1.5 Engaging students in activities

The E4J University Modules on Anti-Corruption, Integrity and Ethics include over 130 interactive exercises. The activities allow students to think about what they already know as well as helping them learn something new.

However, as students' prior knowledge and exposure to these issues vary widely, decisions about appropriateness of exercises should be based on their educational and social context. You are encouraged to relate and connect each exercise to the key issues presented in the modules.

Here are two further examples of interactive exercises to illustrate how the Modules engage and facilitate students’ learning across the related issues of anti-corruption, integrity and ethics:

The following activity illustrates how the E4J Modules utilise the power of prior knowledge and experience to support students’ engagement with anti-corruption, integrity and ethics issues.

Activity 1.5.1 Reception on values

Timing: 10 minutes

This activity is taken from an exercise in E4J Ethics Module 13.

Figure 5 An opening reception

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People standing in an entrance lobby and talking to each other in small groups.

Figure 5 An opening reception

After a short brain-storming session on important values, you distribute cards to the students and ask them each to write on the card one value that is the most important value in their life.

Ask them to imagine that they are at an opening reception of a new programme and must introduce themselves to the other students by referring to the value on their card. Their card is their business card.

They must go to others and present themselves by explaining their guiding value. After short mutual introductions, they should walk to others, to make new contacts. Give the students ten minutes to mix and talk, and then collect the cards and post them on a board or flipchart.

How do you think students will react in your locality to this activity?

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Answer

You will have different experiences of using these activities depending on your locality. In this exercise, acknowledge variety and similarity of values, and ask 'How did it feel to introduce yourself with your guiding value?' Students will probably share the fact that we rarely speak about values.

You can emphasize the importance of speaking about values for creating shared values and mutual trust among people. If students need examples of values, they can draw on the list available on the MindTools website [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)] (scroll to "step 4").