Journals (University of Staffordshire)
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Poster Presentations, Academic-lite! The LLB Experience
Full text linkThe use of poster presentation assessments has long been accepted practice in medical and scientific teaching in Higher Education. There seems to be however a feeling that the use of poster presentations as part of a summative assessment for a Law degree lacks academic gravitas and the rigour of more traditional forms of assessment. This paper argues that the process of researching, planning and presenting a poster presentation on an area of criminal law provided a student cohort with a challenging yet rewarding assessment opportunity. Students taking the assessment provided feedback to suggest a strong sense of self efficacy and creativity during the preparation and delivery process. The paper examined the method of assessment for sixty undergraduate students enrolled on an access year that formed part of a four year LLB (Hons) award. The students were required to produce an academic poster and present for fifteen minutes to two assessors. The feedback from this assessment suggested that the students themselves considered the assessment to be relevant and provided a realistic flavour of the skills needed in working practice
We do not like old fashioned exams: the innovative use of alternative assessments on a Law Degree with a Foundation Year
Full text linkAssessment methods in Higher Education will always be vehemently debated and evoke a plethora of emotions, comments and opinions. This short study attempted to scrutinise how the use of alternative methods of assessments in a foundation year award affected student retention and progression from the access year on to the traditional first year of an LLB. Learners on the award completed a questionnaire about how they felt about their assessments. The findings are discussed and the authors enter into a discussion about the idea of complementing traditional timed exams with a suite of alternative and inclusive assessments. In conclusion the authors demonstrate that student retention and progression rate reached a rate of 95% for the 2012/13 cohort
Contextual Studies and Employability
Full text linkRecently the importance of student employability has taken centre stage of the Higher Education (HE) agenda. The HE pedagogic rationale has shifted from students acquiring knowledge for its own sake to students attaining a set of employability attributes that will ready them for employment. Although anecdotal evidence suggests Contextual Studies (CS) within the Art, Media and Design (AMD) Faculty of Staffordshire University is frequently viewed as ‘academic’ by students, it actually includes a number of activities and skills that feature repeatedly in lists of key employability attributes as published by the UK Government, academics and employers. The purpose of this paper is to challenge the prevalent student view of CS by looking into the positive contribution it can make to a student’s employability
The Path to Bricolage: An Approach to Facilitating Epistemological Reflexive Practice on a Pre-Qualifying Physiotherapy Doctorate
Full text linkClinical reasoning is based on principles of patient-centred care and evidence-based practice. When clinical reasoning is complex and ambiguous, these two approaches may appear at odds. Practitioners may be challenged in reconciling their professional’s values, knowledge and worldviews (epistemic stance); knowledge derived through research, and the humanistic approach needed for patient-centred care. For practice to develop and provide patients with the best care, it is important that practitioners develop criticality of their epistemic stance and how this impacts on decision making. In the absence of a single, dominant practice epistemology, there is a need for a pluralistic epistemology, such as bricolage, to inform practice. Using the ‘epistemic cognition’ framework, the aim of this paper is to discuss teaching and learning strategies for employing epistemic stance as a critical lens to enhance reflexive practice in a pre-qualifying doctoral healthcare learners. Facilitating an ethos of safe uncertainty is discussed as a pedagogic approach to support learners in their journey through liminality towards bricolage
Developing students’ research and inquiry skills from year one: a research informed teaching project from the University of Sunderland
Full text linkFoundation degrees developed and validated by Higher Education, (HE) institutions but delivered in Further Education College (FEC) partnerships often recruit mature students with a broad range of entry qualifications, equivalency and work experience. This article presents a research project from 2009-10, involving students and staff in three FECs on one foundation degree and considers how (HE) students\u27 expectations can be addressed, their potential developed and gaps in their scholarship and research skills closed during early transition from further education (FE) to HE. Research methods included video and audio recording of students’ voices, pre and post questionnaires at either side of skills workshops and focus group interviews at the end of the project. The findings indicate a mis-match of students\u27 expectations with the reality of HE study, misunderstandings of the language of academia and lack of awareness, skills and confidence in the use of journal articles and other academic resources to support their inquiries
Stop with the FLO: using text messaging to improve retention rates in University Students
Full text linkStudent attrition rates in undergraduate programmes are unacceptably high. The study undertaken evaluated the use of ‘FLO’, a mobile phone automated text messaging service, designed to provide information, support and reassurance in order to help alleviate the stress and anxieties that some new undergraduate students experience during the early phase of their studies. The objectives of the study were to evaluate how use of automated mobile phone texts using a system known as FLO could usefully supplement the pastoral support currently offered to new undergraduate students. A qualitative and quantitative evaluation was conducted using an open-ended questionnaire designed specifically for the study.The sample were 39 first year, undergraduate, Level 4 students from Social Welfare Law (n=16) and Sport and Exercise (n=23) who signed up to receive texts from FLO. The questionnaire was administered in a classroom situation one week after use of FLO had ceased. Data were analysed through use of a descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. Thirty nine students signed up to receive texts from FLO and 25 (64%) completed the Qualtrics questionnaire. Largely positive findings predominated including that text messages increased a sense of belonging to the University and helped students to stay on the course. It is concluded that FLO or use of similar mobile phone protocols may be a useful addition to approaches to improve undergraduate student retention rates
Cross-Cultural Teaching and Learning for Home and International Students
Full text linkRyan, J. (ed.) (2013) Cross-Cultural Teaching and Learning for Home and International Students Oxon: Routledg
Enhancing student induction to library and IT services in higher education
Full text linkStudent induction to library and IT systems in higher education is challenging. Students complain of information overload and often remember little detail. The Academic Support, Technology and Innovation (ASTI) team at Plymouth University set out to combine their skills to produce a memorable welcome talk and a professional set of online materials and support to provide the details needed to become course-ready. This paper outlines and evaluates the approach taken
Students’ Experience with a Virtual Reality Tool: Brain Stories
Full text linkVirtual Reality (VR) has been applied at the higher education level to teach students about a variety of topics. This paper documents the experiences of higher education students with a VR tool, Brain Stories, as part of quality improvement funded by an IDEAWORKS Catalyst Fund grant. This tool introduced students to fictional characters diagnosed with a brain disorder: Aaron with autism, Henry with schizophrenia and Linda with Alzheimer’s disease. This tool was introduced to build interest in learning while developing empathy through the first-person perspective used with characters. In total, 41 students (2 male; 39 female) provided feedback about their experiences. When asked if they would recommend this tool, 31 students (84%) said “yes”. A qualitative analysis of students’ responses revealed the following themes: Contribution to Learning, Person-Centered Perspective, Immersive Experience, and Suggestions for Improvement. Recommendations are provided for how VR can be incorporated in future postsecondary classrooms in accordance with Universal Design for Learning principles and the development of a Community of Practice
Video Animation for Learning
Full text linkThis study aimed to compare how able university students could focus,engage and understand with the topic specific content between animationand static picture conditions during an exam revision session.
Watch online: Video Animation for Learnin