Literature safari

Some thoughts on reading for Anglia Ruskin BA LTR students. 

Critical engagement with sources and reading beyond the provided list is essential for good marks. Spending an hour on a literature hunt safari trip round the web can throw up all sorts of useful gems. 

The Anglia Ruskin Library has an excellent search engine, I find plenty of sources via the quick search, the advanced search can also be useful in helping to define finer filters for your searches.

I am finding a lot of good sources via Google Scholar - it is way better than a straight Google search. You should all read up on the Hawthorne effect, you need to be aware of the influence of presence during interviews or other practical aspects of research you are doing this year. Compare the results from a  standard Google search, which is useful for basic introduction to the Hawthorne effect, with those from a Google Scholar search that brings up sources you can use for a deeper level critical engagement.

If you come across a publisher's page where they are asking for money to view a paper there will often also be an option to log in via your institution and a drop down menu or two through which you can select Anglia Ruskin if they subscribe to that publisher. That will then take you to the Anglia online library where you log in with your usual student details then get to see or download the whole paper. You can also change your settings in Google Scholar to show direct links for articles by publishers that the library subscribe to - there is a link to screenshots and video guide on that here http://libweb.anglia.ac.uk/ebooks/scholar.htm

I have also found some gems via Twitter, don't forget you can use blogs and websites as citeable sources. A link to a diagram from this one was posted on Twitter recently, it is a good example of an academic blog and the rest of that page is really useful for my study as it links pattern language to cognitive rich learning culture and has hints of variety analysis. I noticed some interesting​ stuff in the right hand navigation, there is a link to a post on classifying communities of practice that you might be able to use. On blogs like that you will find thoughts about other authors ideas, thoughts about concepts being assembled towards formal publications, sometimes reflections on daily practice or eureka moments being shared. As with any social media you do need to be careful to filter out misleading or weak sources.

Citing references should be fairly pervasive in your assignments although with a patchwork text and media approach you might not do that in every patch. The stitching is a good place to bring in concepts like learning cycles, reflective practice, critical incident theory, online communities, collaborative and collective learning, organisational learning, people like Schon, Argyris, Senge, Wenger, Talbot. Don't forget you have accumulated a significant range of literature over the last 2 1/2 years and should make good use of any that appears relevant to your current modules. 

Deconstructive analysis and the comparing and contrasting  of ideas from a range of sources is one aspect of critical review, you should also remember to consider currency and relevance. Sources published more than 5 years ago can be a little out of date by now depending on their topic and context. Technologies have evolved rapidly and that has prompted all sorts of new ideas about learning and pedagogy. It is not so long ago since we were living in a pre tablet era, a little further back and there were no smart phones, no Facebook or Twitter. 15 years back domestic ownership of digital devices was a small fraction of what it is today, many parents only had access to computers at work and many children only met them via the one class computer and maybe a shared computer suite if they were lucky. Many computers back then would have been fairly primitive and useable online connections were just starting to have a presence - sources 5-15 years old can still have relevance but take care to consider their temporal context. 

Many older sources pre 2000 or even going back 50 or more years can also still have relevance, the best of these may be seminal works that were highly influential in their day and whose influence continues today. Again the temporal context needs to be considered, approaches to research have changed, some seminal works are based on methods that would be seen as weak today. Assumptions about good teaching practice could be way out of date - instructivist show and tell lectures or classroom strategies have long since been superseded as mainstream strategies but can still have a place as part of a rich and diverse set of teaching strategies. Conversely 'new' concepts such as the 'flipped classroom' may only be new takes on old stalwarts. Technologies have enabled new ways of achieving that flip but the strategy of pupils or students doing learning at home and then applying it in practical activities in the class or lecture room is far from new. 

Slides and learning

Thoughts provoked by: "To provide or not to provide course PowerPoint slides? The impact of instructor-provided slides upon student attendance and performance"

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360131515000433

A link to this article was recently posted in Twitter the day after I tried to add an Apple Keynote slide-show to the VLE for my online work-based undergraduate course for the first time in 17 years.

Firstly I was rather suspicious of the pedagogy given the use of "instructor provided' in the title. After reading the article it does sound like the slides they were talking about were used in the chalk and talk type approach with tutor instructing rather than facilitating learning. 

One of the problems seems to be tutors worried about sharing their resources with students. I thought that concern had disappeared long ago; open access gifting information to students and beyond seems a far better way to spread knowledge than exposing resources only during a lecture. I can't see why a competent tutor would want to restrict access to knowledge unless they are sharing information about research that is still in progress, is not fully verified and that they have not yet formally published or other information that has strong ethical or commercial reasons for confidentiality to be maintained. 

The article does not discuss slide-show design in much detail, reading between the lines there were either the poor practice type slides where a tutor reads loads of text, and often bullet points, off each slide while students try and absorb content while scribbling notes. There were some trials of more minimalist slides and slides with missing information. 

I did not see any reference to using media in the slides - an audio track with each slide and only key words, phrases or images on the visual part of the slide is a good strategy Lot's of folk seem to treat this kind of presentation software akin to chalk on a blackboard or the old acetate OHP approach where a visual element accompanies a talk about the visual content. 

Slide-show apps are presentation software; don't treat them as visual content display software. 

 Should a lecture really just be tutor talking to students about stuff on a screen with students then missing some of what is said while scribbling notes during the event? Seeing reams of text on screen, hearing it read out while simultaneously having to take notes about it is not a great pedagogical approach. I meet that approach time and time again in conferences I have to pay a lot of money to attend.

An audio track for each slide can mean that the dominant content is not the visual element. All sorts of media can be embedded, the one I will use this Saturday is only the second ever slide-show I have made, it has a short embedded video clip of a resource I will talk about, the post event version will have an audio explanation to accompany each slide.

Slides with audio or video from the tutor that are posted in a VLE can be opened then paused and replayed so allowing students to take more detailed notes and to check that their notes are accurate. Hearing the vocal cues in a tutors voice helps interpret conviction, uncertainty, and many other aspects that are not always clear in a text only resource.

Most universities now have some sort of digital learning environment with discussion tools often referred to as a Virtual Learning Environment - I think Digital Learning Environment or Online Learning Environment would be better as it is a very real place where real learning takes place, perhaps the "Virtual" element subliminally reduces perceptions about the potential value, however that is another argument for another post.

Using the 'VLE" rather than slide-shows during a lecture can be a useful way to increase student engagement in the VLE . Lectures are a very small amount of their learning time compared with the hours tagged for autonomous student led learning. A typical undergraduate 30 credit module might have 40 hours of tutor managed learning and 260 hours of independent study. If tutors can develop habits where students spend some of their independent study time in the VLE, and encourage the gift society kind of ethos, we have the chance of developing strong communities of practice. The sharing of professional/scholarly social media or website sources and good literature finds along with peer discussion about those and peer review of draft work can provoke deeper learning and trust and bonding within student groups. 

 Is it not better for students to do preparatory work in advance and to then be able to contribute to the lecture in which the tutor can then engage in academic / scholarly discussion about what they have learned, what sense making they are doing and what meaning they are constructing? Perhaps the term "lecture" needs to be committed to the archives of history as it does provoke perceptions about instructional gatekeeper of knowledge approaches.

Slide-shows that explain learning activities linked to assignment learning outcomes and provide links to published papers or online social media, websites, embedded YouTube or TED talks videos etc. can be useful if shared in advance with the expectation that students will access and review the content and be ready to discuss what they have uncovered/discovered during the subsequent lecture.

Lecture capture can avoid the distraction of note-taking during an event and enable deep focused concentration and interacting in the event. Students watching a video of a captured lecture retrospectively have time to make notes, to reflect on content and extend their conceptualisation of the learning. Such approaches can also help students understand good ways to make use of their independent study time. Students who do not deploy effective learning strategies during independent study time are unlikely to thrive.

I wonder whether it is the poor pedagogical practice that leads to weak learning rather than the use of a particular kind of software. I was about to say something about 'perhaps some innovative use of the software would help' but what I have discussed above is far from innovative it is just common sense. 

One problem I have to acknowledge is the time tutors have in which to work on preparation of resources. As education at all levels has been increasingly financially squeezed over the decades the potential of digital technologies has increased as has the expectations of the extent to which they are used. The relatively recent addition of a layer of email engagement on top of a working day with no extra time given in which to deal with it is a particular problem that that been well covered in publications re;eating to education and to the commercial sector. There is less time available to explore the potential of emerging and established digital tools and to create what is needed for delivering outstanding student experiences.

A timely Tweet was aimed at me from Steve Turnbull just as I published this post:

Steve went on to mention that when he started using slides he used lots of bullet points then realised why the audience looked bored. As I implied above - working out what not to do is just a matter of common sense, try something, reflect on it and improve.

A good how not to do slideshows video: 

A picky aside:
The article consistently uses "PPT" for the registered trade name 'PowerPoint®' I have little faith in peer reviewers and am not surprised they did not pick that one up, although I have to say I often leave the ® symbol off trade names in informal communications #blush.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/legal/intellectualproperty/trademarks/usage/general.aspx

"When referring to Microsoft software and products, apply the appropriate trademark symbols in accordance with the list of current Microsoft trademarks. View the Microsoft Trademarks list."

Worthington, D.L. and Levasseur, D.G.2015. To provide or not to provide course PowerPoint slides? The impact of instructor-provided slides upon student attendance and performance. Computers & Education.Volume 85, July 2015, Pages 14–22 [Online] Accessed 26 Nov. 2015

Tired Teens experiment

I look forward to the results of the experiment, I do worry somewhat that it may be disadvantaging some pupils though, there is no one size fits all where people are concerned. During my 13th year I was a get up at 8:55 to be in school on-time (usually) by 09:05 pupil who was often tired during the day particularly by late morning. My best friend could easily sleep 18 hours a day at the weekend and we were kind of proud of sleeping late.

As I started my 14th year things changed, on Valentines day I started a relationship with a girl who went for a walk on the beach every morning at 6:30. She would head out along Tynemouth beach round to King Eddy's and if there was time sometimes along to the Spanish Battery as well then back home. Desperate to be who she might want me to be I started meeting her and did find it tough for a week or two but rapidly adjusted to meeting her promptly at 6:30 with my new puppy Keeshond in tow. Along with that change jealously helped me make more changes; she was always at the school gates by 8:30, as were a few boys, so I had to have a presence there as well.

OK the rewards were exceptional, her 'strawberry blonde' hair lit up by east coast golden sunrise light reflected low across the sea was just mindblowingly beautiful to me. I would have got up at 2am and walked miles to be part of that light show. At that time of morning sometimes the beach was ours and ours alone. There were occasional dog walkers and runners but not many. We did shorter versions of the walk until well into winter when the bitter east wind made early mornings less than pleasant.

My school performance perked up, I was always on time, I was less fuzzy and less inclined to daydream during the day, if I did have a lie in til 8 or 9 o'clock at weekends I became aware of that too tired feeling that comes with having slept for too long and is hard to shake off.  We were together for years and there came a time when she went to a different college to me and had to get an early morning bus but I kept up the weekday walks and would often run 20 lengths of the beach or go for an early morning swim or surf before college started. I don't recall ever feeling mentally tired at college and I was very keen on sport doing weight and circuit training, playing rugby, badminton, tennis or other sports most days, swimming anything up to 5kms per day 5 days a week, so I don't think there were any negative impacts on physical tiredness either.

By the time I was working as a lifeguard I would be up for a dawn surf at 5 or paddle a kayak round to St Mary's lighthouse and back, then jog home and refuel then be back at the cabin as others arrived sleepy and tired from too much sleep. As I was going to bed no earlier than my friends I felt I was getting so much more value out of my days than they were. It made no sense to waste time sleeping in. I am writing this 43 years after that change moment and I am still usually up by 5, although not always tramping about outside I still do the occasional dawn walk or early morning paddle. My usual sleeping time is 5 hours, so not far off the recommended 6 but the baseline impact of that is: 1 hour x 365 days x 43 years = 15,695 extra wonderful waking hours. I owe my first proper girlfriend big time for that.
 
I hope there might be more experiments exploring changing teenage attitudes to early mornings or at least offering a way of catering for natural early birds to ensure they do not become the disadvantaged.

Sometimes what you think is good for you or what you think your body needs isn't the reality, with the right motivation it is not hard to find a different and better way to be.

Notes from a 2009 presentation on Ultraversity.

Notes from a workshop presented to Anglia Ruskin Faculty of Education in 2009 on the Ultraversity approach to Personalised Learning.

 Personalised Learning is a tricky beast to talk about as it means very different things to different people. For the purposes of this workshop the term 'personalisation' will be used to indicate the process through which individuals learning together in a diverse group adapt their approaches within the constraints of their work context to achieve the same learning outcomes. This discussion describes aspects of the Ultraversity approach to designing a cohesive curriculum that enables this process.

 Since 2003 we have used a cohort team delivery model where a team of facilitators take the lead role in supporting the development of a cohort throughout the three years they are with us. The implications of this for our practice are that each and every one on the pathway has to become adept at delivering every module and assessing every module. The benefits we hoped this would provide for the students and the facilitators include the development of deep and trusting relationships and a sense of continuity and stability for the students while providing richness through the range of skills and perspectives of exposure from the contrasting viewpoints of a team of academic researchers.  Many of the students keep in touch with their facilitators after graduation and this provides an opportunity for long term data collection and the evaluation of impact beyond delivery. A few days prior to this workshop I received an unexpected mail from a recent graduate who shared her experiences of a potentially stressful interview for a place on a Masters course.....
 Hi Ian, hope you are enjoying the spanish sun.
Just thought I'd drop you a post to say my Speech and language masters interview went really well on the 1st. We had a short written piece, role play, critical reflection on a video clip and individual interviews.
I got so carried away talking about theory Dr. Wilson (lecturer) lent me a book which he thought I'd enjoy! I just hope they didn't have a headache post interview.The knowledge and understanding I'd acquired through my degree was so relevant that I was "singing" all the way through. It didn't feel like an interview at all! I didn't want to leave!
In the second year there is a research project to be undertaken and action research is an option. I nearly fell off my chair with happiness: )
I was so better prepared than some of the other applicants and I needed to be as there were nearly 400 applicants, 100 got interviews and only 22 places. So I've done pretty well already.
Keeping everything crossed now, should find out my fate in a couple of weeks.
I think the reality of what I can achieve is really kicking in now, especially the habit of picking apart every experience I encounter. I never fully realised how infinately relevant these modules were. I now realise why our facilitators made us work for the answers.
Wishing you and your family well.Love Kate x
"It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not".  ~Author Unknown
PS. My last thought on leaving the Uni. was "I wish my Clanger mates ( Kate's learning set ) were with me now...they would love this".
Lifelong learning and lifelong friends! 

Kate was a support teacher working with autistic spectrum 5-7 year olds, and was interested in work focused learning she studied in an online community alongside:

 A handful of TAs
1 University administrator
1 building projects manager in Spain
1 swimming instructor
 Several librarians
Several other students in a range of equally diverse work contexts.

What did Kate say to these people; what was their common ground; what did they learn together - how did they learn together?

 

The Ultraversity project provides access to formal accreditation through a BA honours pathway that is delivered fully online with no face-to-face contact between staff and students or between students and students. Everything they said to each other was communicated through internet enabled technologies. The dominant approach to communication is one where students have high visibility in online conferences that are presented as communal mail boxes. Messages are threaded and personalised fonts and colours enable voices to be easily discerned. Voice recordings are integrated into the communications system.
The curriculum design locates a significant proportion of study in work-focused experiences so enabling students to remain in full time employment while they study.
 Learners are required to act together to support each other in an online community of inquiry exhibiting the characteristics of a Community of Practice (COP); see Wenger (1999). This is not just another online space where students can talk to each other and the course tutors; it is a carefully facilitated scholarly community. Tutors encourage socialising as a means of bonding and developing trust, we also model and encourage high level dialogue – particularly critical reflection amongst peers on each others' work in progress. Many of the modules require evidence of participation in this process to meet learning outcomes. 

Like the other students, at the start of each module Kate discussed her own ideas for how she would approach the module, she then presented an individual learning plan to her learning facilitator who reviewed, negotiated and validated the plan. Kate went on to discuss what she found in her literature search and strategies for reviewing and writing up her literature review. Locating these discussions in a COP exposes all students to a wealth of literature and encourages autonomous searching for contemporary and seminal sources. Kate provided regular updates as to her experiential learning and what she was discovering by applying theory to practice. The students compared and commented on each others' experiences. They offered new ideas, collaborated on problem solving, argued about meaning, agreed or agreed to differ and consolidated personal epistemological understanding. They explored methodologies and associated methods, reviewed each others' interpretation of data and discussed validity of findings in the light of the small-scale and contextualised nature of their research. They supported each other when life work or study presented unexpected difficulties. They worked and studied together to develop the personal and professional characteristics that the project aims set out.

Initial project aims (taken from validation documentation)Develop the student as a critically reflective problem solver who is able to take effective action for improvement within their work-context as a part of their ongoing studies:

1.  To develop a personal philosophy of learning that includes the use of technology and research and relates to their own work setting
2.  To acquire the ability to analyse and synthesise knowledge of practice so as to solve practical problems and situations
3.  To maintain a flexible approach to change as a participant, and awareness of their own power to influence change
4.  To appreciate the enriching nature of working collaboratively in communities of inquiry that share insights and perspectives
5.  To develop a continuing concern for their own professional development and the appropriate strategies to achieve this
6.  To provide an appropriate foundation in professional and technical understanding, and knowledge and skills on which they can build through continuous professional development
7.  To develop the skills of action inquiry as an enduring capacity for lifelong learning and improvement in the workplace

 (Ultralab, 2003)

The 2008  HEA report into Workforce Development highlights a potential difficulty for higher educational institutions (HEI's) when working on employer-led learning initiatives by drawing a distinction between professional training and professional education where:
  "There will be an emphasis upon higher level skills that embody the essence of higher education - for example, reflection, analysis, problem solving, creativity, evaluation, and an open-endedness about what emerges from the learning" (HEA, 2008)
There is a strong alignment between the HEA statement and the Ultraversity initial project aims above - although this presentation does not have the scope to explore how we build in opportunities for creative expression, creative use of technology, creative approaches to action planning and to constructing assessment products I can confirm that we do do creativity too and open-endedness is an intrinsic concept - as Kate indicated in her email she perceives herself as a lifetime learner with life-time friends - we also see that the inquiries used for module work go on and on beyond the closure of the module.  It seems to us that we have captured the essence of HE and that we instil in many of our students a zest for lifetime learning and key skills for their life beyond the course.

Kate mailed me a week later...They have offered me a place so I'm well and truly "in". One of the lecturers made the journey into my school and told me I was "top of the pile" and I gave her a big hug and promptly burst into tears.

I am so pleased and relieved I can't tell you. I owe you guys so much.

My dear headmaster said that when I finish in 2011 the first thing I must do is pick up the phone as he wants me back. We shook on it and it is the first thing I shall do.

The curriculum requires graduates to have:

1. Developed a deep understanding of their work place and their role.
2. Become adept at applying theoretical knowledge to solve problems and improve practice.
3. Become competent and self-confident contributors to the organisation.
What kind of problems do they solve ?

in the voice of the students -  Third sector – Project leader in New Media Design and Development Unit
    I wanted to carry out an inquiry that would have some impact and benefit on the work that I do, and also involve my blind and partially sighted colleagues...it was designed to investigate how I could improve the product evaluation process for blind and partially sighted colleagues."

Nursery School - Manager 
 My aim was to look into how I could implement a better system of working with parents, using accessible homemade activities, which would not only help and reinforce their role as the baby`s prime educator but also create working links between home and Nursery”

School - Office Manger
The aim of the project centred on finding out whether the process of two-way communication flow between classroom-based staff and office staff is efficient, and if not, to investigate ways and means to effect an improvement.

Primary School  Administrator     ...existing culture in school for Teaching Assistants seemed to me to be that of the underdog... there was an underlying theme of being undervalued. As a consequence morale was low... from previous research I found that Teaching Assistants on the whole felt undervalued and not part of the ‘team’. Lack of communication seemed to be a recurring gripe, almost a feeling of being excluded"

Analysis of final project foci 

Table 1.
Final project submissions of 325 students (the first 6 cohorts) were examined to identify the focus of their inquiries. What we see is 9 broad areas of work context and 18 inquiry topic areas. 261students worked in schools or college; these include roles such as librarians, TAs, administrators and  lunchtime supervisors so still very different roles within the organisation. 
A brief insight into how one student approached action for improvement.
This student works as an administrator in a primary school setting with expanding staff numbers.

1. Reconnaissance and reflection

An evaluation of the workplace uncovered a range of potential inquiry contexts.

“Lack of information regarding – staff structure and responsibilities, school policies and resource areas”

2. Identifying an inquiry focus and research questions

Further evaluation focusing on the Teaching Assistants uncovered an area in need of improvement suitable as a focus for an action inquiry.

The key area identified though was the lack of communication between the rest of the school and the Teaching Assistants…
…The existing culture in school for Teaching Assistants seemed to me to be that of the underdog... there was an underlying theme of being undervalued. As a consequence morale was low – this had become more apparent with an increase in staff from just 2 Teaching Assistants 4 years ago to a total of 11 Teaching Assistants now. From my research I found that Teaching Assistants on the whole felt undervalued and not part of the ‘team’. Lack of communication seemed to be a recurring gripe, almost a feeling of being excluded.

3. Identify learning/research activities that lead to the development, implementation, and evaluation of an action for improvement


An inclusive and iterative approach was used to explore the impact of change.

I used the cyclical process of action research (Kemmis and Wilkinson 1998) plan – do – review. This provided me with scope to conduct my research over 3 cycles…Improvement and involvement are central to action research. Collaboration between researchers and those who are the focus of the research, and their participation in the process, are seen as central to action research. This relationship fits well with the approach of flexible, qualitative design.

4. Implement the plan and take action

The cycles of inquiry focused on investigating how communication within the school could be developed for Teaching Assistants. A set of strategies for improvement was introduced and a positive impact was provoked.

 By introducing a point of contact, holding regular weekly meetings, passing on information about school events, having a proper induction process for new employees, even giving Teaching Assistants the opportunity to all hold First Aid certificates has empowered them enough to feel more useful. They now feel more valued by the school which has gone some way to raising morale.

5. Share selected parts of the inquiry with fellow learners for critical feedback
The student shared plans and invited critical feedback…

I chose to present activity 3 to my fellow researchers  whose critical feedback forced me to rethink my impact study. Had I only considered the evaluation issue in my defence? I struggled during this module to put my ideas into the correct ‘category’, and subsequently had included my thoughts on reliability of data into activity 1 and now see that this is part of my defence and should be incorporated here. I defended the reason for exhibiting twice and included this because it has impacted on me and other people’s attitudes towards me in school. By including criticism from my exhibition this led me to reflect on changes that had happened to me in school, I think, as a result of my heightened profile.

6. Construct a final account that identifies learning in relation to module intended learning outcomes

In the final account the student describes how her research has introduced significant change and developed her role within her workplace.

In the past I have felt that I am only a small cog in this great wheel that is this educational establishment, but my efforts so far have changed procedures, developed communication, raised morale and formed a cohesive group which offers support to each other. What began as a small idea has now become a set order where the Headteacher does not want to ‘lose the impetus’. My research area has developed my school role beyond what was first perceived as my role as school administrator.
The research activity has also resulted in new responsibilities being offered and professional recognition by the workplace.
As a consequence of my research the Headteacher has asked me to look into co-ordinating the Investors in People project for our school this year. He has seen the value of my research and how successfully and professionally I have approached it and I think that this has had an impact on him in that he feels I will be able to successfully steer the school through the Investors in People programme.

The whole experience provoked a significant level of personal satisfaction for the student.

I now have extra responsibility for the Teaching Assistants and I see the cohesion of this group as my doing, which gives me a lot of satisfaction. By empowering Teaching Assistants with knowledge, they feel more valued, indeed one member of teaching staff has said that the Teaching Assistants seems to know more about school events than she does.

Comments from BA LTR students on the impact of the course

Below are a selection of comments about the impact of their study provided by students during the BA LTR course and after graduation. References to 'Ultraversity' derive from the course having been part of the Ultralab based 'Ultraversity research project' when it was first launched. Many students referred to the course as Ultraversity rather than by its title. 

References to 'dissemination' and 'exhibition' relate to our final year where rather than a student's dissertation being marked and forgotten we ask students to disseminate the findings of their major project research to a workplace based audience and gather critical feedback to construct an impact study. This aspect was in part what prompted the course to be described as a PhD for undergraduates it is also an element that makes the workplace sit up and take notice of the student and has lead to internal promotion for many students.

................

BA LTR is an excellent course.  Ian always makes time when needed. Understands issues faced. Knows the topics inside out. Encourages and inspires: nothing is impossible. He has encouraged and supported me to become an independent learner. This has developed life long skills that will benefit me in all areas of my life. I am very grateful that he believed in me as a person and as a student pushing me to achieve beyond what I believed I could do. 

Sue

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Hi Ian,

I’m sorry that you were unable to make it to the graduation, hope you’re ok. I was really looking forward to meeting you and wanted to thank you in person for the great support that you gave me over the past few years. I learned so much from you and will always be grateful for your help advice and advice.

It was great day, really enjoyed it and felt very proud to have graduated. I’m the very first in my family to achieved a degree; I’m one of seven kids and none of my siblings have been to university! But now one of my sisters has become inspired by my success and is starting an access course, I’m hoping others will follow suit, it really is never too late!

I’ve attached a couple photos, I see they’ve named a building after you J

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Julie Wren, Business Operations Team Leader in FHSCE achieved a first and says:
 “I loved this degree, after I took time out to have children I found that technology had dramatically improved and my skills needed updating. Although I attended many professional development courses, nothing improved my ability and mettle more than the BALTR degree. This degree enabled me to critically evaluate my role and practices in the workplace and gave me the confidence and skills to apply for and be successful in my current managerial role. I couldn’t have done that without being inspired by the degree course team and my fellow undergraduate researchers, many of whom are now firm friends for life.”

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"It was a long-term aim of mine to achieve a degree but there was no way I could afford to give up my job and go and study for 3 years full time. So when the flyer fell on the staff-room table, it was really you know the answer for me. It was the right route."

................

"I was promoted to deputy manager - because of the knowledge gained from the course I am now managing the schools professional development system and the strategic response to Ofsted."

Sarah (Teaching assistant, promoted in year 2 of study).

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"I felt that the Ultraversity programme was ideally suited to me because I run my own business and therefore I was able to tailor the work to not only benefit myself but also to target specific areas of my organisation. The combination of having key submission dates for modules together with setting my own intermediate milestones worked well since I was able to flex my research around my work and family commitments whilst still ensuring that I achieved the module deadlines. The need to look closely at my strengths and weaknesses helped determine my learning requirements"

………….

"Improvements to working practice as a direct result of Action Inquiries undertaken throughout the three years of study continue to benefit my reputation as a innovative and creative practitioner. Adoption of episodic lesson planning that allows for the non-linear progression of SEN Students is one example of the application of Action Research to improve practice.”

………….

“ My efforts so far have changed procedures, developed communication, raised morale and formed a cohesive group which offers support to each other. My research area has developed my school role beyond what was first perceived as my role as school administrator. The research activity has also resulted in new responsibilities being offered and professional recognition by the workplace."

................

"As a consequence of my research the headteacher has asked me to look into co-ordinating the Investors in People project for our school this year. He has seen the value of my research and how successfully and professionally I have approached it and I think that this has had an impact on him in that he feels I will be able to successfully steer the school through the Investors in People programme.

I honestly do contribute this success down to what I learnt during my degree programme. I led some whole school action research on the implementation of the VLE and recently on a programme called PASS which evaluates pupils attitudes towards themselves and school.... Our authority really bought into the SIG school improvement Model, which is effectively Action Research based, and what I learnt from this degree really put me at the front in my school for leading whole school change..."

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"Disseminating the exhibition to an audience of teachers and Governors has opened up the possibility of developing AR for staff development and made other people in the school community more aware of the potential of the VLE. As the VLE coordinator I can now speak from first hand knowledge about study via a VLE.”

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"An action inquiry into personal safety in the workplace made people more aware of the dangers of lone working. I am now regularly consulted and also remind people of issues surrounding this. I am still issuing personal alarms to members of staff in my department and have been called on outside of my department to issue alarms and demonstrate their use.”

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"To top it all off, I was on secondment to my HR department as staffside lead for the KSF, following major changes in the Health and Social Care in Northern Ireland. , I under went a 40 minute interview and was given a HR post in Learning and Development with responsibility for widening participation across the whole of the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust covering over 10,000 staff; working with local further education providers with the result that I have doubled my pay from what I had earned as a nursing auxiliary."

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"The first thing that comes to mind is the patch I did in my first year of study. It was titled "The Purpose of Reflective Practice" and it was one of the first assignments I did in the 'alternative media' mind-set. I produced the documents as a video and uploaded it as a video on YouTube to share with the community for peer feedback. Unknowingly at the time, it has now gone on to have over 32,000 views and has also been picked up by a University in New Zealand and the video makes part of a course at UCOL School of Nursing in Palmerston North.

The video still receives regular attention at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AfHPV-YBdI but is easily found as the first result when typing 'reflective practice' into YouTube and is the 5th result of 4,380,000 when typing the same phrase into Google!"

Toby Adams BA LTR Graduate

Toby Adams ‏@tobyadams  1m

@iantindal @BA_LTR Thanks! I got so much from those three years. Value, outcomes and enjoyment were certainly key words for my experience.

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Impact - during the course the impact of what I was doing hit me gradually. Throughout I was determined to prove that I could earn a degree and I was not going to be happy unless it was a good result so I worked extremely hard to achieve that.
The impact since has meant, of course, that I have been able to achieve QTS by the GTP route and I would recommend this to anyone as the best way.
The sense of achievement on a personal level cannot be taken away. I am very proud of my degree and even if I had not gone on to do anything else I would still feel very proud.

Tina

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"BA LTR has opened up a spirit of inquiry within the cohort and made individuals challenge their use of technology.

It is curiosity and a willingness to experiment that will lead to change. If teachers do not experiment with, or try and work with, technology then they will never ever get close to being in a position to grasp its fitness for purpose and therefore the potential to add value to learning using technology in and outside the classroom.”

"I have thoroughly enjoyed the journey that I have been on and I feel that a lot of that stemmed from the energy and enthusiasm that was injected by the course tutors,facilitators and administrators. Overall I feel as if I have been a part of something exciting and dynamic and hope that you continue to offer this degree to others who are unable to physically attend University due to work or other commitments as it is a truly rewarding experience thanks to an excellent team of professionals.

Please feel free to pass on my comments to whoever may be interested and do make use of any useful content for any recruitment purposes.”


Kind regards

.
Julian Keith


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"The course involved lots of hard work but it was brilliant. On day 1. I felt a little worried about technology, I knew how to play games on a computer, use a Word document and little bits and bobs but I had never set up a web page or blog. I found the course quite seamless and interesting. The more you use technology and the more you talk to other people with expertise (in the online community) such as making PowerPoint really work, you realise it’s a less pressured way of learning. By the time I was finishing the degree I was really being a bit silly with technology trying to work out different ways of doing all sorts of things. I became confident in knowing what I wanted to use and that I would be able to work out how to do it with out worrying that I would embarrass myself.  I found doing a PGCE so easy afterwards, I had done the Reflective Practice and Action Research in BA LTR so the PGCE was really only learning about educational theory. I graduated in 2008 and am still using what I learned on the course every day."

Phil Williams 

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 “My Deputy Head delivers several training courses at a School training centre. Following my dissemination event she asked me to look at her presentation on ‘Visual Supports.’ She stated that my PowerPoint had made a powerful impact and that the images were strong. I worked with my Deputy Head showing her how to adapt slides according to the theory I had learned and applied to my presentation. She then finished the presentation and forwarded to me for my thoughts.” … The feedback [on my research] indicates that the respondents would like the whole school to have the opportunity to share the disseminated knowledge. Importantly 3 of the respondents are the head teacher, the deputy head and the assistant head, those with authority to arrange for this knowledge to be shared. There is a suggestion that the research, if implemented, would offer the school a common tool. The leadership team has included a CPD session included into the school inset day for the dissemination to be shared with the whole school in the summer term.”

Emma 

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I tend to study 6-7 am before I go to work and again after the children have gone to bed. I was at first unsure whether an online course would suit me but my tutor also seems to be an early bird and night owl and often responds to my community messages within minutes of me posting them. We have had some wonderful early morning / late evening chats in the tutorial chat room. 
Agnes

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“I just wanted to say a big thank you for all your advice and thoughts regarding my dissertation.

I think it is fantastic that you use voice recordings as well as written feedback, it really enabled me to understand the context in which you were giving the information. It also gave me the ability to 'sense' whether I was on the right track or not.

Once again thank you for your help”

Julian

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Hi Ian,

Just thought I'd drop you a post to say my Speech and language masters interview went really well on the 1st. We had a short written piece, role play, critical reflection on a video clip and individual interviews.I got so carried away talking about theory Dr. Wilson (lecturer) lent me a book which he thought I'd enjoy! I just hope they didn't have a headache post interview.The knowledge and understanding I'd acquired through my degree was so relevant that I was "singing" all the way through. It didn't feel like an interview at all! I didn't want to leave!


In the second year there is a research project to be undertaken and action research is an option. I nearly fell off my chair with happiness: )I was so better prepared than some of the other applicants and I needed to be as there were nearly 400 applicants, 100 got interviews and only 22 places. So I've done pretty well already.Keeping everything crossed now, should find out my fate in a couple of weeks.I think the reality of what I can achieve is really kicking in now, especially the habit of picking apart every experience I encounter. I never fully realised how infinitely relevant these modules were. I now realise why our facilitators made us work for the answers.

Wishing you and your family well.

Love Kate x

"It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not".


PS. My last thought on leaving the Uni. was "I wish my Clanger mates ( Kate's learning set ) were with me now...they would love this". 

A week later...

They have offered me a place so I'm well and truly "in". One of the lecturers made the journey into my school and told me I was "top of the pile" and I gave her a big hug and promptly burst into tears.


I am so pleased and relieved I can't tell you. I owe you guys so much.


My dear headmaster said that when I finish in 2011 the first thing I must do is pick up the phone as he wants me back. We shook on it and it is the first thing I shall do.

Kate Wright

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“On the strength of my success as a Family Liaison Officer, I have been asked by the LEA to pilot the first Parent Champion post in the county and to write a new job description for possible future Parent Champions.

 I have become much more knowledgeable about barriers for parents as learners and participants in their children's schooling and, as a result, have been able to develop useable and meaningful strategies for improving these areas of concern for parents.

 If I had not targeted my own learning throughout my degree on this particular area, I don't think I would have developed such a specialism, with the result that the County would not necessarily have selected me as the first Parent Champion.”

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“The impact of my Action Enquiry research, especially in this final year, has not only had the impact of the children reading more than previously, but also has helped my school in our very recent  OFSTED; the work that I carried out was recognised by the Inspector who made this comment within the 'Quality of provision' section of his report with regard to the 'Teaching and Learning' section.”

            'One teaching assistant has devised a very effective system of rewards that is inspiring pupils to become very enthusiastic readers.'

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"I've loved the idea of being a new and ground-breaking student 'researcher'. I haven't needed a traditional university life to back up my studies - I would never have had the time to fit it in. I have made friends through learning groups but while we've swapped photos of each other, we have never met so the graduation day is going to be a real eye-opener. We'll be meeting our fellow students, literally, for the first time."
Sharon S

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“Promotion to Head of PSHE in January, responsible for writing schemes of work, measuring outcomes, etc. across whole school (first admin person to hold an academic post in the school). Also leading Healthy Schools Status audit, liaising with county Health Team - audit taking place in January."

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“I have just been asked by my Head to work for one day a week from September in our 'partnership' school and I have agreed.  There is simply no way I would have accepted this challenge until this year, to be fair, probably only recently and it is all down to having greater confidence and faith in myself.  I will be teaching, through PPA time, a mixed age class of children in years 3 and 4.   I am sure that finally giving the presentations of my Action Enquiry project at school was a major step forward for me and has also probably changed the perceptions of others with regard to my abilities.

In September I will begin a SCITT(school centred initial teacher training) course, which will give me a PGCE certificate at the end of it.  Since teaching was the reason why I began this degree I am very pleased to have got a place on a course this year and look forward to being fully qualified in just over a years time.”

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“In September I'll be taking up a place at the University of East Anglia for a years Post Graduate Teaching Certificate course.  After that I hope to find a position teaching Primary children.  This was the whole point of me doing this degree and I'm delighted that I'm going to achieve it."

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To follow on from my degree study I chose a training programme based on location and entry requirements:  Primary School Direct Training Programme 2014-2015.

After my initial application was accepted, I was invited to attend an informal interview evening for which I was required to prepare a short presentation about myself and present this to the interview panel along with 15 other candidates. Coincidently and thankfully, the BA LTR module I was completing at the time was ‘Technology for Dissemination’. In it, I investigated various presentation techniques and technologies. This became invaluable for preparing me for my presentation to the interview panel.

It was also during this module that I discovered PowToons, an alternative to PowerPoint. I was able to detract the focus of the presentation away from me for a while and focus everyone’s attention on the animated film playing behind me. As in previous modules I have used the genre of poem, I decided to used this to accompany the presentation. This proved to be extremely successful, as I was one of only six to be asked to return for a formal interview. 
T.

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Thanks so much for all your encouragement throughout my studies...I certainly couldn't have done it without you!  I loved the graduation ceremony, a fantastic way to celebrate our achievements.

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Very impressed with the module materials you have created, I feel very inspired for the new semester! 

BW

Helen

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I am still working on the CMaps, so I will send them all later no worries if you can't look through them before we chat , thank you so much for offering your help, as always you have saved the day. 

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