UWI Regional Conference on Institutionalising Best Practice in Higher Education 2015 Proceedings

Permanent URI for this collection

https://uwispace.sta.uwi.edu/handle/2139/40084

Browse

Browsing UWI Regional Conference on Institutionalising Best Practice in Higher Education 2015 Proceedings by Subject "Action research"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Assessing value and effectiveness of study abroad and exchange programmes in foreign language degree programmes at the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus
    (2015-07-15) Roberts, Nicole
    As study abroad efforts take on increased importance globally, it is vital that we use the resources of the academy to research the impact and effectiveness of these programmes (Lederman, 2007). For this paper, action research was used to assess all aspects of the varied exchange (EXC) programmes and study abroad (SA) programmes that exist at The University of the West Indies (UWI), St. Augustine Campus. Data were collected from among students in the French and Spanish programmes. While many students lauded the broad intentions of the programmes, it was found that the impact of these international experiences on student learning has not to date been assessed with an aim to making interventions in the varied programmes. The study seeks to assess the academic benefit of the programmes while at the same time assess the value-added aspects of the programmes. As Vande Berg indicates, to simply send students to a location abroad for academic study is not sufficient toward facilitating the larger goal of creating effective global citizenship. Findings from this research lend empirical support to the notion that study abroad and exchange programmes at all levels facilitate the creation of global citizens. Additionally, it must be noted that it is not enough to send students to study abroad without intentional pedagogy focused on outcomes of intercultural effectiveness.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Exploiting asynchronous delivery at the tertiary level: Transitioning from the traditional to the flipped model
    (2015-07-15) Keith, Lyn R.
    In recent years, educators, particularly those within the tertiary level landscape, have been subject to criticisms for their apparent inability to effectively educate students; in particular, their failure to explore the potential of technology. These criticisms have generated even more concern as the educational landscape is characterized by the inclusion of information communication technologies and their potential to facilitate digital learning. The asynchronous or Location Independent Learning (LIL) is a student-centred mode of delivery which posits the idea that students learn the same material at different times and locations. Compared to the traditional, synchronous mode of delivery, the level of convenience provided by the asynchronous modality provides opportunities for individualized pace and deeper reflection. The "flipped" or "inverted" classroom is proposed as one such way of reaching students, by speaking their digital language while at the same time creating opportunities for the development and harnessing of the critical thinking skills that could allow them to navigate the professional and social world thereafter. Using action research, this study reports on the transition from a partial to fully flipped video classroom format at a tertiary level institution in Trinidad and Tobago, as a potential means to incorporate: 1) an asynchronous component that could allow for more schedule flexibility and appeal to a millennial audience; and 2) a synchronous, interactive face-to-face component that focuses on problem solving, collaboration, crafting, and creating. The primary objectives of this study were to determine students' perception of the flipped classroom as well as to map the progression of learning in both iterations.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Students' attitudes towards research: Applying best practice principles through a student-centred approach
    (2015-07-15) Belgrave, Korah L.; Jules, Janice E.
    Informal observation over the last five years reveals that a number of students in the undergraduate programme in Linguistics at The University of the West Indies (UWI) Cave Hill Campus demonstrate negative attitudes towards courses that require them to learn and participate in the research process. Hence, this paper presents an analysis of the attitudes of undergraduate linguistics students at the Cave Hill Campus towards research in order to determine students' perception of the use of student-centred principles associated with best practices during instruction in the courses with research activities: LING2302: Sociolinguistics, LING3202: Creole Linguistics, and LING2099: Research Methods in Linguistics, and the implications of these findings for the teaching/learning process. Through an action research design, information was collected from a purposive sample comprising Level 2 and 3 students in the linguistics undergraduate programme. Accordingly, qualitative data gathered from a questionnaire and from a focus group provide a description of students' orientation towards research. There is also analysis of students' perceptions of the extent to which the course content addresses their research needs and caters to their success in life beyond the classroom. A quantitative component provides some measurement of the dependent variable. The analysis of the results validate the hypothesis that students' perceptions of the functionality of research and its meaningful application to real-life situations results in a positive attitude towards research. Findings suggest that greater focus on student-centred principles of best practice in the courses' research components would enhance the worth and usefulness within a broader world context.g is an element of best practice that can be explored as a means of improving teaching and learning at The UWIOC.