1) A survey was conducted of 128 PGCE/Cert Ed students who attended the Year 2 First Study Day on November 10th, 2012 at the University of Bedfordshire to evaluate various aspects of the day. 2) Responses showed mixed reactions to the keynote speaker and question time exercise, with many feeling the speaker avoided questions and it was too political, while the ICT session was overwhelmingly praised as very useful and inspiring. 3) Feedback on the interest group work was generally positive, though some felt it lacked relevance or they did not have time to participate, and responses were varied on whether the timing was appropriate.

1. Evaluation of Year 2
First Study Day
PGCE/Cert Ed (PCE)
University of Bedfordshire
10 November 2012

2. Notes
• All figures based on 128 returns.
• Pie charts are used where respondents had to choose
just one answers from several alternatives
• Column charts are used for “tick all that apply”
questions
• Write-ins have been lightly edited
• Spreadsheet with raw data available on request.

3. Q1—Were you prepared for
the work of the Study Day?
Not at all No answer
13% 3%
Well
33%
A little
51%

4. Q2—Was the topic for the day
relevant to your work?
Not at all No answer
8% 4%
Very
19%
A little
29%
Quite
40%

5. Q3—Was Bill Rammel's session
stimulating?
No
answer Very
2% 8% Quite
13%
Not at all
35%
A little
42%

6. Q4—Was the 'question time' exercise;
40.0%
30.0%
20.0%
10.0%
0.0%

7. Q5—Comments on the keynote and
'question time' exercise;
• Party political broadcast (7) / too political / Very biased
• He skirted round the questions / Bill never answered the questions; he talked like a
politician / Questions avoided / Most questions not really answered / did not
address the questions / Should answer the questions! / Didn't answer questions/
Questions not answered--too political
• Questions asked were irrelevant / Some questions too political / Q&A too political;
little impact at college level
• Horrendous; bad presentation, bad Q&A / Not arguing with content--delivery was
terrible / contrary to all we are being taught about good practice / Terribly dull
powerpoint / Slides over-crowded
• More time for Q&A please / QT good format /
• not current; not linked to Unit 7 / Relevant to U7; more relevant to politics
students / He misunderstood the object of the day (U7)/ "All about Bill"; should
have been better briefed
• Very boring / Boring, not relevant / no relevance to actual practice; infuriating
• should have had another viewpoint too
• He talked very fast / Delivery not inspiring / Could have dealt with points more
quickly

8. Q6—Was the briefing for the
interest group work;
No answer
11%
Too vague
18%
Clear
70%
Too
detailed
1%

9. Q7—Was the timing for the
interest group work...
No answer
Too long 10%
3%
Too short
28% About right
59%

10. Q8—How do you rate the work
you did in your group?
Not at all No answer
useful 9%
9% Very
useful
27%
Quite
useful
55%

11. Write-in comments
on Interest Groups
• Didn't get there because of consultative committee
(9), so excluded from getting evidence for U7
• No tutor visited (2)
• Could have done something relevant
• Would have been useful to have a copy of the
presentation
• Worked well as a group this time
• Never enough time for groups

12. Q9—How would you rate
the ICT session?
Not at all
Quite useful No answer
useful 2% 2%
14%
Very useful
82%

13. Write-in comments on ICT session
• Excellent (38) Brilliant (38)
• Enthusiastic delivery; inspiring; enjoyable /
Incredible, inspiring, relevant, interactive
• informative and engaging; thank you, Mark
• Awesome! --come and kick ass in our IT dept!
• Very interesting and motivating presentation / Motivational; down to me to embed
/ More please; inspiring and motivating
• Can we have him again? / More please / More needed! / An absolute inspiration;
give him a longer slot!
• loads of ideas / Fantastic resources; will use
• Best speaker yet / Best bit of the day; Bill could learn from him! / Best part of the
day by far / Great; should have been for longer in the morning / Made the day for
me / Best session of the day--thanks, Mark
• Inspiration, useful; models what good teaching should look like.
• Info. on how to use these sites would be useful / Would like links in Breo / Should
have worked through one of the tools to show in action
• Highly motivating--and I don't even use IT! / IT access restricted, but the speaker
was great.
• Marginal usefulness for non-IT-literate learners / Felt marginalised because I do not
have a smartphone
• Passionate, and that rubs off; but not what I needed

14. General write-in comments
• Doesn't link to Unit 7 (2)
• Working lunch a good idea
• Study Days should be inspiring us, and less of what we already have
to suffer in evening classes
• Question Time well-organised
• Some of us work in prisons; we are never included in the design of
these study days / My setting never mentioned
• Need to be more relevant to working with older learners / Could
have been much more relevant
• Still no consideration for disabled people--too much walking
• This is supposed to be about Post-Compulsory!
• Present giving is wrong / I wasn't consulted about the present! /
Should have paid the heating bill rather than give presents to ex-
MPs