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Apologies for multiple postings
There are still places available on the following courses in December:
Improving the quality of student writing
3 December, Regents College, London, led by Trevor Habeshaw, cost £170
Aims
To explain, demonstrate and discuss ways in which teachers in higher
education can help their students to produce high quality written work.
Many university teachers would be pleased to see an increase in the
quality of their students’ writing. The fact that students in higher
education need to be able to analyse, synthesise and evaluate the
principles and practices of their chosen disciplines in their written
work is accepted by both teachers and learners, but sometimes those
involved are unsure of how to bring this about. An analytical taxonomy
of student writing is used to lead them to a clear understanding of the
Structures of the Observed Learning Outcomes (the ‘SOLO’ taxonomy).
The taxonomy can be used, in conjunction with other activities, to
challenge students to:
* Engage in higher quality learning
* Become critical thinkers
* Become better self and peer assessors
* Be more informed about how their work will be assessed
Reflective learning
9 December, Regents College, London, led by Jenny Moon, cost £170
Students and staff in many areas of higher education are now being
asked to write or learn reflectively. This has long been a feature of
vocational programmes (eg nursing and teaching), but the introduction
of personal development planning (PDP), means that reflective work is
being either recognised or introduced to many modules across the
curriculum. In addition, students are doing work experience modules in
which they are likely to be asked to reflect on their experiences, and
there are examples of the use of learning journals in some thirty
disciplines in the literature. Staff are also being asked to write
reflectively about their teaching experience in order to apply for
membership of the Institute for Learning and Teaching, or for other
aspects of their professional development.
There is an assumption that everyone knows what one does to learn
reflectively or how one ‘does’ reflective writing. This seems, however,
to be an erroneous assumption, judging by the problems students often
have, and the numbers of staff attending workshops to find answers to
these questions! There are probably not crisp and clear answers either,
and this, in itself, causes difficulties when it comes to the student
who asks directly ‘But what do you want me to do?’ or when it comes to
assessment.
In this course, we will explore what may be meant by the term
‘reflective learning’ in order to develop greater personal clarity. We
will briefly relate this to the literature on reflection. However, we
will spend most of the day considering how to approach the introduction
of reflective learning, taking into account the kinds of difficulties
that staff and students have in dealing with the concept and the kinds
of outcomes that are expected to be achieved by the exercise. There
will be brief presentations, practical activities, exercises that could
be used by students and time to think about reflection in the context
of participants’ own situations. The course will be accompanied by a
substantial handout and reference list.
Implementing problem-based learning
10 December, Headington Hill Hall, Oxford Brookes University,
Led by Maggi Savin-Baden, cost £170
Aims
* To examine the philosophy and process of problem-based learning (PBL)
To identify ways of using PBL within the curriculum
* To explore barriers to implementing PBL
* To discuss the impact of PBL on teachers and learners
The workshop will comprise a short PBL group, brief presentations,
opportunities to write trigger materials and ample opportunity for
questions, queries and discussion. It is likely that the leader will
contact participants prior to the workshop in order that as many
requirements as possible can be met.
Participants
This workshop will be suitable for those who are considering
implementing PBL, small or large scale, and in any discipline within
the curriculum. Those who have recently implemented PBL and would like
to explore alternative techniques and methods would also be welcome.
Full details of all our courses and booking form can be found at:
http://www.brookes.ac.uk/services/ocsd/3_courses/external/index.html
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Fiona Smith
Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development
Oxford Brookes University
Wheatley Campus
Wheatley
Oxford
OX33 1HX
Tel: 01865 485902
Fax: 01865 485937
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