EDDG Meeting 5/11/08 - Review
Alma gave us an overview of FERRN and gave examples of the different types of research currently happening in FE. If anyone is interested in being involved in some small scale research, or want to know more about FERRN they can contact Alma.
The focus of this discussion was on the research collated by Paul Martinez “Improving student retention and achievement”: http://www.ulster.ac.uk/star/resources/lsda_report.pdf
There was a great deal of discussion around the different reasons that students left courses or didn’t achieve awards. We discussed the issues around how we measure success and the difficulties inherent in the business culture of education. See previous EDDG meeting review for further information on this issue.
Some of the key issues relating to retention and motivation were:
Recruitment: were students on the right courses , and were their individual learning needs being identified early enough ?
Induction: this can be too much about giving information rather than focussing on building positive relationships with and between students.
Group dynamics: is enough attention given to building a positive group environment where students feel valued, not just by the lecturer, but by each other. The role of blogs and wikis could be really useful here as they help students reflect and engage in shared problem solving.
Time-tabling and rooming: these organisational issues, at times, seem to dominate the learning and teaching and course delivery. Without a doubt these are difficult to organise but can there be ‘creative time-tabling ‘ . perhaps APs and Heads could share the different ways they do this.
Students (not all) seem to have a preference for project style learning which presents an opportunity and a challenge for learning and teaching. This is an area that we could take forward in learning and teaching days.
Reflecting on how we teach and ensuring that it engages students, acknowledging their life experience, abilities and their desire to be active participants in their own learning.
Ideas to take forward include:
Learning and Teaching days : ask all teaching staff what they would like to learn more about . Ensure that the workshops on these days are as interactive as possible .
Ask teaching staff to volunteer to run workshops . Everyone agreed that previously these had been the most successful, and this helps with developing a culture of sharing good practice.
Organise workshops on using wikis
Share Induction resources and programmes .
The next meeting of EDDG is on the 10th December @ 12.15 – 1.15 pm , in room 810 . There will be tea and coffee, and maybe even mince pies !
The discussion will be focussed around mind sets and developing confidence, and we will be hearing from those who attended the FERRN seminars on confidence building on the 5th December. If you haven’t had a chance to look at the research around these areas try this link:
http://www.centreforconfidence.co.uk/projects.php?p=cGlkPTU4
If you want to discuss any issues relating to learning and teaching or have ideas for workshops / sharing of good practice please contact me .
Karen Lawson
Teacher Fellow
4682/3821
klawson@stevnson.ac.uk
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2 comments:
Unfortunately I couldn't make yesterday's meeting so I missed out on the student motivation bit.
I find it increasingly difficult to motivate my students when the accommodation allocated to them (and me) is so appalling.
I'm teaching in accoustically unsuitable portacabins between Chipperfields Big Top and the demolition process of Napier.
The sports students and staff are only doing their job (coaching) but the noise level encroaches into the Huts. Coupled to the roar of the JCB/truck/rock breaker at Napier, it is unsuitable to say the least! On occasions I've had to carry a laptop, projector and students' work in the pi**ing rain out to this unsuitable accommodation.
The problem has gone as high as an AP but I (and others) are still timetabled for the Huts.
On the odd occassion I have access to a suitable classroom with decent ICT (having pestered my HOS to get it) the students ask why they're being treate as 2nd class citizens out in the Huts.
This might sound like a bit of a rant but Motivation starts from within - first motivate the staff to feel worthwhile by offering reasonable accommodation and resources and the rest will follow automatically.
Hi Alan, sorry you couldn't make the meeting, but be reassured that your motor vehicle colleagues certainly raised some of these issues (not quite so graphically). We did have quite a lot of discussion around staff motivation, and the impact this has on students. I think its a really valid point, that staff need to be motivated and feel valued .
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