TRA 2010: Wake-up Calls for Learning - Ursula Wingate
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Wake-up calls for learning: an inclusive approach to supporting students in distance education Teaching and Research Awards University of London Centre for Distance Education www.cde.london.ac.uk and [email protected] Project description The project’s aim is to evaluate an inclusive approach to supporting the learning, and particularly academic writing, of students in distant education, and to identify the most suitable time for providing this support. Research summary Study skills material is often not available to, or not appropriate for, distance learning students, or these students fail to make full use of the available material. Nevertheless, learning appropriate study skills is as important for improving students’ outcomes in distance as it is in face-to-face courses. This project involved the creation of three linked modules for teaching writing skills, covering, respectively, general academic writing, the correct use of references and how to avoid plagiarism. These modules were piloted with two cohorts studying Business Administration at Royal Holloway College. The first cohort took the course at the end of their first year examinations; for the second cohort, the modules were made available throughout the students’ first year. Outputs Wingate, U. (2009). Wake‐up calls for learning: an inclusive approach to supporting first year students. Poster at CDE Fellows’ Conference, Research in Distance Education: from present findings to future agendas, London, February 2009 Paper(s) in preparation: please contact Ursula Wingate ursula. [email protected] or the CDE for further information. Researchers Dr. Ursula Wingate [email protected] Dept of Education and Professional Studies Dr. Stylianos Hatzipanagos King’s Learning Institute Kings College London A questionnaire was used to evaluate the students’ experiences with the study skills modules. Results showed that all students who took the (non- compulsory) course and replied to the questionnaire felt that they had enjoyed using the materials and that their writing skills had improved. In general, students would have preferred to access the materials at the beginning of their first year; however, there was a higher take- up with the first cohort, probably because only these students were specifically alerted to the course. The students also thought they would have benefited more if the study skills material had been more closely integrated with the rest of the course. However, the evaluation of the project is not yet complete as the needs of the majority of students who failed to respond of the questionnaire are yet to be addressed. Wake-up Calls for Learning: an Inclusive Approach to Supporting Students in Distance Education
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Transcript of TRA 2010: Wake-up Calls for Learning - Ursula Wingate
Wake-up calls for learning: an inclusive approach to supporting students in distance education
Teaching and Research AwardsUniversity of London Centre for Distance Education www.cde.london.ac.uk and [email protected]
Project description
The project’s aim is to evaluate an
inclusive approach to supporting the
learning, and particularly academic
writing, of students in distant education,
and to identify the most suitable time for
providing this support.
Research summaryStudy skills material is often not available to, or not appropriate for, distance learning students, or these students fail to make full use of the available material. Nevertheless, learning appropriate study skills is as important for improving students’ outcomes in distance as it is in face-to-face courses.
This project involved the creation of three linked modules for teaching writing skills, covering, respectively, general academic writing, the correct use of references and how to avoid plagiarism. These modules were piloted with two cohorts studying Business Administration at Royal Holloway College. The first cohort took the course at the end of their first year examinations; for the second cohort, the modules were made available throughout the students’ first year.
Outputs Wingate, U. (2009). Wake‐up calls for learning: an inclusive approach to supporting first year students. Poster at CDE Fellows’ Conference, Research in Distance Education: from present findings to future agendas, London, February 2009
Paper(s) in preparation: please contact Ursula Wingate [email protected] or the CDE for further information.
ResearchersDr. Ursula [email protected] Dept of Education and Professional StudiesDr. Stylianos Hatzipanagos King’s Learning Institute Kings College London
A questionnaire was used to evaluate the students’ experiences with the study skills modules. Results showed that all students who took the (non-compulsory) course and replied to the questionnaire felt that they had enjoyed using the materials and that their writing skills had improved.
In general, students would have preferred to access the materials at the beginning of their first year; however, there was a higher take-up with the first cohort, probably because only these students were specifically alerted to the course. The students also thought they would have benefited more if the study skills material had been more closely integrated with the rest of the course.
However, the evaluation of the project is not yet complete as the needs of the majority of students who failed to respond of the questionnaire are yet to be addressed.
Wake-up Calls for Learning: an Inclusive Approach to Supporting Students in Distance Education
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