Sheffield Hallam University Journals
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Reflections on the last 10 years of TELIC and ELMAC conferences
Get PDFI have been part of the TELIC community for 15 years: first as a student on the E-learning, Multimedia and Consultancy (ELMAC) course starting in 2001 and graduating in 2005; and later teaching on the Technology Enhanced Learning, Innovation and Change (TELIC) 2009-11. In this time I have attended 9 of the 10 annual student-led conferences. This is my commentary on those events and what they meant to me
The use of coping strategies as a means of fostering personal development for students with a disability: a case study
Get PDFStudents dropping out of mainstream education are considered a problem for students themselves, schools and society as a whole. Unemployment rates are higher for school dropouts, and besides economic consequences for both the individuals as well as society, there are also several social consequences involved. Within the group of school dropouts, a subgroup can be distinguished; students with a disability. These students can have a physical disability, a psychological grievance, learning disorder or a combination of these. Many students with a disability experience difficulties during their study. Some are related to a lack of specific adaptations, others involve a lack of social or planning skills because of a disorder, or an inability to cope with the daily demands in school and life and general. Based on reports from these dropout students, a trend can be seen that as long as they are in a classroom situation, in which there is a certain amount of guidance and understanding, students experience less trouble then when participating on the employment market in an internship. This study examines the reasons we see students dropping out during this phase in the later stages of their study. Applying a case study approach it examines the practice of the coping programme, a specific programme delivered at the institute EEGA, targeted on creating insight in students’ own coping mechanisms. Findings indicate that although the programme is evaluated as useful by students in general, there is a difference between having insight in one’s own behaviour, and actually changing this behaviour or adopting a new way of coping. While many students report a change brought about by coping strategies, it is uncertain whether the outcomes have been influenced by socially desirable answering
Appreciation of the use of Blackboard at the Police Academy of the Netherlands using the Technology Acceptance Model
Get PDFThis research covers appreciation of the use of Blackboard among students and teachers at the Police Academy of the Netherlands in the period from 2008 up to and including 2011, using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). From questioning the students, it became clear that the unclear structure of Blackboard was a problem. Therefore, a heliview (a homepage featuring an overview of the entire training course) was introduced, and this resulted in a clear improvement of the structure. The research was subsequently repeated in 2011. The results show a significant improvement of appreciation of the use of Blackboard by students. Teachers also complained about the use of Blackboard. Therefore, the research was carried out among teachers again in 2011. Teachers scored significantly lower at behavioural intention than students. The data show that Blackboard it better appreciated by students than by teachers
Online blogs as a reflective tool - the experience and support needs of a group of international students in Higher Education
Get PDFThis research focuses on the use of online reflective blogging to enhance an undergraduate Level 6 Built Environment Integrated Project (IP) module and analyses the needs and issues of this form of learning for a final year block attendance cohort of 276 international (Malaysian) students at Sheffield Hallam University (SHU). To this group English is a third language, with Chinese (Mandarin) and Malay being their familiar languages. There are cultural differences between this cohort and a similar group from the UK - they are less likely to ‘open up’ for example. This work analyses their support needs and skills in reflective blogging and examines the issues surrounding the use of blogs in providing a reflective mechanism. The research examines student blogs from a quantitative and qualitative perspective to assess whether it is a useful and effective addition to their module learning. The research finds that there are a number of factors which influence the adoption of blogs including assessment, initial and ongoing support. It also finds that feedback is a vital component of the ongoing process of blogging and also identifies the concerns within the cohort of the use of the English language. The report goes on to make recommendations for the continued development of blogging for this cohort of learners
For fact’s sake: thoughts towards researching MOOCs
Get PDFAs an instructional designer, I have spent much of the last 18 months working closely with academics to develop Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs) for the University of Birmingham in partnership with FutureLearn. My involvement in these projects (and exposure to all the debate and hyperbole that surrounds them) has made me curious to explore the nature of MOOCs, and whether or not they justify the grand claims that have been made in terms of their disruptive potential. To this end I am setting out to research and explore educators’ thoughts and perspectives on their experiences of MOOC design, development and delivery. I hope to discover how these recent experiences compare to their prior experiences of learning and teaching in higher education, what educators consider ‘successful’ delivery (and therefore the purpose) of MOOCs to be, and what implications this might have for future educational practice and strategy in higher education. As I prepare my research proposal I am reflecting on what this might mean and where I stand on this. These are my preliminary and reflective thought
Brief thoughts on becoming a TELIC ‘newbie’
Get PDFIn this paper I outline my experiences as a new member of the TELIC community, and my hopes and expectations of being a student at masters level, of studying online, and, as a Dutch-speaking teacher in Belgium, of working in English as my second language
Outputs of a radical collegiality?
Get PDFThe managing editor shares his thoughts on this issue and reflects on the notion of radical collegiality in higher education
Group Work Experiences
Get PDFResearch suggests that the majority of students in HE derive a positive experience of group work during their studies (Burdett, 2003; Orr, 2010, Payne et al, 2006; Maiden & Perry, 2012; Walker, 2001), although there are differences between students in the individual time and effort they invest. The perceptions of higher-contributing students have been documented (Orr, 2010), although the experience of students who contribute less has yet to be systematically explored. An on-line questionnaire, developed to assess students’ experience of group work, was administered to 58 undergraduate and postgraduate social science students. The questionnaire explored the following in relation to group work: (1) positive aspects and skill development; (2) negative experiences; (3) extent of students’ own contribution; (4) experience of bullying and harassment behaviours. Open-ended, qualitative items were also included to supplement the questionnaire data. In line with previous research, the majority of the sample rated their group work experience positively, identifying a range of benefits from this process. Students’ explanations for reduced input to group work ranged from a preference for independent work to the experience of negative interactions between group members, including bullying behaviour. Implications of the findings are discussed, including the need for strategies to safeguard against bullying behaviour in-group work
Communities of practice and ‘student voice’: engaging with student representatives at the faculty level
Get PDFStudent engagement in institutional governance and curriculum development is an important and valued aspect of higher education (HE). In the UK, changes to funding and quality assurance arrangements have led to concerns that a consumerist model is developing, with implied changes to the relationship between students and universities. The National Union of Students has responded by calling for reframing these relationships as communities of practice (Streeting and Wise 2009) and more recently as a clearly defined partnership (Wenstone 2012). This article applies the notion of communities of practice (Wenger 2001) to one aspect of student governance, through a project that revitalised the way one university faculty worked with student representatives (O’Hara and Flint 2010). A critical analysis of the project, exploring how it promoted communities of practice, provides valuable insights and recommendations for engaging students with institutional governance. Our analysis highlights the limitations and complexity of applying this framework in practice and recommends integration with complementary scholarship around student voice and partnerships
Open Badges: A Visual Method of Recognising Achievement and Increasing Learner Motivation
Get PDFIan Glover, who is based within the Technology-Enhanced Learning Team at Sheffield Hallam University, offers some brief thoughts on the use of Open Badges in recognising achievement and enhancing learner motivation in higher education. The use of Open Badges ties-in with employability, but more importantly may offer an innovative way to engage students in their learning. Ian is a Software Engineering graduate from Sheffield Hallam and has spent the past 10 years working on developing innovative educational technology tools and helping to create effective learning experiences through the use of technology. In 2006 he completed a PhD in the development of online collaborative learning tools at the University of Huddersfield