The Vanguard Courses at the CSE at the University of Edinburgh a model for promoting responsible lea

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The Vanguard Courses at the CSE at the University
of Edinburgh a model for promoting responsible
learning?

• Daniela Gachago
• College of Science and Engineering,
• University of Edinburgh
• September 2007

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Change in student population

• Diverse backgrounds 47 Scots, 37 other UK, 10
  international students
• Positive discrimination towards state schools
  (The Sunday Times, 5th of August 2007)
• App. 1500 students with disabilities, about 50
  with learning difficulties
• 11-13 of UG are mature students
• Many do paid work during semester (app. 50)
• Sources University 2005/2006 annual report,
  Higher Education Statistics Agency 2004-2005
  data, Equal opportunities technical advisory
  group forth report 2003-2004 data, disability
  office website)

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Changing expectations of students and employers

• University education as preparation for working
  life
• Frequent changes of job
• Occasional changes of direction
• Emphasis on adaptability
• Our graduates as managers of their own personal
  development

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CSE Learning and Teaching Strategy (LTS)

• Focus on Learning and Teaching in a research-led
  University
• Rationale change of expectations of students and
  staff
• LTS working group set up in 2004
• Strategy approved in 2005
• Model to implement strategy Vanguard Course
  Initiative

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Focus on Responsible Learning

• Establishing greater student self-responsibility
  for learning.
• Diminishing cultures in which student
  participation is scrutinized.
• Providing students with guidance, understanding
  and support that allow them to have a
  self-awareness of their own progression
  throughout the duration of a course.
• Structuring course assignments, exercises and
  materials such that self-learning is actively
  promoted and that self-review and self-appraisal
  is central to the learning ethos of courses.
• Assessment enables a sense of learning
  progression, not solely measurement of competence
  or a self-fulfilling focus for attainment.

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Vanguard Courses

• Existing courses, which volunteer to review their
  TLA strategies
• Involves whole course team
• 2006/2007 12 courses, 6 schools
• Resources The LTS should not be allowed to lead
  to long-term increases in costs. That is, any
  investment in one area should be balanced by a
  reduction in resources elsewhere.
• Support educational developer, eLearning advisor
  Multimedia Specialist
• Evaluation quantitative qualitative by TLA

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Vanguard Courses 2006/2007

• Biological Sciences Molecules and Cells
• Biological Sciences Origin and Diversity of Life
  
• Chemistry 1A
• Chemistry 1B
• Electrical Engineering 1
• Informatics 1A
• Applicable Mathematics 1
• Mathematical Methods 1
• Applicable Mathematics 2
• Mathematical Methods 2
• Physics 1A
• Physics 1B

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Vanguard Course Principles

• Assessment
• Progression and excellence
• Self assessment
• Assessment and the curriculum
• Modes of Learning
• Empowerment of students
• Interactive/collaborative learning
• Student support
• The professional student
• Pastoral care

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Use of Clickers
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Empowermentthrough provision of choice

• Additional online content
• Choice lectures/independent study
• Podcasts
• No attendance taken

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Collaborative problem solving in new teaching
studios
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The professional student

• Study skill support in tutorials
• Roles of a chemist in introductory lecture
• Bunsen learner study skills and advice site
• Study skills podcasts
• Self-directed practical programming task

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Preliminary results (quantitative)

• All dimensions of students perceptions of the
  course related to their engagement in responsible
  learning, particularly students perceptions of
  assessment and feedback
• Slightly lower rating of responsible learning at
  the end of semester as compared to beginning of
  semester
• In general positive picture of courses, apart
  from choice and openness (first year courses
  dont provide much choice in general)

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Lesson learnt

• The nature of change
• significant change involves a certain amount of
  ambiguity, ambivalence and uncertainty for the
  individualany collective change will involve
  conflicteffective change takes time (John
  Gilbert, 2004)
• Mixed results
• Perception of top-down initiative, pedagogical
  blurb
• Extra work
• Right timing course review meetings
• Involvement of whole course team necessary
• Easy to revert to old situation if changes dont
  yield expected results
• Provision of exclusivity and inclusivity
• Ideally it should be fun!

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Thank you!

• More information on http//www.scieng.ed.ac.uk/LTS
  trategy/index.html