University of Cumbria Open Access Journals
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‘Noticing’ examples presented in primary mathematics textbooks
Get PDFThere is broad agreement that the choice of mathematical examples is central to the teaching of mathematics and that a teacher’s choice of examples may either facilitate or impede learners’ understanding. From this starting point it can be deduced that programmes of instruction for teachers should include the study of mathematical examples. However, there is much to learn about the kind of professional development that might support beginner teachers in the careful choice of examples. This paper presents a case study of a group of sixteen students on a one-year Primary PGCE (5-11) programme who met each month over the first six months of their course to consider example sets. The research events explored how student responses to examples presented in textbooks changed over time. The outcomes of this study suggest that over time students noticed more about opportunities for generalisation and progression in the mathematical constructs explored in the example sets. Students also noted many of the pedagogical concerns associated with textbook use. The outcomes of this study lead to the recommendation that programmes of instruction include explicit opportunities for beginner teachers to generate, explore and reflect upon examples for real or hypothetical classroom situations.
Living as new Me: Exploring experiences of offender management programme participation, an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of an Accredited Programme
Get PDFThe lived experience of men with learning difficulties and challenges (LDC) who have been convicted of a sexual offence has been under-researched. The present study examines the psychological world of this group of men and constructs that were identified from their participation in a purposely designed offending behaviour programme aimed to address their criminogenic needs called Living as New Me (LNM). A series of one to one semi-structured interviews were undertaken with four participants. The data analysis involved the transcription, coding and categorisation of descriptive information obtained through the use of semi-structured interviews with LDC men convicted of sexual offences and who had engaged in the LNM programme. Five themes were identified: experience, relationships, learning, motivation and responsivity. Recommendations were made by the participants as to how to improve the programme’s structure. It is hoped that the results of the present study will help shape the future delivery of LNM. Further research is required to examine the lived experience of men with LDC on the different strands of the LNM and across the new suite of HMPPS adapted programmes
Reconnecting teachers and their work. Mid-career teachers engaging in qualification-based practitioner research
Get PDFEncouraging all students to meaningfully engage with feedback on summative assessments is a vexing challenge for educators (Watling, 2016). Using formative feedback techniques as a formal part of a summative assessment allows for a guaranteed ‘feed forward’. Group crits in the form of students and staff viewing their own and others work in an auditorium, are commonly used in the field of Filmmaking for low stakes, formative assessment purposes only. Students often engage in analysis and evaluation of their work in order to hopefully feedforward into their summative assessments. This paper explores using the ‘group crit’ for their actual summative assessment instead of simply as a formative activity. The crit then becomes a vehicle that incorporates valuable staff and peer to peer feedback within the assessment process itself, thereby incorporating low stakes formative assessment, as part of high stakes summative. Using my own teaching of Screen Drama (fiction production involving actors) to first year students I reflect on my practice and conclude with recommendations for tutors to draw from. Key conclusions from this research include that more students engage effectively with this type of feedback and with greater feed forward when it takes place within the summative assessment process itself
An Empirical Analysis Exploring the Impact of Traditional Exams and Multi-Stage Assignments on Academic Workload in a Final Year Engineering Context
Get PDFThis article documents the time taken to assess two different types of final year engineering courses – a more traditional course in which the purpose of assessment is mostly to measure performance, and a second, that uses a multi-stage assessment process to implement an assessment for learning perspective. The research question is to determine what impact these different assessment models have on instructor workload (as measured by time). A quantitative research methodology was adopted. The time taken to assess both courses was carefully recorded during one semester. The main finding was that the multi-stage assignment with feedback originating from the instructor, increased the instructor’s assessment workload by 23% and also resulted in a temporal shift in that workload. The data collected was confined to two courses and this may limit the generalisability of these findings. However, the data is consistent with and supports recent calls to reconceptualise feedback in higher education
The use of audio-visual lecture capture technology as a means of facilitating reflective practice
Get PDFA mixed-method of questionnaires and analysis of audio-visual recordings are used to contextualise one’s use of lecture capture technology on a Foundation Year provision at a higher education institute. The researcher’s use of lecture capture technology appears to mirror many aspects of its use amongst colleagues, including the method used and the frequency it is employed. The researcher’s existing lectured captured content is analysed against common Bloom taxonomy verbs to gain quantitative insight into how questioning is used in lecture sessions. Several assumptions and preconceptions surrounding the number of questions, the cognitive difficulty, and the distribution of verbs in questions posed to students are found to be unsubstantiated. Such reflections lead to several practical changes to improve engagement and cognitive demand for students in lectures, ultimately, aiding student transitions to further levels of study. This work provides an impetus and scaffold for reflecting on one’s practice using lecture capture technology and a clear case is made for the value of data contained in existing lecture captured content.
Exploring student teachers’ perceptions, experiences, and attitudes towards working with Learning Support Assistants
Get PDFAs a teacher educator specialising in special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in a large further education college in North-East England, a key concern of the student teachers is how to work with those other practitioners who provide support to learners in the classroom. A review of the literature, combined with my own experiences as both a teacher and teacher educator, led to three categories of inquiry: (i) students’ understanding of how to work with learning support staff, (ii) students’ experiences of and attitudes towards working with learning support staff and (iii) how well they believed they were prepared to work with learning support staff whilst studying for their teaching qualification. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with student teachers; these were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. The research found participants felt a lack of guidance to work with Learning Support Assistants (LSAs), a lack of time to collaborate with LSAs, and variability in role expectations across different settings impacted on inclusive practice. This study raises pertinent questions about how to support student teachers to prepare for inclusive practice through collaborative working with LSAs. By examining the importance and complexities of the issues, teacher educators can explore ideas to prepare student teachers for collaborative working.
Submariner’s partner’s accounts of deployment: a case study analysis of experience
Get PDFThe aim of this study was to investigate what submariner’s partners experienced while their significant other was out on deployment with the intention of highlighting where the Royal Navy can develop the support they provide for military families. Three female participants were recruited through advertisement on a military families social media page. Participants were interviewed and transcripts were analysed case by case through Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis based on research conducted by Riggs and Coyle (2002). Literature suggested that analysing case by case allowed for participants to discuss circumstances that might have altered their experiences. The analysis produced nine themes- three for each woman who were identified under the following pseudonyms: Julie, Lucy and Daisy. All participants experienced inconsistencies in communication from the Royal Navy and they all turned to their partner to seek emotional closeness or support. Differences in how each relationship dynamic was affected by the deployment experience was also displayed through analysis. Recommendations on how the Royal Navy could develop their support services were made based on the findings yielded from the study
Lasering the Digital Tattoo: How differences between headteacher and newly qualified teacher perspectives on online presence may affect employability
Get PDFIt is widely recognised that technology, including social media, has many positive benefits in education although online technologies, particularly imprudent use of social networking sites, may also present problems for those seeking employment as a newly qualified teacher (NQT). To counter this, trainee teachers are provided with guidance on the use of social media however, it could be argued that the perceptions surrounding appropriate use of technology and social media are subjective and different stakeholders may hold a range of views regarding what is and what is not acceptable. This study aims to investigate differences in the values and attitudes of trainee teachers at the point of seeking employment in relation to those of head teachers as employers. The potential for a mismatch between these views and the subsequent negative outcomes for trainees is clear and an improved understanding of these differences could help teacher educators support trainees in specific aspects of their online presence. A survey of trainee teachers and head teachers was conducted and the data was analysed to identify key variations in values and attitudes in relation to social media posts
Food for Thought: A pilot study exploring the use of cultural recipe and story sharing to enhance belonging at university
Get PDFThe global shift to online teaching and learning in response to the pandemic was potentially deleterious to sense of belonging and connection to the institution. Food is important in all cultures and has multiple functions, including making connections and welcoming others, in addition to specific cultural and religious meanings. The Cultural Food Stories project, a recipe and story sharing initiative, aimed to explore whether food could be used to enhance feelings of belonging within a higher education institution during the Covid-19 pandemic. Staff and students at a large widening participation university were invited to share a personally meaningful recipe as well as the story of why the recipe mattered. In addition, participants completed a short demographics questionnaire, including levels of agreement with statements on belonging derived from the literature. Optional online interviews were held. A total of 45 participants contributed 49 recipes and stories, and 12 online interviews were held. Participation increased sense of belonging in 73.8% of participants with no differences by demographic characteristics. Recipe stories commonly evoked people, places and emotions, maintaining connections through physical separation. This small project suggests that food may be used as a mechanism to enhance sense of belonging within higher education