Promoting student engagement through online seminars

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Promoting student engagement through online
seminars
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Introduction

• In-house research and monitoring within the
  Criminology staff group at Swansea University and
  targeted research conducted as part of the tHE
  programme (focused on alignment and
  assessment) highlighted student engagement as a
  crucial pedagogical issue. In particular, there
  was anecdotal evidence from students and staff of
  an important pedagogical relationship between
  seminar attendance, quality of participation in
  seminar discussion, learning style and diversity
  of teaching methods. 

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Student Engagement
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Module Learning Outcomes

• Compare and contrast different forms of
  criminological research in applied settings
• Evaluate some of the problems and dilemmas that
  are associated with applied criminological
  research
• Provide a reflective account/report of an applied
  criminological investigation
• Prepare and deliver a group presentation of the
  applied research project
• Locate and retrieve sources of criminological
  research in paper and electronic form

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Methodology

• The level 3 module Applied Research Methods in
  Criminology, utilised the Blackboard Discussions
  forum to deliver seminars
• These sessions were aligned with learning
  outcomes
• They were grounded in group-based peer learning
• The seminars were moderated and facilitated by
  teaching staff
• Attendance was recorded
• participation was monitored through retrospective
  qualitative analysis of electronic discussion logs

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Outcomes Quantitative

• Student attendance levels
• Compared with other research methods modules
• Compared with Level 3 modules in general
• Assessment trends at group and individual student
  level
• Improvements in participation levels

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Module Mark Lecture Attendance Seminar Attendance
313 Applied Research Methods 53 67 79
208 Research Methods in Criminology 44 50 67
303 Young Offenders Youth Justice 57 75 74
308 Gender, Crime Criminal Justice 44 70 83
312 Critical Criminology 59 54 77
Average for level 3 modules in semester 1 53 67 78
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Outcomes Qualitative

• Staff satisfaction teaching staff
• Greater flexibility
• Improved staff-student relationship
• easier alignment,
• increased student engagement
• diversity of delivery methods
• practical benefits
• Staff satisfaction departmental level
• Student satisfaction
• Informal feedback during seminars
• Feedback from staff-student liaison committee