SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds

1. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Welcome to the Student Support & Student-focused Engagement Symposium at SEC3 2014 Chaired by Nigel Humphrys, Student Counselling Centre

2. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Student Support & Student-focused Engagement Symposium Bespoke coursework designed to engage, motivate and promote student learning Dr Peter Brooks Senior Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering

3. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Context • Level 3 Engineering module, high mathematics content. • Moderate class sizes, 60-80. • Survey outcomes. • Plagiarism. • Teaching efficiency. • Students have high expectations, coupled with desire to gain application experience. • Increasing value placed on timely and appropriate feedback by cohort. What single innovation might have the potential to positively impact on the above? What follows is just one possible solution …… Peter Brooks, Student Support & Student-focused Engagement Symposium

4. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Resources • eInstruction system with PRS handsets ‘Clickers’ – in-class data collection. • Excel csv files – storage of information plus feedback medium • VLE – cohort data, online data collection, repository for feedback and marks. • Students – the users of the system • Matlab programming environment – the heart of the evolving system. Peter Brooks, Student Support & Student-focused Engagement Symposium

5. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds The evolving system – The building blocks Student interface Assignment software The VLE Clickers Matlab m scripts Module Leader Administration info Peter Brooks, Student Support & Student-focused Engagement Symposium

6. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds The evolving system – An overview Student interface: VLE Assignment software Class list Master parameter set and generic data Allocate assignment numbers to student groups Bespoke assignment specification for students Convert selections to numerical values Work in progress data from students In-class student self selection of assignment parameters using ‘Clickers’ Process data during delivery of assignment, construct feedback database (blend of .csv and .jpg files), undertake formal marking if required, identify non-compliant students Feedback Marks Module Leader Marks for module spreadsheet Students select from range of parameter values, designated high-medium-low Performance statistics Peter Brooks, Student Support & Student-focused Engagement Symposium

7. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Examples of Feedback: Peter Brooks, Student Support & Student-focused Engagement Symposium

8. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Key points: • Assignment delivery is integrated with taught material: Parallel progression throughout module. • Each assignment is unique and students have ownership of their specific data. • Reliable method with which to perform bulk upload of feedback to VLE established. • Feedback provided at specific points during the assignment. • The feedback motivates all and provides an opportunity for weaker students to learn on-the-job. • Likelihood of plagiarism is minimised through design. Peter Brooks, Student Support & Student-focused Engagement Symposium

9. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds The results so far: Guinea Pig module: MECH3470 Vehicle design and analysis And for 12/13: Overall rating of module 100%, feedback prompt 94%, detailed comment and review 86% Peter Brooks, Student Support & Student-focused Engagement Symposium

10. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Achievements: • Students specify their own, unique assignments. • Efficient feedback creation and delivery techniques developed and implemented. • Students remain engaged throughout module. • Positive feedback from students. What next? • For this year, able to embed ‘live’ feedback into a lecture slot towards end of the module. • Nearing a steady state, so any changes to material will be small. • Resource required to raise the software to a level where it could feasibly be used by others. Finally: A big Thanks to all the students whose contributions have helped along the way and also to Kate Page, our Flexible Learning Development Officer, who helped resolve countless VLE/Clicker problems! Peter Brooks, Student Support & Student-focused Engagement Symposium

11. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Student Support & Student-focused Engagement Symposium Engaging students through module-mapping Dr Karen Burland Associate Professor in Music Psychology, Director of Student Education

12. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds What do we know about our students? • Students come to university with expectations about what HE music is all about (cf. Burland & Pitts, 2007). • Students tend to think vertically about their programme of study, rather than horizontally. How does this relate to the local context? • Recent revisions to the music programmes mean we have 7 strands of study of which students are required to study at least one. • Students have faced some difficulties in their final year when pre-requisites for major ‘strand’ modules have not been met. Karen Burland, Student Support & Student-focused Engagement Symposium

13. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds

14. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Mapping research based learning • http://curriculum.leeds.ac.uk/rbl • Aimed to demonstrate the independent research skills they develop during their programmes (cf. LeedsforLife) • Process is not simple – some modules offer different types of RBL • Student feedback suggests they are not interested in this! • Accompanying narrative provided • BUT, useful exercise for staff – particularly useful at the stage of programme planning, revision and development? Karen Burland, Student Support & Student-focused Engagement Symposium

15. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds

16. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Conclusions • This kind of mapping is a useful process a valuable tool for students and staff • It has a number of applications including: supporting student learning (particularly via the personal tutoring system) and module choices; and for building aspirations • Useful in the planning stages of programme development • Some work is needed with RBL mapping to make the relevance to students more apparent • Can be extended to mapping different types of assessment too Karen Burland, Student Support & Student-focused Engagement Symposium

17. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Student Support & Student-focused Engagement Symposium Bite-size resources for academic skills development Helen Howard Skills@Library Team Leader

19. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Overall aims • Help students to develop academic skills to be independent, confident learners • enhancing their current learning and research, as well as their future employability • Provide online resources which staff can signpost to or embed in VLE module areas Helen Howard, Student Support & Student-focused Engagement Symposium

20. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Online learning resources - aims • To improve our existing resources: • Some very long tutorials – hard to find the relevant bit • Lack of consistent look, feel and navigation Helen Howard, Student Support & Student-focused Engagement Symposium

22. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Online learning resources - aims • To create a set of short, focused online learning resources: • Easy to use, but interactive and engaging • Variety of topics: choose what you need at the right moment • Can be used independently by students or within blended learning Helen Howard, Student Support & Student-focused Engagement Symposium

29. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Accessing resources • For students and staff: • Skills@Library website: by topic or online tutorials page • http://library.leeds.ac.uk/skills-online-tutorials • For staff • VLE: follow link from Skills@Library website lecturer page or from A-Z guides in VLE Helen Howard, Student Support & Student-focused Engagement Symposium

30. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Feedback • Undergraduate and taught postgraduate students were asked to try a tutorial (outside of a teaching session): • 98% said tutorials were easy to navigate • 88% said the level was about right • 79% said that it improved their understanding greatly or quite a lot • 92% would recommend the tutorial to a friend Helen Howard, Student Support & Student-focused Engagement Symposium

31. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds “Easy to use and vital to completing assignments” Feedback “I found it helpful in gaining a further understanding in the subject area” “It is easy to understand and apply to your own work” “i have it bookmarked on my laptop so i can keep referring back to it.”

32. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds How could they be improved / future plans “Useful if you don't know much about it, too basic if you do though.” • Further topics to be added: critical thinking, note-taking, essay structuring, exam skills… • Investigate adding more advanced elements • Improve the process of embedding into VLE module areas Helen Howard, Student Support & Student-focused Engagement Symposium

33. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Skills@Library online resources • http://library.leeds.ac.uk/skills-online-tutorials “I have found all the tutorials on skills@library very helpful so far” “I love all the tutorials as they are so helpful and easy to access! :)” Helen Howard h.e.howard@leeds.ac.uk Student Support & Student-focused Engagement Symposium

34. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Student Support & Student-focused Engagement Symposium Engaging new distance learners Dr Megan Kime Inter-Disciplinary Ethics Applied (IDEA)

35. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Student Support & Student-focused Engagement Symposium Staying in Leeds? Leeds as a viable graduate destination Dr Steve Carter Careers Consultant

36. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Why Staying in Leeds? • Context – SDF5 • Student need • The DLHE Dr Steve Carter, Student Support & Student-focused Engagement Symposium

37. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Leeds City Region • The local labour market • ASDA, PwC; large and international employers • Kirk Newsholme, Goodall Brazier; regional employers • SMEs; local employers with a regional reach – less that 250 employers • Main employment sectors • - Finance • - Legal services • - Manufacturing • - Media • - Health technologies • - Retail • - Shared services • - Public sector Dr Steve Carter, Student Support & Student-focused Engagement Symposium

38. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Employer Engagement • Careers Centre Vacancies • 286 in Leeds • 434 in the rest of Yorkshire • Leeds Internship Programme • 25 SME • 20 third sector • 36 University of Leeds (some a year long) • 44 Winter Internships • Careers Fair • - Local Zones Dr Steve Carter, Student Support & Student-focused Engagement Symposium

39. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Student Engagement • Work done so far • 8 general workshops • 4 Leeds Internship Programme • 3 for the ‘Class of ’13 • Still to do! • 3 general workshops • 4 Leeds Internships Programme • 1 Boot Camp • 2 Focus Groups Dr Steve Carter, Student Support & Student-focused Engagement Symposium