University of Cumbria Open Access Journals
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Using external live projects with final year undergraduates
Get PDFThis paper examines a group project module on the final year of an Information Technology degree programme at St Martin’s College, now the University of Cumbria. The paper outlines the nature and purpose of the module and then discusses a research project that has been scrutinising different aspects of the work. It offers some further reflections on how the module is implemented and managed. The paper provides an informal case study of a module that has a clear and explicit employability dimension. It also provides a case study of novice researchers becoming involved in the publication process through reflecting on an aspect of their teaching
Recognising emotional intelligence in professional standards for teaching
Get PDFA project conducted in a primary school explored the hypothesis that student teachers could reflect upon feedback to improve their use of emotional intelligence in the classroom, thereby making consequent improvements to their teaching as defined by the required professional teaching standards. The small body of literature on the emotional intelligence of teaching is reviewed, informing a defi nition of the term ‘emotional intelligence’ and the project’s research methodology.Four student teachers and their teacher mentors participated with a teacher educator to provide two data sets – joint lesson observations records and semi-structured interviews. The joint observations were conducted with the teacher educator, using an observational checklist based on an emotional intelligence competencies framework, and the mentor, assessing demonstration of the required professional standards. Two lessons per student were observed with a four week interval. Shortly after the second observation, student teachers and mentors were interviewed in peer pairs. The outcomes show linked improvements in terms of emotional intelligence and the professional standards, with the mentor and student teacher participants confirming the value and relevance of assessment through an emotionalintelligence filter. The findings have implications for emergent and established teachers in school and higher education settings. They call for a learning community to share good practice and support each other’s development through observation, discussion and modelling of emotionally-intelligent teaching and conduct.The study concludes that higher education programmes and partner schools would benefit from time, curriculum provision and government agency support to recognise, reflect upon and develop emotional intelligence in teaching
Embedding personal development planning within a WebCT supported module: a collaborative venture
Get PDFThis paper describes the background to and development of a first year undergraduate law module which has been re-designed to enable the embedding of Personal Development Planning (PDP) within the curriculum, with particular emphasis on career management skills. The pedagogic rationale for the approach adopted is identifi ed and it is then demonstrated how skills development, careers management and reflective learning have been embedded and delivered through a combination of classroom and online activities using WebCT. Finally, the paper presents a brief evaluation, based on student feedback at the end of the module
Developing a student centred approach to practice placement briefings and debriefings
Get PDFThis research developed from the recognition that work-based placement briefing and debriefi ng sessions need to encourage refl ection and student self-directed learning. An action research methodology was used to obtain students views of the value of briefi ng and debriefing sessions. Changes to session format were introduced and then in response to student comments they were re-evaluated. Results demonstrated that students were unhappy with the original format. They preferred and became more fully engaged with the self-directed, student-centred sessions when refl ection was an integral element
Promoting independent learning by curriculum design and assessment
Get PDFPurpose Results Conclusion The ethos of the programme to promote independent learning has been successful.Evidence regarding the promotion of independent learning was gained from learners and external examiners. The scientifi c publications, presentations and posters that the learners contributed in the professional arena during or subsequent to programme completion were seen as indicators of independent learning, as this lay beyond the remit of the course.This paper evaluates whether the revalidated Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) programme encourages independent learning by its curriculum design, delivery and assessment
A literature review analysing current research into undergraduate interprofessional learning in the health and social care context
Get PDFThis literature review analyses current health and social care literature regarding interprofessional learning in undergraduate curricula. It is based on search of academic data bases for published research written in english over the last ten years. It also includes review of government policy documents regarding interprofessional learning in undergraduate curricula of health and social care students. The literature reviewed suggests that interprofessional learning is received most positively by undergraduates when introduced later in the undergraduate experience, during practice placements and with a clear link to assessment, be this formative or summative
High velocity: a capacity-building approach to learning
Get PDFMany teaching and learning strategies are based on a deficit / gap analysis approach to student needs. Our capacity-building approach is a modest attempt to focus on what students already know and can do, and concentrates on building on that knowledge and skill in order to accelerate learning that becomes, deep, meaningful and enjoyable. Student comments bore out the importance of paying attention not merely to prior knowledge, but particularly context, emotions and strengths. By concentrating on areas where students had some knowledge and skills, not only did students progress very quickly to a higher level, but they found that this also gave them confi dence to tackle other areas of work where there was less initial certainty and knowledge
Assessment in teacher education: stakeholder conflict and its resolution
Get PDFThis paper is a polemical discussion of assessment in teacher education. Working from the proposition that assessment serves a number of important purposes for a range of stakeholders (students, employers, quality assurance agencies, government), it argues that there is considerable potential for confl ict between the different purposes. In an age of accountability and standards, assessment for learning may lose out to assessment of learning. The paper outlines a range of characteristics associated with assessment for learning and draws on examples of practitioner research to illustrate various approaches and methods of assessment that can improve the balance between these different purposes
Editorial
Get PDFAn introduction to Issue 2 (1) of Practitioner Research in Higher Education which is a special issue on Teacher Educatio
Mathematics anxiety in student teachers
Get PDFThis study was undertaken in a British initial teacher education institution by a lecturer working with students on a primary teacher training course. Its aim was to explore the existence of mathematics anxiety in students and how such anxiety may affect their learning for primary teaching. Investigation was carried out through review of literature and consideration of questions subsequently arising, linked to collection and analysis of questionnaire data from a sample of primary teaching students