1 / 11

Investigating the effectiveness of web-based stylistics teaching

This presentation will probably involve audience discussion, which will create action items. Use PowerPoint to keep track of these action items during your presentation In Slide Show, click on the right mouse button Select “Meeting Minder” Select the “Action Items” tab

isnapp
Download Presentation

Investigating the effectiveness of web-based stylistics teaching

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. This presentation will probably involve audience discussion, which will create action items. Use PowerPoint to keep track of these action items during your presentation • In Slide Show, click on the right mouse button • Select “Meeting Minder” • Select the “Action Items” tab • Type in action items as they come up • Click OK to dismiss this box • This will automatically create an Action Item slide at the end of your presentation with your points entered. Investigating the effectiveness of web-based stylistics teaching Dawn Archer, Mick Short & Stephanie Strong Lancaster University

  2. The pilot experiment • Pilot testing the web-based introductory stylistics course for first year undergraduates • One term course • Three hours of contact time: students encouraged to work in pairs • N.B. Course not complete: drama section taught by lecture/ seminars • References • Short, M. and D. Archer (2003) Designing a world-wide web-based stylistics course and investigating its effectiveness. Style 37(1): 27-46. • McIntyre, D. (2003) Using foregrounding theory as a teaching methodology in a stylistics course. Style 37:1. 1-13.

  3. Investigative instruments • Questionnaires • Initial • Medial (after poetry and prose) • Final (last week of the course) • Tape-recorded interviews (following questionnaires) • Tape-recorded focus group discussions (following questionnaires) • Observations by tutors and observers of workshop sessions • Informal

  4. Their familiarity with the web Their views as to the perceived (dis)advantages of web-based courses Their attitude towards paired-work Their previous experience of English language in general, and stylistics in particular … All had several years experience … Main advantage: Able to review material/work at own pace … Main disadvantage: Impersonal/tutor contact limited … 40 against, 19 in favour … Mixed Initial questionnaire: topics covered

  5. Scale reflecting students’ general opinion of the course overall  1 2 3 4 5  Very interesting 5 20 20 4 0 Not at all interesting Easy 2 8 21 16 2 Difficult Clear 10 14 25 0 0 Unclear Fun 3 15 17 13 1 Boring Mid-course questionnaire + - • Advantages - material can be reviewed/can work at own pace • - able to discuss ideas with partner • Disadvantages – No tutor/two-hour session too long/hard on eyes

  6. Our response to the mid-way feedback • Tutor-led group discussions • Students also given 10-minute break after the first hour • Students not expected to work “solidly” for two hours • Computers too noisy/room layout not amenable • However, whole group discussions were proving problematic • Proved popular • Reasons given: helped to break down shyness barriers, less intimidating, easier to hear, a break from the screen, more personal • Switched to small discussion groups

  7. Scale reflecting students’ general opinion of the course overall  1 2 3 4 5  Very interesting 7 16 15 5 0 Not at all interesting Easy 0 9 22 11 0 Difficult Clear 7 20 12 3 0 Unclear Fun 2 12 20 7 1 Boring End-of-course questionnaire

  8. Perceived (dis)advantages (in hindsight) • Disadvantages • Too much stuff/grammar sessions too difficult • A criticism of the course, whether web-based or lecture/seminar-based • Length of sessions • Too demanding (especially in respect of time) • Self-taught (= no lecturer present?) • Advantages • Accessibility (especially useful for revision) • Paired-work ultimately seen as a positive (2-to-1) NB. Paired-work could still prove problematic, especially if partner missed a session or worked at a different pace

  9. Changes to be introduced • 3 X 50 minute sessions • New venue – dedicated to Linguistics teaching • More amenable to teaching • - Able to split the groups, enabling better group discussions • Better screens • - Less tiring on the eyes

  10. CWA results No significant statistical difference when compared to last year’s marks (52.7 compared with 55.4 (53.5: 57.1 if zero marks discounted)) Issue of controlled variables … • Students, texts and markers were different However … • Mick acted as a standardiser for sample scripts • Standardisation also a feature of the Self Assessment project (McIntyre et al, this conference)

  11. Conclusions … to date • Web-based courses do not disadvantage students • Students prefer combination of lecture/seminars and web-based materials • Course rating good (but not as good) • Social element difficult to replace • Web-based learning best when distance-mode

More Related