Model of practice
The three institution coordinators have been working together to find synergy between the individual practice (teaching, learning and assessment practice) taking place within each module/unit.
The essential shared theme is dialogue.
Working collaboratively the coordinators have developed the opposite model of inclusive teaching and learning methods to evidence and demonstrate their practice.
This is a draft model and work in progress.
InCurriculum is a three year action research project. The fundamental principles of action research are embedded within the origins of experiential learning with the recognition that learning and development are lifelong processes towards purpose and self direction. Simply defined it is a reflective process of progressive problem solving led by individuals working with others in teams (or as part of a community of practice) to improve the way they address issues and solve problems. This approach to the InCurriculum research has enabled a set of change making processes to happen. As the project team have initiated a series of planning actions, this has moved to the action of transformation to the stage of output and results as articulated within this interactive web site.
Dewey, Lewin and Piaget were the ancestors of experiential learning. 1) Dewey for the personal experience in experiential learning 2) Piaget for his description of the learning process as a assimilating experience into concepts and accommodating concepts to experience and work on epistemology ( the relationship between structure of knowledge and how it is learned) 3) Lewen for his work on the methodology of action research which was used to plan change in small groups and large complex organizations with the integration of theory and practice. (D.Kolb 1984).
Project team techniques have been to facilitate theoretical and practice exploration by an integrated process of learning, beginning with the here and now experience, followed by the collection of evidence/data and observations of that experience through the evaluation of action, reflection and action. The research study has used several methods of pedagogic delivery such as ‘visual, aural and learning by doing’ to build ‘the here and now concrete experience’ to validate and test the abstract concepts that underpin learning. The capturing of immediate personal experience, that gives meaning to abstract concepts, has been a key element in the evaluation methodology and to the ethical and epistemological principles of this research project.
The evaluation has been conducted through a range of research tools which have been rigorously put in place throughout the life of the project. These include a series of focus groups for each of the nine modules investigated. Learning Styles questionnaires completed by each student at the beginning of each module.
However, a key finding has been that text based questionnaires are prescriptive and therefore not entirely accessible to students with a range of learning approaches.
Open ended questionnaires were conducted halfway through each module with scaled questionnaires conducted on student exit from the module.
Another key finding was that the project needed to ensure the same format of questionnaire for continuity of approach. It was found that the scaled questionnaires elicited a more student focused response whereas the open ended questionnaires had been more tutor directed.
Staff questionnaires were completed plus staff and student in-depth one to one interviews. The evaluation has been analysed by an educational consultant who is objective of the project and informed by regular reviews from Project Management and Steering Groups. The analysis has been conducted within a framework of articulated themes which has enabled continuity of analysis throughout the life of the project. A set of key findings will be available by mid September 2010. Evidence will be sought of any changes in the student learning journey.
Katherine Hewlett
Acknowledgments: Dr David Pollak, Dr Ross Cooper. Jonathan Powell.
The essential shared theme is dialogue.
Working collaboratively the coordinators have developed the opposite model of inclusive teaching and learning methods to evidence and demonstrate their practice.
This is a draft model and work in progress.
Action Research and Evaluation methodology statement
InCurriculum is a three year action research project. The fundamental principles of action research are embedded within the origins of experiential learning with the recognition that learning and development are lifelong processes towards purpose and self direction. Simply defined it is a reflective process of progressive problem solving led by individuals working with others in teams (or as part of a community of practice) to improve the way they address issues and solve problems. This approach to the InCurriculum research has enabled a set of change making processes to happen. As the project team have initiated a series of planning actions, this has moved to the action of transformation to the stage of output and results as articulated within this interactive web site.
Dewey, Lewin and Piaget were the ancestors of experiential learning. 1) Dewey for the personal experience in experiential learning 2) Piaget for his description of the learning process as a assimilating experience into concepts and accommodating concepts to experience and work on epistemology ( the relationship between structure of knowledge and how it is learned) 3) Lewen for his work on the methodology of action research which was used to plan change in small groups and large complex organizations with the integration of theory and practice. (D.Kolb 1984).
Project team techniques have been to facilitate theoretical and practice exploration by an integrated process of learning, beginning with the here and now experience, followed by the collection of evidence/data and observations of that experience through the evaluation of action, reflection and action. The research study has used several methods of pedagogic delivery such as ‘visual, aural and learning by doing’ to build ‘the here and now concrete experience’ to validate and test the abstract concepts that underpin learning. The capturing of immediate personal experience, that gives meaning to abstract concepts, has been a key element in the evaluation methodology and to the ethical and epistemological principles of this research project.
The evaluation has been conducted through a range of research tools which have been rigorously put in place throughout the life of the project. These include a series of focus groups for each of the nine modules investigated. Learning Styles questionnaires completed by each student at the beginning of each module.
However, a key finding has been that text based questionnaires are prescriptive and therefore not entirely accessible to students with a range of learning approaches.
Open ended questionnaires were conducted halfway through each module with scaled questionnaires conducted on student exit from the module.
Another key finding was that the project needed to ensure the same format of questionnaire for continuity of approach. It was found that the scaled questionnaires elicited a more student focused response whereas the open ended questionnaires had been more tutor directed.
Staff questionnaires were completed plus staff and student in-depth one to one interviews. The evaluation has been analysed by an educational consultant who is objective of the project and informed by regular reviews from Project Management and Steering Groups. The analysis has been conducted within a framework of articulated themes which has enabled continuity of analysis throughout the life of the project. A set of key findings will be available by mid September 2010. Evidence will be sought of any changes in the student learning journey.
Katherine Hewlett
Acknowledgments: Dr David Pollak, Dr Ross Cooper. Jonathan Powell.