University of Cumbria Open Access Journals
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An investigation into the correlation between parent’s influence in their child’s early specialisation in sport
Get PDFThis investigation was undertaken in order to establish if there is a correlation between parent’s influences and the early specialisation in sport of their children. The study was conducted with 126 subjects aged 14-16 across three secondary schools in Northern Ireland. Questionnaires were issued to children in order to gather information regarding their level of sporting involvement as well as their parent’s involvement. Information gathered was kept confidential and inputted into Microsoft Excel where it was analysed, and correlations were investigated. The study concluded mixed results, parents who were previously involved in sport had a positive correlation with their child’s early involvement and continued involvement in sport, yet their sport of choice did not correlate
Why I chose to become a teacher and why I might choose not to become one. A survey of student teachers’ perceptions of teaching as a career
Get PDFA detailed questionnaire about why they chose teaching as a career and the challenges that they face on their ITT course was completed by 189 third year student teachers on a third year BA in Primary Education with QTS programme at a university in Wales. The findings showed that several factors contributed to their choosing a career as primary school teachers, including reasons related to perceived teaching ability, altruistic reasons, intrinsic reasons, and extrinsic reasons. The data also revealed that the main stressors faced by the respondents were linked to four factors, namely: high levels of accountability; the pressure of monitoring; the continual demand for change; and the perceived lack of respect given to the profession. Differences were found between the male and the female respondents in the ways they perceived their role within the profession. The findings have important implications for all those who are concerned with the attracting and retaining the most competent teachers to/in our primary schools.
 
Teaching Critical Thinking and Writing in Higher Education: An Action Research Project
Get PDFCritical thinking (CT) and critical writing (CW) skills are no doubt one of the core requirements and necessary tools required in Higher Education (HE). Previous research has highlighted the need as well as the benefits of supporting students with critical thinking, yet few have identified strategies which can be used effectively to promote students’ understanding and development of the concepts. This study identified some of the challenges often faced by students in HE with regards to CT and CW and explores how a targeted intervention could potentially develop students’ understanding and application of CT and CW. In particular, the study found that although students were aware of what CT and CW were, they required explicit instruction on how to apply and demonstrate these concepts in their assignments. Using an action research methodology with a random sample of 10 students from Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) backgrounds at a university in London, England, the research found effective strategies through the use of a targeted workshop as an intervention to develop and enhance students’ CT and CW skills. Participant feedback revealed the workshop had a positive impact on all the students highlighting the need for such interventions in order to suitably equip students with the ‘critical’ demands of studying
Learning from a study visit to Norway: observations to implications for practice as Teacher Educators
Get PDFStudent engagement when learning outdoors was the focus of a study visit to Northern Norway for two members of the primary science team in an English University. The University College that was visited in Northern Norway has a well-established reputation for its outdoor learning provision. The visit focussed on the structured observation of teacher educators working with student teachers in a woodland playground project and a ‘Land art in the tidal zone’ residential fieldwork project. This afforded rich opportunities for the observation of the teacher educators’ pedagogical practice and of student teacher responses. Implications for our practice have been derived from an analysis of what was observed and reflections from the academic literature in this field. Suggestions are made for the development of practice in the primary science team in our University, and proposed for initial teacher education. It is suggested that high quality outdoor learning experiences, including fieldwork, encourage skill development and that positive teacher –student relationships with the development of self-efficacy for student teachers is important for securing high levels of engagement and involvement when learning outdoors.
 
The effect of familiarisation with autistic individuals on trainee teachers’ attitudes
Get PDFConsideration of attitudes towards people with disabilities has been the subject of study for many years (e.g. (Kenneth, Antonak and Livneh, 1989; Campbell, Gilmore and Cuskelly, 2003; Praisner, 2003), although trainee teachers’ preconception of autistic pupils specifically has not been addressed. The purpose of this study was to determine whether previous exposure to autistic individuals influences trainee teachers’ initial attitudes towards autistic pupils. 84 trainee teachers with equal exposure to autism education during their undergraduate degree in Primary Education self-catagorised themselves as ‘knowing’ or ‘not knowing’ an autistic individual and were asked to write a brief description of their expectations of how autism might present in a pupil. Responses were compared. Findings were that those with or without personal experience did not show significant differences in their broad descriptions of the presentation of autism, but descriptions by those with personal experience focused more on communication and less on social aspects than those without and were more positive, more varied, more specific and less ‘generic’. Implications for teacher education are discussed
Initial teacher education without a bursary: what is the cost for student teachers?
Get PDFThe funding of Initial Teacher Training (ITT) in England has undergone significant change with the introduction of tuition fees of up to £9250 (UCAS (The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service), 2017). Training bursaries are available for some secondary school student teachers on the Postgraduate Certificate in Education course, but the amount provided is dependent on the subject specialised in, as well as the level of highest qualification achieved by the candidate. Some student teachers are not eligible for a training bursary under any circumstances including those wishing to teach citizenship, social science, drama and business studies, despite low recruitment levels in these areas. Thirty-three trainee teachers on PGCE Citizenship or Social Science courses across four English universities completed an online survey devised by the researcher in 2016. Respondents reported significant financial difficulties during their studies and many believed that these impacted negatively on their health. The implications of these findings for the recruitment and quality of all student teachers, in both England and beyond, is discussed
Engagement and Assessment within Low Intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Children and Young People Presenting with Anxiety: Principles and Practice
Get PDFThe implementation of the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme has allowed for the expansion of low intensity psychological interventions offered to individuals with depression and anxiety in England (Department of Health, 2008), with over 900,000 people accessing services per annum and increasing year-on-year recovery rates (Health and Social Care Information Centre, 2017). The relationship between positive therapeutic outcomes and the therapeutic alliance between practitioner and client has well-documented within current literature (Horvath, De Re, Flückiger, & Symonds, 2011), with numerous studies highlighting the essentiality of the therapeutic relationship with regards to effective intervention. However, comparatively few studies have identified the most influential factors which contribute to the therapeutic alliance, particularly within the specialism of low intensity psychological interventions for children and young people. This article discusses factors such as warmth, empathy, and collaboration as well as outlining and exploring concepts relating to the assessment procedures for children and young people awaiting low intensity cognitive behavioural therapy (LICBT)
Improving Work Based Assessment: Addressing grade inflation numerically or pedagogically?
Get PDFWork based assessment (WBA) is a common but contentious practice increasingly used to grade university students on professional degrees. A key issue in WBA is the potentially low assessment literacy of the assessors, which can lead to a host of unintended results, including grade inflation. We identified grade inflation in the WBA of the clinical module analysed for this study, and to address it we trialled two adjustments over a four-year period. The first and simpler adjustment, reducing the academic weighting of the WBA component of the module, appeared to lower grade inflation but actually had the inverse effect over time. The second adjustment, introducing a structured formative assessment, reduced the average WBA grade both initially and over time. In addition to this desired result, the second adjustment has brought ongoing benefits to the learning and teaching on the module as a whole
Engaging practical students through audio feedback
Get PDFThis paper uses an action research intervention in an attempt to improve student engagement with summative feedback. The intervention delivered summative module feedback to the students as audio recordings, replacing the written method employed in previous years.
The project found that students are keen on audio as an alternative to written feedback, perceiving it to be clearer, and more comprehensive and accessible. The use of spoken language allowed inflection and context in a manner absent from written feedback. Additionally, students stated that they were more likely to revisit feedback recordings in conjunction with their written materials, indicating a willingness to reflect upon their work. The project found that challenges of practical implementation around both the creation and dissemination of audio feedback can be a hurdle to engagement with this technique.
 
A critical reflection on how immersive learning can be used to facilitate high quality teaching and learning in educational settings
Get PDFThis practitioner-led research focuses on the extent to which immersive learning can be used to facilitate quality teaching, whilst supporting children’s engagement with the characteristics of effective learning: play and exploring; active learning; and creating and thinking critically. Data was collected in a fully immersive infant school through systematic observation, and triangulation was used to ensure trustworthiness through the use of questionnaires. Findings of the present study suggest immersive learning supports teacher’s ability to combine 21st century skills and traditional teaching roles, whilst children were observed engaging in all areas of effective learning.