The Undergraduate Ambassador Scheme at Southampton

1. The Undergraduate Ambassador Scheme at Southampton Professor Ray d’Inverno School of Mathematics University of Southampton

2. Stakeholders Students (Transferable Skills/Credit) Teachers (Help in classroom) Pupils (Role models/Aspiration raising) University of Southampton (Improve Outreach profile) Government (More teachers in shortage subjects)

3. Student Transferable Skills • Communication skills • Understanding the needs of individuals • Interpersonal skills • Staff responsibilities and conduct • The ability to improvise • Giving and taking feedback • Organising skills • Handling difficult situations • Public speaking • Team work • Teaching methods • Lesson preparation • Employability skills • Personal confidence

4. Four stage approach • Classroom observation • Classroom assistance • Whole class teaching • Special project • Design of an project: innovative/enriching • Implementation • Evaluation

5. Other activities • Revision classes • Lunch clubs • After school clubs • Talks on university life • University visit days

6. Assessment and feedback • 25% Weekly journal (open) • 35% Final report (2,500 words) • 25% Presentation on Special Project • 15% Teacher assessment • 15 CATs point unit = 150 hours of study • 20 CATs point version available • Written feedback on all 4 assessments • Teacher assessment not moderated

7. Selection • 400 word essay requested on why they wanted to take the unit and what they could offer (1-4 rating) • 10 minute structured interview • Interview used to place students • Unsuccessful candidates given feedback • What makes a good teacher • Proactivity in classroom • Dealing with pupil blocks • Type of placement preferred • Did they have a car

8. Training and monitoring • 5 hour “mini-PGCE” training session • “Meet the teachers” session • 4 tutorials • Blackboard site for support • Regular email contact • Wrap-up meeting • Initial impressions • Journals and planning the Special Project 1 • Planning the Special Project 2 • Tips on presentations

9. Training session Group exercise on constructing a bridge using paper and scotch tape One of the two half day workshops for 20 students 2004/5

10. Placement requirements • Initial meeting with school to negotiate a timetable • 3 / 4 hours a week throughout 12 weeks of semester 2 • Minimum of 10 placements required

11. Outcome in Outline • Performance on unit • Special projects • Teacher questionnaires • Student questionnaires • Three Publications (see unit website) • PGCE takeup (12/13, 15+/22, 20+/38) • Development of personal confidence

12. Performance on unit (final grades) • Year 1: 10 3 0 0 • Year 2: 14 6 1 0 • Year 3: 20 16 1 1 I IIi IIii III

13. Special Projects (Year 1) • Development of revision materials (4 students) • Starters (2 students) • Learning styles • Fibonacci numbers and explorative use of internet • Developing communication skills in “quiet” pupils • Problem solving skills • Use of interactive white board and laptops by staff • Use of “Autograph” software • Use of “Geometer’s sketchpad” software

14. Teacher questionnaires (Year 1) Rating from 1 (very poor) to 5 (excellent) 5.0 Helpful intro to teaching 4.8 Student preparation for placement 4.7 Working relationships with students 4.0 Benefit to school 3.8 Demands made on school 5/0 Continuation with scheme

15. Student questionnaires Yr1 Yr2 Yr3 4.8 4.1 4.4 Skills development 4.7 4.2 4.4 Overall rating of unit 4.2 3.9 3.8 School placement experience 4.2 3.6 3.7 Training session relevance 4.1 4.1 4.0 Training session quality 4.0 4.2 4.0 Unit coordinator 3.8 3.7 3.4 University support on placement 3.6 3.8 3.9 Satisfaction with assessment

16. Fourth year 2005/6 • Scheme extended to include 9 disciplines total : Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Computer Science, Oceanography, Environmental Sciences, Biological Sciences, Music and Modern Languages • All shortage subjects except Music and Biological Sciences • Applications (82 total) • 71 selected • 31 partner schools (half designated Widening Participation) • Scheme extended to Primary schools for Science • Unit run by UAS Team of 3 Academics and 3 Learning and Teaching Coordinators for Interviews/Training/Tutorials/Email Support/Assessment • 15 mathematicians (7 females, 8 males) • 1 chemist (1 female) • 6 physicists (6 males) • 8 computer scientists (8 males) • 20 oceanographers (10 females, 10 males) • 9 musicians (9 females) • 5 modern linguists (5 females) • 10 biological scientists (9 females, 1 male) • 8 environmental sciences (7 females, 1 male)

17. UAS Team • Dr David Chillingworth (Mathematics) Unit Coordinator/Unit Tutor • Dr Paul Cooper (Humanities) Unit Co-coordinator/Unit Tutor • Prof Ray d’Inverno (Mathematics) Unit Organiser/Unit Tutor • Dr Simon Boxall (Oceanography) Unit Tutor • Dr Rachel Ferris (Mathematics) Unit Tutor • Ms Joy Moloney (Oceanography) Unit Tutor

18. Partner Schools 2005/6 Alderman Quilley School, Eastleigh Bitterne C of E Primary Bitterne Park School Calmore Junior School Cantell School Carisbrooke High School, Isle of Wight Chamberlayne Park School Grove Park Business and Enterprise School Henry Beaufort School, Winchester Hounsdown School, Totton Isle of Wight College Jessie Younghusband School, Chichester King Edward VI School, Winchester Kings School, Winchester Millbrook Community School Oklands Community School Peter Symmonds College, Winchester Romsey School Shirley Junior School Sholing Technology College South Wilts Grammar School, Salisbury Springhill RC Primary School St Anne’s Convent School St George’s Boys School Taunton College The Downs School, Newbury The Gregg School Thornden School, Chandlers Ford Toynbee School, Chandlers Ford Woodlands Community School Woolston Language College

19. National UAS • UAS Ltd Funded by DTA • Sharon Herkes National Director • Alex Brabbs Project Manager • Prof Ray d’Inverno UAS Board Member/UAS Advisory Panel • Dr Hugh Evans (Sholing Technology College) UAS Advisory Panel • Ms Joanna Argyle (South Wilts Grammar School) UAS Advisory Panel

20. University of Southampton acknowledgement of UAS • Honorary Degree awarded to scheme originator Simon Singh July 2005 • Vice Chancellor’s Award presented to • scheme coordinator • Ray d’Inverno • September 2005

21. Special Project (Laura) Laura chose the subject of Verbal Communication of Mathematics” as her Special Project”. Working with high ability year 9 GCSE pupils and year 7 pupils in a rural grammar school she decided, in conjunction with her host teacher, to try to help engage those pupils who did not participate regularly in class. Using a range of teaching techniques and materials, such as questionnaires, handouts, pair work and small group work, she analysed the circumstances in which pupils felt less or more comfortable, and adapted the teaching environment and her methods accordingly. She also analysed the ways in which pupils preferred to learn, either through visual, auditory or kinaesthetic means. On the basis of her observations, she presented a series of documents and materials including charts, diagrams and a report to her host teacher in order to share her finings on how to improve participation and verbal communication amongst the mathematics pupils, including comparison of problems in year 7 and year 9. Laura talking about her placement

22. Conclusions • Produces good PGCE applicants, particularly in shortage subjects • Develops employability skills • Develops personal confidence • Highly valued by students/teachers/pupils • Website for further information www.maths.soton.ac.uk/staff/d’Inverno/UAS