University of Cumbria Open Access Journals
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A risky business: creative learning in education
Get PDFThis paper explores the challenges that professional educators encounter as they endeavour to engage learners creatively. The recent change of government offers an opportunity to revisit assumptions about creativity that have been enshrined in policy, and evidenced in practice through such programmes as Creative Partnerships. Early indications of new coalition government policy suggests an increasingly constrained and measured curriculum and an approach to pedagogy that is less open to creative approaches to learning. Concomitantly pupil and student ‘voice’ have acquired a degree of status, arguably as a measure to assure quality and frequently framed within a discourse of ‘value for money’. Of rather less importance is ‘voice’ when it is framed within the context of being listened to, nurtured, encouraged to take risks, supported in managing uncertainty, learning from failure, and critiquing the learning process. This paper argues that if learning is to develop and flourish, it is possible that institutions which provide teacher education need to be increasingly receptive and responsive to the processes that learners find more personally and professionally engaging. This paper introduces a small scale qualitative research project that aims to explore education students’ ‘voice’ and their experience of creative learning at university. Preliminary findings are presented and suggest that adopting a more sensorial and embodied approach to teaching and learning energises and invigorates the process. The discussion is used as a springboard to provoke reflections on creativity, personal epistemology and emergent professionalism. Keywords: creativity, student voice, learning, professional development
TEAN Journal - Creativity Issue (Vol 2 Issue 1) Editorial
No full textTEAN Journal - Creativity Issue (Vol 2 Issue 1) Editoria
An investigation of how Initial Teacher Education supports the development of primary trainees’ understanding and teaching of Philosophy for Children and concept cartoons.
Get PDFThe research examines the impact of the university taught sessions in broadening the primary Graduate Teacher Programme trainees’ conceptual base in line with The Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED) recommendations. In particular the investigation analyses how Initial Teacher Education supported the Graduate Teachers Programme trainees’ understanding and teaching of Philosophy for Children (P4C) and concept cartoons as creative strategies. Philosophy for Children and concept cartoons are viewed as creative teaching strategies in the sense that they enable pupils to develop higher order thinking skills, question assumptions, encourage structured classroom talk and open up possibility thinking. Using questionnaires, non-directive group sessions, lesson observations and course research assignments, evidence was gathered as to the use of the creative teaching strategies by the trainees in their classroom practice. Thirty nine percent of trainees implemented P4C and fifty seven percent used concept cartoons in their teaching. The results indicate that the university-based teaching programme had an impact but some trainees did not use the strategies because they felt constrained by internal school pressures and external constraints. To improve the usage of the strategies we intend to strengthen the link with the rationale behind what constitutes effective learning by providing concrete ways in which to realize learning theory in practice. Key Words: Concept cartoons; Philosophy for Children; Creative teaching strategies; Creativity; GTP; Possibility thinking; Talk; Learning; Thinking; Discussion
Enquiry-based learning and formative assessment environments: student perspectives
Get PDFThis paper outlines case study research into first-year students’ experiences of enquiry-based learning (EBL) on a year-long introductory theory module. Students were supported to carry out a series of authentic small-scale enquiries involving: · working in research teams;· gathering, disseminating and analysing data from the field;· sharing their interim findings as ‘work-in-progress’ reports; and· becoming involved in peer communities via a student conference. Semi-structured interviews investigated students’ experiences of EBL and its relationship to formative assessment environments. The paper reports the findings under key themes, with illustrative quotations. It illuminates the relationship between EBL and the students’ shifting ideas about studentship in the early stages of their university careers. Conceptual links between EBL as ‘research-based teaching’ and the literature on ‘assessment for learning’ are highlighted, together with implications for practice development.
Strategies to Support PGCE Mathematics and Science Students Preparing for Assignments at Masters Level
Get PDFThe main aim of this study was to analyse and evaluate the effectiveness of support strategies being put into place for students who need to write assignments at Masters Level. In preparation for writing a 5000 word assignment on an aspect of teaching Mathematics or Science, 57 Science and Mathematics PGCE students were asked to write a 500 word synopsis which included an introduction, description of the main focus, questions that the assignment would address and possible strategies for teaching and learning. A strategy not reported previously in this context was the use of peer assessment of the synopsis. Each synopsis was reviewed by two students and discussed in professional learning conversations. The assessments by students were used as feedback along with the University subject tutor’s assessment of the synopsis. Data were collected from questionnaires and interviews to explore the perceived effectiveness of the peer assessment exercise and other support strategies. Findings were analysed to consider how support for future groups might be developed.
Engaging feedback: meaning, identity and power
Get PDFThis paper uses a methodology that synthesises an Academic Literacies approach and Critical Discourse Analysis to explore student experiences of feedback on written assessments in two higher education institutions. The qualitative analysis of student interviews is oriented around three topics: · the socially situated meaning of feedback; · feedback and self-identity; and · the power/knowledge relations of learning and teaching. In the purposeful dialogue created by interviewer and interviewee, emergent themes of concern to students are critically analysed to capture something of the complexity of feedback as a genre of academic communication. We conclude that feedback literacy is characterised by diversity and difference; that there are different levels of engagement with feedback; and that there is no universal formula for producing effective feedback
Watching Me, Watching You, Aha! Developing reflection and practice through the use of video
Get PDFWatching Me, Watching You, Aha!Developing reflection and practice through the use of video Author: Adrian Copping AbstractIn Initial Teacher Education, the design of learning outcomes, modules and programmes have the potential to shape the philosophies and approaches of prospective teachers. Research into effective teaching has largely been subject-centred with strong subject knowledge emerging as central to effectiveness. However, subject knowledge has often been defined as predominantly curriculum content. In this paper I explore how student teachers develop their skills of reflection, criticality and enquiry: skills commensurate with being a teacher, with the aim of improving their practice in the primary classroom. Participants use video recordings of their lessons and engage in subsequent focus group discussion. Through this I contend that incidental learning can lead to a better quality of reflection and change of practice more so than using the video recording as a means of reinforcing their own thoughts or a school-based mentor’s comments. I also contend that the process of reflecting on one’s own teaching by seeing it through the eyes of the recipients helps realise the classroom reality with a greater depth of clarity. Finally I contend that throughout this process the resultant learning is fundamental to a student teacher’s development. Key wordsReflection, subject knowledge, incidental, reinforcement, teacher development
Student perseptions of feedback: seeking a coherent flow
Get PDFThe importance of feedback to student progression and retention has gained prominence in the literature over the past few years. A number of concerns have been raised about the quality and quantity of student feedback, and the variability across and within institutions. The aim of this study was to examine student perceptions of the utility of timely feedback, and staff intentions for feedback, in relation to a number of factors in the first and final years of a student’s academic experience. A focus group study was carried out at three UK higher education institutions. Eighteen first-year (Level 1) and 20 final-year (Level 3) undergraduates and 14 academic staff participated in 14 groups. Digital recordings were transcribed verbatim and thematic analysis employed to systematically code for themes across the data. Three main themes were identified: · time and timeliness;· communication; and · student/tutor expectations. Findings suggest that there is a mismatch between the expectations of both students and tutors in terms of what can realistically be achieved within the pressures of other commitments. Students require feedback to be timely, specific and preferably delivered through individual tutorials. The creation of a ‘feedback chain’ or overview of their overall progress was also suggested. They need more assistance with learning how to learn in higher education, preferably subject specific approaches.