The Department of Public Health and Primary Care recently set up Educational Communities of Practice (eCOPs) to foster innovation in education. Giskin Day's brief was to develop an activity for the launch of eCOPs that would help with team-building and encourage creativity. She envisaged the teams as embarking on an adventure so it seemed fitting to theme the activity around a journey to an island. Each team received a picnic basket containing a series of prompts and props. Activities included everyone crafting a boat with a collectively-designed sail. Teams then discussed the ‘landscape’ of their plans for developing their eCOPs and placed messages in a bottle to be revisited in 3 months’ time. Making it snow on their island created the opportunity to discuss what happens when the going gets tough. Naturally, there was treasure to find before they left the island. One team charmingly decided that the treasure was each other before discovering a real treasure chest under their table.

Feedback from Sonia Kumar, Director of Undergraduate Education, School of Public Health

"The day went really well, the noises from the team before, during and after have been overwhelmingly positive, with a clear message that that the day and indeed the concept of eCOPs makes them feel valued and respected as educators. Giskin’s starter task definitely ‘got everyone in the mood’ and from that point on body language softened and the volume of the room went up."

Feedback from Arti Maini, Deputy Director for Undergraduate Primary Care Education

"Thanks to you all for a really great day. I felt it really energised the team and I heard many wonderful comments about it afterwards from quite a range of people. It feels like something special has been created."

Thank you to Jenna Mollaney for this photo