Using Enquiry Based Learning to Create a Blended Academic Skills Development Module

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Using Enquiry Based Learning to Create a Blended
Academic Skills Development Module
Danielle HintonSchool of Education, University
of Birmingham
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Vision for Birmingham Learning
At Birmingham, we are committed to enabling
all our students to profit from a culture of
learning, aligned with our research ethos, which
is based upon critical enquiry, debate and
self-motivation.
learning is driven by a process of enquiry
shared by the student.
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The Funding

• Learning Development Unit
• Teaching Quality Enhancement Fund (TQEF)
• Learner Independence (06-08)?
• 2-3yrs
• Each School (could bid for up 18,000 per year)
  http//www.ldu.bham.ac.uk/projects/lip/projects.sh
  tml
• Education Articulate a Model of the Independent
  Learner

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The Team

• Academic Module Leader
• Postgraduate Teaching Assistant (PGTA)
• Learning Design Consultant
• eLearning Team
• Research Fellow

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The Module

• 10 credit module (10 weeks / 100hrs)?
• Generic academic skills
• Campus-based students
• Blended delivery via WebCT
• 80 1st year undergraduates
• BA Sport, Physical Education and Community
  Studies (SPECS)?
• Applied Golf Management Studies (AGMS)?

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The Challenge

• Weekly Lectures (Online via WebCT)?
• Pause for Thought
• Presentation
• Activities
• Practical (linked to related modules)?
• Reflection
• 3 Workshops (face-to-face)?

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Repurposing a Learning Design

• Enquiry Based Learning design
• Authentic work place scenario
• Role play
• Authentic Activities

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Repurposing a Learning Design
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Repurposing Challenges

• Original module Enquiry Based Learning
• Differing scaffolding requirements
• in small groups
• Independently / self directed
• To assess changes in students view through an
  online questionnaire, interviews and focus groups

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Groups

• Pre-assigned
• Group names
• Groups of 4-6 students
• Created own set of rules
• Jobs responsibilities
• Chairperson
• Recorder
• Summariser
• Accuracy Coach
• Time Keeper
• Reporter

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Case Study and Role Play

• Groups took on a persona
• Work place profiles roles
• Colleague profiles
• Related organisation profiles

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Group Tasks

• 3 tasks
• 1 task per 3 weeks
• Email style

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Tasks

• Group
• Evidence posted on Bulletin Board
• Planning and Progress meetings
• Agendas and minutes required
• Action Plan and Workload Plan
• Students decided how, where and when to meet
• Individual
• Online Lectures

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Assessment

• Think Book Reflections (formative)?
• due at the end of each the 3 group tasks
• Academic Skills Assessment Development Plan
  (formative)?

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Think Book Reflection
A. Description what happened?B. Feelings
what were you thinking and feeling?C.
Evaluation what was good and bad?D. Analysis
what sense can you make of the situation?E. Key
Skills (Time Management, Note Taking, Writing,
Critical Thinking, Group working etc) - What
key skills do you think you have learned - as an
individual? - What key skills do you think you
have learned as a group member? - What
have been the main benefits? Any negatives?F.
Independent Learning How do you think you have
developed as an independent learner? G.
Conclusion what else could you have done?H.
Action plan - if it occurs again, what would
you do?- would you do things differently/change
anything?
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Think Book Reflection
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Think Book Reflection
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Student Feedback

• SPECS cohort readily engaged in the module from
  day one and really enjoyed the module
• AGMS cohort saw module as too much work, too many
  tasks
• Only really saw the value when they had marks
  back for a draft essay

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Student Feedback - good or satisfactory
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Initial Findings SPECS Cohort

• Understanding of University work
• ?2 3.6, p0.05 (70 to 87 yes)?
• Do you expect tutors to dictate extensive notes?
• ?2 4.9, p0.03 (21 to lt1 yes)?
• Is referencing important?
• ?2 23.8, p0.00 (61 to 100 essential)?

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Initial Findings SPECS Cohort

• Is understanding plagiarism important?
• ?2 34.0, p0.00 (28 to 86 essential)?
• Is Critical Reading important?
• ?2 10.3, p0.03 (29 to 58 essential)?
• Is Independent Learning Important?
• 100 YES

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Initial Findings

• Skills development has definitely given me more
  insight into what university will entail. The
  lectures are extremely useful in advising how
  best to attack and overcome issues.
• The suggestion of 2 hours independent learning
  for every 1 hour tuition time is starting to show
  in the results from the first couple of marked
  papers.

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Initial Findings
University work is different to that which I
have encountered in the past. It requires hours
of reading and research finding journal articles
to support the aims of an essay. It is a much
different way to study than I was used to. A
lot of time and effort needs to be put in outside
of lecture hours. I didnt realise how much time
was needed through independent learning and how
much reading is required.
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Thanks Contact Details

• Matt Bridge Academic Module Leader
• Natasha MacNab Research Fellow
• Thomas Quarmby PGTA
• Learning Development Unit, University of
  Birmingham
• Danielle Hinton
• Learning Design Consultant
• School of Education, University of Birmingham
• d.m.hinton_at_bham.ac.uk