Small-Scale Learning and Teaching Research and Development Projects: 2008
- Google Earth as a learning resource in sustainable development education
- Video podcasts as a learning support resource for Geography and as a tool to support recruitment
- Geography Undergraduate Dissertations in the UK: a review of assessment schemes and procedures
- Developing numeracy skills amongst GEES undergraduates via Blackboard quizzes
- Completing the cycle: an investigation of structured reflection as a tool to encourage student engagement with feedback
- Supporting foundation degree students in higher education
Google Earth as a learning resource in sustainable development education
Simon Haslett, Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT), University of Wales, Newport
Issues in sustainable development span many spaces and scales, from individual homes through to local communitities, regions, nations and beyond, and requiring of students to appreciate and visualise these diverse geographical contexts is extremely challenging. Google Earth freeware is available as an internet download and provides continuous global satellite imagery. It is an accessible and powerful analytical tool that has the potential to offer exciting opportunities for educators to embed world sustainability themes within the curricula of almost any subject, but particularly in GEES subject areas. This proposal will:
- provide an overview of current use of Google Earth in sustainable development education
- highlight existing cases of best practice
- develop a new example and monitor student engagement
- make recommendations for embedding in diverse curricula
- suggest further developments for its future use
This will be a collaborative project between staff at University of Wales, Newport and Bath Spa University. Younger and/or less experienced staff will be encouraged and guided by staff more experienced in pedagogic research. Project outcomes will be disseminated via inter-institutional workshops, a review paper and within the GEES community through a paper to Planet, a dedicated support website and a presentation at an appropriate GEES meeting or conference.
- Report: Prior use of Google Earth by undergraduate Geography students . Report available in Planet 22 (2009)
Video podcasts as a learning support resource for Geography and as a tool to support recruitment
Jennifer Hill, Department of Geography and Environmental Management, University of the West of England
There is a need to investigate, via empirical investigation, the effectiveness of ICT in mediating the student learning process in HE. In particular, few formal studies exist on the effectiveness of podcasting in engaging students and influencing their learning. It is important to examine the utility of podcasting technology, 1. in supporting specific module aims and learning outcomes and 2. in promoting a positive student experience and learning response.
The primary aim of this project is to assess student perceptions of the learning utility of video podcasts, with particular reference to their understanding of exotic ecosystems. Visualising such material can be an important first step in student understanding. A secondary aim is to support recruitment into geography by producing short video clips, targeted at potential undergraduate students, and mounting these on the University website.
Podcasts will be made available to students via the Faculty intranet and they will be accessed either on-line or downloaded to appropriate mobile technology. The effectiveness of the technology in student engagement and learning will be assessed by a short questionnaire, focus groups and summative assessment. The value of podcasts in supporting recruitment will be obtained provisionally by examining 'page hits' and questioning incoming students as to if/how they used the resource. Results will be reported via publication in Planet and via appropriate academic conferences/websites. Learning will be shared in-house with colleagues at appropriate University staff development events.
Geography Undergraduate Dissertations in the UK: a review of assessment schemes and procedures
Dawn Nicholson, Department of Environmental and Geographical Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University
Undergraduate dissertations are widely used in Honours Geography pathways throughout the UK and often constitute a significant component of the final degree classification. However, we know very little about their implimentation, particularly with regard to assessment procedures (including formative assessment) and assessment schemes. This project is designed to fill this gap with a review of current practice in relation to assessment criteria, assessment procedures and student support arrangements for Geography dissertations.
We have a resource base of Departmental handbooks pertaining to Geography dissertations (previously collected) and will update and add to this with a survey of details for credit rating, output format, double marking and anonymous marking procedures, actions in the event of disagreement and other assessment procedures. We will also collate information on the nature of assessment criteria (including how they are constructed, validated and interpreted), marking schemes and weightings, and we will inquire about the nature of formative assessment, feedback provision and tutor intervention.
We aim to gain an understanding of current practice, identify 'good' practice and recommend 'best' practice. The project will also enable the showcasing of innovative assessment and assist departments with evaluating practice as part of curriculum review. Outputs of the project will include publication of online documentation resources (e.g. complied survey data tables and commentaries) via the GEES web site; an interim report in the Spring '09 issue of Planet, and an analytical paper for the Journal of Geography in Higher Education or Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education.
Developing numeracy skills amongst GEES undergraduates via Blackboard quizzes
Anne-Marie Nuttall, School of Biological and Earth Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University
The aim of this project is to help undergraduates in the GEES disciplines enhance their competence and confidence in numeracy by means of a suite of self-paced online quizzes delivered via the Blackboard VLE. The project team teach and demonstrate to students studying geography, environmental science and geology at two different GEES departments at LJMU. Numeracy materials will be developed on the basis of actual examples used on a range of modules at all levels in the two departments, hence ensuring the relevance which is considered vital to maintaining student interest and motivation.
These materials will be delivered as a collection of Blackboard quizzes on specific numeracy topics which students can access at any point in their studies either on or off campus. Feedback and guidance will be provided immediately so that a student will know where they have gone wrong. Positive feedback and repetition/reinforcement will help build confidence in numeracy, which so many students seem to lack. The anonymous 'anywhere, anytime' nature of the delivery means that students can overcome the common fear of 'asking a stupid question' in class, which can hamper their progress.
Once developed, the Blackboard quizzes can be exported to other GEES departments who may wish to use them with their own students.
Completing the cycle: an investigation of structured reflection as a tool to encourage student engagement with feedback
Jackie Pates, Department of Environmental Science, Lancaster University
The quantity, quality and timing of feedback are currently 'big issues' in university education. Students want more, clearer and faster feedback. Staff are juggling high workloads and increasing class sizes. This discord is compounded when student fail to act on feedback. One solution is to look critically at the whole feedback cycle; instead of focussing exclusively on the quality of feedback provided, more emphasis could be placed on developing self-evaluation skills in students. The aims of this project are to: i) systematically monitor and evaluate the introduction of structured reflection as a tool for students to develop their self-evaluation skills and hence make better use of feedback; and ii) use the findings to inform staff feedback delivery practices. This project focuses on the report writing component of a Project Skills module in Environmental Science. Students complete weekly short assignments and receive group feedback in a variety of ways, but are not always able to utilise this feedback. A short series of questions will be added to each assignment designed to prompt reflection (e.g. how did you approach this task, what has gone well, what are you stuck on, etc.). In class, we will add formal self-evaluation exercises (e.g. how does this group feedback apply to me?). Thus we aim to engender continuity of process for the students, as well as provide them with skills to support their future learning. The project will be evaluated through discussion with a representative student sample at key points throughout the module.
Supporting foundation degree students in higher education
David Simm, Department of Geography, Bath Spa University
The number and variety of Foundation Degrees (FD) offered by UK universities and affiliated Further Education colleges have grown in recent years. Foundation Degrees differ from undergraduate degrees because they integrate academic and work-based learning, and are designed in partnership with employers. Most FDs are delivered at a partner FE institution with subsequent direct entry to Year 2 or 3 of a BSc and BA programme usually being offered, whilst others are embedded within existing undergraudate programmes. However, the expectations, needs and concerns of FD students, particularly during the transition to HE, are poorly understood, and may be significantly different from other undergraduate students. Using focus groups with current and past FD students in HE and FE taking embedded and non-embedded FD courses, this project will explore their expectations, needs and concerns, particularly with regards to their skills and employability. The nationwide provision of Geography-related FDs will also be surveyed. This will enable a better understanding of the needs of our FD students, and to help to formulate and disseminate good practice amongst HE institutions.