UCETAnnual Conference

Tuesday 10th November 2009

Jenny Carpenter&

Madelaine Lockwood

Key themes

Collaboration

Reflective practice

Change and change management

Outcomes for this session

• Know the context for the research• Critique a supporting tool to help student

reflection• Share ways in which your institution

supports the student learning experience

Introduction

‘Does student-instigated dialogue promote a deeper level of reflection

in post-lesson discussions?’

Methodology

• Small sample of current students, self-selected• Seminars and tutor-supported workshops with

mentors and students• Discussions with students and mentors to be

recorded after lesson observations• Students to analyse their use of questions

• Students to compare their questioning over the placement and refer to Bloom’s taxonomy, Kolb’s

learning theory

Problems

• Student confidence• Mentor involvement• Over-ambitious

and others...

Findings

• An over-loaded curriculum• School placement documentation focused

on administration for schools• Lack of understanding and information of

the expectations of where students are in learning to become teachers

Based on two students and four in-depth interviews after placement

Implications

• Reviewing the taught professional modules

• Documentation to support students

Developing and supporting PGCE student awareness of

learning to become a teacher

The Continuum of Student Experience

The Continuum of Student Experience

What is your initial reaction?

Collaborative activity

What are the positive ways in which the tool might be used in the following

contexts?

• Group 1: Placement in school with mentors

• Group 2: In university taught sessions/modules

• Group 3: In individual tutorials (Academic Tutor)

Collaborative activity

If you were to adopt this tool in your institution,

what part of your practice would need to change?

Feedback

Two groups of YSJ students were asked about the Continuum in their first Academic Tutor

meeting:

1. Some students did not recall having seen the Continuum.

2. Some students did recall having seen the Continuum but were unsure of its purpose.

Feedback

3. Students did recall the Continuum and found it reassuring and supportive in identifying a personal baseline position.

4. From this initial discussion student response suggests a lack of clarity around the meaning of the strand statements.

5. Psychology students initially commented that the strands carried little meaning as they were grounded in experience.

Our initial response

Areas for development:• QTS Standards

• Evidence

• Introduction to and direction in using the tool

• Academic Tutor meetings

• Delivery and structure of the programme

• Adult learning

• School Experience documentation

Our initial response

Implications:• The role of the tutor• Student coaching• Documentation review• Programme re-structuring• Capacity building

Professional modules

Delivery of the professional modules has been re-structured:

• Key note lecture• Tutor led workshop

• Tutor-facilitated enquiry-based learning• Student led seminars

• Supported open learning

References

Calderhead, J (1987). The Quality of Student Teachers’ Professional Learning. European Journal of Teacher Education 10 (3) p269-78. Cited in Furlong, J & Maynard, T (1995). Mentoring Student Teachers. London: Routledge

Hobson, A J & Malderez, A (Eds) (2005). Becoming a Teacher: Student teachers’ motives and preconceptions and early school-based experiences during ITT. Research Report 673. Available at: http://www.gtce.org.uk/133031/133036/139594/139722/bat_rr673_year1

Lofthouse, R & Wright, D (2007). A New Model of Observing Students Teach: an opportunity for practitioner enquiry. Paper presented at 3rd Annual ESCalate ITE Conference 2007. St Martin’s College, Lancaster

Pollard, A (2008). Reflective Teaching: Evidence-informed professional practice. (3rd Ed). London: Continuum

Contacts

Jenny CarpenterT: 01904 876325E: j.carpenter@yorksj.ac.uk

Madelaine LockwoodT: 01904 876446E: m.lockwood@yorksj.ac.uk