Using Mobile Devices to Facilitate Student Questioning in a Large Undergraduate Science Class

Asking scientific questions is the first practice of science and engineering listed in the Next Generation Science Standards. However, getting students to ask unsolicited questions in a large class can be difficult. In this qualitative study, undergraduate students sent SMS text messages to the instructor who received them on his mobile phone and via Google Glass. Using observations, coding of texts, and interviews, the researchers investigated the types and level of questions students asked and the perceptions of the instructor and TAs on how the messages were received. From the findings of this study, it is evident that students asked a wide variety of question types and levels. It would appear that important distinctions between voice and text questions are that: (a) a shy or insecure questioner can remain anonymous; (b) questions can be asked in an interactive, but not interruptive manner; (c) there is no time limit to answering questions; and (d) the record of questions on the instructor\u27s phone can be used to guide revision of lecture notes for future semesters

Transitions and student wellbeing in higher education: Exploring the role of Independent Learning Skills

The number of reported mental health issues amongst university students continues to rise, affecting student attainment and progression. Within this context, this study explores students’ experiences of wellbeing during transition to university, specifically exploring the under-researched area of how Independent Learning Skills (ILS) and wellbeing interrelate. A novel conceptual framework combining aspects of ILS and wellbeing was constructed which then informed semi-structured interviews with university business school students and a Template Analysis. The study found a variety of ways in which the development of ILS and student wellbeing can be helped and hindered during transition to university, for example, how student and university practices appear to affect ILS and wellbeing. As such, this study sits in contrast to previous research in combining two areas not typically combined to examine student transition, offering new practical insights into supporting students. Key contributions that have been made as a result of this research include a deeper understanding of the relationship between specific ILS skills and specific elements of wellbeing. The experiences that students had were found to be inconsistent relating to academic support and these experiences both positive and negative were shown to mediate the relationship between ILS and wellbeing. Early experiences of the students were shown to have an anchoring effect on ILS and wellbeing, for example not engaging with support offered by their Personal Academic Tutor (PAT) was later shown to have hindered achievements and feelings of wellbeing. The diversity of learning needs and preferences identified from the research was also found to relate to students’ development of ILS and associated feelings of wellbeing. Further research has been identified that seeks to explore the relationship between ILS and wellbeing to specific student outcomes, including student grades, retention and progression outcomes

Not as cool as fighter pilots : an exploration of identity and learning for full-time quantity surveying students.

This study explores the relationship between identity and learning, in particular the concepts of ‘belonging’ and ‘becoming’ in respect of professional, vocational education. Adopting a case study approach, the study focuses on the quantity surveying discipline and the degree programme offered by my institution, and one specific cohort on same. As they progressed through their studies, an in-depth exploration of the formation of identity (ies) and the dispositions adopted towards learning was undertaken, involving two key milestones: at Level 1 (first year) when the participants had almost completed their studies, and again at Level 3 (third year) when the participants had returned from their period of professional placement. The conclusions of my study raise a number of issues for professional, vocational education in general, and more specifically, the provision of quantity surveying education within my institution. The outcomes of this investigation highlight three key areas for further attention: the tensions inherent in providing discipline-orientated programmes within a semesterised, modularised, more generic-focused system of delivery; issues surrounding the provision of professional placement opportunities including the emotional aspects of same; and the resultant impacts on dispositions and identity, ‘belonging’ and ‘becoming’

The SenseCam as a research tool for exploring learner experiences in an urban classroom space

In this article1 I describe an ethnographic exploration into the daily school life of Grade 6 learners at an urban school that serves impoverished areas in Durban. The school is representative of the racial demographics of the country. The study explores how Grade 6 learners experience education, and probes how human experiences are mediated through everyday classroom practices and interaction, taking into account the complex influences from the community in the life of the school and, in particular, the lives of the learners. Photographic evidence obtained through the use of a discreet SenseCam, worn by the class teachers and by me, the researcher, in turn, is an essential part of the large data collection that also includes observation notes, interviews, and historical records. I explain the use and value of the SenseCam as a research tool. I demonstrate that learners undermined their own learning and that a multiplicity of factors had an impact on learning and the way the learners experienced school life. Complex social relationships extended beyond the confines of the school