22 research outputs found
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Reflective Learning: Adding Value to the Openings Experience?
Thinkers have long sought to illuminate the ways in which the practical is linked to the theoretical. There are many instances of where these ideas have involved the activity of reflection in transforming experience into knowledge (Habermas, 1974; Van Manen, 1977; Kolb, 1984). More recently, models of reflective learning have proposed that critical reflection is a requisite for âtransformational endeavoursâ such as higher learning (Brockbank and McGill, 1998, p. 53).
Work done by the Centre for Widening Participation (CWP) at the Open University offered an opportunity to study reflective learning in higher education. As a point of entry for Open University study and as a bridge into higher education for students with low educational qualifications, the Openings programme within CWP may be the first experience some learners have had with reflective learning at this level. This dissertation employs a qualitative approach as it tries to illuminate this phenomenon by looking at the extent to which Openings students feel the reflective tasks have added value to their learning experience.
Data were collected from twelve recent Openings students through the use of telephone interviews. Participantsâ responses were analysed across four sub-questions that dealt with: 1) understanding reflective learning 2) orientating to reflective learning 3) valuing reflective writing and 4) perceiving the role of the tutor in promoting reflective learning.
Findings suggested that some Openings students find reflective tasks challenging when they are presented as self-assessment exercises. Some learners rank reflective tasks as a lower priority because they are presented as separate to the content-based tasks and because some of the reflective work is not assessed. Some respondents perceive reflective tasks as pointless activities because it keeps them from the actual coursework. Finally, Openings students seem to be dependent on written feedback from the tutor in order to fully engage in the reflective learning activities
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Distance Learners' Conceptions of Reflection in Higher Education
Frameworks for reflective learning have developed over the past 40 years as researchers and practitioners have sought to enhance the learning journey. Some of these models include reflection as a necessary stage in the process of transforming experience into knowledge. Other models intimate that reflective activity happens at higher stages of competency. Some adult learners may have encountered reflective activities and theories in their workplaces as part of personal development planning or on previous educational courses in meeting a particular learning outcome. But, how do tertiary distance learners, who often have varied employment and educational backgrounds, relate to the notion of reflection?
This thesis employed a phenomenographic approach to identify the ways in which distance learners at the UKâs Open University conceptualise reflection. The first phase of this research collected data through the use of an open-ended questionnaire to explore the different ways in which distance learners conceptualise reflection. A second phase involved three longitudinal case studies of level 1 undergraduate students. This study investigated the extent to which distance learnersâ conceptions of reflection change during their university experience. A final study explored distance learnersâ conceptions of reflection on a postgraduate professional development module. This third study attempted to determine whether distance learners with more experience of higher education hold different conceptions of reflection than distance learners with less university experience.
Findings from this thesis offer a set of seven qualitatively different conceptions of reflection held by tertiary distance learners. Owing to certain individual and institutional factors, distance learnersâ conceptions of reflection often change during their higher education experience. While literature suggests that distance learners with more experience of higher education may hold more sophisticated conceptions of reflection, their ability to articulate these conceptions may be restricted because of tacit knowledge.
Conclusions from this thesis have pedagogical implications for distance learning providers in terms of how reflective learning components are embedded in the curriculum. Distance educators will benefit from a growing understanding of studentsâ conceptions of reflection in considering how facilitative strategies can promote learning and epistemological development through reflection. Finally, the findings of this study will contribute to the existing body of knowledge related to reflection and development in higher education
University teachersâ conceptions of âChangemakerâ: a starting point for embedding social innovation in learning and teaching
Purpose: This paper reports on a study aimed at understanding the different conceptions that University of Northampton teachers hold of âChangemakerâ, an institutional initiative to develop capacities for social innovation. Design/methodology/approach: The study took a phenomenographic approach to identify a small number of qualitatively different conceptions of Changemaker among teaching staff. Face-to-face, phenomenographic interviews were carried out with 30 teachers across the university. Transcript data were analysed using thematic inductive analysis. Findings: Five different conceptions of Changemaker were found: 1) Changemaker as university strategy; 2) Changemaker as critical thinking, perspective shifting and problem solving; 3) Changemaker as employability; 4) Changemaker as social betterment and 5) Changemaker as personal transformation. Research limitations/implications: The outcome space of conceptions represents the beliefs of teaching staff at the University of Northampton. The approach to research and plans for the practical application of findings may be of direct benefit to other education providers as they develop their own models for teaching and learning. Practical implicationâThe findings from this study will inform the next phase of the project, which involves the development of a skills/attributes/behaviours matrix for Changemaker. Originality/value: The findings of this study will address the absence of literature on teachersâ conceptions of phenomena related to social innovation, social entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship. Understanding teachersâ beliefs of such phenomena is relevant to the growing number of universities that address these subjects in the curriculum
Embedding social innovation and social impact across the disciplines: identifying "Changemaker" attributes
PurposeâThis paper proposes an attributes framework for embedding âChangemakerââa university initiative for promoting social innovation and social impactâacross the disciplines at the University of Northampton. Design/methodology/approachâThe study is based on the authorsâ (2014) phenomenographic study that proposed five different conceptions of Changemaker held by academic staff: 1) Changemaker as institutional strategy; 2) Changemaker as critical thinking, perspective shifting and problem solving; 3) Changemaker as employability; 4) Changemaker as social betterment and 5) Changemaker as personal transformation. The present study explores pedagogic literature to identify skills, behaviours and attributes associated with each of these five categories. FindingsâFindings from this literature review inform a taxonomy of Changemaker attributes, which offers a catalogue of skills and behaviours associated with the five conceptions of Changemaker. Research limitations/implicationsâThe conceptions of Changemaker, that form the basis of the Changemaker attributes, represent the beliefs of teaching staff at the University of Northampton. Despite inherent limitations, the approach of using practice-based empirical findings to develop pedagogical tools may be of direct benefit to other education providers as they develop their own models for teaching and learning. Practical implicationsâThe Changemaker attributes will be used by the University of Northampton during the design, approval and review of courses to ensure that social innovation and social impact is embedded across the disciplines. Academic staff can refer these attributes when designing assessments and for inspiration toward innovative teaching practice. Originality/valueâThe findings of this study will provide a point of reference for other higher education institutions as they look for guidance on embedding social innovation and social impact into their curriculum
Unearthing learnersâ conceptions of reflection to innovate business education for the 21st century
The development of learnersâ capacities for critical reflection is an important learning outcome for 21st century business education. Theories suggest that a learner holds a particular orientation to reflection, and that this perspective will be influenced by his or her underlying beliefs. This, coupled with an increased focus on the student experience, personal development, and self-regulation in higher education, offers scope for considering instructional design from a second-order perspective, or in other words, from the studentâs point of view. This study sought to understand: 1) the ways that business students orientate to reflection, 2) the different conceptions they hold of reflection, and 3) whether there is a relationship between the two. Reflective learning questionnaires were completed by 112 business students studying at the University of Northampton. Survey results showed that while the research instrument was a good fit for investigating orientations to and conceptions of reflection, there did not appear to be a correlation between the two. Learning analytics such as these will be useful for considering how the University can design more meaningful business curricula. However, the disconnect between conceptions of and orientations to reflection needs to be explored through further research
An Outsider\u27s Perspective: Walter Benjamin\u27s Vision of Philosophy
Senior Project submitted to The Division of Social Studies of Bard College
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Emotions used in Learning Analytics: a state-of-the-art review
Emotions play a critical role in the learning and teaching process because learnersâ feelings impact motivation, self-regulation and academic achievement. In this literature review of 100+ studies, we identify approximately 100 different emotions that may have a positive, negative or neutral impact on learnersâ attitudes, behaviour and cognition. In this review, we explore seven methods of data gathering approaches to measure and understand emotions (i.e., content analysis, natural language processing, behavioural indicators, quantitative instruments, qualitative approaches, well-being word clouds, and intelligent tutoring systems). With increased affordances of technologies to continuously measure emotions (e.g., facial and voice expressions with tablets and smart phones), it might become feasible to monitor learnersâ emotions on a real-time basis in the near future
Promoting reflection in asynchronous virtual learning spaces: tertiary distance tutors' conceptions
Increasingly, universities are embedding reflective activities into the curriculum. With the growth in online tertiary education, how effectively is reflection being promoted or used in online learning spaces? Based on the notion that teachersâ beliefs will influence their approaches to teaching, this research sought to understand how a group of distance tutors at the UK Open University conceptualised reflection. It was hoped that these findings would illuminate their approaches to promoting reflection as part of their online pedagogies. Phenomenographic analysis indicated that these tutors conceptualised reflection in four qualitatively different ways. Furthermore, the data suggested that these educators held a combination of two conceptions: one that understood the origin of being reflective and one that understood the purpose of reflection. Analysis of structural aspects of these conceptions offered insight into tutorsâ own perspectives for what is needed to make online learning environments fertile territory for reflective learning
Barriers and enablers of youth as drivers of social change: university studentsâ perspectives
As a progressive society, there is an expectation for young people to become the social leaders and innovators of tomorrow. Not only does this expectation imply an intergenerational âpassing of the batonâ but also this scenario assumes that young people value social change and possess the self-efficacy that empowers them to ignite positive social change. Added to this is a fundamental assumption that social constructs will enable young people to work as change agents, rather than create hindrances. A complexity for higher education institutions is how to develop young peopleâs capacities for social change given the inevitable variance in how much their students value and believe they have the ability for âchangemakingâ.
This study explored university studentsâ conceptions of social change and their perspectives on the tools and resources needed to engage in social changemaking. Two focus groups were held at the University of Northampton, which elicited studentsâ (n=10) views on 1) their conceptions of social change and social innovation, 2) their perceptions of what enables young people to engage with social change and 3) their beliefs about the barriers that exist for young people in being or becoming change agents.
Findings from this study offer important implications for higher education institutions that aim to engage in positive youth development as part of the curricular or extra-curricular provision. By illuminating the perceived barriers and enablers for youth in driving social change, higher education institutions will be in a stronger position from which to nurture this generation of âchangemakersâ
Developing a framework for sustainable growth of flexible learning opportunities
Flexible learning increases access to higher education, particularly for
traditionally undeserved students. First-time entrants, who may lack
the cultural capital to be successful, may also be more likely to
participate in flexible learning than traditional students, and particularly
in online and blended courses. We posit that success for all
students enrolling in flexible forms of learning can be achieved
through course design and responsive pedagogies. For these efforts
to be successful, competency frameworks must be developed, and
initial and ongoing training provided for teaching staff. This paper
discusses a theory-based and practice-informed framework for the
scalable expansion of flexible learning, which in our case, encompassed
online learning, blended learning, competency-based education,
and open educational resources. We provide a context for the
framework, introduce the framework, discuss the steps for developing
and implementing it, and share initial findings and implications