NTFS award

1
NTFS award

• Michael Bradford
• Geography, SED

2
NTFS criteria

• New in 2006 - 10,000 award (no project)
• Influence on students
• Influence on colleagues
• Influence nationally (internationally) teaching
  and learning discipline
• Personal development
• Evidenced

3
My application

• Perhaps unusual multi-faceted but included
• Geographies of children reflection using
  their own experience
• assessment use of portfolio idea but
  amended team project with choice of in-depth
  topic. University Medal
• 2. Pedagogic research set of volunteers
  -2003-2006 just graduated focused on their
  learning - met once or twice a semester

4
Pedagogic research

• Selected parts
• Methodology
• On entry compared to desired outcomes
• Learning through ah-hah moments
• Lessons learned from this

5
some methodological comments

• by giving them a sheet to complete, and then ask
  questions about it, meant that they had time to
  reflect - not a normal interview - varied who
  went first
• seeing them in groups (preferably 3-4) meant that
  similarities and variations could be discussed
• probing from answers from previous groups
• feedback on process from them gt ownership
  (reasonable retention)

6
Key general aims of degree learning outcomes

• Independent learners - growing
  confidence self-efficacy
• Critical thinkers/critical readers
  able to develop, articulate and justify their own
  views

7
On entry in 03 some findings

• so critical reading and critical thinking?
• out of various types of learning - a number did
  not like to read
• most not used to reading around a topic
• - major challenge and for some, seen as major
  progress during first semester
• - for others least progress
• the art of the precis - not present
• many do not see ideas as contested

8
On entry 03 continued

• ability to study independently set back by
  Curriculum 2000
• not confident about setting own work
• used to very long contact hours (university
  contact hours reduced to very little)
• time management poor (many saw that they needed
  to improve this, on reflection in Feb 04)
• so long way to go as critical thinking,
  independent learners

9
Third year LGP discussion

• I divided learning into more gradual learning and
  what I called
• Ah-hah moments
• As one student later wrote an ah-hah moment
• is the process of learning and finally
  working something out individually in your own
  mind

10
Ah-hah moments classified

• From group in Nov 05 classified 4 types
• synthesis (37)
• revelation/inspiration (27)
• realising the relevance of past work (5)
• confidence boosts (7)
• none 7
• with overlaps
• and with effects on self-confidence

11
Ah-hah moments synthesis

• revising for key issues it all clicked
• my course units seemed to fit together linking
  themes
• seeing all my primary data together once
  collected into place
• writing literature review (draft) clarified
  where I was going (for dissertation)
• mainly in geology when all the basics came
  together to form a strongly interacting system
  (Geog- Geol)

12
Synthesis Bigger picture

• starting to see the wider context of literature
  in relation to big movements
• When taking a step back from diss, and
  questioning the actual meaning/point of
  involvement not just the fundamentals of how it
  happens
• thinking about wider factors such as political
  economy, structure and agency, not just basic
  push pull (re migration to USA) all same
  student

13
Revelation/inspiration

• while reading the chapters of Gregorys The
  Colonial Present. This book enlightened my
  thoughts and put into place the ideas and
  knowledge of the subject that I already had.

14
Ah-hah realising the relevance about past L
and T.

• Why we interviewed a member of staff in yr1
  semester 2
• and why we did research designs and
  methodologies in such detail
• (all when applied to her dissertation)
• key issues the relevance
• after two years of grinding out
  palaeontology, I realise how relevant all this
  was (Geog-Geol)

15
Ah-hah moments Confidence

• - when I received my 2nd year results
• - when I discovered something in my research
  that ties in with theory (also revelation)
• overall the ah-hah moments I have had have
  been to increase my confidence in my work at
  times when I have been struggling

16
Ah-hah affecting confidence

• Whilst reading for the literature review, I
  found as I gathered more knowledge I could
  critically interpret articles in a mature form. I
  could make links and leaps and offer suggestions
  on peoples work with greater confidence.

17
Overview

• Ah-hah (synthesis) about
• order, seeing relationships, complexity
• about seeing higher level of abstraction - the
  bigger picture
• Ah-hah (revelation) realisation/insight
• so a step change in learning on
• axis of muddle to clarity
• this boosts confidence and motivates further
  gradual and step change learning

18
Lessons

• Confidence (self-efficacy) very important in
  attitude and performance
• Can affect and effect this by feedback
• Ah-hah by direct inspiration

19
lessons cont.

• By setting up activities and contexts where can
  achieve,
• and bigger picture can be seen
• Eg tasks and active learning
• Synthesising examples in lectures
• And revision/review sessions
• Across units general paper
• Re-emphasises the importance of students
  realising and articulating their own processes of
  learning (pdps)

20
Reflections on these two aspects

• Exciting to put together a new unit (like being
  40)
• Got to know some students very well as a PVC
  not so easy to do felt in touch
• Have spoken at conferences about this research
  and received a lot of feedback (as much if not
  more than substantive research papers)
• As NTFS holder an enjoyable award event - a new
  stimulating network and set of events