Assignment 8: NLP and reflections Negotiated Learning Profile

NAME PERSONAL TUTOR/MENTOR Rosie Sellwood Caroline Cash

Approaches to teaching and learning What teaching and/or learning support activities are you involved in?

Reflective response Teaching information literacy and developing research skills. Some teaching in referencing software use.

Negotiated learning route Still teaching Information Literacy and Research skills generally, but also tailoring sessions more specifically to fit the needs of the students. Sometimes these are in the form of drop-ins, but more often scheduled sessions. I also conduct teaching sessions on using the referencing software, Refworks. I am also now looking at developing sessions for the PhD students. I think I have a more holistic view of my role as a teacher now. I see myself as a facilitator instead of an information provider. To encourage learning to happen through enquirybased learning. To encourage enthusiasm for the act of researching. To share awareness, potential opportunities and sources of inspirations. To meet the differing needs of learners so they can make the most of the learning experience. As an active participant in the

How do you view your role as a teacher in higher education?

To help students understand how to build the bigger picture and develop well-balanced arguments through research and the gathering of information. Also to ensure that learning can happen, by considering different learning styles and teaching practices. To develop information literacy and research skills and inspire curiosity and open avenues for inspiration

What are your main goals in supporting learning?

How do you view the role of the

As an active participant in the learning process, engaging with

student?

learning and making connections and developing new ideas.

learning process and someone who is receptive to new information, perspectives and theories.

What do you see as the main goals of learning?

To achieve greater understanding, improved knowledge, and to open new avenues for further learning.

Enjoyment of learning, making connections between ideas and information, and encouraging further curiosity. My approach to teaching has changed so that instead of being an information provider, I see the benefit of facilitating learning. To let the students learn by doing, the value of which has been noted in Kolbs Experiential Learning Cycle. I have been interested in Enquirybased learning since I started researching for this PGCHE.

What is your approach to teaching? What are the main ways in which you teach and how do these help to achieve the goals of teaching and learning?

To make the teaching relevant and timely by tying it in with assignments. To ensure a variety of teaching and student involvement.

What influences have shaped your current views and approaches where do they come from?

From a brief amount of experience I have gained, from a training course in teaching information literacy, and from sitting in on colleagues teaching sessions.

Design and planning of learning activities Give an example of a learning activity that you planned. How did it support learning? How could you take it further?

A session in using databases. To support learning I provided a hand-out that indicated a variety of search terms the students could use in the databases. I would try not to demonstrate first, but instead let the students have a go. To take this further I might let the students generate their own search terms.

A session about exploring library resources whilst making a book from a piece of A4 paper. The session starts with making the book and then the students can fill it up with useful information sources they have found for a particular assignment. The book can be unfolded to display for full A4 sheet where the students can write their search terms for their assignments. This is to help the more visual and kinesthetic learners. I would like to take it further by letting the students explore resources by

Are there learning activities that you are not involved in but would like to know more about?

The teaching practices of the members of Performance staff and how they engage with their students. This would be really helpful in developing an understanding of the learning needs of the students.

using their own search terms, if time allows. I have worked with one the Theatre lecturers providing a joint teaching session on research. This worked really well, the students were more engaged and I enjoyed working with the lecturer. I also have worked with a tutor from ASK providing joint sessions. I would like to continue doing more of both.

Assessment and giving feedback to learners? How do you understand the purpose of assessment?

To focus students to retain information.

What assessment activities are you involved in?

Nothing formal, but I am constantly assessing the students understanding.

What do you understand feedback to mean?

A two-way process between staff and students and also amongst students communication for improvement.

A means of feeding back to students in a constructive, regular and meaningful way. Also as a means of initiating discussion between students and lecturers about their work and subject interests. I am still not involved with formal assessment of student work, but I am more aware of my methods of assessing understanding and providing informal feedback when appropriate. Communication between students and staff about their research and studies, provided in a constructive and useful way. I feel differently about assessment now, I see how it could be beneficial to students if done with thought and care. If possible I would like to be involved in assessing students information literacy, working alongside the lecturers.

Are there particular approaches to assessment and feedback that you favour?

I am not in favour of assessment for the teaching I am involved in, but informal modes of providing feedback do work well with the students.

Developing effective environments

for student learning How do you manage the physical environment in which learning takes place?

I do not tend to have much control over the teaching environments. I am limited to certain rooms which have computers and often do not have enough notice of sessions to select the ideal space (teaching spaces are at a premium).

What experience do you have of one-to-one, tutorial, seminar, studio and lecture teaching?

One to one teaching is common, otherwise groups of 16 maximum within the IT Training Suite.

What experience do you have of virtual learning environments?

I use the Learning Space to help me understand the structure and content of courses. I am also involved in developing the Library Learning Space providing resources and materials for our students.

I have used the Performance Centre studio spaces in combination with other more traditional library spaces, and I have enjoyed it much more. Most people tend to have laptops now and therefore can take part in exploring resources even in the studio space. I feel much better about the environments and less limited by it now that I have adapted my teaching to accommodate them. My experience has grown significantly so that I do one-to-ones, tutorials, seminar, studio and lecture teaching. I do not find lecture teaching works especially well for teaching information literacy though. The VLE is becoming an increasingly popular route to our online resources and support pages on our website and there are plans to develop these pages so they can be used for teaching and contain all the information students need to help them with research. I am also involved in developing an Online Information Literacy module to use in conjunction with teaching sessions which will sit on the VLE. I have been invited by Music Theatre to attend a trip to the Minack Theatre with them but unfortunately it was cancelled. I would, however, like to be involved in more of these. I think that enquiry-based learning helps with meeting intellectual

Are you involved in activities that take students out of the studio/university environment e.g. fieldtrips, work placement, gallery visits? Are you involved with teaching/supporting learning at

No

I always start by finding out what level the student is working at and where they want to get to with their research.

different levels? If so, how do you meet the intellectual development of different stages?

I am aware that different students respond to different teaching techniques, for example those with dyslexia.

development at different stages, as you can provide basic information to start people off then they can explore as they wish. You can then wander round the group and talk to them about their findings according to their individual needs.

Integration of scholarship, research and professional activities within teaching and supporting learning What activities do you undertake within your subject area and which influence your teaching?

My own research and training, as well as collection development. These inspire my teaching, change the content of the sessions and the technique I adopt.

What relevant professional activities do you do that informs your teaching? Are there aspects of scholarship, research or professional practice that you would like to explore with reference to your teaching?

Attending courses for library professionals and courses such as this.

I am not sure about this yet.

Research is always really important, but I have also found that speaking to lecturers and other academic staff members is just as inspiring and useful for developing teaching practice. Making external contacts with other institutions, attending courses, attending conferences, working with lecturers. I would like to further pursue some work I began with a lecturer on providing library sessions for a Research Writings module for Theatre. This has made me think about how to entwine library research with course programmes so the students do not consider them separately. Within this idea I would explore the use of enquiry-based learning to further enhance the learning experience of the students.

Evaluation of practice and continuing professional development How do you know if your teaching/learning support is effective?

Feedback from students helps

As well as student feedback, I have found that planning sessions makes me think more clearly about meeting

What contributions do you make to subject area evaluation activities?

None at present

How do you seek feedback from colleagues or learners on your teaching practice? How do you act on this feedback?

At the moment, through feedback on session design

How do you update yourself on aspects of teaching and learning within your subject area? How do you use staff development activities, attendance at conferences etc. to develop your own teaching and learning?

Through reading, research, courses, discussion with colleagues

the needs of different learners. I also ask for feedback from my colleagues about session ideas and lesson plans. Moreover I find discussing session plans with lecturers really useful. As part of the Academic Liaison team, we have discussed and evaluated our teaching strategy and how we might improve this. This often involves ideas for session design and introduction of the Online Information Literacy Module. From learners I have used traditional tick box feedback forms, as well as post-it notes (different colours for different types of comments). I always record feedback and act on suggestions for improvement if they are feasible. Through reading, research, courses, discussion with colleagues

Internal staff development courses for developing, for example presentation skills and assertiveness have been important as well as more formal education pursuits such as my Masters and this PGCHE.

I use these to develop my confidence, share ideas with my peers and colleagues, develop a network of support. The PGCHE has given me a good grounding in theories and perspectives in education and teaching, which help provide a framework for me to develop ideas within my own teaching practice.

1. Design and planning of learning activities I now use session plan templates for designing and planning learning activities, this helps me address the needs of different learners by actively considering a variety of teaching methods and opportunities for the students to engage with learning. I also think about Kolbs Experiential Learning Cycle when designing a session alongside consideration of enquirybased learning techniques. Liaising with staff in particular subject areas has also influenced the content and design of the sessions that I teach. Each programme of study has a different relationship with the library and the types of learning experience the students receive can influence how well they work within the library and exploring research skills. Having an understanding of this can help me to design sessions that engage the students in different ways according to their programme of study. 2. Teaching and supporting student learning In my teaching sessions I try to incorporate a range of different methods of learning. I try not to use a harsh white/ black combination for my PowerPoints and provide a handout so that students can refer to it as a prompt after the session. Handouts also help students who do not like note taking to instead concentrate on the session. I have also tried to always provide a copy of the PowerPoint for the lecturer to upload to their Learning Space. I would also like to be able to do this in advance of the session but time does not always allow. I have also looked at using other technologies such as Popplet and Prezi to help students appreciate the bigger picture of what research entails. This seems to help many dyslexic and other visual thinkers who like to appreciate the overall concept before beginning to understand the details. I have been taking the lead in designing an online information literacy module to help support our teaching. The idea is that we would use it quite flexibly to complement our sessions or preempt them or even to act as support materials for the consolidation of understanding. Online learning often helps students whose cognitive processes

are visual or kinesthetic. The module includes some drag and drop type tasks using Flash which I hope will appeal to these students. 3. Assessment and giving feedback to learners I have begun to consider, what before was almost subconscious, how to assess understanding in students both during one-to-one and group sessions. I now have a better idea about why I choose certain criteria to make the assessment and whether they are appropriate or relevant. I also find that just being aware that you are assessing the students makes you more conscious of your teaching style and whether it should be adapted to accommodate different students. Feedback is an area I find more difficult as students often do not expect this from a librarian, though I do find I can offer it when, for example, a student is talking about their research techniques. If students come to you asking for support because they cannot get the search results they need, this type of situation offers the opportunity for providing feedback. Mostly I am so pleased when a student is interested in research that I hesitate to offer any critical feedback. I have discovered ways of doing this that seem acceptable to the students, and usually this discussion allows us to explore their research area more openly and productively. 4. Developing effective environments and student support and guidance In terms of one-to-ones, I will often see students in my office as this was the only space available. This coming academic year we will have access to side room which we can book for one-to-one appointments. This should help the students relax, allow me to have a better conversation with them about their research, and also provide the opportunity for students to discuss related problems which are negatively affecting their ability to research e.g. dyslexia and other issues that require further study support. I am also about to provide drop-in support for library research in conjunction with someone from ASK at the Performance Centre. This outreach work is intended to provide students with the support they need within their own environment and to help bridge the gap between the departments and the library. I now have a greater understanding of the range of support services available at University College Falmouth and who to get in touch with when a student needs help. When I see students individually, it is not uncommon for them

to discuss personal or course related issues and therefore having this information to hand can be important and timely. Group sessions have become an aspect of my work I really look forward to. Initially I was not happy to conduct sessions outside the IT Training Suite, but now I can see the value of doing this. The students learn about the library within familiar surroundings and this is often a good place to start to get them interested and to break down some of the barriers the physical library space sometimes presents. 5. Integration of scholarship, research and professional activities with teaching and supporting learning Teaching is an important professional practice and this course has encouraged me to be inspired the research and ideas of other people in the field. I find that liaising with members of staff both within the institution and external to the institution have been invaluable in my development and my enthusiasm for my role. I have been working with a lecturer from the Theatre course on developing the Research Writings module to incorporate a significant amount of teaching about library research and information literacy. It was wonderful to be consulted on module design and to be involved closely on the teaching of sessions to support this. I hope to do further similar work with other courses in the future. I research regularly and stay up-to-date with new information, topical discussions and issues through the librarians professional body, CILIP, and this has helped me design appropriate information literacy sessions. I would like to work towards writing articles for publication in journals and further develop the relationship between library staff and lecturers. 6. Evaluation of practice and continuing professional development I think it is important to continue evaluating your own practice and investigate ways to make improvements and to try new ideas. I intend to develop a blog where I can reflect on my teaching practice and make comments on new research I have come across. I think this would help me personally to develop and reflect, and also to make contacts with like-minded people from other institutions.