scholarly journals Let’s Chat - A fresh take on the invaluable role of peer-to-peer conversation in student engagement, participation and inclusion

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 107-111
Author(s):  
Rosalind McFarlane ◽  
Marta Spes-Skrbis ◽  
Anne Taib
Keyword(s):  
Intercultural Communication ◽  
Sense Of Belonging ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Peer To Peer ◽  
Student Feedback ◽  
First Year ◽  
Spoken English ◽  
Current Trends ◽  
Peer Conversation

This session reports on Monash University’s recently developed Let’s Chat program, delivered at three campuses as a modularised, peer learning opportunity for students from first year to PhD. Involving 3,591 student participants and facilitators in 2015 and 2016, the program responds directly to student feedback and recommendations. Let’s Chat maximises opportunities for peer-to-peer interaction with the aim of increasing participants’ confidence and competence in spoken English and intercultural communication. Informed by current trends in student-centred and peer-assisted learning theory, TESOL and intercultural communication, Let’s Chat is quickly establishing itself as an effective approach to supporting student participation, engagement and sense of belonging in diverse teaching and learning contexts and communities. The session presents a snapshot of the genesis of the program; an evaluation of its implementation; and a summary of emerging outcomes. The session also engages participants in a conversation about how this model might be replicated in other settings.

scholarly journals Educating critically about language and intercultural communication: What and who is at stake?

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 153-178
Author(s):  
Chantal Crozet ◽  
Kerry Mullan ◽  
Jing Qi ◽  
Masoud Kianpour
Keyword(s):  
Intercultural Communication ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Teaching Staff ◽  
First Year ◽  
Communication Education ◽  
Critical Perspective ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Perspective Theory ◽  
Informal Feedback

This paper reflects on the literature on Critical Language and Intercultural Communication Education in light of learnings gained from designing and delivering a course titled ‘Intercultural Communication’ over four years to large cohorts of first-year tertiary students in Australia. It is based on a qualitative research project which involves the analysis of two sets of data: a) ethnographic notes from teaching staff meetings, tutors’ interviews, and tutorial observation, and b) student formal and informal feedback surveys as well as focus group discussions. The paper explores what and who is at stake when teaching and learning about language and intercultural communication from a critical perspective. It unveils from a praxis perspective (theory informed by practice and vice versa) the deeply political and ethical level of engagement that is required of teachers, the kind of metalinguistic and metacultural knowledge, as well as the kind of disposition towards critical thinking and reflexivity, that are called for when teaching and learning in this domain in an Australian tertiary environment.

scholarly journals Procepts and proceptual solutions in undergraduate mathematics 

Pythagoras ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 0 (72) ◽  
Author(s):  
Inderasan Naidoo ◽  
Belinda Huntley
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Applied Mathematics ◽  
First Year ◽  
Undergraduate Mathematics ◽  
Undergraduate Level ◽  
Mathematical Problems ◽  
Mathematics Teaching And Learning ◽  
Traditional Manner

This paper explores and promotes the notion of ‘procept’ in an undergraduate mathematics course in Linear Algebra for first year pure and engineering students. On the basis of students’ preference for procedural to conceptual solutions to mathematical problems, this paper augments the role of certain concepts in pure and applied mathematics, particularly in the problem‐solving approaches at the undergraduate level by providing novel solutions to problems solved in the usual traditional manner. The development of the concept of ‘procept’ and its applicability to mathematics teaching and learning is important to mathematics education research and tertiary pure and applied mathematics didactics in South Africa, welcoming the amalgamation of the theories developed at pre‐tertiary level mathematics with theorems and proof at the undergraduate level.

scholarly journals Reticence in Chinese EFL Students at Varied Proficiency Levels

2009 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meihua Liu ◽  
Jane Jackson
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Interpersonal Communication ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
First Year ◽  
Speech Communication ◽  
Proficiency Levels ◽  
Spoken English ◽  
Teachers And Students

Reticence in foreign language classes has long been a challenge for both teachers and students. With the advent of globalization, there is a pressing need for EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teachers to help reticent students develop the skills and confidence needed to take an active role in oral English lessons. This article reports on a study of reticence in EFL classrooms in a key university in Beijing. Five hundred, forty-seven first-year non-English majors with three proficiency levels answered a 124-item questionnaire with 20 items on reticence. In addition, one class from each proficiency group was selected for a more focused investigation of reticence and participation in oral EFL lessons. As well as the survey, data gathered during the 14-week term included reflective journals, videotaped observations, and interviews. Analyses of the data revealed that (a) the students were willing to communicate with their peers in English in class and considered speech communication valuable; the more proficient were most positive about interpersonal communication and the most willing to engage in interaction; (b) all the students, irrespective of proficiency level, were the most active during pair work and the least active when responding to teachers’ questions; the more proficient students tended to be the most active in all classroom activities; and (c) with increased exposure to spoken English and more familiarity with the English-learning environment, students at all proficiency levels became (more) active in class. Based on the findings, pedagogical implications are discussed with the aim of enhancing the teaching and learning of spoken English in foreign-language contexts.

scholarly journals The Role of Applied Mechanics in Bridging the Gaps in Prior Learning for Aspirants of Engineering Education

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 626
Author(s):  
Sarat Singamneni
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Education ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
University Education ◽  
First Year ◽  
Applied Mechanics ◽  
Prior Learning ◽  
Scientific Rigor ◽  
Teaching Pedagogies

Building a technology-driven world appears to be the main motivational force behind students choosing to undertake engineering studies. The first year of engineering education plays a significant role in demonstrating sufficient mathematical and scientific rigor to satisfy these motivational factors. The common applied mechanics courses play a central role in achieving this. At the same time, a vast majority of students suffer from a lack of the necessary mathematical skills and analytical orientation for various reasons. Due to different educational philosophies and teaching pedagogies, a lack of proper integration between mathematics and applied mechanics is common. Several efforts were made to build better curriculum, teaching, and learning systems, resulting in widely varied solutions, but most of them require drastically different implementation approaches. With sufficient rigor in teaching and assessment, the first-year applied mechanics (common) courses designed for engineering students can solve students’ mathematical and motivational lapses and help bridge the gaps between pre-university and university education endeavours. This paper presents evidence supporting this argument. In particular, datasets collected from the direct experiences delivering the first-year static and dynamics courses to many students over the past decade and a half are analysed to establish the proposition.

Evaluating an instruction program with various assessment measures

2014 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah R. Gewirtz
Keyword(s):  
Teaching Effectiveness ◽  
Student Assessment ◽  
Peer Feedback ◽  
Peer To Peer ◽  
Student Feedback ◽  
Learning Goals ◽  
First Year ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Self Reflection ◽  
Learning And Teaching

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to demonstrate how the author's library was able to enhance the collaborative learning and teaching environment, with secondary goals to improve teaching effectiveness and increase sharing among librarians of ideas and techniques used in first-year student sessions. Design/methodology/approach – This paper describes the various measures of assessment (peer-to-peer, student feedback and self-reflection) that the College of St Benedict (CSB) and St John's University (SJU) Libraries implemented in 2011. The methods were used to improve teaching by listening to peers, getting feedback from students, and by also doing self-reflection. Many librarians were able to make changes that were beneficial to their teaching sessions. Findings – The outcome allowed librarians to incorporate new ideas into their own instruction sessions; re-evaluate teaching methods based on student feedback; and, to realize that self-assessment was beneficial. More importantly, it led to the development of Learning Goals for First Year Students. Originality/value – This is a significant contribution to the field of librarianship due to the lack of publications on the observations of peers. Articles about peer-to-peer feedback for librarians whose employment duties entail library instruction were difficult to find. Much of the literature focuses on faculty (who are not librarians) who go through peer-to-peer observations for their tenure files. This article focuses not only on peer-to-peer feedback but student assessment of librarians and self-reflections.

scholarly journals The Role of Blended Learning Technologies in Enhancing Student Engagement in Theory Dominant Subjects

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 64-69
Author(s):  
Sharmini Gopinathan ◽  
Murali Raman ◽  
Anusuyah Subbarao ◽  
Anisha Haveena Kaur
Keyword(s):  
Student Engagement ◽  
Blended Learning ◽  
Sense Of Belonging ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Equal Opportunity ◽  
Learning Technologies ◽  
Teaching Techniques ◽  
Innovative Teaching ◽  
Postgraduate Students

The application of blended learning in education has seen a steady rise over the years, especially among undergraduate and postgraduate students. Consequently, educators are in a position where they are inclined to select the most appropriate approaches in teaching and learning in order to improve learning among students and to fulfil profession requirements. This paper aims to investigate the role of blended learning technologies in enhancing student engagement in theory dominant subjects. The data attained from respondents were analysed qualitatively. A class of 38 students were observed and trained using blended learning technologies. The results revealed that innovative teaching strategies, gamification, simplified teaching, sense of belonging and equal opportunity does have a significant impact in enhancing student engagement in theory dominant subjects. The results of this study will be valuable and useful in the development of various innovative teaching techniques which are able to attract students throughout the learning process, especially in theory dominant subjects.

scholarly journals Innovative Way to Improve Learning Languange and Cultural Understanding Through Film Background Minangkabau Culture

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 85-91
Author(s):  
Trisna Helda ◽  
Wahyudi Rahmat ◽  
Silvia Marni
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Lesson Plans ◽  
Student Feedback ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Skill Levels ◽  
Language Programs ◽  
Language And Culture ◽  
Classroom Activities ◽  
West Sumatra

This article discusses how films set in Minangkabau culture can be used as an effective platform to enable students to understand Minangkabau culture and the target language. Through films, students broaden their understanding of culture, language, geography, sociolinguistics, socioeconomic, socio-political and educational in Minang society. This article describes how a small number of films set in Minangkabau culture have been used at different skill levels in language programs in schools as one of the local content subjects, especially schools located in West Sumatra with the majority of the Minang community. It also examines the role of films in the teaching and learning process, and how watching films strengthens classroom activities such as discussions, and debates and activities outside the classroom such as interviews and research on topics related to the films. To explore student feedback on this process, there was a discussion about responses to watching the film. It is proposed that three main issues need to be considered: film choice; development of lesson plans; and possible efficiency is obtained by asking students to watch movies. In conclusion, it is argued that the combination of these strategies demonstrates how films set in Minangkabau culture can be used in innovative ways to teach Minang language and culture in West Sumatra. Development of lesson plans; and possible efficiency is obtained by asking students to watch movies.

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