Introducing self-practice/self-reflection sessions on the high-intensity training course in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

1 April 20251 April 2025 By michaelkilmister Comment Closed

By: Julia Limper, Charlie Waller Institute, j.limper@reading.ac.uk

Pink flamingo on water during daytime — Photo by Chris Stenger on Unsplash

Overview

This article discusses the integration of Self-Practice and Self-Reflection (SP/SR) into our as part of cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) programs. SP/SR is designed to enhance therapists’ practical skills and emotional resilience by addressing gaps in traditional training methods and helping trainees manage the emotional demands of their learning.

Objectives

The primary goal of introducing SP/SR was to deepen trainees’ understanding of CBT through reflective practices, by supporting trainees to move from rigid adherence to more flexible and competent use of CBT techniques. Additionally, the program sought to provide emotional support during the intensive training process by incorporating opportunities for reflection and normalisation of course challenges smaller groups.

Context

Self-Practice/Self-Reflection (SP/SR) is recognised as a valuable tool for acquiring and refining CBT skills, enhancing both competence and emotional resilience (Bennett-Levy et al., 2009). This approach involves practicing CBT techniques on oneself (self-practice) and then reflecting on both personal benefits and challenges, as well as potential implications for patient work (self-reflection).The approach aligns with the NHS England Curriculum for HIT trainees, which emphasises experiential learning and self-reflection (NHS England, 2022). While longer SP/SR formats exist and offer more extensive evidence of their benefits, the shorter format used here was designed to meet the course structure’s time constraints and to lay the groundwork for trainees to continue the practice independently.

In practice, many trainees acknowledged the importance of SP/SR but found it difficult to engage with SP/SR as a solely self-directed element due to the demanding nature of their course. This reflects the broader challenges faced by trainees in intensive programs (Boud & Walker, 1998).

The course involves intensive clinical training, provided through a mixture of lectures which include practicing clinical skills through role-plays, and supervision, provided in smaller groups of a maximum of four students. The lectures allow trainees to learn core skills, whilst supervision supports refining these skills and applying them to specific patient challenges.

Implementation

To address these challenges, SP/SR was integrated into four structured supervision sessions The format included:

Initial lecture: Introducing goals, ground rules, and safeguarding strategies.
Four SP/SR sessions (scheduled for 1 hour and 45 minutes)
1. 1. Setting and discussing personal goals.
  2. Evaluating techniques and maintenance cycles (maps that show how the trainees beliefs and behaviours could be maintaining a challenge).
  3. Open discussion on selected topics related to personal or professional challenges.
  4. Reflecting on endings and future use of SP/SR in professional practice.

To support trainees, a handbook, screencasts, and ongoing supervision guidance were provided, encouraging engagement and accountability in the reflective process.

Results and impact

The feedback from trainees, gathered through an online questionnaire showed positive reception to SP/SR in terms of its impact on skill development, wellbeing, and group cohesion. The whole cohort (N=28) was asked for feedback, with 17 responses received (61% response rate).

Around 70% agreed that SP/SR sessions contributed significantly to their growth as CBT therapists, with most others somewhat agreeing.
64% found the sessions beneficial for their overall wellbeing.
76% felt SP/SR improved their connection with peers and supervisors, fostering a greater sense of group cohesion.

In terms of session frequency, just over half of the cohort felt the number of sessions was ideal, with some wanting more opportunities to engage in the practice.

Qualitative feedback revealed that the dedicated time for SP/SR in supervision sessions was particularly appreciated. One trainee noted the value of having structured time for reflection on CBT practices, which might otherwise be neglected. Supervisors also observed that discussing SP/SR in small groups led to a deeper understanding among students and highlighted its potential to improve clinical practice.

Discussion and limitations

While SP/SR was well received by trainees, the evaluation had certain limitations, most importantly the reliance on self-reporting. The lack of objective measures of SP/SR’s direct impact on clinical practice or wellbeing leaves room for further investigation. Moreover, focusing primarily on professional self-reflection may limit its effectiveness. Expanding the approach to include reflections on both personal and professional challenges could enhance its utility (Chaddock et al., 2014).

Reflections

The introduction of SP/SR demonstrated its value in supporting both the professional development and emotional resilience of HI trainees. However, refining the programme, incorporating objective outcome measures, and addressing both personal and professional reflections may enhance its impact. Ongoing adjustments will be needed to further align SP/SR with the evolving needs of trainees.

Follow up and future directions

Future evaluations should focus on the long-term impact of SP/SR on trainees’ clinical practice and emotional well-being. Additionally, exploring how trainees continue to use SP/SR after formal training and how services can support this practice is essential. For future cohorts, a more formalised assessment process, combining both quantitative and qualitative feedback, will provide clearer insights into SP/SR’s effectiveness.

References

Bennett-Levy, J., McManus, F., Westling, B. E., & Fennell, M. (2009). Acquiring and refining CBT skills and competencies: which training methods are perceived to be most effective? Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 37(5), 571–583.
Chaddock, A., Thwaites, R., Bennett-Levy, J., & Freeston, M. H. (2014). Understanding individual differences in response to Self-Practice and Self-Reflection (SP/SR) during CBT training. The Cognitive Behaviour Therapist, 7, e14.
NHS England (2022). Curriculum for High-Intensity CBT Trainees.
Thwaites, R., & Bennett-Levy, J. (2014). Using Self-Practice and Self-Reflection (SP/SR) to Enhance CBT Competence and Metacompetence. How to become a more effective CBT therapist: Mastering metacompetence in clinical practice, 239–254.

Taking ownership over our success: Empowering postgraduate trainee teachers

1 January 20251 January 2025 By michaelkilmister Comment Closed

By: Scarlett Murphy, Institute of Education (IoE), s.l.e.murphy@reading.ac.uk

Decorative image — © University of Reading

Context

Throughout my experience working with postgraduate trainee teachers, I have observed how important it is for trainees to feel empowered to advocate for themselves, particularly those who are parents or carers, those managing anxiety and depression, and those with additional needs like autism or ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). Balancing the demands of placement with personal responsibilities can be overwhelming, but I believe that taking ownership of our own success and finding ways to do this once qualified is critical, especially considering the recent guidance surrounding an increase in students with disabilities.

One of the key challenges I have seen is the pressure that comes with meeting the Teachers’ Standards, while managing additional personal or learning needs. To address this, I worked closely with a group of trainee teachers who identified themselves as needing extra support. I collaborated with these students to develop additional resources to help them manage their time and workload, communicate effectively with their mentors, and build the confidence to advocate for themselves during their placements.

Implementation

The group I worked with included trainees from diverse backgrounds, many of whom were balancing the demands of their training with caregiving responsibilities, mental health challenges, or neurodiverse conditions like autism and ADHD. Together, we created practical resources such as letter templates, draft timetables, and guidance on how to initiate open discussions with mentors about their needs. I found that giving them tools to better communicate with their mentors had a huge impact, helping them establish stronger working relationships and ultimately supporting their ability to meet the required standards without feeling overwhelmed.

Beyond developing communication tools, I also encouraged these trainees to review the University’s placement preparation materials. Their feedback was eye-opening, and they helped me see how we could adjust the content to be more relevant to their needs. They also suggested adding new sessions to the program that would address specific barriers to their learning, such as managing workload when living with ADHD or balancing placement duties with family care. This collaboration not only supported the individual trainees but also created a richer learning environment for everyone involved. It was a clear example of how working collaboratively and sharing best practices can benefit the entire group.

Reflections

One of the most rewarding aspects of this work was seeing how it gave these students a voice. Their ideas and experiences were crucial in shaping the resources we created. They were not just recipients of support—they were active contributors to the process, and this empowered them further. My next step is to share these resources with their mentors, helping to bridge the gap between trainees and schools. This step will be essential in creating a more supportive and inclusive placement experience.

In addition to supporting the students directly, these resources also have the potential to reduce the workload of academic tutors by providing consistent, ready-made tools that can be easily adapted to different trainees’ needs. Working closely with our Disability Advisory Service, the goal is to ensure that these resources complement the existing support provided, making placements more manageable and successful for trainees with additional needs. The ongoing aim is not only to support trainee teachers in their training year but give them the skills to use in their career after graduation.

Through this process, I have also come to realise that far more students have additional needs or unique circumstances than I initially thought. This aligns with current guidance on academic tutoring, which emphasises the importance of making adjustments to support all students and those who have not yet received a formal diagnosis.

Next steps

The next steps to the project are to create a booklet with all the resources and university support links for all trainee teachers and share them more broadly with all schools where our students are on placement.

By empowering postgraduate trainee teachers to advocate for themselves and by creating a supportive framework, I am confident that we can ensure more trainees thrive during their placements and beyond. This work is about fostering a culture of self-advocacy, collaboration, and inclusion—values that are essential for the success of all future teachers.

Reflections of an additional research assistant on a UROP project

6 December 20249 December 2024 By michaelkilmister Comment Closed

By: Hannah Raheja, School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, Bc007055@student.reading.ac.uk

Overview

The Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme (UROP) consists of different projects students can apply to gain research experience. Each project attracts significant numbers of student applicants, but only one is selected. This year, UROP had a project examining the impact of staff racial representation on students’ sense of belonging. I applied to this due to my interest in the topic and despite not being selected as the leading researcher, I was asked to be a research assistant, something that is not typical during UROP projects. This blog will explore my experience as a research assistant and the positive implications this has had on both my personal and professional development. To view the aims and findings of this project, please see Denethri Gamagedara’s blog.

Context

The interest in this study regarding students’ sense of belonging transpired from the Race Equality Review (UoR, 2021) findings, which suggested that staff racial representation directly impacted the sense of belonging, engagement, and attainment within the class.

Denethri Gamagedara conducted this project during her UROP placement over the summer. I (Hannah Raheja) worked as a research assistant, helping with thematic analysis and research dissemination (alongside being a UROP student on another project). This project had two supervisors: Anjali Mehta Chandar, a Lecturer within the Charlie Waller Institute (CWI) and Allán Laville, the Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor Diversity and Inclusion and Professor of Equity in Psychology. Having a research assistant is not usual practice for UROP studies due to the typical focus of one student obtaining one-to-one research experience with supervisors.

My experience as a research assistant

At first, I worried about working with Denethri as I assumed there would be challenges with power dynamics since I was the research assistant and she was the leading researcher. Furthermore, as I had interviewed for the position and had been unsuccessful, I felt that perhaps my ideas were less beneficial than the other team members. Moreover, as Denethri, Anjali and Allan had been working with each other for 4 weeks before I joined their team (they had conducted interviews and a survey with students), I was also apprehensive about how my presence would affect the team dynamic.

However, once I joined the group, I found my worries unwarranted. Denethri and I had regular Microsoft Teams meetings where we built upon each other’s ideas, collaboratively generated themes for reflexive thematic analysis (e.g. diversity in education), and asked each other for feedback. In addition, when meeting with Anjali, Allan and Denethri to discuss the codes Denethri and I had established (e.g. for the theme diversity and education, we had codes such as lecturers and teaching material address diversity), both supervisors frequently asked me for my input, affirming that my ideas were beneficial and helping me to feel like an essential member of the project. Likewise, Anjali emailed and provided me with feedback throughout my time on the team, helping nurture my research skills. I also later discovered that the research assistant position was made for myself and was funded by the Lecturer’s SDA account because I had impressed the supervisors during the interview.

Furthermore, in response to the survey and interview answers, Denethri and I collaboratively agreed upon different recommendations to foster student belonging, which we then presented to Anjali and Allán, who provided us with guidance. To begin with, I struggled to generate recommendations since I had not been present during the interviews and so I did not have an accurate grasp of the problem. Appreciatively, Denethri patiently answered my queries, helping me understand the situation and from this, we both came up with six different ways to foster a sense of belonging within the teaching environment. Denethri and I then created a screencast for lecturers within CWI explaining each of the recommendations. The recommendations include:

sharing your protected characteristics with new cohorts (as much as you feel comfortable),
acknowledging cultural events (e.g. Diwali) during lectures,
creating a diversity discussion blog where minority lecturers can share their teaching journeys and how their protected characteristics have impacted their profession,
continuing to implement diverse teaching resources by referencing decolonising the curriculum,
incorporating discussions about sense of belonging with all students during academic tutorial meetings and creating safe spaces for minority students to discuss their sense of belonging –whether in academic tutorial, online forums or other settings.

Being a part of this process has been an incredible experience as I have developed competencies as an undergraduate researcher while also having the broader implications of developing beneficial recommendations to foster inclusion within the university further. As a student within CWI, I hope these recommendations will be implemented so that all students will feel a sense of belonging within their lectures and throughout their wider university experience.

Summary

To summarise, I was asked to join this project as a research assistant and due to joining this study partway through, I experienced some initial anxiety. However, a successful student-staff partnership was formed between Denethri, supervisors, and myself, with Anjali allowing Denethri and I to express our opinions openly and Allán supporting us to engage with a project with pedagogic implications. This role has helped to develop my analytical, data, and research proficiencies further – all of which would not have been possible without my experience as a research assistant. These positive outcomes will hopefully encourage other supervisors to consider hiring an extra student to help analyse findings and disseminate their UROP project. To best utilise this additional research assistance, regular meetings between all parties should occur, supervisors should actively engage and include the research assistant in the discussions and provide them with constructive feedback on their work.

Acknowledgements

This article would not have been possible without the support and advice of Denethri Gamagedara, Anjali Mehta Chandar, and Allán Laville.

References

Gamagedara, D., & Mehta Chandar, A. (2024, May 31). Exploring Students’ Sense of Belonging in the Charlie Waller Institute. T&L Exchange, University of Reading. https://sites.reading.ac.uk/t-and-l-exchange/2024/05/31/exploring-students-sense-of-belonging-in-the-charlie-waller-institute/
University of Reading (UoR). (2021). Race Equality Review. University of Reading. https://static.reading.ac.uk/content/PDFs/files/race-equality-review-report-2021.pdf

The Hidden Curriculum Glossary – supporting transitions with student-created resources

24 October 202425 October 2024 By michaelkilmister Comment Closed

By: Amanda Millmore, The School of Law, a.millmore@reading.ac.uk

Overview

As a way of helping new students to transition to university, our student-staff partnership co-created a “Hidden Curriculum Glossary.” The original glossary has been shared with students in the School of Law, used as the basis for a guide for first generation students at the University of Reading and has been adopted and adapted by universities across the sector, both in Law and other disciplines.

Objectives

The “hidden curriculum” has varied definitions but relates to the lack of connection between academics’ assumptions about students and how they should behave and what happens in reality. This includes implicit aspects of the taught curriculum as well as the academic expectations. The project aimed to get first generation Law students to help new entrants to understand some of the terminology and behavioural expectations of university by co-creating supportive resources.

Context

The adverse impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on students’ sense of belonging has been challenging. This partnership project worked with first generation Law students to brainstorm ideas to improve a sense of community and belonging within the Law School. The project led to positive ideas to benefit our community, as well as the creation of resources to support transition for all students.

Implementation

We recruited 8 paid student-partners; we pay them for their time to ensure a diverse group of students and as always, we are adopting the University’s Principles of Partnership.

Together we shared ideas to improve the sense of community and belonging which were taken forwards by the School’s Student Experience Committee and we identified suggestions to help incoming students.

One important output of our partnership was our quick guide to terminology and expectations – the Hidden Curriculum Glossary. Students shared what they wished they had known before starting and in their first year of university, and we co-created a helpful and colourful document demystifying key terms and concepts, written in plain English and tailored for what new students need to know.

The glossary was printed and shared with incoming undergraduate and postgraduate students as part of their transition materials in Welcome Week. Students also created “Top Tips” videos for new students and a video guide to our building. All of the resources are also shared electronically via Blackboard.

We have updated the glossary each year to incorporate student feedback and to include any changes. So for example, in its second year we added in more information about the Careers team and how they can help students.

The glossary is designed to support student transition and retention. It received very positive feedback from Law students via a questionnaire to all who received it, for example here is some of the qualitative feedback we received:

Impact

Student partners disseminated the work at a Teaching & Learning Showcase and the Change Agents’ Network Conference 2023.

We created a Criminology version of the glossary for the new programme which was launched in 2023/24 and are now getting ready for the 3^rd iteration of the glossary to incorporate the new language of semesters for 24/25.

The glossary is also a useful introduction to new colleagues joining the university, to get to grips with the language and terminology we use in Reading.

Reflections

Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best. The glossary has been a really useful exercise in co-creation with students, ensuring that we meet their needs and by making something of real value to them.

I would recommend that anyone looking to devise this kind of resource, looks to do so with student partners. Partnership working in this way ensures that the materials you produce are appropriate. As always with this kind of work, the students are fantastic at getting their teeth stuck into a project and make a real difference. Co-creation leads to sharing of different perspectives and is always eye-opening, unsurprisingly students know best as to what will resonate with their peers.

One of the biggest challenges was the timing of the project. Our funding did not kick in until August, but we needed to start work before then in order to achieve something useful in time for the start of the next academic year. Juggling student availability, when they have so many calls upon their time is always tricky, but keeping a flexible approach and realising that things do not need to be perfect, is crucial to a successful project.

Full credit to my colleague Dr. Başak Bak who worked on the community-building side of the project, and our fantastic student partners: Laura Carroll, Ambreen Azeem, Ryan Gibbard, Aina Binti Mohammad Abu Sofian, Srijanani Viswanathan, Saydee Brown, Lewis James, Hasti Houshyari and Kartiga Moganan.

Follow up

Having presented this work and its evolutions within Legal Education streams at Law-specific conferences (Society of Legal Scholars, 2023, Socio-Legal Studies Association, 2024) and at the Advance HE Teaching & Learning Conference (2023 & 2024), our glossary has been adopted and adapted by 8 other institutions (to date), many working to co-produce resources with their students:

2023

University of York (Law)
King’s College, London (Law)
University of Lancaster (Law & Student Success Team)
University of Salford (School of Science, Engineering & Environment)

2024

University of Cardiff (Law)
University of Nottingham (Law)
University of Portsmouth (Law)
University of Manchester (Law)

I am currently working with colleagues at these institutions to gather feedback and the impact of this work. With cohorts of several hundred (and in one case over 1000) our work has already supported several thousand students nationwide. They are all explicitly acknowledging that their versions were inspired by the work of our student staff partnership.

In 2024 students asked, through course representatives on the Student Staff Partnership Group, whether we could create a Careers-focused Glossary. Jeff Anderson (our Careers Consultant) is working with student representatives and me to produce something suitable.

If you are interested in adopting and adapting the glossary for your students, please get in touch with Amanda as she is very happy to share the materials, advice and wants to gather more evidence of impact of this work.

Links

University of Reading First Generation Guide

Exploring students’ sense of belonging in the Charlie Waller Institute

31 May 202413 June 2024 By michaelkilmister Comment Closed

By:

1. Denethri Gamagedara, Psychology Undergraduate and UROP student, d.gamagedara@reading.ac.uk;

2. Anjali Mehta Chandar, Lecturer, Charlie Waller Institute, a.m.chandar@reading.ac.uk;

3. Professor Allán Laville, Dean for Diversity and Inclusion, allan.laville@reading.ac.uk;

4. Hannah Raheja, Research Assistant, h.raheja@student.reading.ac.uk

Overview

Following the University of Reading’s (UoR) Race Equality Review (UoR, 2021), this Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme (UROP) project took place, consisting of a student survey and two student interviews conducted in the Charlie Waller Institute (CWI), a department within the School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences. The aim was to investigate students’ perception of staff racial representation and its impact on students’ sense of belonging. Students felt that diversity explicitly needed to be integrated into the teaching and learning environment. A range of recommendations are provided.

Objectives

The objectives of this pilot study were:

To understand how staff racial representation impacts CWI students’ sense of belonging.
To explore student sense of belonging in CWI, a department that consciously integrates diversity and inclusion into teaching.
To contribute towards diversifying teaching and learning material and maximising student-staff interactions.

Context

The Race Equality Review (UoR, 2021) underlined racial representation as a salient factor for fostering sense of in its students. As Strayhorn (2018) outlines, sense of belonging is broadly defined as “students’ perceived social support on campus, a feeling or sensation of connectedness, the experience of mattering or feeling cared about, accepted, respected, valued by, and important to the group (e.g., campus community) or others on campus (e.g., faculty, peers).” Focus groups within the review highlighted that a lack of staff from minor ethnicities reinforced students’ isolation and lack of belonging within the university. When present, sense of belonging promotes successful learning by improving student engagement, encouraging students to seek campus resources and acting as a buffer from mental health issues (Gopalan & Brady, 2019). This was consistent with comments made in focus groups, where inclusion and sense of belonging were seen as important to the student experience.

The primary reason for conducting this study within CWI was because of the institute’s particular interest in ensuring diversity and inclusion (D+I), and it has an award-winning D+I working group. An institute in the School of Psychology, CWI specialises in postgraduate, vocational training for mental health practitioners. Within the teaching material, students are taught to think about a therapy client’s protected characteristics and engage in conversations about their diverse cultural backgrounds. It was deemed interesting to see how students at an institute that overtly discusses diversity felt about their sense of belonging to the university (potentially based on their racial identity).

Denethri Gamagedara conducted this study as part of UROP. This study was particularly important to her because of the possible implications of institutional improvement for students similar to herself. The project had two supervisors: Anjali Mehta Chandar, a Lecturer in CWI with a keen interest in D+I, and Allán Laville, both a Professor in the department and the University’s Dean of Diversity and Inclusion. Hannah Raheja, a CWI undergraduate student, aided in the project in the role of a research assistant, particularly supporting with the thematic analysis and dissemination.

Implementation

The study involved conducting a survey and two individual participant interviews with the students of CWI. The questions were co-designed by Denethri and Anjali. Sixteen students responded to this survey while three students volunteered for the interview, however only two proceeded to be interviewed due to availability. Responses were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis and discussed with Anjali and Allan. Coding and clustering were completed by Denethri and Hannah, with inter-coder agreement scores of 95.5% and 85.3%. Figure 1 and Figure 2 below outline the themes and sub-themes that emerged from the data.

Figure 1

Themes from the survey

Figure 2

Themes (dark green) and sub-themes (light green) from the interviews

Impact

The research team devised the following recommendations for teaching staff to foster a sense of belonging for students and address diversity.

1 Openness in introductions: Lecturers to mention their own protected characteristics and routes to becoming an academic can be beneficial, particularly during their initial introduction to the cohort e.g. first teaching session. Students had perceptions that only individuals who fit certain criterion could become lecturers (e.g., majority ethnicity and higher socioeconomic status).

2 Showing cultural awareness: Acknowledging cultural events in lectures, Blackboard announcements or emails helps students feel accepted and valued. This allows for better student-staff connection.

3 A discussion blog: Implementing a blog where lecturers can talk about being a professional from a minoritised background is helpful. For example, departments might like to host this on Blackboard, with a new blog each month, or in the student newsletter which is sent out once a term. Students recognised the importance of holistic diversity and wished for more openness about this.

4 Teaching resources: Representation extends to teaching material. has conducted work into decolonising the curriculum, with a more recent publication in September about steps on how to achieve this.

5 Discussing belonging with academic tutees explicitly: Students reported that openness was crucial and belonging involved feeling comfortable and valued. Figure 3 (below) provides examples on how to address sense of belonging.

6 Discussing diversity, notably race, with tutees: Students mentioned that acceptance contributed to belonging. Creating a safe space for students may improve student-staff relationships. Figure 3 (below) has potential questions related to race.

Figure 3

Questions related to sense of belonging and diversity to ask tutees

Reflections

Conducting the study was extremely beneficial as it created the opportunity to think about recommendations to improve student sense of belonging. The results showed that only 31% of students agreed to the statement “I feel a sense of belonging within CWI”, with 25% neither agreeing nor disagreeing, 18.8% disagreeing and 25% strongly disagreeing – this suggests that there is room for improvement.

The study was successful because of the efficient pedagogical partnerships that were formed. Anjali, who was the main supervisor during the project, created a creative space where Denethri and Hannah, as undergraduates, could openly express their opinions. Whilst having Allan’s perspective and expertise helped Denethri and Hannah cluster themes effectively and think about tangible recommendations that lecturers can implement. The positive outcomes, particularly the opportunity to conduct more thorough analysis with a variety of researchers, will hopefully encourage more students and lecturers to apply for the UROP scheme in subsequent years too.

The study may have been better implemented if there was an opportunity to hear from a group of students, such as in a focus group setting. This was part of the original methodology, however, only one student volunteered for this, which therefore had to become an individual interview instead. Focus groups and/or creative styles of evaluation and student voice (such as zine-making) could be incorporated into future replications of this study.

Follow up

The recommendations have been included in a screencast for dissemination to staff groups within CWI, which is viewable here for other UoR colleagues to also view. A reflective paper about the impact of pedagogical partnerships formed from the study is in the process of being published. A pre-print in the style of a lab report is also hoping to be published. It is likely that future projects will look into the effectiveness of the recommendations, perhaps in the form of student or staff feedback.

References

Gopalan, M., & Brady, S. T. (2020). College students’ sense of belonging: A national perspective. Educational Researcher, 49(2), 134-137.
Strayhorn, T. L. (2018). College Students’ Sense of Belonging: A Key to Educational Success for All Students. Routledge.
University of Reading (UoR). (2021). Race equality review. University of Reading. https://static.reading.ac.uk/content/PDFs/files/race-equality-review-report-2021.pdf

Links

Questions in Figure 1 are adapted from CIPD (2013)

Reflecting on developing support for disabled students attending clinical training courses in the Charlie Waller Institute

18 February 202419 February 2024 By michaelkilmister Comment Closed

By: Natalie Meek, n.a.meek@reading.ac.uk & Fisayo Adunola, f.adunola@reading.ac.uk, School of Psychology & Clinical Language Sciences

one woman writes on a whiteboard while another watches — © University of Reading

Overview

Academic tutors across the Charlie Waller Institute (CWI) courses recognised that disabled students faced specific challenges during their studies. Respecting the diverse voices of our student body is paramount, as noted within the student charter. As such we developed student led forum to access feedback and to enact change within courses. In this report we will reflect on the learning taken, and challenges met in engaging students with disabilities.

Objectives

Support students with disabilities.
Supporting students to have a reflective space to discuss respective challenges faced and to enable them to support one another and discuss helpful ways to cope.
Enact change within CWI courses, and in wider educational settings, based on student feedback.

Context

The CWI offers graduate and postgraduate clinical training courses. We have been receiving feedback from our disabled students that they were facing additional barriers and challenges in completing their courses. One area of feedback was feeling isolated within their peer group, and assessments and processes being less accessible to them.

Implementation

The group was to cover all areas of disability; neurodivergence, learning difficulties, physical, sensory and mobility disabilities. So far five groups have been conducted in the previous academic year, sadly attendance has been very low, three groups were conducted with only one student present. Although this meant a great listening space for that student, and an opportunity for the school to take direct feedback, there is little opportunity for peer support. We have identified several challenges to developing peer support groups for post-graduate training course cohorts. On the same day that our forum runs there are two other forums which are the Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) student forum and the Parent and Carers student forum. There has been some cross over as some of the trainees that have attended one forum have attended other forums.

Impact

So far, the forum has met each objective in part. However, one challenge that has arisen is attendance at the forum which has meant the reach hasn’t gone beyond a small number of students. This is a challenge we are continuing to work on as a school to enabled more disabled students to access this space. The reach of the group has also gone beyond the University or School, with contact being made with an accreditation body to respond to student feedback. An unexpected impact has been to enable undiagnosed neurodivergent students to access support through their attendance at the forum. One take away is the importance of students having more contact with the Disability Representatives (Dis Reps) and Disability Advisory Service (DAS), which this group has facilitated. In their role of Dis Rep, Natalie can offer further individual support to enable students to have further reasonable adjustments in university study and in professional service.

Reflections

Despite low turnout, facilitating the forums has been insightful in hearing the voices of students who often face barriers to social engagement within higher education and within wider society (McGuckin et al., 2013; Watson & Nolan, 2011). Our students face unique challenges due to the pressures of clinical training, which impacts their personal, professional, and educational lives. Challenges have varied from accessibility of buildings to difficulties with information processing.

Disabled students are not a monolith, so continuing engagement with diverse voices is necessary to understand our students’ strengths and challenges. The title of the group may be a barrier to engagement, the disability label holds stigma, and those with invisible disabilities may not identify with this label.

In addition to university related learning, our students have expanded on how larger systems, such as the health service and accrediting bodies, lack accessibility. This led to liaison with the British Association of Behavioural & Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP). We hope this forum will empower our students to engage equitably in our courses.

Follow up

Within CWI we have Diversity and Inclusion Support Officers (DISOs) who have been active in ensuring that the actions from the student forums are followed up and embedded within the direction of CWI. The forums are continuing throughout the 2023/24 academic year, we plan to continue responding to student feedback to facilitate engagement. A further review will be performed at the end of the 2023/24 academic year.

References

Scope. (2023). Disability facts and figures. https://www.scope.org.uk/media/disability-facts-figures/
HESA. (2023). Table 4 – HE student enrolments by HE provider and disability marker 2014/15 to 2021/22. https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/students/table-4
House of Commons Library. (2021). Support for disabled students in higher education in England.https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-8716/
McGuckin, C., Shevlin, M., Bell, S., & Devecchi, C. (2013). Moving to further and higher education: An exploration of the experiences of students with special educational needs. NCSE.
Watson, D., & Nolan, B. (2011). A social portrait of people with disabilities in Ireland. Department of Social Protection.

Enhancing students’ linguistic and intellectual competence through Virtual Exchanges in Chinese and Japanese

18 February 202419 February 2024 By michaelkilmister Comment Closed

By: Cong Xia Li, School of Literature and Languages, congxia.li@reading.ac.uk

Screenshot from a remote language class — Screenshot from a Virtual Exchange (VE) online workshop. © Cong Xia Li

Overview

This report details a Teaching and Learning-funded initiative aimed at advancing the linguistic and intercultural competence of intermediate-level Chinese and Japanese language learners (IWLP Stage 3) through Virtual Exchange (VE) projects. Virtual Exchange involves online collaborative educational approaches connecting learners from diverse cultural backgrounds. Our objectives include enhancing linguistic competence, fostering intercultural understanding, and evaluating/refining the VE initiatives. These objectives are explained in more detail below:

Objectives

Enhance linguistic competence. Improve students’ language proficiency through collaborative language learning activities with native speakers.
Foster intercultural understanding. Develop intercultural competence by connecting students with peers from diverse cultural backgrounds.
Evaluate and refine VE initiatives. Conduct empirical research to assess the effectiveness of Chinese and Japanese VE projects, refining tasks, settings and assessments.

Context

The VE initiative was initially introduced in the academic year 2021-22, with Institution-Wide Language Program (IWLP) students of Chinese engaging in collaborative projects with peers from Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology (NUIST), which was well-received by both Reading and NUIST students. The students were from different modules (Chinese stage 3- LA1PC3 and Japanese Stage 3- LA1PJ3) . The Virtual Exchange sessions were run in separate classes by the Chinese and Japanese course convenors. While the current project focuses on the stage 3 students (post-beginners). Additionally, a new VE project for Japanese has been initiated with Miyazaki International College, Japan, for the Stage 3 Japanese class. The VE project, an optional activity in which approximately half of the IWLP Chinese 3 students and the Japanese 3 class took part in, served as a valuable complement to standard teaching. It not only assisted students in enhancing their speaking and writing skills but also facilitated the generation of additional information for the Stage 3 summative assessment, specifically the Stage 3 Cultural Comparison project.

Implementation

The VE project entails a six-week collaboration where students engage in both spoken and written activities. The topics, spanning music and art, youth issues, literature, and environmental concerns, were chosen collaboratively by the class teacher and their international counterparts. The activities primarily involved discussions—both verbal and written—between language learners and native speakers. These discussions focused on topics chosen by convenors to gather information for the Stage 3 project. This project comprises a written report and a group presentation, aiming to research and compare cultural differences between China/Japan and Britain. Participation in the VE project was voluntary, and those not taking part had to find the required information online.

For the pilot project, 12 Chinese and 8 Japanese students were involved, paired based on linguistic ability and shared interests. Initial meetings were facilitated through Zoom/Teams, after which IWLP Chinese learners organised individual paired sessions through WeChat. Participants completed pre- and post-project questionnaires, and a focus group of Chinese and Japanese students recruited from LA1PC3 and LA1PJ3 modules provided additional opinions and feedback.

Impact

The project’s objectives (enhance linguistic competence, foster intercultural competence, and evaluate and refine VE initiatives) were met:

Linguistic competence. Students were able to produce complicated sentence structures and more advanced vocabulary beyond the level accurately . For example, they were able to produce sentence that the first clause has an interrogative pronoun in their group presentation, like 无论有多大的胆子，中国学生通常都不会质疑老师的观点（Regardless of how bold they may be, Chinese students usually do not question the teacher’s viewpoints).

Intercultural competence. Intercultural competence was evident as students demonstrated the ability to discern between formal and informal behaviour and language use in various situations. One student from the focus group noted, ‘The language and manners employed during discussions with our Japanese partners were markedly distinct from what we learn in the classroom.’

Refine VE initiatives. Most of the students preferred to talk to the native speakers than have a formal language lesson. They reported that their partners were too eager to correct their grammar mistakes in formal lessons; rather, they would have preferred more open discussions of the topics. The VE initiative in Chinese is continuing this year. We have made several adjustments to the activities of the VE program. For example, the aim of the VE project is emphasised at the initial meeting, following feedback from the focus group.

Student testimonials underscored other positive receptions of the initiative, highlighting perceived improvements in various areas:

Enhanced language proficiency. Participants demonstrated heightened language skills, observable through assessments and student testimonials. Engagement in learning activities increased, with a notable enthusiasm in communication with native speakers. This was reflected not only in enhanced fluency and accuracy but also in the use of advanced vocabulary and sentence structures.

Cultural exchange. VE projects facilitated meaningful interactions that broadened students’ understanding of Chinese and Japanese culture beyond traditional classroom teachings. Through discussions with peers, students learned informal ways to interact in Chinese and Japanese, gained different perspectives on contemporary youth challenges in China and Japan, and developed a more in-depth understanding and analysis of cultural aspects in Chinese novels and literature.

Increased global awareness. Students developed a broader perspective on cultural diversity, with two focus group participants noting that the experience heightened their sensitivity to cultural differences, boosting their confidence to work or socialise in multicultural environments in the future.

Reflections

Overall, the designed and delivered VE projects in Chinese and Japanese met our objectives. Collaborations with native speakers provided invaluable opportunities for cultural exchange, benefiting both UK and international students. However, certain observations and reflections were made.

While both Chinese and Japanese learners expressed positive views on VE projects, compared with their Japanese counterparts, the Chinese learners found them less useful for developing linguistic and intercultural competence. In follow-up interviews, these students preferred physical collaboration on campus over virtual interaction.

For future studies, recommendations include employing different communication approaches for synchronous and asynchronous interactions, providing clear instructions for the VE program’s aims and expectations at the initial meeting, and finding ways to leverage the large international student body on campus to facilitate physical meetings with native speaker.

Follow up

The project was presented at an international conference in Poznan, Poland, in May 2023. VE projects with NUIST continue, and efforts are underway to establish collaborations with native speakers on campus. The positive outcomes and lessons learned form a foundation which approach can be expanded to other languages, benefiting a wider student population. The report encourages colleagues in other languages and disciplines to consider VE projects for international collaboration program. I am delighted to learn that a colleague at the Economics Department is exploring the VE approach with the students at NUIST who are enrolled in the 3+1 programme (a joint programme offered by NUIST Reading Academy and UoR that runs for 4 years).

Using constructivism to achieve a decolonised accounting curriculum

8 December 202318 February 2024 By michaelkilmister Comment Closed

By: Ekililu Salifu, Henley Business School, e.salifu@henley.ac.uk

Men sitting on chairs with back to camera — © Photo by Sam Balye on Unsplash

Overview

This article explores using constructivism as a pedagogical approach to achieving the objective of a decolonised accounting curriculum. It discusses how constructivism can be used to effectively outline the constraints of the received perception of accounting as a pseudo-technical subject while making room for alternative representations.

Objectives

The primary aim of this activity was to explore the use of constructivism learning theory to achieve a decolonised accounting curriculum. The next objective was to design and effectively deliver a more inclusive globalised curriculum for post-graduate financial reporting in particular, and accounting in general.

Context

Accounting curriculum is perceived to be pseudo-technical, relying on the application of technical rules and principles that are universally accepted. This is the received view of our postgraduate accounting students, over 90% of whom are from an international background. Student feedback suggested that while they wanted to learn and apply conventional financial reporting and accounting, they also wanted to see a representation of themselves in some of the discussions. During the delivery and redesign of the curriculum for ACM002 Financial Reporting and Regulation (now ACM006 International Financial Reporting and Regulation), I explored the use of constructivism as a pragmatic pedagogical approach to explore the constraints of this notion while making room for the generation of alternative explanations. ACM002 (now ACM006) is a compulsory financial reporting module for MSc International Accounting and Finance students, and currently has 26 students registered on it.

Implementation

Decolonisation can take on different meanings but is used in this context to mean the recognition of the constraints placed by monocultural and largely westernised perspectives or hierarchies in accounting and the making room for alternative representations. Decolonising the accounting curriculum faces unique disciplinary constraints, as the largely Western knowledge systems we pass on are considered to be ‘universal’, especially in the wake of the near-universal acceptance of international financial reporting standards. A decolonised accounting curriculum needs to emphasise its ability to meet local needs and cultivate globally transferable skills.

I started with an informal focus group with some students from the 2021/2022 cohort, to collate feedback on what a decolonised financial reporting curriculum would mean to them, among other objectives. Students argued against the development and delivery of an overtly decolonised curriculum that continuously recognised the constraints of the existing curriculum, and especially discussed alternative representation. This was primarily borne from their belief while the present curriculum had hegemonic dispositions, it was still necessary as its completion would enhance their global competitiveness. Furthermore, for a decolonised curriculum to be meaningful to the student, they needed to see their own experiences represented in the discussions.

Constructivism offered a solution to designing and delivering a more decolonised curriculum. Constructivism, with its focus on student-centred learning, suggests that humans construct knowledge and meaning from their experience. As a learning theory, it suggests that students learn by relating new information to what they already know. In its ability to fosters active and collaborative learning, constructivism allows students to self-identify with co-produced knowledge.

The delivery of ACM002 was primarily lecturer-led, with relatively limited opportunities for students to reflect on what was being taught. However, scholars generally recognise that knowledge is co-produced, and a lecture-only mode of delivery is not ideal for the optimal co-production of knowledge. The amount of time that could be dedicated to student engagement in debates during lectures (as opposed to workshops) was limited, especially considering the content that still needed to be delivered.

The starting point of decolonising the curriculum was thus to rename the module from Financial Reporting and Regulation to International Financial Reporting and Regulation, to highlight the inclusivity within the module. Next was to expand the reading lists to include more critical debates on some of the module content. Workshop sessions, with the object of fostering debates among the students were introduced. In these sessions, students engaged in more critical discussions when they were able to call on their own experiences and relate those to the discussions at hand. This was in sharp contrast to when critical discussions were relayed to them by the lecturer.

Impact

Adopting constructivism significantly allowed for the curriculum to be relatively decolonised and overcome some of the student resistance. As the composition of students changes year-by-year, utilising static module structure and composition may not achieve the objectives of a decolonised curriculum for each cohort. Relying on only module renaming and diversifying the module content and material risks alienating some students who may not recognise a representation of their own experiences in what is being taught.

Leaning on the canon of the coproduction of knowledge between instructors and students (see de Carvalho et al., 2016; Padilla, 2019; Shahjahan et al., 2022)., encouraging and offering students the opportunity to call upon and debate key issues within financial reporting was vital to the paradox of balancing professional (often western-centric) knowledge, socialisation, and subjugated community based and socially knowledge.

Reflections

Decolonising curriculum requires the construction of an inclusive curriculum beyond dominant knowledge systems, as well as the cultivation of an environment that fosters relational teaching and learning. This means that it is a continuous process that requires constant iterations based on student-teacher interactions, recognising the differences in the lived experiences of individuals and the impact that might have on the learning process.

Follow up

I intend to run a short survey for this cohort at the end of the term, to evaluate the extent to which they are able to self-identify their individual and country context within the discussions we have covered in the module. I also intend to make a presentation on decolonisation and constructivism at the departmental level also, to assess the receptiveness of this approach, and to close the loop on the side of the academics.

References

Bada, S. O. & Olusegun, S. (2015). Constructivism learning theory: A paradigm for teaching and learning. Journal of Research & Method in Education, 5(6), 66-70.
Charles, E. (2019). Decolonizing the curriculum. Insights, 32, 24.
de Carvalho, J. J., Cohen, L. B., Correa, A. F., Chada, S., & Nakayama, P. (2016). The meeting of knowledges as a contribution to ethnomusicology and music education. World of Music, 5(1), 111–133.
de Carvalho, J. J., & Florez-Florez, J. (2014). The meeting of knowledges: A project for the decolonization of universities in Latin America. Postcolonial Studies, 17(2),122–139. https://doi.org/10.1080/13688790.2014.966411
Padilla, N. L. (2019). Decolonizing indigenous education: An Indigenous pluriversity within a university in Cauca, Colombia. Social & Cultural Geography, 22(4), 523–544. https://doi.org/10.1080/14649365.2019.1601244
Shahjahan, R. A., Estera, A. L., Surla, K. L. & Edwards, K. T. (2022). “Decolonizing” curriculum and pedagogy: A comparative review across disciplines and global higher education contexts. Review of Educational Research, 92(1), 73-113.
Subedi, B. (2013). Decolonizing the curriculum for global perspectives. Educational Theory, 63(6), 621-638.

Decentring Ableism: Creative Applications of Film Accessibility in Film/TV Practical Teaching

12 June 202320 July 2023 By michaelkilmister Comment Closed

Shweta Gosh, Department of Film, Theatre & Television, shweta.ghosh@reading.ac.uk

Overview

In this blogpost, Lecturer in Screen Practices and Industries Shweta Ghosh discusses her recent exploration of a new approach to teach film sound design using captions. Based on Shweta’s research on filmmaking and accessibility, this exploration serves as the foundation for a toolkit of film practice teaching methods that she intends to develop through 2023/24, which draw on principles of universal design and decentring ableism in the creative industries.

Objectives

The primary aim of the activity was to explore possible pedagogical applications of research on film accessibility in practical Film/TV teaching at the Department of Film, Theatre & Television. Key objectives were:

To develop student awareness of disability and Deaf culture, and the need for accessibility
To develop student capacities for confident exploration of diversities in audio-visual experience and development of creative ideas based on accessible filmmaking principles
To build accessibility into creative work with a foundational approach rather than incorporating it as an afterthought

Context

My doctoral research on filmmaking and accessibility revealed that filmmaking continues to centre nondisabled perspectives and practices, both on and off screen. Accessibility measures such as captions and audio description are often inserted in film/TV/video content as afterthoughts and accessible filmmaking research as well as practice demonstrates that the same measures considered at early stages (ideation, pre-production and planning) can make film and TV outcomes more accessible by default.

Additionally, accessibility measures can offer exciting possibilities to develop creative aspects of one’s work. The University of Reading Curriculum Framework outlines the need for teaching and learning practices to be accessible to all, and a key programme learning outcome of the new BA in Film & Television at the Department of Film, Theatre & Television programme is to “Create creative practice that is informed by an understanding of accessibility, sustainability and/or social engagement”. In alignment with these visions and outcomes, my exploratory activity was aimed at understanding student and staff response to the use of accessible filmmaking methods in film/TV practice teaching and learning.

Implementation

The activity involved working with two tutorial groups in the Part 1 Film/TV practice in Autumn term 2022 called ‘Introduction to Filmmaking’ (FT1ITF).

The idea was to explore the creative potential and inclusive outcomes of using creative captioning in Film/TV outputs. Group A and B tutors (Dr. James Kenward and I respectively) used a video by Artist Christine Sun Kim on rewriting closed captions from a Deaf perspective as a prompt for seminar discussion (released in advance on Blackboard), and facilitated student reflection on how captions can communicate diverse sound perspectives and the filmmaker’s creative intentions.

Initial discussion explored how the use of captions is widespread and how it makes audio-visual content accessible for Deaf viewers. This helped gauge student awareness and understanding of disability rights and accessibility more generally. Further discussion explored creative dimensions of captions in relation to ‘aural worlds’ (i.e., how each ‘world’ within an audio-visual work is built with different sound components and perspectives).

Students were then encouraged to identify the different components of the aural world in the video as well as the classroom, and map these on to a sound design template. This template, used by Part 1 students as a formative development blog submission, facilitates thinking and planning for practical project sound design, where each column represents a component of the aural world (ambient sound, voice/dialogue, etc.) and which can subsequently be mapped on to sound design and mixing software.

A discussion connecting these various elements enabled students to apply insights to develop creative ideas for the sound design of their own practical projects. Questions used by tutors to facilitate discussion were based on the following themes:

How do the captions in this video describe the creator’s intention? For example, what is the intended mood and tone with respect to the violin music in the captions before and after Christine Sun Kim changes them?
How do the detailed captions help us imagine / create an aural world that is more complex + inclusive?
If you had to caption your 10-shot sequence, how would you caption it with your sound design intentions? Have a go based on your current rough cut (in class / before your next edit session with the rough cut copy / during the edit with the captioning tool).
How can your ‘captioned’ intentions be mapped on to a sound design plan (esp. Mood section)?

The activity was successful in achieving its intended objectives. Practical subgroups in A tutorial group used captions during the workshop to develop creative intentions for sound design. One of the practical subgroups in tutorial group B explored the use of creative captions in their final practical output. While their use of captions was not assessed summatively, formative feedback was provided at an editing supervision meeting, and their attempt to understand and engage with captioning was positively recognised.

Reflection

Positive feedback from the group A tutor summarises the strengths of this activity and reaffirms that this can be an effective and interesting way to teach students film practice and accessibility.

“This was a very useful exercise and encouraged students to think about their creative practice in new and inventive ways. Students were not ‘taught’ accessibility, but utilised standard accessible filmmaking practice as a foundation to explore sound design choices in their films. Accessible practice was thus a given, ingrained into the work itself, rather than something to be viewed as separate or additional.

As the exercise confronts practitioners’ inherent biases as well as their expectations for the viewer, it works effectively to encourage students to critically analyse and evaluate their sound design choices in a targeted fashion. Given improving the quality of students’ sound design is a specific area of focus for the department, this exercise would be beneficial for students across practical modules.”

This exploratory project has also confirmed that there is an appetite amongst students to understand and engage with audio-visual perspectives that are different to their own, whether on and off screen. This is crucial to develop future film/TV makers whose practices are built on the principles of empathy and inclusion.

Follow up

The verbal feedback from students and interesting themes emerging from the trail this year (such as creative intentions, creative control, accessibility tools as enhancers or limiters of creativity), will be used to develop a detailed yet flexible version of this exercise, which can be used in next year’s Introduction to Filmmaking module as well as adapted for relevant Part 2, 3 and MA Film/TV practice modules. A seminar + workshop format (or critical discussion + sound design template application activity) will support students to connect critical themes to creative applications fruitfully. Student and staff feedback at the end of these sessions will be invited to further my understanding of engagement with accessibility methods and how these might enhance creativity and empathy, as well as key pedagogical challenges.

If you’d like to know more or would like to talk about this project, you can reach me at shweta.ghosh@reading.ac.uk or my personal website.

Overview

This article reports on the joint Institute of Education / Department of Computer Science Leverhulme funded project concerned with improving online learning for three groups of students. Various recommendations are made, some relating to the Yuja lecture capture system. More details are on our DEAL site https://blogs.reading.ac.uk/deal/.

Objectives

To identify optimal conditions for presenting learning information for students in HE, specifically across three student groups: – deaf/hearing impaired (DHH); with dyslexia (DYS), those with English as a second language (L2)
To establish a platform for developing an agile system responsive to different user needs
To use this evidence base to inform the development of guidance to providers of online learning

Context

Although the prime focus of the project was on Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) learners, research suggests that students with literacy and language difficulties also benefit from captioning and visual materials. We used material from two of the University’s well established MOOCS on FutureLearn Begin Robotics and Understanding Anxiety, Depression and CBT which had material in various formats.

Implementation

We created two versions of online learning materials across these content areas. One version of the materials was ‘unenhanced’ – termed MOOC. The other version was ‘enhanced’ to offer greater support to learners (for example, through British Sign Language, BSL), termed DEAL.

Participants (109, randomly allocated to conditions) viewed the materials in an online interview after completing tests of literacy and prior knowledge. After viewing they completed quizzes to assess learning, and questionnaires and an interview to gauge their views on and attention to various features of the materials. Additional participants (26) viewed the Robotics materials while their eye-movements were tracked.

The University’s lecture capture system Yuja stores information from the lecturn computer and an optional camera. Students can view any result on the YuJa server, controlling captions and the two streams from the computer and camera. The camera can be used to record a signer live, but a video of a signer done elsewhere can be merged with that from the lecturn.

Impact

The project recommends

Adding Advance Organisers (signposts given to students before they undertake an activity to help them structure the information they are about to learn and to direct their attention to key points).
Pre-viewing explanations of key subject specific terminology.
Breaking some of the information down into smaller segments with summaries.
Adding British Sign Language to video clips.
Drawing participants’ attention to how to modify and use captions.

The overriding message for online learning is that personalisation of modifications is key, and that can be achieved by systems such as

Ally, where students can access material in different formats
YuJa, where students can personalise captions and signing.

Reflection

For both content areas, post-viewing quiz scores for MOOC and DEAL were very similar.
For Robotics, DHH DEAL participants had higher average post-viewing scores than DHH MOOC participants, giving some indication that the DEAL modifications helped.
Across all groups, DEAL modifications were found helpful by many participants. There was however a lot of individual variation regarding what was helpful/unhelpful. Participants wanted to be able to personalise their viewing: for example, by moving the BSL to a certain area of the screen, to lessen cognitive overload.

Specifically for the DHH students, we recommend

Provide a BSL version that can be turned on or off. Not all DHH students find BSL helpful or use it as their first and preferred language so the option to select BSL is likely to be helpful.
The option to move the interpreter to other parts of the screen was also favoured, which can be achieved for instance by Yuja, see link below.

Follow Up

Currently, relevant videos in the Begin Robotics MOOC are being enhanced to incorporate relevant findings from the project. These will be available in future runs, which will also be taken by the first year Computer Science students.

Links

The project web site https://blogs.reading.ac.uk/deal/

Viewing a video and a signer on Yuja https://reading.yuja.com/V/Video?v=186538&a=492227066

The CBT MOOC https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/anxiety-depression-and-cbt

The Begin Robotics MOOC https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/begin-robotics