FOM002 Imagining the City Ann Brantingham (LC) + Tom Duggett (ECC) +

Debra Jones (LC) + Becky Kiddle (UPD)

Background

• Interdisciplinarity - about complexity • ECC + LC + UPD - Imagining the City from a

range of perspectives • Second year

Structure

1 hr Preparation

(LC)

1 hr Content Lecture

(ECC or UPD)

1 hr Content Lecture

(ECC or UPD)

1 hr Reflection

(LC)

Thursday 2 hour class Friday 2 hour class

Active Engagement:

Rethinking the large classroom

Supporting students

• Out of class • In-class

Out of class support

Resources - ICE •Vocabulary list

– Key words from lecture

•Note-taking template – Outline of lecture / main ideas

•Pre-lecture reading – Annotate – Simplify language

In-class

Connections & Coherence •Between FOM002 & EAP

– Reinforce skills e.g. note-taking, essay writing – Guidance on essay structure /sources & citations – Question/task analysis

•Within FOM002 – Wide-range of topics /ideas / concepts – Connect with assignment

Technology In Class SRS (Student Response System)

•Students use their mobile device to submit answers •Responses shown instantly to the class •Effective method of collecting feedback from large group

Out of Class

QQ group •Experiment to promote topic discussion •153 students joined the group (186 total enrollment)

Active Engagement

• Brainstorming – Pre-lecture, activate background knowledge – Post-lecture, apply ideas to assignments and/or

personal experience

• Discussion Questions – Related to pre-reading material

• Vocabulary Use Activities – Research supports importance of repeated use of

vocabulary

Lessons Learnt so far cont…. – Communication + open to new ideas • It doesn’t work in practice to make a clear distinction

between Language skill teaching and ‘content’ • Especially for L2 learners, the medium is the message • Relevance is important – we do this by highlighting how

the sessions address learning outcomes + transferrable skills

• Coherency is important – we do this by highlighting throughout how lectures relate to assessment

• Modeling this process in yr 1 in order to launch student self-sufficiency at yrs 2, 3, 4

Lessons Learnt so far….

• Better to divide time into different (linked?) sections to hold attention

• Scaffolding up, moving from reception to production (e.g. Poetry of the City)

• Vary the types and orders of activities (within limits) • Vary the location and the set-up to match the activity

(book ahead!) • MITS can sort out almost any technological challenge:

establish links early and ask for help

Language Centre co-delivery

• Language Centre co-delivery isn’t ‘support’ • Not a remedy for perceived language ‘problems’ • A way of creating synergies across the module

in and through the language of instruction • Collaboration makes teaching far more dynamic • ‘Reflective teaching’ is built-in • Need for clear/agreed assessment

criteria/marking descriptors

• Co-delivery model puts premium on lesson-planning, effective time- and classroom-management

• Encourages short (but rich) ‘content’ lectures • Reminds lecturers to grade their language, not

their ideas (XJTLU students are smart; they’re just not L1 learners)

• Encourages modified ‘flipped classroom’ approaches – lectures and readings/activities previewed and reviewed via ICE or other ELE

How it’s affected our teaching cont…

How it’s affected our teaching cont…..

• Experiment in social constructivist learning for teaching staff as well as students

“We would not have to go very far to find current examples of insights from one field being used to inform another. Navy SEALs train Olympians, Disney experts mentor hospital managers, ballet professionals give football players pointers, and brain scientists advise everyone from architects to astronomers” (Stillwell, 2013:3).

C. Stillwell (2013) Language Teaching Insights From Other Fields: Sports. . ., Tesol International Education.

Ongoing issues…

• Students still focus on assessment

• Not making connections between modules and skills learnt in them

Ongoing issues cont….

• Pitching lectures at the right level for Year 1 is important – Dept lecturers need to learn this

• Tension - highlighting link between assignments and lectures vs them making their own connections

Use of technology in class not simple – further work needed to make this accessible to staff and students

Poor design of learning spaces to cater for this kind of learning

Need flat spaces with movable tables and chairs for large classes

Welcome to FOM002

• Thursday 9:00 – 10:50am • Friday 11:00 – 12:50pm • Room P402

– Sometimes in Central building G23W