Group work: investigating the requirements of a student resource

By edwardwhite Comment Closed

Sonia Hood, Study Adviser, Library                                                             s.hood@reading.ac.uk                                                                                                                     Year of activity: 2015/16

Overview

The project explored both the challenges and solutions of assessed group work, from a staff and student perspective. Focus groups and in-depth interviews with undergraduates, postgraduates and staff revealed a number of key challenges such as: confronting ‘difficult’ group members; ensuring fairness; and dealing with varying priorities. A number of solutions were proposed including: careful consideration of the % mark allocated to group work; training on dealing with challenging individuals; more emphasis on self-awareness; and timetabled group work sessions. The project offers a number of recommendations to anyone wishing to improve their students’ ability to engage positively with group work.

Objectives

  • To explore the challenges and solutions to assessed group work, from a student and staff perspective
  • To offer recommendations that support students to independently solve some of the challenges they face with this form of assessment
  • To create a ‘student reviewed’ bank of group work resources

Context

Group work is an integral part of assessment at university but students rarely arrive equipped with the skills, experience and knowledge to deal with the challenges they face when working in groups. As a result this can be a cause of anxiety for students and also a time consuming intervention for lecturers. Henley Business School (HBS) approached Study Advice for help in supporting their students to deal with the group work challenges they face. Whilst it was accepted that a wide range of open access group work resources were already available, it was felt that students needed help navigating these. In addition, it was felt in order to truly support students with group work we first needed to understand the challenges they face, how they have/intend to overcome these and how best they would like to be supported in doing this. Real Estate and Planning (REP) students were chosen as the sample and focus groups and in-depth interviews were used to explore the perceptions, challenges and proposed solutions for assessed group work.

Implementation

A student researcher post was developed and an REP student was employed over the summer to evaluate the wealth of open access resources available on group work. This resulted in a folder of group work resources being created and uploaded onto Blackboard.  In addition a pack containing key resources was compiled and handed out to part 1 REP students when commencing their first group work project.

A staff focus group took place in June 2015, where 7 HBS staff members discussed the challenges and solutions to group work from their experience and perspective. Following this, in the autumn term part 1 students from REP were invited to a focus group to discuss their early perceptions of group work at university. In the spring term, 6 students following MSc planning courses contributed to a focus group, discussing the challenges they faced and their proposed solutions. Finally over the course of the spring and summer terms, 8 in-depth interviews were carried out with both undergraduates (UGs) and postgraduates (PGs) following Real Estate and Planning courses to explore their individual experiences with this form of assessment. These interviews and focus groups were then transcribed, analysed and themed into both challenges and solutions.

Impact

All three objectives of this study were reached. We now have a bank of resources to support students with group work, available on Blackboard, which can be copied into any course.

Group work student pack
Excerpt from Student Pack

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The initial pack handed out to students proved to be useful for undergraduates, mainly as an aid to focus early group discussions. The research has helped to develop our understanding of the challenges students face and the solutions they feel could be implemented. These are being disseminated in the first instance to those in REP and then to the wider T&L community. It is hoped that these findings will help to improve the effectiveness and experience of group working for a wide variety of students.

Reflections

The interviews and focus groups revealed the complex challenges associated with group work: not least in dealing with conflict and difficult group members, managing different priorities within the group and the perception of fairness with regards the marking system. Solutions varied between the PG and UG students, though all recognised that effective teams take time to get to know each other informally. Students suggested that informal events could be organised as part of their course to help them through this ‘forming’ stage. PG students also asked for careful consideration of how the mark for group work is allocated (with a higher proportion allocated to individual work) and a penalty imposed as a last resort. More support was requested in dealing with conflict and difficult team members, and the need for more self-reflection from everyone within the group was identified. There are also some simple things we can do to help students with the practicalities of group work, like timetabling group work sessions and  booking rooms at set times for students to use. In terms of tutor support, it was recognized that their time was limited; when it comes to personal issues within a group, speaking to a mentor (like a part 2 student) who could offer confidential, impartial advice would be a preferable option for UGs.

Follow up

Overall, the majority of students recognised the importance and value of group work, not only for future careers but also in the depth and breadth of work they could produce. There are a complex set of challenges that students face in dealing with this form of assessment and this project reveals some solutions that students believe we could implement to help them to deal with issues independently.

Work continues on this project, as at present we are only just starting to disseminate the findings. Whilst the recommendations from this small scale study might not be relevant to all engaged in group work, it is felt that a number of themes and challenges are shared across a variety of disciplines. We would welcome speaking to anyone who is interested in finding out more about this project and how they might benefit from this research.

Final Year Group Based Research Projects

By edwardwhite Comment Closed

Professor Elizabeth Page and Dr Philippa Cranwell, Chemistry, Food and Pharmacy
e.m.page@reading.ac.uk
Year of activity: 2015-16

Overview

Group-based research projects have been introduced into the BSc Chemistry programme for final year students. Small teams of students investigate different aspects of a research problem, each working on a separate strand. The results are combined and overall conclusions drawn. The team-based approach more closely resembles the nature of research in the chemical industry. The approach can be translated to many other disciplines.

Objectives

  • To provide final year students with the opportunity for open-ended investigative laboratory research.
  • To work as a team to plan and design a suitable approach and experiments to explore the problem.
  • To carry out original research and collate and analyse results.
  • To draw conclusions and present the results both orally and as a dissertation.
  • To develop a variety of key transferable skills required for the workplace.

Context

All accredited Chemistry programmes must contain individual independent investigative work, historically in the form of a final-year research project. Since the rapid expansion of chemistry undergraduate numbers, many departments have moved from laboratory-based projects to literature reviews or short, open-ended practical work. Group projects provide an alternative approach where undergraduates carry out a worthwhile chemical investigation, with the potential of yielding useful results within the restricted time, and with the limited resources available.

Implementation

A Teaching and Learning Development Fund (TLDF) Grant in 2015 allowed us to appoint two undergraduate students to investigate some potential ideas for research projects over the summer of 2015. The students carried out initial trials into a series of research topics in the broad areas of inorganic, organic, physical and analytical chemistry. On the basis of these preliminary investigations a short briefing sheet was drawn up for each research question, to be used as a starting point for the teams.

Final year students on the BSc Chemistry and BSc Applied Chemistry (NUIST) programmes were invited to select areas of preference in chemistry for their final year project. Students were organised into teams of 3-5 students on the basis of project preferences and undertook two short (five week) projects, the first of which acted as a trial run to allow students to become familiar with an independent research environment. Each team was allocated an academic supervisor to whom they reported their results weekly. During the final week of each project team members discussed their results and prepared a presentation. Students were given feedback on the first presentation to help inform the second. The second project was written as a formal report, with each student writing up their individual investigations and the whole team contributing to the introduction and final discussions and conclusion.

Students were assessed on the basis of their individual laboratory notebook, their oral presentation and project report. They were asked to evaluate their peers’ contributions under a variety of categories to produce a factor which could be used to scale any group component marks.

Impact

In 2015-2016 a total of 12 team-based projects were carried out in 4 different research areas. As the topics were re-visited (i.e. the same topic used more than once), the second group of students were able to carry on the investigation from where the first group finished.

All projects were successful in producing results that the students were able to analyse and discuss. The value of the results to the research question varied significantly with the team and the nature of the project. Students were not penalised if they worked in a project area that did not easily yield positive results: they were advised that their grades depended upon their input into the project and their oral and written communication skills in presenting the project. In the majority of cases the teams worked well to plan and execute experiments that led to conclusive results.

Although the numbers were relatively small in 2015-2016, the team-based approach reduced academic supervision and training time, as one staff member could supervise a team of students. More results were obtained from the team-based approach than when students worked independently. The research questions had to be selected carefully and some preliminary work done, but despite this some of the projects yielded new results that are publishable. Students improved their team working skills significantly and have ample experiences to discuss at interviews.

Reflections

The success of each group project depended to a large extent on the individual supervisor and the group dynamics. Ownership of the project by the supervisor led to more successful outcomes and better group dynamics. It was observed that groups of 4 students seemed to work better than 3 or 5, as research problems often break down to comparing A against B, and therefore workload could be more easily divided. Interestingly, students requested one long project in future rather than two short ones because they felt that with a long project they could really make a meaningful impact with their work.

As the project reports were to be submitted shortly before the exam period, some students were anxious to complete their contributions in good time and found it difficult to work with their peers who had a more relaxed approach. Because of the high weighting (40 credits) on the project, we will require individual project reports in future. In addition, combined group reports were difficult to assess fairly, even with peer evaluation.

Links

The work was presented at the 2nd Enhancing Student Learning Through Innovative Scholarship Conference meeting in June 2016.

Development of the Cole Museum resources for outreach and teaching and learning.

By edwardwhite Comment Closed

 Dr Amanda Callaghan, School of Biological Sciences
a.callaghan@reading.ac.uk

Overview

Cole Zoology Museum300The Cole Museum of Zoology (the Cole) houses a number of satellite collections for use in outreach, teaching and learning. In 2014 we transferred 50% of the School of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Science (SAGES) fossil collection to the Cole and in 2015 acquired the other half. As a result of this Teaching and Learning Development Fund project, most of the fossils and many more Cole specimens and archives have been catalogued and photographed and are now being transferred onto AdLib (a database for the cataloguing and publishing of information on collection objects) for wider use.

Objectives

  • To improve the use of SAGES fossil/SBS zoology collections in outreach, T&L and research through improved access.
  • To catalogue and organise material, photograph where required and upload onto AdLib.

Context

Around 50% of the University fossil collection was moved to the Cole in the School of Biological Sciences in 2014. This resource is used for teaching palaeontology and is still used by staff in Archaeology (GV2M5 Quaternary Global Climate Change). SBS are now increasingly using this resource in teaching and recently it has been used to teach BI1EZ1 Introduction to Zoology, BI1EAB1 Animal Diversity, BI2BS5 Vertebrate Zoology and BI3EAB8 Palaeozoology. The remaining 50% was moved in 2015 and required cataloguing, along with archival materials. Many of the Cole specimens and all of its archives have not been photographed and were therefore unavailable as images online.

Implementation

Two UG students and one PhD student were employed, with the added value of two additional volunteers and two academic members of staff to supervise students. Remaining fossil specimens were transferred to the Cole, identified, labelled, photographed, catalogued and stored. Specimen photographs and details are now being uploaded onto the AdLib database by a volunteer. AdLib is used by collections across the University to catalogue and publish information on collection objects. It is accessible to students and staff through the Library website Enterprise.

Impact

This will allow staff and students across the university access to the collection.  Because the collection is organized and the catalogue available online, we now have a team of 8 undergraduate volunteers and enthusiasts who are able to work on proofreading and identifying specimens in the catalogue.  In addition to improving access to the collection for use in classes by students of Archaeology and SBS, an added impact of the work is that students are gaining skills in palaeontological curation and a certain level of expertise in zoology and fossil identification. A number of our students are interested in careers in the museum sector and this experience will put them in good stead for a job in this area.

Outcomes

At the end of the project all the fossils have been transferred, photographed and the digital catalogue was transferred online.  Considerable progress was made in identifying specimens and filling in missing taxonomic information. In addition to the fossil work, the opportunity to work in the museum during the summer with a dedicated team allowed us to photograph Cole specimens whilst the photography system was set up. We also engaged a PhD student, Verity Burke, to catalogue and organise the archival material. As a result she instigated a twitter exhibition #ColeEx.

Reflections

The Cole is an accredited museum praised by the accrediting body (Museums and Libraries and Archives Council – it is now administered by the Arts Council England) for our collection management and collection care. We will now manage the fossil collection appropriately to make it more readily accessible for use and to bring it back to a good curatorial standard. The collection is now available for use in outreach, by colleagues in SBS and Archaeology for classes, for research, as well as by students on school placements to allow the development of new projects.

As a result of this project, we now are able to use the collection in new ways:

  1. Teaching and Learning. The entire fossil teaching collection is now used in teaching BI3EAB1, with students in the class able to use the online catalogue during practicals.
  2.  Research. A third year student is researching our ichthyosaur material for her final year project.
  3.  Engagement. The fossil collection is very popular among our students who are keen to be able to work with the fossils and help us to improve the information associated with each specimen.
  4. Outreach. The fossil collection is available for School visits and has already been used in University outreach activities.

 

 

 

 

 

Improving student engagement with assessment and feedback through peer review

By edwardwhite Comment Closed

Professor Helen Parish, School of Humanities
h.l.parish@reading.ac.uk

Year of activity: 2014-15

Overview

9070

The project investigated recent research and practice in peer assessment and feedback in order to implement a peer assessment model for use within History, and develop a framework for the adoption of said model in cognate disciplines where evaluation of substantial text-based assignments is an important part of assessment.

Objectives

  • Present students with well-managed opportunities to engage in feedback and assessment and learn from it.
  • Present staff with access to tried and tested models for implementation that can be used and tailored across disciplines.

Context

The importance of increasing the impact of assessment in feedback and learning is recognised by the University’s teaching and learning enhancement priorities, and is evident in the ‘Engage in Assessment’ and ‘Engage in Feedback’ materials.  The requirement to pursue an agenda for feedback is also highlighted by the expectations of employers that graduates of the University of Reading will be able to assess and evaluate the work of others, by comments on feedback made by University of Reading students in the National Student Survey, and by discussions with potential students on Open Days.

Implementation

There were five stages to the project:

  1. A literature search on the topic and detailed engagement with recent scholarship, undertaken by the Principal Investigator.
  2. A ‘competitor analysis’, undertaken by a research assistant, looking at the extent that peer feedback is present on Humanities curricula at other institutions.
  3. Development of a model for the trial of peer assessment informed by the previous two stages.
  4. Implementation of this model as a ‘pilot project’ in the Department of History.
  5. Obtaining student feedback on the process and reflection by the Principal Investigator.

The feedback gained during the early stages of the project revealed that students were reluctant to allow their work to be reviewed by their peers, even when anonymised.   This necessitated the envisaged model to be altered, whereby the written work being ‘peer reviewed’ was either from previous cohorts within the Department or alternative sources.

Once the pilot project was developed, there were three stages:

  1. Development of an understanding of marking and assessment criteria. Students read the assessment criteria of their module, and were then tasked with rewriting these in their own words.
  2. Applying these criteria to written work. Students then read a sample essay (not taken from the group), and with reference to the marking criteria, were asked to give a mark to the essay, with a summary of reasons they had come to this judgment.  This was followed by a discussion of the written feedback provided.
  3. Focus group and project review.  It was intended that students would meet to talk about the project, and more general issues to do with assessment and feedback, in the presence of an experienced observer external to the department.

Impact

One of the principal benefits of the project was that students became more aware of the marking criteria by which their assignments were assessed, as although they found these clear, few students had actually taken the time to read these before. An additional benefit was that the activity helped develop students’ academic confidence, as they were impelled to adopt a critical attitude to writing within scholarship, and gained experience of promoting their point of view to their peers.

Reflections

Feedback from questionnaires suggested that students enjoyed the project; that they now had a better understanding of assessment and feedback; that the project had been helpful with the preparation of their own written work; and that they were now more confident in the assessment of their own work prior to submission.

The reluctance of students to submit their own work to review by their peers meant that there was a less direct link between the peer feedback provided and the specific assignment for each module.  By using work from previous cohorts or alternative sources, however, it was possible to get students to engage more willingly with the process of peer review.

The main disappointment was that it proved impossible to gather a large enough group of students to participate in the focus group stage of the project.  This may have been due to the proposed scheduling of the focus groups at a time when students had recently participated in a Departmental Periodic Review and submitted their final coursework of the academic year.  Nevertheless, valuable feedback on the pilot was provided through questionnaires and verbal communication.

It was interesting to observe that students held broad spectrum of ideas about what constituted good work, arising from a lack of understanding about the criteria against which work is marked. From this perspective, the project was valuable, as students were familiarised with the marking criteria and how these applied to written pieces Students were able to look ‘behind the scenes’ at the marking process, with student applying the marking criteria as individuals, but then needing to decide as a group upon a final mark for pieces they were reviewing.

Follow up

Following the pilot project, the use of peer review to engage students in assessment and feedback has been used by other members of staff within the Department of History, with similar success. Other than the specific pieces of work and criteria used for peer review purposes, there was nothing within this project that was specific to the Department of History or School of Humanities, and so this activity could easily be adapted for use in other Departments and Schools across the University.

The peer review approach has been successfully applied within the Department of History to student presentations in seminars. As student presentations are more ‘in the moment’ and designed with a peer audience in mind, students have not expressed the same reticence to have their peers review their work, and those presenting have appreciated receiving immediate feedback.

Exploring modern languages linguistics

By edwardwhite Comment Closed

Dr Federico Faloppa and Dr Chiara Ciarlo, School of Literature and Languages
f.faloppa@reading.ac.uk

Overview

12756The project successfully developed an introductory module in general linguistics, with a focus on foreign language specific issues for Part Two students who choose to do a single or joint honours language degree.  Providing a module for the teaching of linguistics to Modern Languages and European Studies students has had many benefits for the students, who report that the module has helped with their study of foreign languages.

Objectives

  • To determine which linguistics topics Part Two students would have an interest in, and benefit most from, studying in-depth.
  • To design a linguistics course for Modern Languages and European Studies students.
  • Provide students with theoretical knowledge which they can transfer to the study and understanding of other languages.
  • Provide students with skills that will improve their employability.

Context

Previously, the Department of Modern Languages and European Studies had offered only individual language tutorials or modules in the history of languages, and language in society, but little aimed at providing a general theoretical linguistic background of the languages that are taught.

Feedback on the language modules from previous years highlighted that a number of Modern Languages and European Studies students desired linguistics training. Although students were able to take courses offered by the Department of English Language and Applied Linguistics, these were only of partial help to language students, as these courses mainly focus on the English language, and are not designed to have a supporting role in the study of foreign languages. As a result, it was necessary to design and pilot a linguistics course for Modern Languages and European Studies students, including core linguistic principles and more language-specific issues, with an eye to recurrent errors in the students’ language production on which they would be able to reflect.

Implementation

The first six months of the project were devoted to the gathering and analysis of resources in order to carry out research activity on aspects of the teaching of linguistics in modern foreign languages degrees.

Research activity was conducted to compare the level of linguistics provision in modern foreign languages degrees in the UK, and to establish what areas of linguistics are given more prominence in modern foreign languages curricula. The results of this research contributed to the creation of a network of experts in the field of the linguistics of modern foreign languages, who were later invited to present their views on the topic in a workshop held at the University of Reading.

For the one-day workshop, experts in the field of the linguistics of modern foreign languages were invited to present their latest research. This event was addressed to all staff and students within Modern Languages and European Studies, English Language and Applied Linguistics, the International Study and Language Institute, and the Institute of Education, in order to generate a shared discussion on the integration between language study and the study of language.

These activities fed into the creation of a taster session for phonetics, phonology and syntax, to which Part One students were invited to attend. At the end of the event, students were asked to give their feedback on the relevance, usefulness, or difficulty of what was explained during the taster sessions. This feedback was valuable for helping finalise the pilot module description.

The pilot module description was then approved, and the new module was taught during the 2013-14 academic year.

Impact

The project was successful, as it achieved its principle aim of creating a module to teach linguistics for Modern Languages and European Studies students, with the course structure and content having been established through a consultative process in order to ensure that students are provided with a module that meets their expectations of a linguistics course, and is able to provide students with a theoretical understanding of linguistics that should support their learning of modern languages, and with skills that will more generally enhance their employability.

Teaching linguistics to Modern Languages and European Studies students has been of great benefit to the students. Teaching staff within the Department have noted that students taking linguistics modules have more confidence and accuracy in their pronunciation when speaking foreign languages, and generally make fewer errors.

Reflections

Beyond its use to refine the module that would be taught, the taster session was beneficial as it highlighted the benefits that students receive from taster sessions with regard to their making module choices: as a result, the School explored the possibility of providing taster sessions for students to guide them in choosing their modules. Additionally, the provision of such taster sessions is valuable as it provides information on student expectations for module convenors, who can plan and design their modules so that they better meet these expectations.

The success of the project lead to the establishment of a Language and Linguistics Workgroup in order to investigate the implementation and coordination of linguistics teaching within the School.

Students have found the formal learning of linguistics very useful for their study of Modern Languages. With a better understanding of linguistic theory, students are better able to appreciate the errors they make within their own study. Students appreciate the challenge of learning linguistics, but some aspects, for example phonetics and syntax, are very technical, and students seemed to find these the most difficult. To help students meet the challenge, different approaches to teaching these topics have been utilised within the the module, such as creating visual representations of syntax, or using information technology in the teaching of phonetics.

Follow up

The pilot year of teaching the module was greatly successful, and as a result the opportunity to learn linguistics was opened up to all students within the School of Modern Languages and European Studies. Whereas the pilot module was a Part Two module, the module has now been redesigned to allow its provision at Part One. By having the module provided at Part One, students are now able to obtain a strong foundation in the linguistic theory that underpins their study of a modern language before they go on to more in-depth study in Parts Two and Three. Additionally, while teaching linguistics at Part One requires some aspects of the module to be simplified, it is able to contribute to a pathway in Modern Languages and European Studies at the University of Reading, building up students’ linguistic knowledge over the course of their undergraduate study.

The project has also opened up the possibility for interdisciplinary cooperation: bilingual students from Modern Languages and European Studies collaborated on a project with Neurolinguistics students from the School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences.

Developing a tailored study support package for postgraduate students

By edwardwhite Comment Closed

Dr Amanda Branson, Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences
a.branson@reading.ac.uk
Year of activity: 2014-15

Overview

11176This project focused on identifying challenges faced by mature students studying alongside full time employment, and developing ameliorative practices and resources. Structured interviews conducted with 40 current students and alumni revealed barriers including weak IT and study skills and role conflict. Modifications have been made to interview and induction processes, and online resources are being developed to support students; work continues in this regard.

Objectives

  • To gain an understanding of the barriers experienced by postgraduate students.
  • To design and deliver interventions aimed at supporting students to achieve their academic potential, and to foster a supportive, inclusive culture that promotes student well-being.

Context

The Charlie Waller Institute (CWI) in the School of Psyhology and Clinical Language Sciences delivers postgraduate training in Evidence Based Psychological Therapies. Trainees typically attend training at the University of Reading alongside full time employment as therapists in NHS Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services. Over the course of five years Amanda Branson observed that these students face considerable barriers to the successful completion of their training, with some reporting a negative effect of training on their well-being.

Implementation

Current students and alumni were contacted by email and invited to be interviewed. An overwhelming response was received, resulting in 40 interviews being conducted between July and September in 2014. Students were asked about their motivations to return to study, the challenges they faced (clinically and academically), the support they received and that would have been beneficial, their experiences of being a student at the University of Reading, and their emotional well-being. Those who had completed training were asked to reflect on their experiences and impart advice to future students and indicate improvements that could be made. Interviews were transcribed and explored to identify repeating themes. These themes were discussed with programme directors and clinical tutors, resulting in some immediate changes being implemented across the programmes, from interview to induction and across the training period. The process of developing on-line resources for students continues.

Impact

The first goal of this case study was to gain an understanding of the barriers faced by postgraduate students, and this goal was surpassed: while the initial target was to conduct 10 interviews, 40 interviews were conducted, giving both breadth and depth of knowledge and understanding of the experiences of a very heterogeneous population of students. The impacts were several fold:

  • Staff obtained a greater understanding of the challenges faced by these students, enabling them to make some small, yet meaningful changes to the delivery of training, particularly in regard to student induction, and delivery of study skills/study support.
  • Students have been given additional tutorials in accessing e-systems (such as Blackboard Learn and the library), and using Microsoft Word effectively for academic writing. Feedback from these training sessions is good. Examples of ‘exemplary’ work have been uploaded to Blackboard Learn to give students some insight into what makes a good piece of academic work.

Reflections

This case study was made successful by the level of support received by students, which exceeded expectation. Students appreciated that time and resources were being given to improving the experience of their peers. Course tutors were very engaged with the outcomes of the interviews, and were keen to implement changes immediately (particularly the induction process).

To date, fewer study support resources have been developed than were planned. Those focusing on clinical skill have been delayed due to confidentiality issues regarding patient data, but CWI are currently exploring alternative approaches. Over the time within which the project was being planned, the University study advisors developed some excellent video tutorials, including referencing and critical thinking. These topics have not been reproduced and links to relevant tutorials have been added to Blackboard Learn. The technology required to develop resources (such as Camtasia screencasting software) has been procured; therefore there are no limits to the on-going benefit of the project.

Follow up

Work continues on the development of study support resources. The ultimate goal is to create an e-library of resources to support academic and hopefully clinical work, though this may take a greater time than was initially proposed. The programme administrative team are due to receive training on the use of Camtasia, which will enable them to develop tutorials relating the coursework submission process, for example. Administrators have also been trained in the use of Endnote, so that a reference-bank can be developed.

Teaching the Digital Text: Literature and the New Technologies

By edwardwhite Comment Closed

Professor Michelle O’Callaghan, School of Literature and Languages
m.f.ocallaghan@reading.ac.uk

Overview

12754The project ‘Teaching the Digital Text: Literature and the New Technologies’ employed two undergraduate research assistants to help in the design of a Part Three module that aims to introduce students to current research in the digital humanities and teach practical digital skills. Resulting from the project, a workshop was held, led by experts in the field, and a module was developed that will first run during the 2015/16 academic year.

Objectives

  • To work in collaboration with students to design a new Part Three module.
  • To identify topics and tasks to include on the module.
  • To experiment with open source software.
  • To explore different modes of teaching and assessment.

Context

Digital Humanities is an emerging field that brings together studies in the humanities with information technology and raises pressing methodological questions. Given the project leader’s own involvement in digital editing and database projects, the aim was to involve students in developing a module that explores how literary studies is engaging with these new technologies.

Implementation

The aim of the project was to develop a Part Three module in collaboration with undergraduate research assistants, who were selected through a formal application process. Over a twelve week period, the team worked together on a pilot of the proposed module. Through a process of discussion, the team put together a bibliography of the critical material, developed and trialled tasks and assignments, debated suitable modes of assessment, and explored the resources available. During this twelve week period, the project leader met with the IT Business Partner of the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Science to discuss the IT requirements for the module.

At the end of the pilot, a workshop, ‘Teaching Digital Humanities’, was held, led by invited speakers from the University of Oxford, Bath Spa University, and the University of Winchester, who currently run successful modules in this area on undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, as well as Dr Matthew Nicholls from the University of Reading’s School of Humanities, who spoke on ‘Digital modelling in teaching and learning’.

Impact

This pilot project culminated in the successful design of a Part Three module, ‘The Digital Text: Literature and the New Technologies’, which will run in Spring Term during the 2015/16 academic year. The workshop held as part of the project was especially productive. It brought together a range of colleagues from within the University of Reading – academics, librarians, and those in IT – and from other universities, who shared their expertise and experiences of working within the field of digital humanities and the broader issues the new technologies raise for the study of humanities.

Reflections

The most successful aspect of the project was the opportunity that it provided to design a module in collaboration with undergraduate students. This student-led approach to module design is particularly appropriate in this instance because digital humanities is a field that combines theory and practice, and so provides students with the opportunity to apply their learning through using digital tools and creating their own digital outputs. At a very practical level, collaborating with students on module design is invaluable for identifying what are the most effective and engaging modes of delivery and assessment. It is very stimulating to discuss with students pedagogic issues, not only at the practical level of what works in the classroom and what does not, but also how to engage students in thinking about wider conceptual and theoretical issues.

MOOCs at Reading – what, why and where next?

By edwardwhite Comment Closed

Dr Clare Wright, School of Literature and Languages
c.e.m.wright@reading.ac.uk
Year(s) of activity: 2014-15

Overview

MARThis project funded a small team of researchers and teaching practitioners from the Department of English Language and Applied Linguistics to explore teaching and learning implications of the University of Reading’s pilot Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), A Beginner’s Guide to Writing in English for University Study, delivered on English language academic writing, designed and run by staff at the International Study and Language Institute (ISLI). The project team members focused on design, delivery and mentoring issues arising from the pilot, to be used to improve future MOOCs at Reading.

Objectives

  • Create a mentoring training brief.
  • Complete two research outputs.
  • Host a national workshop to share best practice and set up a community of practice.

Context

As the English language academic writing MOOC was in its initial piloting stage, and was an unusual combination-style MOOC (merging both content knowledge and skills in using knowledge), project team members were able to bring expertise in Applied Linguistics and Academic Writing to evaluate teaching and learning success and identify areas for improvement in future iterations.

Implementation

Project team members conducted interviews with educators and mentors and evaluated data on student evaluations obtained from the MOOC platform team (Future Learn) in order to ensure that a rigorous and thorough evaluation of the pilot MOOC could be conducted. Building upon these findings, a national workshop for over 30 participants drawn from various institutions was held at the University of Reading, where presentations, group discussions and a concluding round-table discussion, considered a number of key issues surrounding MOOCs.

Impact

The data gained from interviews with educators and mentors led to ISLI staff creating a specialised induction training pack for incoming mentors in further iterations of the MOOC, which has been successful in helping new mentors avoid some of the pitfalls and challenges identified by the pilot.
The national workshop was successful in meeting its aims, attracting over 30 participants from the UK and Ireland. Following the workshop, a blog entry for the University of Reading’s Centre for Quality Support and Development (CQSD) Engage in Teaching and Learning blog was written, which was also adapted for an Association for Learning and Teaching (ALT) newsletter highlighting the tips on best practice which emerged from the workshop discussions.

An invitation-based website was also set up for those attending the final project workshop to host the speakers’ slides and space to maintain an ongoing community of practice.

Project team members have contributed a chapter to be published in a forthcoming book on educator and mentor experiences of the MOOC, and a journal article in preparation on student evaluations of the MOOC, for academic dissemination of the project’s research aims.

Reflections

There was excellent teamwork between the three members of staff involved, with clear project aims and timely targeted support for the MOOC staff helping to ensure good buy-in from all stakeholders on the research part of the project. Good connections with the wider MOOC community ensured that the workshop was well planned, with good speakers, and ensured there was a good take up and as wide an impact as had been hoped.

The project did not have any evolving aims; given the success of the impact activities, however, especially the workshop, ongoing take-up within the online Community of Practice would be good, while better knowledge in how to set up and maintain such a network by project members and more time to keep momentum with the wider MOOC team at the University of Reading would further boost ongoing interest and further research impact and activities.

Links

http://blogs.reading.ac.uk/engage-in-teaching-and-learning/2015/06/15/education-online-en-masse-lessons-for-teaching-and-learning-through-moocs-by-clare-wright-clare-furneaux-and-liz-wilding/
Education online en-masse: lessons for teaching and learning through MOOCs

The Language Learning Advisor scheme

By edwardwhite Comment Closed

Alison Fenner, International Study and Language Institute
j.a.fenner@reading.ac.uk
Year(s) of case study activity: 2012-13

Overview

11683 (1)The scheme provided training for students to act as Language Learning Advisors (LLAs) to Institution-Wide Language Programme (IWLP) and Modern Languages and European Studies (MLES) students, providing peer support for developing language learning strategies.  The scheme is popular, and has benefited students receiving advice, the Language Learning Advisors, and tutors within the IWLP and MLES.

Objectives

  • Provide students with strategies for ‘learning how to learn’ a language.
  • Provide a supportive peer environment in which advice can be given which corresponds to the individual’s academic and cultural needs.
  • Encourage the acquisition of independent language-learning strategies and the development of specific skills.
  • Foster transferable skills such as self-evaluation, time management and goal setting.
  • Allow students within MLES and higher levels of the IWLP to develop coaching skills, enhancing their employability.
  • Provide a service to support tutors within the IWLP and MLES.

Context

The IWLP has about 850 students enrolled on its modules, with 24 tutors. The students are drawn from all schools and nationalities represented within the University of Reading.

It became clear to IWLP tutors that students needed to ‘learn how to learn’ a language, since many students have little experience of formal language learning and have therefore developed few language learning strategies. There are many simple techniques which can be taught and be of real benefit to the student. As most IWLP tutors are part-time, they often do not have the time or place to offer this level of support to students on an individual basis.

Implementation

The project followed the stages as detailed:

  1. The scheme was discussed with colleagues in MLES in order to explain the benefits of their students becoming LLAs.
  2. Applications from MLES undergraduates to become LLAs were invited. A further incentive was provided for participation, as students who did so would be eligible for the Reading Experience and Development (RED) Award.
  3. As the personal approach of the LLAs was essential, applicants’ tutors were asked to give a reference before their appointment was confirmed.
  4. A training session was held in which the LLAs were provided with materials to help their guidance. These included a questionnaire for LLAs to send to students before their first appointment to encourage reflection upon their learning and goals.
  5. An appointment system was set up to allow students to schedule meetings with their LLA.
  6. The scheme was presented to IWLP tutors so that they were aware of its advantages and could encourage their students to attend sessions.
  7. Throughout the year the LLAs were in constant contact with the Project Leader so their activity could be monitored, and any issues could be addressed.

Impact

Students who received advice from the LLAs gained confidence in their abilities, and developed strategies to help themselves acquire language skills more effectively. Additional benefits were that students with access to an LLA were motivated to seek additional resources in the Self-Access Centre for Language Learning (SACLL) or elsewhere, and that having regular appointments with their LLA encouraged students to build in extra time for additional language learning activities.

LLAs found the experience of providing advice to students on IWLP courses rewarding, and they enjoyed the interpersonal nature of the work. LLAs reported that their own language learning techniques had improved as a result of the increased awareness they obtained through the work.

The scheme has provided a useful academic support service for tutors within the IWLP and MLES. As a result, tutors have been appreciative of the scheme.

Reflections

In its first year, it became clear that the scheme was of great value to both students on IWLP courses, and those who became LLAs. The success of the scheme was reflected in student feedback.  Some feedback obtained identified ways in which the scheme could be improved. In the first year there had been less emphasis on matching students to LLAs specialised in the language they were learning.  While sessions with LLAs were intended to focus on general language learning strategies rather than language-specific advice, some students expected to have an LLA specialising in the language they were learning, and were disappointed as a result, although most still found the sessions useful. Consideration was given to this, and the scheme was subsequently adapted.

Follow up

The LLA scheme has been expanded beyond its original remit in terms of the numbers of students who benefit from sessions with an adviser. A greater number of LLAs have been recruited from across MLES, as well as students on high level IWLP courses by recommendation of their tutor. The increased use of LLAs has been enhanced by having LLAs attend initial IWLP sessions in order to introduce themselves to students.

Since the pilot scheme was run, there has been closer liaison between tutors and LLAs so that advisers can be more aware of what advice their students require.

Where possible, students are now matched with LLAs who are specialists in the language they are studying, although the emphasis remains on the acquisition of generic, rather than language-specific, learning strategies and on providing students with a supportive peer environment in which they can develop effective autonomous language learning skills.

Campus Wildlife Champions

By edwardwhite Comment Closed

Dr Graham J. Holloway, School of Biological Sciences
g.j.holloway@reading.ac.uk
Year(s) of activity: 2014-15

Overview

8750Students (mostly BSc Ecology and Wildlife Conservation students) carried out species identification activities in The Centre for Wildlife Assessment and Conservation on Wednesday afternoons. Students were encouraged to ‘adopt’ and focus on a taxonomic group (or community) to acquire deep learning. As a result of this and other activities, we have increased the campus species list to nearly 1700 species, an impressive statistic that we use during Information Days.

Objectives

  • To develop a sense of community amongst the BSc Ecology and Wildlife Conservation students.
  • To increase appreciation of the importance of extra-curricular learning.
  • To develop skills valued by many potential employers of these students.

Context

There is often a mismatch between what students value from their time at universities and what employers value. Employers in the conservation sector frequently value extracurricular skills in addition to modular learning. A skill that is acutely lacking in graduates is an ability to identify species and, therefore, to carry out surveys under field conditions. The Campus Wildlife Champions project offered a way for undergraduate students to develop their CVs.

Implementation

The Ecology and Wildlife Conservation programme adviser meets with the students on a regular basis. During these meetings the importance of a strong CV that provides evidence of understanding, interest and learning, vital for career development in the conservation sector, is impressed on the students. Funding provided by the Teaching and Learning Development Fund was used to provide resources to facilitate engagement of students with species identification. Every Wednesday afternoon the project leader, along with Mr. Chris Foster (a Teaching Associate of the School of Biological Sciences), worked with the students in labs to help them to get to grips with specialised identification keys.

Impact

One of the main objectives was to encourage students to appreciate that on completing their degree programme their CV becomes the most important element in their armoury. Students need to take charge of their own learning to develop their skills so that their CVs showcase who they are and what they can deliver to a potential employer. Relying entirely on learning through modular teaching is unlikely to make them special. For this reason I was not happy to make this activity compulsory; students had to choose for themselves whether they were interested and how far they would like to take the activity. Seventeen students engaged with the project but this number dropped off as the academic year progressed, in particular as the examination period approached. Several students though remain active and it is hoped that they will continue a second year.

Reflections

This type of activity had not been attempted before so we were unsure how it would unfold. To have several students still interested in the activity is great and I will be encouraging these students to resume engagement during the coming academic year and to interact with the new cohort of students starting in September 2015. Continuity was a major aspiration so to have a real prospect that Part Two students could become mentors for Part One students is excellent. It is not obvious how we could have done things differently or better while operating within the constraints.

Links

The Campus champion project has appeared as a university news item:
http://www.reading.ac.uk/news-and-events/releases/PR618137.aspx

Data from the project are contributed to the Whiteknights Biodiversity website:
http://blogs.reading.ac.uk/whiteknightsbiodiversity/