student voice : is honesty the best policy?

STUDENT VOICE:is honesty the best policy?Giving students control of TEL evaluations

Eleanor Loughlin, Alice SkerrattCareers, Employability & Enterprise Centre

Elaine Tan, Malcolm MurrayLearning Technologies Team

@ElaineRTan @malcolmmurray

Blackboard

Teaching&LearningConference

D U B L I N 2 0 1 4 | T H U R 1 M A Y | U N I V E R S I T Y C O L L E G E D U B L I N

Apologies

This public slide deck does not contain the verbatim transcripts from student feedback shared during the session in Dublin.

These have been removed to protect the identity of the students.

Project Focus

How do we get honest and accurate information about: what students do with, feel about and use technology for as part of their learning?

Image: Nanette Hoogslag

Project Focus

How do we involve students more in designing, improving and developing their own learning experiences?

Image: Georgia Drysdale, Wellcome Images

Image: Neil Leslie, Wellcome Images

Project Focus

How do we provide genuine opportunities for students to undertake work experience?

Image: Adrian Cousins, Wellcome Images

Project Focus

How do we provide skills training that is contextualized and allows students to apply what they are learning in a safe but meaningful situation?

Educational Paradigm

Source: after Simonson et al. (2006) Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education, Third Edition. Prentice-Hall, Upper Saddle, New Jersey. p206

Individual & Collaborating

Students

Teacher

Student-Centred Learning

KNOWLEDGE EXPERIENCE

Teacher

Class of Students

Teacher-Centred Learning

Image: Dianne Harris, Wellcome Images

Methodology

Obtain ethical approval

Design draft questions

Recruit students as paid researchers

Train the students

Students recruit an interview group

Hold all-student focus groups

Encourage deviation from questions

Student researchers write report

Identify trends and differences

Students contribute to draft report

Agree dissemination targets

Students co-present findings

Methodological Concerns

Completion Rates

Representativeness

Authenticity

Privacy

Image: Dianne Harris, Wellcome Images

Methodological Concerns

Completion Rates

93% report

81% demographics

Image: Dianne Harris, Wellcome Images

Methodological Concerns

Representativeness

47%

44%

53%

54%

Male

Female

Populationn = 11,742

Samplen = 131

Image: Dianne Harris, Wellcome Images

Methodological Concerns

Authenticity

Images: iPhone by Daniel Zanetti, Wikipedia Head by Dianne Harris, Wellcome Images

Methodological Concerns

Privacy

Image: Dianne Harris, Wellcome Images

What tools do staff use with you in the courses you are taking at Durham?

• What works well?• What works badly?

Sample Question

Dublin Feedback…

What tools do staff use with you in the courses you are taking at Durham?

• What works well?• What works badly?

Replace “Durham” with your institutionDiscuss…

Our (Students’) Findings

Students experience of the institutional technology they are asked to use should match the usability of the technology they choose to use

Our (Students’) Findings

The e-Learning experience at Durham should be• comparable to other HE institutions• fair to all Durham students• match or exceed previous educational experiences

Our (Students’) Findings

Staff should be aware of the technology available to them and its potential to support students as learners

Our (Students’) Findings

Staff should be aware of the technology available to them and its potential to support students as learners

Our (Students’) Findings

Students value consistency of approach

Our (Students’) Findings

Mixed messages regarding the VLE

Our (Students’) Findings

DIY provision often favoured for collaboration

In conclusion

Not all students are as good in real life as they are on paper……most are better

Saw real engagement & reflection on their own learning and personal practices

Image: Matthew Herring, Wellcome Images

In conclusion

Image: Matthew Herring, Wellcome Images

Incredible amount of informative and actionable material produced

Yields a better understanding of the diversity of experience and need

Thank you for coming!

Contact us:

alice.skerratt@durham.ac.uk

elaine.tan@durham.ac.uk @ElaineRTan

eleanor.loughlin@durham.ac.uk

malcolm.murray@durham.ac.uk @malcolmmurray

More details on the project blog:

http://goo.gl/I6mLfJ