherein three students were trained to facilitate sessions. Fifteen PHoP sessions were run, and semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore student-facilitator views on the attempts to embed PHoP within the student body. Question-based thematic analysis identified key challenges to implementation including poor attendance and general research challenges. However, Power Hour encourages intentional learning practices, and promotes engagement in multiple academic communities. Based on these findings, we provide best practice recommendations for anybody who wishes to encourage Power Hour practices within their academic body. We conclude with a summative staff reflection on the advantages of trusting students to take ownership over staff-student partnerships

Power hour workshop:try it before you buy it!

Progress, not perfection! This is the motto of Power Hour! The friendly and supportive nature of Power Hour sessions can help foster a sense of community by providing a protected space to reflect on personal and academic goals, work on them for a dedicated period, and reflect on your progress afterwards. We invite you to try it for yourself! Join our student-staff facilitated workshop to have a dedicated mini-Power Hour. Reflect on your conference experiences, gather your notes and ideas in one space, plan out the rest of your conference, or just have a safe space to meet some other people at the conference. The choice is yours and progress is guaranteed!Prior to attending, you are welcome to learn more in our Power Hour presentation “The secret to making progress is getting started” – a staff-student journey to embed Power Hour of Teaching”

“The secret to making progress is getting started” – a staff-student journey to embed Power Hour of Progress

The friendly and supportive nature of “Power Hour of Writing” sessions have helped build a supportive community of researchers within the University of the West of Scotland. These one-hour “Power Hour” sessions provide opportunities for lecturers, researchers and postgraduates to protect one’s time for writing and to foster connection. They also provide a relaxed social space to discuss and reflect on personal and academic goals.This presentation focuses on the journey of a staff-student collaboration aimed at developing and embedding Power Hour practices within the undergraduate student learning experience. Three Psychology undergraduates were recruited and trained as Power Hour facilitators via a Psychology department initiative “Students as Researchers (StARS)”. This joint presentation will reflect on the benefits and challenges of this from both perspectives.You can also experience a Power Hour for yourself in our paired event “Power Hour Workshop: try it before you buy it!”.<br/