Leeds Institute of Medical Education
Workshop:
Understanding the student learning experience by
the use of Nexus Analysis
John Sandars
Associate Professor
Associate Director of Student Support
j.e.sandars@leeds.ac.uk
John Callaghan
Postdoctoral researcher, Language Education group, School of Education
Methodology - Nexus Analysis
Ethnographic methodological strategy to
develop an understanding of complex social
actions
Ron Scollon (1939–2009) was a professor of Linguistics
at Georgetown University, USA
Ronald Scollon (2001). Mediated discourse: the nexus of
practice. Routledge.
Ronald Scollon; Suzanne B. K. Scollon (2004). Nexus analysis:
discourse and the emerging internet. Routledge.
Nexus Analysis
Nexus is a unique historical moment when
separate social practices come together in a
social action eg assessment failure
Social practices = interaction between
individuals AND a range of different artefacts
eg books/ guides /other people (discourses)
Doing a Nexus Analysis
[1] Engaging the nexus of practice
[2] Navigating the nexus of practice
[3] Changing the nexus of practice
[1] Engaging the nexus of practice
Identify – intersection of various recurrent
cycles of social practices at a moment eg
assessment failure
Researcher as part of the system and
contributing to change and action
[1] Engaging the nexus of practice
Identify – intersection of various recurrent
cycles of social practices at a moment eg
assessment failure
Researcher as part of the system and
contributing to change and action
[1] Engaging the nexus of practice
Identify the Participants
Assessment
Learning
NEXUS
Social
[2] Navigating the nexus of practice
• Set boundaries of the navigation– eg learning /assessments
• Work through the trajectories (past, present and possible
future) of people, places and situations
• Includes discourse analysis (interactions with mediating
artefacts (wide range)
Aim is to identify recurrent cycles using range of data
collection eg interviews/focus groups/observations/ texts
[3]
Changing the nexus of practice
Seek change to nexus of practice by obtaining
multiple perspectives
“Inquiry is social activism. We now think it is
the only effective form of activism”
• Our insights from Nexus Analysis?
Background and Aims of Research
• To improve the learning experience of Medical
Students
- International - entry Yr3
• To understand the “culture” of teaching and
learning
– the “fit” of the learner and their environment
• Need to be informed by relevant theory
– Nexus Analysis
Doing a Nexus Analysis
[1] Engaging the nexus of practice
[2] Navigating the nexus of practice
[3] Changing the nexus of practice
Findings
• Mainly MCQs
• No reflection
• No academic
induction
Findings
• Reflective essays
• Ethical issues
• No study groups
• Lack of
integration
Nexus Analysis
• Explicit focus on change and improvement
• Deeper understanding helped by theoretical
perspective
• Cross-disciplinary research (medical and
critical discourse)