McCourt, Karen

Porter, Elizabeth

Robins, Karen

Sloan, Diane

English

Northumbria Research Link

Northumbria Research Link
Citation:  Sloan, Diane, Porter,  Elizabeth,  Robins,  Karen and McCourt,  Karen (2011) Crossing the 
electronic  divide  -  designing  and  implementing  the  electronic  delivery  of  dissertation  support.  In: 
BMAF Annual Conference 2011: Graduates with Impact, 10-11 May 2011, Bournemouth, UK. 
URL:  http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/BMAFconference/home 
<http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/BMAFconference/home>
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Crossing the electronic divide – designing and 
implementing the electronic delivery of 
dissertation support 
Presented by:  
Diane  Sloan, Northumbria University 
Elizabeth Porter, Northumbria University 
Karen McCourt, University of Hertfordshire 
Karen Robins, University of Hertfordshire 
The Dissertation Game 
Presentation structure 
• Methodology & findings 
• The solution –about the Dissertation Game 
• Background to the online development 
• Demonstration 
• Moving forward 
The Dissertation Game 2 
• Dissertation tutors - 2 
• Dissertation supervisors - 30 
• Post graduate students - 50 
 
• Focus groups 
• Questionnaire – staff/students 
• Interviews – dissertation tutors 
• Observation – dissertation lectures 
Methodology 
The Dissertation Game 3 
Methodology 
• Student 
• Lack of understanding of: 
• WHAT to do 
– learning and 
assessment criteria 
• HOW to do it 
– appropriate English 
language functions e.g 
justifying choices; 
critically evaluating;  
 
 
• Staff 
• Students often failed to: 
– Show understanding of 
approach to research 
– Link topic to literature 
– Discuss findings 
– Link findings to literature 
review 
– Link conclusions to 
literature 
 
The Dissertation Game 4 
The solution: new T&L materials- a 
game 
 
 
– To increase their 
understanding of the 
learning and 
assessment criteria 
 
– To be provided with 
models of language 
functions to meet 
criteria 
 
• Matching exercise:  
 
•  Assessment criteria 
                
    
• Examples of language 
functions 
The Dissertation Game 5 
Background to the online development 
Northumbria 
created 
content for 
Dissertation 
Game.  
Hertfordshire 
convert paper 
based 
materials into 
online format 
Students work 
independently 
online and 
learn the 
contents of the 
Dissertation 
Chapters. 
The Dissertation Game 6 
• Using the rapid e-learning development tool:  Articulate. 
• Question formats are quite different online to paper based 
version, but content is the same. 
• Transcript written by Northumbria, audio by Hertfordshire. 
Demonstration 
 
 
7 
The Dissertation 
Game 
The Dissertation Game 
Moving forward 
8 The Dissertation Game 
• Carry out staff and student testing. 
• Refine and amend as appropriate, carry out second 
round of testing if necessary. 
• Produce support documents and screencapture videos. 
• Carry out workshops and train staff on the Game. 
• Promote to Business School staff and 
students in both Universities. 
• Consider support database to capture the student results 
(currently students print or email – optional). 
• Look at the wider perspective of use of the Game in other 
Faculties and other Universities. 
• Publication. 
References 
• Allison, D., Cooley, L., Lewkowicz, J. & Nunan, D. (1998) Dissertation Writing in Action: The Development of a Dissertation 
Writing Student Program for ESL Graduate Research Students.  English for Academic Purposes, 17 (2) pp.199-217 
 
• Busato, V. F., Prins, F.J., Elshout, J. J., & Hamaker, C. (2000). Intellectual ability, learning style, personality, achievement 
motivation and academic success of psychology students in higher education. Personality and Individual Differences, 29, 
1057-1068 
 
• Duff, A. (2003). Quality of learning on an MBA programme: The impact of approaches to learning on academic 
performance. Educational Psychology, 23(2), 123-139. 
 
• Paltridge, B. (2002) Thesis and dissertation writing: an examination of published advice and actual practice.  English for 
Academic Purposes, 21, pp.125-143 
• Hyland, K. (2002) Specificity Revisited: How far should we go now? English for Specific Purposes, 21, pp. 385-395. 
 
• Porter, E & Sloan, D. (2008) The Dissertation Game Model.  Red Guide 48, MARCET Staff Development Resource Centre, 
Northumbria University. 
 
• Sloan, D & Porter, E. (2009) The management of English Language Support in Post Graduate Business Education: The CEM 
Model (Contextualisation, Embedding and Mapping), International Journal  of Management Education, 7 (2), pp.51-58. 
 
• Warwick, P. (2007) ‘Well Meant but Misguided: a case study of an English for Academic Purposes Programme developed 
to support international learners.’  International Journal of Management Education, 6, 2, pp.3-17. 
 
 
The Dissertation Game 9 
Contact details 
Elizabeth Porter Northumbria University elizabeth.porter@northumbria.ac.uk  
Diane Sloan Northumbria University diane.sloan@northumbria.ac.uk  
Karen McCourt University of Hertfordshire K.McCourt@herts.ac.uk 
Karen Robins University of Hertfordshire K.Robins@herts.ac.uk  
10 The Dissertation Game 
Any Questions? 
For more information on The Dissertation Game, please contact us: 


Crossing the electronic divide - designing and implementing the electronic delivery of dissertation support

Northumbria University Research Portal

Crossing the electronic divide – designing and implementing the electronic delivery of dissertation support Presented by:  Diane  Sloan, Northumbria University Elizabeth Porter, Northumbria University Karen McCourt, University of Hertfordshire Karen Robins, University of Hertfordshire The Dissertation Game Presentation structure • Methodology & findings • The solution –about the Dissertation Game • Background to the online development • Demonstration • Moving forward The Dissertation Game 2 • Dissertation tutors - 2 • Dissertation supervisors - 30 • Post graduate students - 50  • Focus groups • Questionnaire – staff/students • Interviews – dissertation tutors • Observation – dissertation lectures Methodology The Dissertation Game 3 Methodology • Student • Lack of understanding of: • WHAT to do – learning and assessment criteria • HOW to do it – appropriate English language functions e.g justifying choices; critically evaluating;    • Staff • Students often failed to: – Show understanding of approach to research – Link topic to literature – Discuss findings – Link findings to literature review – Link conclusions to literature  The Dissertation Game 4 The solution: new T&L materials- a game   – To increase their understanding of the learning and assessment criteria  – To be provided with models of language functions to meet criteria  • Matching exercise:   •  Assessment criteria                     • Examples of language functions The Dissertation Game 5 Background to the online development Northumbria created content for Dissertation Game.  Hertfordshire convert paper based materials into online format Students work independently online and learn the contents of the Dissertation Chapters. The Dissertation Game 6 • Using the rapid e-learning development tool:  Articulate. • Question formats are quite different online to paper based version, but content is the same. • Transcript written by Northumbria, audio by Hertfordshire. Demonstration   7 The Dissertation Game The Dissertation Game Moving forward 8 The Dissertation Game • Carry out staff and student testing. • Refine and amend as appropriate, carry out second round of testing if necessary. • Produce support documents and screencapture videos. • Carry out workshops and train staff on the Game. • Promote to Business School staff and students in both Universities. • Consider support database to capture the student results (currently students print or email – optional). • Look at the wider perspective of use of the Game in other Faculties and other Universities. • Publication. References • Allison, D., Cooley, L., Lewkowicz, J. & Nunan, D. (1998) Dissertation Writing in Action: The Development of a Dissertation Writing Student Program for ESL Graduate Research Students.  English for Academic Purposes, 17 (2) pp.199-217  • Busato, V. F., Prins, F.J., Elshout, J. J., & Hamaker, C. (2000). Intellectual ability, learning style, personality, achievement motivation and academic success of psychology students in higher education. Personality and Individual Differences, 29, 1057-1068  • Duff, A. (2003). Quality of learning on an MBA programme: The impact of approaches to learning on academic performance. Educational Psychology, 23(2), 123-139.  • Paltridge, B. (2002) Thesis and dissertation writing: an examination of published advice and actual practice.  English for Academic Purposes, 21, pp.125-143 • Hyland, K. (2002) Specificity Revisited: How far should we go now? English for Specific Purposes, 21, pp. 385-395.  • Porter, E & Sloan, D. (2008) The Dissertation Game Model.  Red Guide 48, MARCET Staff Development Resource Centre, Northumbria University.  • Sloan, D & Porter, E. (2009) The management of English Language Support in Post Graduate Business Education: The CEM Model (Contextualisation, Embedding and Mapping), International Journal  of Management Education, 7 (2), pp.51-58.  • Warwick, P. (2007) ‘Well Meant but Misguided: a case study of an English for Academic Purposes Programme developed to support international learners.’  International Journal of Management Education, 6, 2, pp.3-17.   The Dissertation Game 9 Contact details Elizabeth Porter Northumbria University elizabeth.porter@northumbria.ac.uk  Diane Sloan Northumbria University diane.sloan@northumbria.ac.uk  Karen McCourt University of Hertfordshire K.McCourt@herts.ac.uk Karen Robins University of Hertfordshire K.Robins@herts.ac.uk  10 The Dissertation Game Any Questions? For more information on The Dissertation Game, please contact us: 

Dissertation Writing in Action: The Development of a Dissertation Writing Student Program for ESL Graduate Research Students. English for Academic Purposes,

The Dissertation Game Model. Red Guide 48,

The management of English Language Support in Post Graduate Business Education: The CEM Model (Contextualisation, Embedding and Mapping),

Thesis and dissertation writing: an examination of published advice and actual practice. English for Academic Purposes,

Well Meant but Misguided: a case study of an English for Academic Purposes Programme developed to support international learners.’

http://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/9347/1/Crossing-the-Electronic-Divide.pdf

Crossing the electronic divide - designing and implementing the electronic delivery of dissertation support

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