Basic Civil Engineering first year Notes- Chapter 4 Building.pptx
NTLTC 2011 - researching strategies and interventions - embedding literacy and numeracy
1. Researching
strategies and interventions:
Action research and enquiry
processes as vehicle for
embedding
literacy and numeracy
Learning through research is a personal journey of
discovery
(Brew, 2003)
2. Your task
What are your questions regarding using action research and enquiry
processes to reflect on your teaching/for your own PD?
What do you thinkcan bepotential issues with this approach?
Take a moment to think about the questions, then turn to the person next to
you and discuss…
3. From “informed prescription” to
“informed professional judgement”
(Fullan, 2003, p.6)
Reflection enables teachers to systematically inquire into their own
practices and processes. Both are central for transforming educational
practices (Brookfied, 1995).
Related questions:
•How do we define ‘sustainable’?
•What are we trying to change or transform?
•Can it be changed by applying action research
+ enquiry processes?
•What are the exact actions of teachers that
cause the transformation?
Academic staff development is essential for the implementation of
educational change (Duke, 2004)
4. Action research and enquiry
processes for embedding work
Reflect
Reflect Reflect + Plan Diagnos
+ evaluate Determine e
success of issue +
evaluat intervention intervention
e
Observe
Observe Act
how Implement Intervene
Test intervention intervention
addresses
issue
Authored by
Schwenger, Steps of action research +
2010
embedding cycle
5. 2010 Individual projects
Meta-evaluation/Impact study How can action research and enquiry
support change initiatives for teaching
staff and lead to sustainable change?
Electrotechnology Numeracy Place value
Animal Care Terminology
Library Listening + accessibility of library
vodcasts
Foundation Studies Nursing Writing reports
Automotive Technology Writing skills
Music Reading of discipline texts
6. 2011 Examples of individual projects
Meta-evaluation/Impact study How can action research and enquiry
support change initiatives for teaching
staff and lead to sustainable change?
Languages Speaking English outside the classroom
Library Information literacy: increasing distance
learning students‟ engagement with
library resources
Business and Self-paced Moodle learning module re
Computing/Business reading of discipline texts/reading
comprehension
Music Reading comprehension
Te Puna Ako Learning Centre E-learning: paraphrasing
7. Design 2010
April
Email
contact
One year Impact May
Initial
later …
study interview
October
Final
interview
8. Snapshot –before the initial
interview
Howdothe participants feel after the first action
research workshop (reconnaissance)? What are their
thoughts on the process of setting up an action
research project so far?
Can they identify with any of the given roles?
The students have different perceptions … “whereas I
see myself as teaching them how to learn and
continue to learn!”
9. Initial interview
Themes that emerged …
L+ T approaches Engaged and experienced in
providing tertiary learning
Tertiary teaching or LLN
PD that has
Gains hoped for influenced teach. qualification influential
approach
No one used formal AR
process
Gains: Receiving feedback +
be a more effective teacher
Identified (3); student gains (2);
AR in the past
issue/intervention
measure value (1)
10. Final interview 2010
How has the
process affected
Anticipated long-
Personal AR Success of teaching + thinking
term changes in
experiences intervention about
approaches
teaching/themselve
s as teachers
11. Voices of the teachers: personal AR
experience
“Ongoing nature gives more time to reflect – commitment to meet
again.”
“One of the most valuable projects I could have been involved in.”
“It has given me the opportunity to think more strategically about what
we are doing and why.”
Useful to engage in research – “research on training wheels”.
Everybody mentioned that they would like to publish and present at
conferences (has already happened).
12. Voices of the teachers: downsides
“Not easy to find time and enthusiasm of teachers.”
“Had to redo my plans. ”
“Things did not work out as I thought.”
“Not much support later on in project.”
“Is research by teachers seen as valid and vital by institute?”
“AR is not recognised as professional development at Unitec.”
13. Voices of the teachers: student
evaluation
All projects have had a student evaluation aspect included.
Students were surveyed to capture their opinions on the
intervention.
All teachers reported that the interventions were considered
successful, helpful or useful by students.
Changes in skill levels were captured by the National Assessment
Tool, or through assignments and tests.
14. Voices of the
“It made me „gear teachers:
up‟ my awareness of “Other professional
my teaching in a changes for their development
way that I might not
otherwise have
teaching initiatives are on the
side. Action research
encountered.” sits alongside the
teaching and is part
of the process.”
“It made me much
more focused on
evidence to support
my reflections and
to provide a more
unbiased view of
need for changes to
teaching and
learning.”
15. Voices of the teachers: long-term
changes for teaching
“I will focus more on the dialogue with academic writing
issues. I see myself as making the path clear for
students to position themselves in the academic
game.”
“It has helped me to accept that teaching is interminally
challenging and that there are no quick fixes.”
“Teach – reflect – amend. Feedback = raised flags.”
16. Discussion of outcomes
Interventions were based on discipline-specific,
explicit activities, developed after considering
students‟ needs. Students‟ progress + feedback
was captured.
Enhanced thinking
The researcher-practitioners have systematically
investigated their own practices and processes
by reflecting and focusing on one particular issue
(Brookfield, 1995).
Action research and enquiry processes have
helped teachers to reflect and focus on their
teaching practice as well as grow research
capability.
It has been a successful initiative for embedding
literacy and numeracy, with explicit and specific
interventions being designed, implemented and
evaluated.
17. Design 2011
April
• Initial questionnaire
May
• Initial focus groups
• Monthly email prompts
Oct
• Final questionnaire
Nov
• Final focus groups
Editor's Notes
How can action research and enquiry processes support educational change? Can these processes lead to sustainable change? How can they support embedding literacy and numeracy in tertiary education?
Achieving sustainable change through academic development has been a main concern for the team, given the project’s limited lifetime. How? Research shows that a number of aspects support successful academic development and that it can be provided through different models. Theory and praxis need to be well-combined. Opportunities for knowledge building and sharing and on-going discussion between participants as well as time for trialling, practising and reflecting are vital components for academic development work (McKenzie & Turbill, 1999). 2009 research project identified that AR would be a good fit, also because the AR and enquiry cycle reflects the academic staff development processes with its “continuos practice, reflection, and fine-tuning” (Duke, 2004, p. 171).Concerns and questions we have:
The teaching staff are researching their own teaching practice and the effectiveness of a specific intervention for a previously determined issue their students are facing. For each individual research project, the tutors have identified a course-related issue that students find difficult. The second step has been to develop an intervention that then is implemented. Following the steps of the AR cycle, the tutors then observe and then evaluate the success of the intervention. The steps of the embedding cycle are very similar to the action research and enquiry cycle. It enables teaching staff to enhance their research capability whilst working on aspects relevant to their teaching and learning practices (Piggot-Irvine, 2009).
The AR projects at Unitec take place at certificate-level in Electrotechnology, library, Animal Care, Foundation Studies Nursing, Automotive Technology, Music. AR projects are concerned with learning of terminology, listening + finding information, reading, numeracy and different aspects of writing .
The AR projects at Unitec are mostly at certificate-level.
Before the initial interview, a snapshot was taken of the first impressions of participants – how they are feeling after the first AR workshop (reconnaissance) and to hear their thoughts on two questions prior to the initial interview: impressions on process and if they can identify with any of the given roles – five of seven replied: four positive, one mixed but support acknowledged by all. Facilitator (3), learning guide (2), …
Before the initial interview, a snapshot was taken of the first impressions of participants– five of seven replied: four positive, one mixed but support acknowledged by all. Facilitator (3), learning guide (2), …
Teacher engagementTeachers are experienced in providing tertiary learning and interested in enhancing their practice. Approach to teaching changes, depending on environment (3). “a two-way conversation”, “anti-transmission”, “end goal student autonomy” Everybody responded that either a tertiary teaching qualification or a literacy/numeracy/language teaching qualification has changed their approach to teaching in the pastNo one has previously used formal action research processes. Three p have used similar processes in the past.Gains hoped forGetting feedback, being a more effective teacher (3) Student gains (2) Measure value (1)
All participants reported positive experiences in the final interview.
Capturing sts’ feedback was vital, it also helped to enhance the evidence base and triangulate the dataAll teachers involved already had an awareness and interest in embedding LLN as well as a feeling that LLN supports their students’ overall study success However, the final interviews show that they have enhanced their thinking about their students’ learning and their own teaching. This has happened by planning, implementing an intervention, observing its results and evaluating its effects as well as by observing students’ learning in more detail (Gusky, 1986). The participants talked about their negative experiences and this has been used to improve the set-up in 2011where possible. Institutional aspects are being addressed in a structured way and its progress is being monitored by the Academic Literacies Team They have developed an enquiry stance where the investigation has become a mode of action (Brookfield, 1995; Rust, 2009).
