Name
Matias Margulis
Co-presenters
None
Title
Globalizing The Classroom: Innovative Approach to National and
International Learning Using Web-based Technology
Abstract
This presentation examines an innovative approach to teaching across
international and cultural boundaries and evaluates the experience in a
module on Globalization, Social Justice and Human Rights, co-taught
collaboratively by faculty from different campuses, disciplines and
countries since 2011. This module was created to address unmet needs in
the traditional higher educational systems. These include, but are not
limited to, lack of cross-cultural and interdisciplinary collaboration among
students, faculty, and institutions. Whereas economies, polities,
environments, and human societies are experiencing great connections
across the globe, educational systems continue to be modelled on
nineteenth century assumptions and structures. In this module, faculty
teach at their respective universities but use an on-line platform to allow
for cross- campus communication. The module has been offered
primarily at the undergraduate level but has also included students in
postgraduate/professional studies. In addition to the classroom rooted in
a physical place, a major component of student work is to interact on-line
with students on other campuses, including undertaking collaborative
group work across borders. A shared core syllabus can be modified by
institution to satisfy local needs. In this presentation I examine the
following: the history and logistics of this module; the facilitators and
barriers in its implementation, including the use of technology; the role of
language and communication; and the mechanisms necessary for faculty
to adopt such a collaborative, global effort to local curricular guidelines.
We also address the benefits of the module for students, including
exposure to global diversity (culture, worldviews, and pedagogy);
developing teamwork skills such as leadership and flexibility); accepting
and accommodating diverse educational needs/approaches; and
promoting interdisciplinary communication and collaboration. Finally, I
assess the challenges for faculty in designing and managing a course
across different time zones and academic calendars, facilitating
transnational group service learning projects, and the greater time
demands required to coordinate and monitor students’ online
interactions.
Author
Dr Vikki McCall
Co-presenters
Ian McIntosh
Title
Utilising online peer-review as a vehicle for student learning and
assessment
Abstract
The Housing Studies programme at the University of Stirling is
innovative in its blended learning approach that utilises both face-toface and online learning. The programme includes a mixture of
assessment practices to challenge students and equip them with a
variety of skills.
One of the modules on Organisational Behavior has developed an
assessment based on student online peer-review through PeerMark.
This paper explores the opportunities and challenges of using peerassessment as a vehicle for learning. Reported student benefits have
included an increase in critical engagement skills and the overall
improvement of writing techniques. Furthermore, in a course that is
based mainly online, students felt they were increasingly connected to
their groups through the peer-assessment process. However, students
initially found peer-assessment intimidating and utilizing this method is
resource intensive on the teaching side and requires increased
preparation time for students.
The challenges involved with online peer-assessment were overcome by
clear guidance on the peer assessment process and the use of a ‘peerbuddy’ system. Students had three opportunities to practice writing
peer assessment before they submitted and marked others work
officially. Those who participated in this process reported positive
feelings and were generally happy with the cyclical feedback process.
This process ultimately prepared them with the skills to give
constructive feedback in the work place.
Author
Isaac Tabner & Sarah Smith
Co-presenters
Isaac Tabner & Sarah Smith
Title
Participation, Group Work and Assessment: Experience and from Accounting
and Finance
Abstract
Five percent of the overall grades of selected finance modules co-ordinated by
the authors are determined by student participation. Participation is measured
as engagement in group presentation of tutorial exercises; attendance and
contribution to tutorials and lecture attendance. Students are given written
guidance on managing group work and advised upon how conflicts within
groups may be resolved. Students are reminded of the benefits of participation
and its contribution to assessment throughout the study process but
participation levels of some students remain a concern. A regression model of
student participation score on final exam results indicated a statistically
significant and positive relationship between the two variables after controlling
for performance in the module class test. The presentation reflects upon the
authors’ experience of encouraging and assessing participation, highlights key
findings from the literature and invites feedback for future work.
Author
Dr. Carol Marshall
Co-presenters
Professor George Burt
Title
Providing the Fuel for a Flying Start into Taught Postgraduate Study and
Career Progression.
Abstract
The Flying Start Leadership Programme is a non-credit bearing induction
programme delivered to all taught post-graduate students in the
University of Stirling Management School. Introduced in 2014, this
innovative programme prepares students for the academic year ahead as
well as their transition into employment. On arrival students spent their
first few days on campus with students from their own disciplines as well
as students from other disciplines within the School in a friendly, informal
teaching environment. The students engaged in a variety of activities
designed to: increase their self-awareness; help them to understand the
power of effective communication; appreciate the input of individuals
within a team and how successful an effective team can be; encourage
them to celebrate cultural differences and to be culturally intelligent;
improve their critical thinking and problem solving skills and to facilitate
engagement with business leaders. In addition, the Programme enabled
students to meet with staff and prepare for their chosen course. The
pedagogy of the Programme relies on mixed delivery and includes
modelling, co-operative learning, experiential learning and relating
theory and practice. Early survey results indicate that students highly
rated the Flying Start Leadership Programme and enjoyed the experience.
Follow-up focus groups are planned with students and staff to better
understand the outcomes of the Programme and to inform the next
Programme scheduled for 2015.
Author
Terrie Lynn Thompson
Co-presenters
Cate Watson, Valerie Drew, Anna Wilson, Sarah Doyle
Title
Opening critical spaces for professional learning: Online pedagogies and
assessment
Abstract
This presentation reports on a new initiative by the MSc Professional Education
and Leadership team in the School of Education. Engaging Critically with
Professional Practices was developed collaboratively through a University-Local
Authority partnership. Delivered online, this masters-level module facilitates
development of a networked space in which students and Critical Colleagues
(teachers recruited from partner local authorities) work with the University
tutors to critically interrogate education policies and practices. Blending learning
and work spaces—online and physical—creates valuable opportunities for
situated and practice-based learning.
The pedagogical philosophies framing this module emphasize collaborative
learning and an ethos of professional enquiry to encourage transdisciplinary and
cross-authority learning. As Mulcahy (2005) writes, “education becomes an
accomplishment of a network rather than an individual” (p. 3). The networked
design of this online module offers an array of different spaces for such
contributions and conversations. Students are encouraged to actively engage in
knowledge generation and mobilization; taking responsibility for the learning of
others and the group as a whole. Such expectations are reflected in the
assessment activities.
Opportunities for formative assessment throughout the module include self and
peer assessment as well as feedback from tutors and Critical Colleagues.
Student-generated content (i.e., postings, wiki contributions, and digital
artefacts) is considered a form of what Knorr Cetina (2001) refers to as
epistemic objects. How these public digital knowledge contributions “travel” and
lead to ways of knowing is of interest in our assessment strategies. There is,
therefore, an emphasis on “learning in the making rather than learning as ready
made” with the “fuzzy, pragmatic and messy business of learning” made more
visible (Bigum et al., 2014, p. 434).
Our presentation will focus on how different technologies were purposefully
selected to support pedagogical and assessment strategies and data collected to
date which examines impact on the learning experience.
Author
Edward Moran
Co-presenters
N/A
Title
Is It Real Teaching? Post-Graduate Students’ Perceptions and Use of Online
Video Tutorials
Abstract
Use of recorded lectures using “Listen Again” has become an accepted part of
the approach to teaching and learning in the modern university. It seems a
logical next step in the development of blended delivery to diversify our
teaching and learning approach by replacing lectures with specially prepared
online tutorials. In theory, such tutorials are not simply recorded lectures, but
use a range of media and design strategies to make the input engaging. Among
the proposed advantages are the ability to embed quizzes that allow learners to
test themselves and repeatability, which allows learners to refer back to
relevant input for assessment purposes.
This presentation reports a small scale study funded by SELF of post-graduate
students’ perceptions of online video tutorials compared to face to face
lectures, their use of the videos and the learning strategies they employed while
watching them. Data was collected from online tracking of user-interaction,
usage statistics collected by Succeed, and semi-structured interviews. Findings
suggest that while learners recognise and value the strengths of online delivery
of teaching input and interact with the material in purposeful ways, they also
recognise and value the social interaction of face to face teaching and learning.
The presentation will argue that, in the same way that the DVD has not
completely replaced an outing to the cinema, online video tutorials are unlikely
to completely replace a strong face to face component in higher education in
the near future. It will also discuss the pedagogical implications for both the
design of online video tutorials and associated face to face classes.