Our Pro-Vice Chancellor for Education, Professor Martin Stringer, recently announced Swansea University’s Learning and Teaching Strategy for the next five years.
In order to achieve the six objectives outlined in the strategy, our curriculum will embed certain characteristics. Among them is a pledge to improve the effectiveness of assessment and feedback methods for staff and students at Swansea University. This is one of many key factors in achieving our centenary commitments, by working in partnership to deliver our ‘Swansea Graduate’ goals.
Over the past two years, SALT’s ‘Seven Characteristics of a Good University Teacher’ CPD programme has featured examples of best assessment and feedback practice. Not only giving promptfeedback (as in Chickering and Gamson’s principle of good practice) but effectivefeedback that students and staff engage with, and which is applied to ongoing work in order to make progress.
7Cs Seminar: Feedback Journals
One popular SALT ‘7Cs’ seminar was presented by Swansea’s new Dean of Assessment, Dr Joanne Berry (COAH), during which the following questions were addressed:
Why don’t students engage with their feedback?
How can staff provide good feedback that is specific, read, understood, engaged with, reviewed and applied?
What tools can be utilised in this process?
How can staff and students think about and reflect on feedback together, to move forward?
How can staff see where students think they are, where they actually are, and identify ways in which they can be helped to make progress?
How can help be targeted?
How can we develop strategies for improvement?
Dr Berry’s ‘Feedback Journals’ became a focus for reflection and meaningful discussions in academic mentorship meetings, with anticipated and unanticipated results.
Learn more about the development, use and outcomes of Feedback Journals by watching this 32-minute video:
If you are a member of Swansea University teaching staff and have any questions or require support with your feedback strategies, the SALT team are happy to discuss your support requirements and signpost you to other helpful resources.
Or, if you would like to share a feedback strategy that has worked well for you and your students, I would love to hear from you. Feel free to contact me via any of the methods below:
For the first time, we offered three ways to learn more about the pedagogical benefits of technology enhanced learning, in the space of one week: –
TELTALKS19 – a programme of live online talks, using Blackboard Collaborate Ultra
TEL Tools and Types of Learning Padlet – a digital bulletin board of links to a wide range of TEL Tools, aligned to Diana Laurillard’s six learning types, which lie at the heart of UCL’s ABC approach to learning design
7 Characteristics of Good University Teaching’ Seminar, a face to face session delivered by Dr Nigel Francis, Swansea University School of Medicine. Becoming a Better Teacher: A Flipped Approach’
Here’s a bit more information about each of the above and how you can still be involved. Lots of resources were generated that you can still engage with. Or, you can sign up for related CPD from SALT – see the links at the end of this blog!
TELTALKS19
Our online talks attracted lots of staff keen to learn more about webinar-type technology, who found the morning ‘Taster’ sessions a helpful introduction to the basics. Many staff then built upon that experience by attending afternoon talks, which were on the following topics.
Polling as a Way of Engaging Large Groups
Padlet
Blended and Flipped Learning
Inclusivity and Technology Enhanced Learning
The afternoon talks enabled staff from around the university to come together and learn from one another’s knowledge, expertise and experience. There were lots of probing questions and comments to reflect on, simultaneously encouraging the development of skills in using an online, synchronous communication tool.
We thoroughly enjoyed connecting with Swansea University staff in this way. Sessions were lively, rich in content and varied in nature.
In feedback, our participants were enthusiastic about the possibility of using tools such as Blackboard Collaborate in their own teaching, learning, student and staff communication.
To the question…
‘Would you use webinar technology like this in the future?’
85% of participants said ‘YES’
15% said ‘MAYBE’
This word cloud represents how participants thought they could use it.
If you would like to learn more about using Blackboard Collaborate, accessing our recordings or would like to express interest in taking part in future TELTALKS, please contact SALT Senior Academic Developer & Blackboard Collaborate Pilot Lead Debbie Baff .
This is still available to engage with. Scroll down each column to learn more about the types of learning and the digital technology tools that can be used alongside or instead of more conventional methods of learning. Contribute by adding comments or posts of your own.
Roedd Mai 13eg – 17eg 2019 yn wythnos TEL DPP yma yn SALT. Am y tro cyntaf, fe wnaethon ni cynnig tair ffordd i ddysgu rhagor am fuddion pedagogeg dysgu trwy dechnoleg, i gyd mewn un wythnos:-
TRAFODAETHAUTEL19 – Rhaglen o drafodaethau byw ar-lein yn defnyddio Blackboard Collaborate Ultra.
Padlet TACLAU TEL a Mathau o Ddysgu – bwrdd bwletin digidol gyda dolenni i amrywiaeth eang o Daclau TEL, wedi alinio i chwe math o ddysgu Diana Laurillard, sydd wrth wraidd ymagwedd ABC UCL at ddylunio dysgu.
Seminar 7 Nodwedd o Athro Brifysgol Dda, sesiwn wyneb yn wyneb gan Dr Nigel Francis, Ysgol Feddygaeth Prifysgol Abertawe. ‘Dod yn Athro Gwell: Trosi’r Dosbarth’
Dyma damaid o wybodaeth am bob un o’r uchod a sut gallwch o hyd cymryd rhan. Crëwyd lawer o adnoddau gallwch o hyd defnyddio neu cofrestrwch am DPP perthnasol o SALT – gwelir y dolenni ar ddiwedd y blog yma.
TRAFODAETHAUTEL19
Mae ein trafodaethau ar-lein wedi denu lawer o staff sydd yn awyddus i ddysgu rhagor am dechnoleg math-webinar, fe wnaethon nhw ffeindio’r sesiynau bore ‘blasu’ yn gyflwyniad defnyddiol i’r hanfodion. Fe wnaeth lawer o staff yna adeiladu ar y profiad yna gan fynychu trafodaethau’r prynhawn oedd ar y testunau canlynol.
Polau fel ffordd i Atynnu Grwpiau Mawr
Padlet
Dysgu Cyfunol a Dysgu wedi Trosi
Cynwysoldeb a Dysgu a Gyfoethogir gan Dechnoleg
Fe wnaeth y trafodaethau prynhawn galluogi staff ledled y brifysgol dysgu o wybodaeth, arbenigedd a phrofiad o’i gilydd; roedd yna lawer o gwestiynau a sylwadau i adlewyrchu arno, gan ddatblygu sgiliau yn defnyddio teclyn cyfathrebu ar-lein cydamserol.
Fe wnaethon ni fwynhau cysylltu â staff Prifysgol Abertawe yn y modd yma. Roedd y sesiynau yn fywiog, cynnwys cyfoethog ac yn amrywiol.
Yn yr adborth, roedd ein cyfranogwyr yn frwdfrydig am y posibilrwydd o ddefnyddio taclau megis Blackboard Collaborate yn eu dysgu, addysgu a chyfathrebiad rhwng myfyrwyr a staff.
Wrth ymateb i’r cwestiwn…
‘A fyddech yn defnyddio technoleg webinar fel hyn yn y dyfodol?’
Fe wnaeth 85% o gyfranogwyr dweud ‘BYDDEN’
Dywed 15% ‘EFALLAI’
Mae’r cwmwl geiriau yma yn portreadu’r ffyrdd dywedodd cyfranogwyr gallent ragweld eu defnyddio.
Os hoffech ddysgu rhagor am ddefnyddio Blackboard Collaborate, cael mynediad i’r recordiau neu eisiau dangos diddordeb mewn cymryd rhan mewn TRAFODAETHAUTEL y dyfodol, cysylltwch ag Uwch Ddatblygydd Academaidd SALT ac Arweinydd Peilot Blackboard Collaborate, Debbie Baff
Mae hwn o hyd ar gael i weithio gyda. Sgroliwch i lawr ar bob colofn i ddysgu rhagor am y mathau o ddysgu a’r dechnoleg ddigidol gellir defnyddio ochr yn ochr neu yn lle’r dulliau confensiynol o ddysgu. Cyfrannwch gan ychwanegu sylwadau neu gofnodion eich hun.
This blog is about active learning and its growing importance in Higher Education.
It’s also a great opportunity to offer my insight from the SALT ‘7Cs’ January workshop led by Dr. Patricia Xavier from Swansea University’s College of Engineering, ‘Dynamism, conversation and challenge: using active learning and assessment to engage passive learners’.
What is active learning?
‘‘Learning is not a spectator sport. Students do not learn much just by sitting in classes listening to teachers, memorizing pre-packaged assignments and spitting out answers. They must talk about what they are learning, write about it, relate it to past experiences, and apply it to their daily lives. They must make what they learn part of themselves’’ (Chickering & Gamson 1987).
‘Uses active learning techniques’ is one among the ‘Seven Principles of Good Practice in Undergraduate Education’ originally published in 1987 by Chickering and Gamson.
Here are all seven in the original order presented…
Encourages contact between students and faculty
Develops reciprocity and cooperation among students
Uses active learning techniques
Gives prompt feedback
Emphasises time on task
Communicates high expectations
Respects diverse talents and ways of doing things
Excellent learning and teaching often combines several or all of the principles in a certain approach.
Some good examples from Swansea University can be found on this link to the ‘Seven Characteristics of a Good University Teacher’ seminar and workshop programme, inspired by a combination of Chickering and Gamson’s work and Swansea University qualitative module feedback, where you can find videos and blogs on past events and reservation links to upcoming ones.
Chickering and Gamson’s examples of active learning techniques include:-
Structured exercises
Challenging discussions
Team projects
Peer critiques
Outside the classroom e.g. internships
Independent study
Cooperative job programmes
Students co-designing and co-teaching
All of the above remain crucial areas of academic development in HE today, along with newer concepts such as ‘the flipped classroom’ and ‘blended learning’, which often incorporate learning technologies not imagined in 1989.
Active Spaces and Active Minds
In the HE context, the term ‘active learning’ is now synonymous with the spaces and environments within which active learning takes place, as traditional lecture theatres with large cohorts of students pose challenges in being able to adopt a more active approach. Solutions are sought in using space in innovative ways conducive to active learning, and technology has also enhanced active learning opportunities for larger groups, e.g. A019 at The Bay Campus at Swansea University.
However, it’s important to remember that the concept of active learning is an umbrella term for learning through all sorts of meaningful activities. It’s about the cognitive processes experienced by the learner, rather than the learning environments they are in, per se. By thinking creatively, we can create opportunities for active learning in many areas of ‘traditional’ teaching and learning (such as in the example below).
Active learning techniques are also favoured by employers, offering ‘more opportunity to embed skill enhancement’ such as problem solving, teamwork, communication and enthusiasm…’ (Power 2012).
January’s 7Cs Workshop:
‘Dynamism, conversation and challenge: using active learning and assessment to engage passive learners’
In this session held at A019 The Bay Campus, Dr Patricia Xavier from Swansea University’s College of Engineering shared and reflected upon her experience of introducing active learning and assessment techniques to groups of over 160 students. The session included the chance to participate in one of her active learning exercises.
Why Change?
Patricia began the session by asking us to think about terms such as ‘active’, ‘problem-based’ and ‘experience-based’ learning….what do these pedagogies have in common? They involve students being more ACTIVE rather than in their learning. Patricia quoted Dr Ben Brabon, Senior Advisor at Advance HE, who recently argued that people learn best
‘through doing, asking questions and self-constructing their knowledge. What we discover we are more likely to retain’ (Dr Ben Brabon, 2019)
Patricia explained that her motivation for introducing more active techniques to a construction management module was motivated by many factors – awareness of the pedagogical evidence, learning from peers at SALT conferences, but also first- hand experience of deteriorating attendance and absence of questions asked by and of students in large lectures. Speaking to students revealed an acceptance of the idea that a minimal amount of learning taking place in large lectures, of not retaining much knowledge from them, but simply seeing them as places to be signposted to learn in their own time.
What changed?
With careful planning, Patricia revised her approach to include:-
timetabled group learning sessions
examination of case studies and project data
exploration of interactive tasks
peer interaction and instruction
structured ‘paired’ weeks
formative assessed tasks with feedback, to precede summative ones
Tasks were designed to meet learning outcomes through students:-
spending more time together
discovering things for themselves
problem-solving, and
engaging in discussion
Patricia wanted to avoid micro-managing tasks but was available throughout the sessions to answer questions and facilitate the group work, at times having some assistance from a very small number of Demonstrators.
166 students were assigned to four-hour sessions of the above nature. There was an element of self-selection into groups of 3, then groups were groups paired, with some consideration of ability level. It’s important to stress at this stage that her formative assessment sessions were not compulsory, yet students attended.
Getting on with it!
We were asked to ‘get active’. Putting ourselves in the role of students in groups of four, we attempted one of the activities she had actually used in one of her sessions. I thought this was an interesting and revealing workshop strategy, as we found ourselves experiencing similar emotions to that of Patricia’s students i.e. initial confusion giving way to satisfaction and a sense of achievement as the task progressed. We were asked to capture these emotions on post-it notes – very useful to draw on in risk management.
The ‘7C’s’ session was held in room A019, Engineering Central, which is one of Swansea University’s new bespoke active learning spaces, but Patricia explained that she had introduced her active methods in general teaching rooms big enough to accommodate her students, without any special equipment or software.
Was it worth the change?
Patricia invited feedback from her students, which initially included some opposition – they certainly felt they were being challenged and doing something different to the norm. However, Patricia found that the feedback and reassurance she offered back, combined with the benefits of the approach soon speaking for itself in terms of students’ learning, feedback quickly became very positive, quoting the fun, high level of engagement and staff-student interaction among the things they liked best. Feedback started to include the comment ‘thank-you’.
Were there lessons learned?
Yes. Patricia identified several, which should feature in the risk management of anyone thinking of adopting a similar approach.
Managing anxiety levels
Facilitation of large groups
Mitigation of language difficulties
These could all be addressed in the pre-session information given to prepare students e.g. glossaries, management of expectations, clear explanation of the advantages of active learning.
At the end of the session, I left thinking that Patricia’s new approach echoes many of the ‘Seven Principles of Good Undergraduate Practice’, and was both inspirational and practically helpful to colleagues thinking to make changes in their own teaching and learning.
If you have an example of active learning, especially in the context of a large group/cohort, we would love to hear about it at SALT. Please feel free to comment on the blog or message Rhian at SALT on r.e.ellis@swansea.ac.uk, tweet @rhianellis #susaltcpd.
Additional Resources
(1) Image provided by Stephanie Groshell and Zach Groshell, Education Rickshaw.com:
Research findings on the seven principles. In A.W. Chickering & Z.F. Gamson (Eds.) Applying the seven principles for good practice in undergraduate education (pp. 13-25). New Directions for Teaching and Learning, No. 47. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/tl.v1991:47/issuetoc
Power, Jess (2012) Promoting Employability Skills through Active Learning. In: The Second Employability, Enterprise, & Citizenship in Higher Education Conference, Tuesday 27th March 2012, Manchester, UK.
Mae’r blog hwn yn trafod DYSGU GWEITHREDOL a’i bwysigrwydd cynyddol ym maes Addysg Uwch.Mae hefyd yn gyfle gwych i mi gynnig cipolwg i chi ar weithdy ‘7C’ adlewyrchol iawn Academi Dysgu ac Addysgu Abertawe dan arweiniad Dr Patricia Xavier o Goleg Peirianneg Prifysgol Abertawe, a’r teitl difyr iawn oedd:‘Dynamism, conversation and challenge: using active learning and assessment to engage passive learners’.
Beth yw dysgu gweithgar?
‘‘Learning is not a spectator sport. Students do not learn much just by sitting in classes listening to teachers, memorizing pre-packaged assignments and spitting out answers. They must talk about what they are learning, write about it, relate it to past experiences, and apply it to their daily lives. They must make what they learn part of themselves’’ (Chickering & Gamson 1987).
Mae’r ‘defnydd o ddulliau dysgu gweithredol’ yn un o’r ‘Saith Egwyddor Arfer Da mewn Addysg Israddedig’ a gyhoeddwyd yn wreiddiol ym 1987 gan Chickering a Gamson.
Dyma bob un o’r saith yn y drefn wreiddiol a gyflwynwyd…
Yn annog cyswllt rhwng myfyrwyr â chyfadrannau
Yn datblygu dwyochredd a chydweithrediad ymhlith myfyrwyr
Yn defnyddio dulliau dysgu gweithredol
Yn rhoi adborth prydlon
Yn pwysleisio amser ar dasg
Yn cyfleu disgwyliadau uchel
Yn parchu amrywiaeth o ddoniau a ffyrdd o wneud pethau.
Mae dysgu ac addysgu ardderchog yn aml yn cyfuno pob un o’r saith egwyddor mewn dull penodol – gellir disgrifio llawer o’r rhain yn ‘weithredol.’ Gellir dod o hyd i enghreifftiau da o Brifysgol Abertawe ar y ddolen hon i’r rhaglen o seminarau a gweithdai Saith Nodwedd sy’n gwneud Athro Da yn y Brifysgol,’ lle gallwch weld fideos a blogiau ar ddigwyddiadau blaenorol yn ogystal â dolenni i gofrestru ar gyfer rhai yn y dyfodol.
Mae eu henghreifftiau nhw o ddulliau dysgu gweithredol yn cynnwys:-
Ymarferion strwythuredig
Trafodaethau heriol
Prosiectau tîm
Beirniadaethau gan gymheiriaid
Y tu hwnt i’r ystafell ddosbarth e.e. interniaethau
Astudio annibynnol
Rhaglenni gwaith cydweithredol
Myfyrwyr yn dylunio ac yn addysgu ar y cyd
Mae pob un o’r uchod yn parhau’n feysydd hanfodol o ran datblygiad academaidd ym maes Addysg Uwch heddiw, yn ogystal â chysyniadau mwy newydd megis ‘yr ystafell ddosbarth wrthdro’ a ‘dysgu cyfunol’ sy’n aml yn cynnwys technolegau dysgu na feddyliwyd amdanynt ym 1989.
Mannau Gweithredol a Meddyliau Gweithredol
Yng nghyd-destun addysg uwch, mae’r term ‘dysgu gweithredol’ bellach yn gyfystyr â’r mannau a’r amgylcheddau y cynhelir dysgu gweithredol ynddynt, oherwydd bod heriau’n gysylltiedig â darlithfeydd traddodiadol gyda charfannau mawr o fyfyrwyr o ran y gallu i fabwysiadu dull mwy gweithredol ynddynt. Gellir ceisio atebion o ran defnyddio mannau mewn ffyrdd arloesol sy’n addas ar gyfer dysgu gweithredol, ac mae technoleg hefyd wedi gwella’r cyfleoedd dysgu gweithredol ar gyfer grwpiau mwy e.e. A019 ar Gampws y Bae ym Mhrifysgol Abertawe.
Fodd bynnag, mae’n bwysig cofio mae term ambarél yw dysgu gweithredol ar gyfer dysgu drwy bob math o weithgareddau ystyrlon. Mae’n ymwneud â’r prosesau gwybyddol y mae’r dysgwr yn eu profi yn hytrach na’r amgylcheddau dysgu y maen nhw ynddynt fel y cyfryw. Trwy feddwl yn greadigol, gallwn greu cyfleoedd ar gyfer dysgu gweithredol mewn sawl maes o ‘ddysgu ac addysgu traddodiadol.’Mae cyflogwyr hefyd yn cefnogi dulliau dysgu gweithredol am eu bod yn cynnig ‘mwy o gyfleoedd i ymgorffori’r broses o wella sgiliau ynddynt, megis datrys problemau, gweithio mewn tîm, cyfathrebu a brwdfrydedd…’ (Power 2012).
Gweithdy 7C Ionawr
Dynamism, conversation and challenge: using active learning and assessment to engage passive learners’
Yn y sesiwn hon yn A019 ar Gampws y Bae, bu Dr Patricia Xavier yn rhannu ac yn myfyrio ynghylch ei phrofiadau o gyflwyno dulliau dysgu ac asesu gweithredol i grwpiau o dros 160 o fyfyrwyr, ac roedd y gweithdy’n cynnwys y cyfle i gymryd rhan mewn un o’i hymarferion dysgu gweithredol.
Pam newid?
Dechreuodd Patricia y sesiwn drwy ofyn i ni feddwl am dermau megis dysgu ‘gweithredol,’ ‘seiliedig ar broblem’ a ‘seiliedig ar brofiad’…beth sy’n debyg rhwng y dulliau addysgu hyn?Maen nhw’n golygu bod myfyrwyr yn fwy GWEITHREDOL yn hytrach na GODDEFOL yn eu dysgu.Dyfynnodd Patricia Dr Ben Branon, Uwch-ymgynghorydd yn Advance HE, a fu’n dadlau’n ddiweddar bod pobl yn dysgu’n well ‘drwy wneud, gofyn cwestiynau ac adeiladu eu gwybodaeth eu hunain. Rydym yn fwy tebygol o ddal gafael ar yr hyn rydym ni’n ei ddarganfod.’
Esboniodd Patricia fod nifer o ffactorau wedi ei chymell i gyflwyno mwy o ddulliau gweithredol i fodiwl rheoli adeiladu – ymwybyddiaeth o’r dystiolaeth addysgu, dysgu gan gymheiriaid mewn cynadleddau Academaidd Dysgu ac Addysgu Abertawe, yn ogystal â phrofiad ymarferol o bresenoldeb sy’n gwaethygu, a diffyg cwestiynau a ofynnir gan fyfyrwyr mewn darlithoedd mawr.Wrth siarad â myfyrwyr, derbyniodd y syniad mai prin yw’r dysgu sy’n digwydd mewn darlithoedd mawr, nid yw’r myfyrwyr yn dal gafael ar lawer o wybodaeth. Yn syml, maen nhw’n eu gweld fel mannau i’w cyfeirio at ddysgu yn eu hamser eu hunain.
Beth sydd wedi newid?
Felly, er iddi boeni, diwygiodd Patricia ei dull i gynnwys y canlynol:
sesiynau dysgu grŵp a amserlennwyd
astudio astudiaethau achos a data prosiectau
archwilio tasgau rhyngweithiol
rhyngweithio a chael cyfarwyddiadau gan gymheiriaid
wythnosau ‘paru’ strwythuredig
tasgau a aseswyd yn ffurfiannol gydag adborth cyn rhai crynodol
Dyluniwyd tasgau’n ofalus i ddiwallu deilliannau dysgu, drwy sicrhau bod y myfyrwyr yn:-
treulio mwy o amser gyda’i gilydd
darganfod pethau drostynt eu hunain
datrys problemau, a
chymryd rhan mewn trafodaethau.
Roedd Patricia am osgoi micro-reoli tasgau, ond roedd hi ar gael drwy gydol y sesiynau i ateb cwestiynau a hwyluso gwaith grŵp. Roedd hi’n cael cefnogaeth gan nifer fach iawn o ddangoswyr ar adegau.
Cafodd 166 o fyfyrwyr eu neilltuo i sesiynau pedair awr tebyg i’r uchod. Roedd elfen o hunan ddewis i grwpiau o 3, yna roedd grwpiau’n cael eu paru. Rhoddwyd rhywfaint o ystyriaeth i lefelau gallu. Mae’n bwysig pwysleisio ar yr adeg hon nad oedd eu sesiynau asesu ffurfiannol yn orfodol ond eto, roedd myfyrwyr yn mynd iddynt.
Mynd ati!
Gofynnwyd i ni ‘fod yn weithredol.’Drwy chwarae rôl myfyrwyr mewn grwpiau o bedwar, gwnaethom roi cynnig ar un o’r gweithgareddau roedd hi wedi’i ddefnyddio go iawn yn un o’i sesiynau.Yn fy marn i, dyma strategaeth weithdy diddorol a dadlennol, oherwydd ein bod ni’n canfod ein bod yn profi emosiynau tebyg i fyfyrwyr Patricia h.y. teimlo’n ddryslyd i gychwyn yna boddhad ac ymdeimlad o gyflawniad wrth i’r dasg fynd rhagddi. Gofynnwyd i ni nodi’r emosiynau hyn ar ddarnau o bapur – defnyddiol iawn i gyfeirio atynt wrth reoli risgiau.
Cynhaliwyd y sesiwn ‘7C’ yn ystafell A019, Adeilad Canolog Peirianneg, sef un o fannau dysgu gweithredol pwrpasol newydd Prifysgol Abertawe, ond, esboniodd Patricia ei bod hi wedi cyflwyno ei dulliau gweithredol mewn ystafelloedd addysgu cyffredinol a oedd yn ddigon mawr ar gyfer ei myfyrwyr, heb unrhyw offer neu feddalwedd arbenigol.
A oedd hi’n werth y newid?
Gofynnodd Patricia am adborth gan ei myfyrwyr, ac i gychwyn roedd rhai’n gwrthwynebu – roeddent yn amlwg yn teimlo eu bod yn cael eu herio ac yn gwneud rhywbeth a oedd yn wahanol i’r arfer. Fodd bynnag, canfu Patricia fod yr adborth a’r sicrwydd roedd hi’n eu cynnig yn gyfnewid, ar y cyd â manteision y dull yn dweud cyfrolau am ddysgu myfyrwyr. Yn fuan daeth yr adborth yn gadarnhaol iawn, ac roeddent yn dyfynnu’r hwyl, y lefel uchel o ymgysylltiad a’r rhyngweithio rhwng staff a myfyrwyr ymysg y pethau yr oeddent yn eu hoffi orau.Dechreuodd yr adborth gynnwys y sylw ‘diolch yn fawr.’
A oedd anawsterau?
Oedd. Nododd Patricia lawer, a ddylai fod yn amlwg yn nogfennau rheoli risgiau unrhyw un sy’n ystyried mabwysiadau dull tebyg.
Rheoli lefelau gorbryder
Hwyluso grwpiau mwy
Lliniaru anawsterau o ran iaith
Gellid mynd i’r afael â phob un o’r rhain yn yr wybodaeth cyn-sesiynol a roddir i baratoi myfyrwyr e.e. rhestrau termau, rheoli disgwyliadau, esboniad eglur o fanteision dysgu gweithredol.
Ar ddiwedd y sesiwn, gadawais yn meddwl bod dull newydd Patricia yn adleisio sawl un o’r ‘Saith Egwyddor Arfer Da mewn Addysg Israddedig,’ ac roedd yn ysbrydoledig ac o gymorth yn ymarferol i gydweithwyr sy’n ystyried gwneud eu newidiadau i’w dysgu ac addysgu eu hunain.
Research findings on the seven principles. Yn A.W. Chickering & Z.F. Gamson (Eds.) Applying the seven principles for good practice in undergraduate education (pp. 13-25). New Directions for Teaching and Learning, No. 47. San Ffrancisco: Jossey-Bass. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/tl.v1991:47/issuetoc
Power, Jess (2012) Promoting Employability Skills through Active Learning. Yn: The Second Employability, Enterprise, & Citizenship in Higher Education Conference, Dydd Mawrth 27 Mawrth 2012, Manceinion, DU.
In this very enjoyable and well-attended session, Richard explained how and why he has taken an ‘experiential learning’ approach in his teaching and what its benefits have been. His initiatives speak strongly to Chickering and Gamson’s ‘Seven Principles of Good Undergraduate Education’ which Richard illustrated through several examples of his own teaching practice.
What is Experiential Learning ?
Richard drew on Felicia’s (2011) definition,
experiential learning is the process of learning through experience, and is more specifically defined as learning through reflection on doing
Higher education teachers may also be familiar with Kolb’s ‘experiential learning cycle’, which is typically represented by a four-stage learning cycle, in which the learner ‘touches all the bases’ from concrete experience, on to reflective observation, abstract conceptualisation and active experimentation.
Richard also quoted that the words of the ‘grandfather of experiential learning’, John Dewey, which remind us of the value of direct experience.
Or in Richard’s words,
Learning comes to life when you have some way of relating it to your own experience
What are the main drivers of experiential learning ?
Richard discussed six influences, among many current drivers.
Richard also spoke of how experiential learning allows teachers to move into the affective domain, which is important as one in three lawyers report the experience of mental health issues linked to their work.
Experiential learning opportunities help prepare students for the challenging nature of the legal profession, raising self-awareness of the emotional challenges. The soft and interpersonal skills that are vital in professional practice can be learned in practical, creative, engaging and effective ways, with reflection and staged progress.
What aspects of Richard’s teaching are experiential ?
Richard is the Director of The Swansea Law Clinic. His approach to learning and teaching includes:
simulated activities
real client experience
community engagement
Inspired by practice-led teaching in Australia and the USA, Richard feels it is important to focus on preparing students for professional practice at an early stage of their legal education. Upon his appointment as Swansea Law Clinic Director, he introduced projects such as ‘Miscarriage of Justice’, which was the first Clinic project to start in 2017. It works with clients who have exhausted all avenues of the criminal justice system, but doubts remain over their conviction.
Louise Shortner from ‘Inside Justice’ said that the project brings a
real hands on approach to students’ learning and supports students by working in collaboration with legal and forensics that really empowers them
The Swansea Law Clinic’s Annual Report 2017/18 features more on this and other projects in its first year of operation.
Richard himself was a finalist in the UK’s Law Teacher of the Year, a prestigious national award, sponsored by Oxford University Press.
How do these experiential learning opportunities demonstrate the ‘7Cs’ ?
Richard structured the middle section of his talk around the way in which the Swansea Law Clinic’s teaching and learning projects demonstrate all seven of Chickering and Gamson’s characteristics or principles.
Richard closed his session by considering forms of experiential learning in disciplines other than law, which prompted some really interesting questions and discussion after the filming had finished.
This event was a great opportunity for the ‘cross-fertilisation’ of ideas across different colleges and schools at Swansea University. If you’re a Swansea University teacher who, after watching the recording, has questions of your own, please do get in touch via me at SALT !
Perhaps your own practice could even be featured in the ‘7Cs’ programme!
Reflections on ‘Ada Lovelace Day’ – Implications for ‘Inclusivity’ in Learning and Teaching.
It was my pleasure to attend this year’s Ada Lovelace Day event on October 12th at Swansea University, along with my SALT colleague Jacqui Neale. The event featured the keynote speaker Professor Joy Merrell from the College of Human and Health Sciences, also winner of the 2017 Mary Williams Award.
What is Ada Lovelace Day?
It is an annual, international event held to celebrate the achievements of Ada Lovelace (1815-1852), an English mathematician and writer chiefly known for her work on Charles Babbage’s proposed mechanical general purpose computer, the Analytical Engine. She is regarded to be the first to recognise the full potential of a ‘computing machine’ and the first computer programmer. was founded by Suw Charman Anderson in 2009 and now aims to raise the profile of women in science, technology, engineering, maths and maths (STEM) – more recently embracing medicine too (STEMM).
‘From here to equality…’
At the event, Professor Joy Merrell shared her reflections on her professional career from practice to academia as a Public Health nurse, highlighting factors which facilitated and impeded her career progression. In an engaging and inspiring presentation, she took us through her journey towards promoting equality and diversity in the University, and her vision for the future. In recognition of her individual contributions to the University’s culture and community, Professor Merrell has been attributed the honour of the 2017 Mary Williams Award.
What is the ‘Mary Williams Award’?
Mary Williams (1883-1977) became the first woman to be appointed to an established Chair at a UK University when she became professor of French language and literature at Swansea University (previously called University College Swansea) in 1921. Established in 2014, the Mary Williams Award acknowledges particular achievements of individuals in supporting the career development of colleagues and/or students, with a particular focus on removing barriers that prevent development, promoting and/or providing equal opportunities for all and supporting the University’s equality agenda to utilise all of our talent.
Swansea University Celebrates a Silver ‘Athena SWAN’ Award!
Among her many achievements, Prof Joy Merrell is the Chair of the College of Human and Health Science’s Athena SWAN self-assessment team, which recently contributed to the University gaining its Silver Award. Athena SWAN is a charter scheme run by the Equality Challenge Unit (ECU), which recognises advancement of gender equality in terms of representation, progression and success for all. Swansea University is the only University or HEI to receive a silver institutional award in the latest round (out 146 members). The charter now recognises work undertaken to address gender equality more broadly, and not just barriers to progression that affect women.
What are the implications for inclusivity in learning and teaching?
As SALT representatives, we fully support and promote inclusivity in learning and teaching. Gender equality is a key factor in a range of topics addressed in the CPD module on ‘Inclusivity’ created by Mandy Jack, for example ‘Unconscious Bias’ and ‘Inclusive Pedagogy’. The ‘Bitesize’ element of the PG Cert HE is available for all staff. The course is under development and Mandy would therefore welcome your ideas and opinions. There is a blog section where members of staff are encouraged to post valuable, up to date information about ‘Inclusive Practice’ in their particular discipline. Mandy will also be supplementing the online content with workshops.
