Week One Meeting the Second Years
24th February 2017
After a project meeting it was mutually decided for us interns to go and meet the second year students who would be taking part in the Interactive Essay assessment and therefore subjects of this research project.
On entering the classroom my first impression was wow what a huge group! It was slightly intimidating not only that there was so many of them; that considering our (well definitely mine) enthusiasm for this project and to be working with the second year students, it was clear at this stage the feeling was not mutual. This analysis was based on firstly, the lack of eye contact most of the second years engaged in with myself and the other interns and secondly, the fact that a few even engaged in personal conversations (that were clearly unconnected) whist the project leader attempted to explain to them the purpose of our visit.
I am wondering if the students did not have a full understanding of the purpose or connection to their involvement in the interactive essay assessment and to us interns being there. This could maybe be addressed in the next meeting?
I am also wondering if where we stood ( at the front, the fact we were standing up) and they were all sat down may have contributed to the lack of engagement?
I suggest that the students are given a clear purpose of us (the interns) being there. Supplying that information in advance may allow for time for any questions to be considered and developed.
I am hoping things go better and the students engage next week. I will certainly attempt to incorporate activities within the session that will encourage interaction and engagement.
Karen McErlean
Published by Karen
Hi, my name is Karen; I am very excited to be a part of this research team. We will be studying the process of the interactive essay as a form of assessment in higher education. I am currently (February 2017) in my third year at University studying towards a BA honours in Education Studies. In September this year I plan to commence studying towards a PGCE (QTS) in Primary Education via the Schools Direct route which will lead to me becoming a primary school teacher. During my time studying Education combined with my many years working within a primary school I have developed a keen interest in the use of digital technology as an educational tool. I am interested in the impact of digital technology on the methods of teaching and learning within education. Currently, for my dissertation I am undertaking research that will present an action research paper on the use of mobile digital technologies in the primary school classroom. I have recently visited the Bett Show in London, which provided me the opportunity to meet many people who also have a keen interest in educational technology which has inspired me to further develop my interest in Technology Enhanced Learning and Teaching practices.
What is the HEFCE research project about?
I am currently a team member of the HEFCE Catalyst research project at UCBC. We will study the experiences of teachers and students in a higher educational setting when producing an interactive essay as a part of the summative assessment process. As a student researcher my designated role in the project is to provide a rationale for the interactive essay as a method of assessment. I will analyse the literature in the form of a review that will provide a basis of knowledge around assessment processes using digital technology in the higher educational sector. Through this role I will explore the potential and challenges when rethinking assessment in a digital age. After developing a rationale for the project I will meet with participants of the study and present a background into the interactive essay process by presenting the literature review I have constructed. Next, I will interview student participants after their completion of the interactive essay assessment to gain an insight into their experiences. Having previously experienced the interactive essay myself a unique dialogue will be provided within the interview process stage. It is intended that together we can share experiences, I will be able to expand on comments and perspectives and initiate discussions which will avoid the use for a structured format interview technique to be used. Insights will hopefully be different to those of an outsider such as a teacher or researcher from a different discipline as the researcher will have an element of empathy which will hopefully add value to the data collected using this method.
My own experience of the interactive essay
In my second year I was required as part of the Education in a Digital Age module to create an interactive essay. This experience required me to consider not only the many innovative and creative options open to me using digital technology to present my work but to also consider the diverse audience who potentially would read the perspectives I had formulated on a particular topic. In my experience, previously the essays I had submitted for summative assessment purposes were written with the intended audience of the tutor who would be marking/grading /providing feedback to the piece of work I had produced. However, creating an interactive piece of work forced me to consider access issues which would influence the digital technology I would choose to present my work and I could write in a way that allowed creativity using videos, blogs and a range of multimedia to enhance my work.
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