Belfast IFLS June 2016 Ppt Chris Banister
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Transcript of Belfast IFLS June 2016 Ppt Chris Banister
My puzzle: “Why is it a challenge to obtain meaningful student feedback and evaluations of the learning experience?”
Chris Banister English for Academic Purposes (EAP)
LecturerRegent’s University London
Contact: [email protected]
Overview Teaching, learning and research context Considerations in learner feedback and evaluations Approaching the puzzle: A PEPA in action Enhanced understanding and improvements to
classroom quality of life Challenges of EP Benefits and transformations of EP
Puzzle context and origins
Learners: Undergraduate exchange students, Upper Int (ENG5A1), Advanced (6A1)
Module: 3 hrs p/w, student-led components, blended aspects. Puzzle origins: modular format, limited contact hours, stuffed
syllabus + limitations of formal instruments = reduce opportunity for informal feedback and evaluations = disconnect
To shed light on: materials, activities, methodology, pacing, interaction = the totality of the learners’ experience (Mortiboys 2010)
Aim: delve deeper beyond the averages of official surveys, obtain feedback for the teacher but not necessarily about the teacher
Considerations: Establish purpose (Williams and Brennan 2004) and red
lines Survey fatigue,duplication,ritualisation (Williams and
Brennan 2004) Psychological: power assymetry (Richardson 2005; cf.
Clayson and Haley 2011 Interpretation: tendency to “filter information” (Mortiboys
2010:125) anonymity v actionability trade-off Importance of feedback to learners (Williams and Brennan
2004) “It’s more important for me to feel that my feedback is useful and they implement changes.” (ENG 6A1 student, spring 2016)
Approaching the puzzle
Research tools Lesson videos Peer observations Discussions with other LTR members/project leader PEPAs (Allwright and Hanks 2009; Hanks 2015):
surveys, discussions, reflective writing
PEPA: Review Collage
Setting up the activity• Explain learners are
going to reflect upon, evaluate and review aspects of the module.
• Show learners the handout as a class and ask if they recall most of the activities.
Review Collage and Questions
Discussion Questions Handout• Which language skills were you
developing when you did this and how?
• Do you think that this activity helped you or not? Why/not?
• How do you think you performed when working on this activity?
• Did you enjoy this activity?• Would you rather have done it
differently? If so, how and why?• What advice would you give to
another student doing this activity next semester?
Review Collage: Procedure
Report back to the class on the one which provoked most discussion/interest.
Tell students to choose two activities each and to write their reflections and evaluations.
Why use the Review Collage? Multi-faceted: review, revise, reflect, evaluate. Locally relevant In-class and blended components Adaptable: mid-module or end of module Minimal preparation (digital/paper materials) Obtain learner perspectives in their own words, could
resonate for future cohorts.
Learner feedback and evaluationsTransferable
skills/knowledge Peer participation
The topics and materials … which benefit me in listening
[to] lectures given by the lecturer of Financial Risk
Management…the skills of presentations and report helped
me in giving another two presentations” (ENG 6A1
student, autumn 2014)
“Discussion Board: My focus was to increase my speed in writing English… This activity could be improved if participants were more motivated.” (ENG 6A1 student Spring 2015)
Learner feedback and evaluations
Difficulty Ambiguity
If we don’t have the final time limited
writing, I’ll like this course more.” (ENG 5A1 student, autumn
2014)
“It is not a criticism it is just a suggest is give to the students more technical argument.”(ENG 6A1 student, spring 2015)
Learner feedback and evaluations
• Areas for development
“Maybe you could have included more practical examples of how to do a report or an essay.” (ENG 6A1 student, autumn 2014)
My personal expectations the first day were more focusing on vocabulary such as: merger, asset, liability…etc. (ENG 6A1 student, autumn 2014)
Enhanced understanding1. Mismatch between some learners’ expectations of the modules and the stated aim of the modules Clarification of module aims2. Desire for greater clarity re: written assessment requirements Introduction of exemplars3. Need for a boost in the vocabulary component Incorporation of explicit vocabulary learning strategies (e.g.
vocab cards) with business vocabulary highlighted in language feedback slots
4. Lack of engagement=a contagion Stricter guidelines for contributions to online discussion
boards
Improvements to quality of life in the classroom
Reconnecting to and in dialogue with my learners
“I have learnt many new and useful business words.”
“The vocabulary card quiz’s. It makes you be ready and updated.”
(end of module student feedback Dec 2015)
Benefits of focusing on obtaining feedback and
evaluations from learners Facilitates development of the reflective skill in both
learners and teachers Provides mutual access (teacher-learner) for greater
understanding: learner’s voice Cultivates a learning environment with a shared space
for ongoing dialogue Complements but does not duplicate official university
instruments for obtaining student feedback and evaluations- an additional and potentially rich pool of data
Likely to foreground further new puzzles to explore
A challenging new landscape (Hanks 2015)
Identity and overlapping roles: teacher, teacher-researcher
Identification of a suitable puzzle Clarifying the terminology, methodology and principles of
EP (e.g. puzzles v problems) Learners as partners: potential value of “learner agency
(and) perspectives” (Rowland 2011:261) Integration of research activities (PEPAs) into everyday
classroom processes Dissemination and making public understanding
Conclusion: benefits and transformations of EP
Transformative for the teaching-research relationship. Classroom events become a “legitimate source of research knowledge about teaching and learning” (Borg 2010:418)
Brings teachers and learners together by foregrounding improvements to classroom quality of life and enabling creativity (Hanks 2016)
CPD benefits: confidence to give papers, workshops, submit articles, access to research/teacher research communities of practice
Helps cultivate quality in teaching by boosting teacher self-efficacy (Wyatt and Dikilitas 2015) and staff satisfaction with their practice in a “collegially supportive environment” (Slimani-Rolls and Kiely 2014:433)
Thank you and questions Thank you very much for listening.
Feel free to get in touch: [email protected]
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References Allwright, D. (2005) ‘Developing Principles for Practitioner Research: The Case of Exploratory Practice.’ The Modern
Language Journal, 89 (3): 353-366. Allwright, D. (2009) The developing language learner : an introduction to exploratory practice. Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave
Macmillan. Bond, B. (2015) Exploratory Practice and the EAP practitioner. Teaching EAP [blog] 1 May 2015. Available at: https://
teachingeap.wordpress.com/2015/05/01/exploratory-practice-and-the-eap-practitioner/ [Accessed on 17th May 2016]. Borg, S.(2010) ‘Language teacher research engagement.’ Language Teaching Research, 43 (4): 391-429. Clayson, D.E. and Haley, D.A. (2011) ‘Are students telling us the truth? A Critical look at the student evaluation of teaching.’
Marketing Education Review, 21 (2): 101-112. Hanks, J. (2015) ‘Language Teachers Making sense of Exploratory Practice.’ Language Teaching Research, Jan 2015: 1-
22. Hanks, J. (2016) ‘ “Why Exporatory Practice?’”A collaborative report.’ ELT Research 31 Feb 2016 IATEFL Research SIG
(resig.iatefl.org.)Available at: http://resig.weebly.com/issue-31.html [Accessed on 17th May 2016]. Mortiboys, A. (2010) How to be an effective teacher in higher education: answers to lecturers' questions. Berkshire, UK:
Open University Press Regent’s University London (2016) ‘Facts and figures about Regent’s University London .‘ [online] Available at: https://
connect.regents.ac.uk/departments/marketingandadmissions/Pages/FactsandfiguresaboutRUL.aspx [Accessed on 17th May 2016].
Slimani-Rolls, A. and Kiely, R. (2014) ‘We are the change that we seek’: developing teachers’ understanding of their classroom practice.’ Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 51 (4): 425-435.
Richardson, J.T.E. (2005) ‘Instruments for obtaining student feedback: a review of the literature.’ Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 30 (4):387-415.
Williams, R. and Brennan, J. (2004) 'Collecting and using student feedback: A guide to good practice.' Open Research Online. [PDF] Available at: http://oro.open.ac.uk/11875/1/Collecting_and_using_student_feedback_a_guide_to_good_practice.pdf [Accessed 20 Feb 2016].
Wyatt, M. and Dikiltas, K. (2015) ‘English language teachers becoming more efficacious through research engagement at their Turkish university’ Educational Action Research, DOI: 10.1080/09650792.2015.1076731 Available at: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.180./09650792.2015.1076731 [Accessed on 7th June 2016].