Learning Landscape Transition Projects: 2015-2018

LEARNING LANDSCAPE TRANSITION PROJECTS: 2015-2018

FACULTY ACTIVE LEARNING PROJECTS: 2015/16

LIFE & HEALTH SCIENCES - Pedagogies, Practice and Evaluation of Active Learning, coordinated by Aine McKillop and Melanie Giles

1. Using the Optometry clinic to provide visual difficulties awareness training for student teachers. Dr Julie McClelland & Social Sciences: Jacqueline Lambe & Delores Loughrey, Lesley Doyle

Student teachers are used to working in a variety of environments adapted to suit the various needs of the children, and therefore appreciate that learning outside the traditional classroom setting provides more embedded knowledge than that gained when the teaching space is unchanging. Evidence suggests that when student-centred, active learning approaches are incorporated into teaching, student learning improves. This project aimed to use a different learning space (the Optometry Clinic space) to provide trainee teachers with an understanding of common visual disorders and advice on how they can accommodate the pupils’ visual needs in the classroom. Sessions of the lectures and workshops with two separate groups of trainee teachers were held during 2015/16. These sessions have worked well and received very positive feedback. Full evaluation of the project is currently taking place. Importantly, further funding to extend the project was obtained from the Centre for Continuing and Flexible Education which allowed a group of qualified teachers from the local community to also undertake the training. Feedback was also obtained from this group and the results from the three phases are currently being evaluated and prepared for submission to a pedagogical journal.

2. What impact does the physical learning space have on peer learning? Dr Karen Breslin

This project is assessing the importance of the physical environment in small group teaching. This project aims to help students engage in active learning to encourage positive informal staff and student interaction, and introduce students to the type of peer review that they will undertake when qualified professionals as optometrists. The project is guided by the following research questions: Does the physical environment influence the impact of small group teaching? Can undergraduate students engage with the peer review process? This project took place during Semester 2 (15/16) and will be continuing into 2016/17 academic year. Evaluation of Semester 2 activities is ongoing. 3. Flipped Classroom: a pedagogical model for active learning and increased student engagement Professor Aine McKillop, BSc Hons Human Nutrition Student: Sarah Nally.

This project is investigating the value of the flipped class in the repurposing of class time into a dynamic interactive learning environment where students can inquire about lecture content, test their skills in applying knowledge, and interact with one another. Research Question: how effective is the flipped classroom approach as a student-centred approach to active learning that improves engagement and a deeper understanding of the material? Ethical approval was obtained from the School of Biomedical Sciences Ethics Filter Committee in January 2016. Camtasia was used to record the lecture material. The flipped classroom approach was introduced into a second year module and recorded material provided prior to class. The class time was then re-purposed with a short mini-lecture (10 min); the Turning Point tool (Voting pads) were then used to enhance interactivity and learning (15 min). The turning point tool provided immediate feedback to students on their understanding of the subject; and was also used to obtain student’s views on the flipped classroom approach. The final part of the class time involved an active learning session, discussing clinical case studies. Two questionnaires have now been distributed (pre- and post) to examine (i) the flipped classroom approach as an engaging active learning approach and (ii) to explore the design and use of learning spaces for these activities. Qualitative and quantitative evaluation data are currently being analysed. Preliminary findings have indicated that students (91%) believe they will learn new skills if different teaching methods are used. 91% of students believe case studies are worthwhile; 87% that the recorded lecture was an appropriate length; and 81% that Turning Point provided good feedback on how much they knew. Students were very positive about the flipped classroom approach, 72% agreed that it encourages interaction between students and lecturers. Interestingly, approximately 70% of students agreed that if informal learning spaces/hubs were available they would use them with other students.

4. Using Nearpod to enhance active learning in lectures. Dr Stephen McClean, Dr Paul Hagan

This project aimed to trial the use of Nearpod (www.Nearpod.com) a web based technology which makes the traditional lecture much more interactive. An existing PowerPoint presentation can be uploaded to the administrator area of Nearpod and then interactive elements such as multiple choice questions or polls added. The lecturer then “broadcasts” the lecture to student-owned smart devices within the class which have the free Nearpod app installed. Students gain access to the lecture by input of a code given to them by the lecturer. As the lecturer advances through the presentation (shown via a projector in the lecture theatre but delivered through the Nearpod website) the slides automatically advance on the students’ devices. Interactivity elements are presented as MCQs giving students opportunity to discuss the material with each other and test their own learning by selecting their chosen answer. The lecturer may then give feedback to the class on the answers provided. Nearpod was implemented for the first time in PHA302 in semester 1 2015/16. Ethics for the project was granted in January 2016 and first batch of evaluation questionnaires administered at the start of semester 2 to the PHA302 students. Students commented favourably on the use of Nearpod in their studies especially to promote engagement with the subject matter being delivered and enhance interactivity. The majority of students were happy to use their own electronic devices (smartphones, tablet and laptops) for such activities with a minority expressing concern over problems with connecting to Wi-Fi. For the learning of chemistry and other STEM-related subjects, Nearpod and similar products represent a new class of feature-rich audience response systems that have potential to transform learning though an active and collaborative approach. Dissemination of the project was at the CHERP Conference in January 2016 “Using Nearpod to enhance active learning in lectures”. Further dissemination/demos of Nearpod was given to small groups (2 - 4 colleagues) at the following two events: Faculty Communities of Practice Meeting 12th April 2016, Coleraine; and the Learning Space Design workshop on 19th April 2016 Loughview, Jordanstown. A further presentation was given on Thursday 8th September at the Bioscience Education Summit, University of Bath at on Thurs 8 September 2016.

5. Scaled-up Social Psychology: A move in the right direction? Professor Melanie Giles, Dr Marian McLaughlin, Professor Maurice Stringer, Mr Richard Gamble Richard Gamble and Ms Lesley-Anne Henry Lesley-Anne Henry.

SCALE-UP (Student-centered active learning environments for undergraduate students) is a developing approach with its core aim to design and create a highly ‘co-operative learning environment that encourages students to collaborate with their peers, questioning and teaching one another’. The traditional lecture format for a Social Psychology module will be replaced by 3 hours of activity-based instruction delivered as one teaching block each week for twelve weeks. Each block will comprise activities to test and/or consolidate understanding of preparatory work; a series of 20 minute mini-lectures to introduce new concepts; group and individual activities to clarify understanding and engage students more explicitly with the academic discipline; five minute summaries of sessional activities and; group and individual reflections on learning and group effectiveness. Ethical approval was secured in December 2015. This project has now been completed. The data is being analysed and will be used to inform the final report which should be available by mid-September 2016.

6. Getting the Picture: Technology Enabled VISUAL Active Learning for immunology Dr Victoria McGilligan, Dr Sarah Atkinson The project aimed to investigate the value of using tablet computers in the classroom to facilitate visual and active learning experiences for immunology students to improve understanding of complex immunological pathways and to provide a student centred and alternative learning method in the classroom. The team investigated if tablet computers facilitate active learning of laboratory techniques using virtual lab software to introduce concepts to students and prepare them before and during attendance of practical laboratory classes. This is a Phase 2 Project and therefore the majority of the project will take place during 2016/17 academic year. To date, the tablets needed for this project have been purchased and set-up ready for use in Semester 1 within the Inflammatory and immunological module. The collation and analysis of results is timetabled for week 12 of semester 1. Student-centred learning: Using evidence-based practice to help students manage their learning Prof Mickey Keenan, Dr Steven Gallagher et al. The aim of this proposal is to use what is already known about basic principles of behaviour to design a student-centred, active learning environment in order to enhance the student learning experience in a psychology Statistics class. Teaching statistics has always been problematic and this project will provide a good assessment of this model. In order to achieve this aim Precision Teaching principles will be used that focus on building fluency skills. This is a Phase 2 Project and therefore the project will take place during 2016/17 academic year.

7. Measuring the effectiveness of active learning environments using physiological measures of arousal Dr David Shaw, Dr Christopher McConville Modern learning environments promote collaborative interactive learning which is associated with improved performance. The aim of this project is to measure physiological arousal during learning in a modern learning environment in comparison with learning in a traditional environment by (i) Evaluate the effectiveness of the new teaching rooms in terms of sustained attention measured by arousal and (ii) Relate mood assessments with physiological measurements in the different environments. Physiological arousal is one component of attention and physiological states of arousal are maintained by activity within the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions of the autonomic nervous system. These measures include heart rate (HR) and galvanic skin response (GSR). Despite the development of electrodermal measures much of the research is still done in laboratory settings. With this in mind future research into evaluating active learning environments and how they improve attention and therefore learning would include the use of wearable technology to measure physiological activity. This is a Phase 2 Project and therefore the project will take place during 2016/17 academic year.

8. Staff and student collaborative development of a digital video library of gas permeable contact lens fits to enhance optometry student training Dr Arnold Cochrane The aim of this project is to design, develop and produce a series of short high quality video clips comprising a variety of differing gas permeable contact lens fits which would be used as a case based teaching resource and made available to students as a learning tool through BBLearn and other digital media. Subsequently the resources could form the beginnings of a digital video library that would be made available to Ulster students initially and potentially to other optometry students throughout the UK via collaboration with colleagues in BUCCLE or through an open access platform. The new teaching room on Coleraine campus will be used for case based workshops with student cohort taking OPT303 Contact Lens Practice using the newly created video resources.

During Semester 2 of 2015-16 the staff and student team involved sought to begin the development and production of videos. Whilst the initial session provided excellent small group teaching and learning opportunities, video production was hampered by computer hardware difficulties associated with the Optometry clinic video capture system. Accordingly, it is anticipated that this project will continue with student input on their return through Semester 1 of 2016-17.

ART, DESIGN & BUILT ENVIRONMENT – 2015/16

Collaborative learning strategies in Art & Design, Louise O’Boyle and team

1. ‘Drawing Assigned’ (print and digital publication, website) Staff from across the Faculty of Art, Design & the Built Environment will be invited to submit a drawing brief/activity that they feel is fundamental to developing students drawing skills. The collection would be comprised of briefs/activities from all the discipline areas within the faculty: art, design and architecture. A series of drawing workshops will be held for students, in which some of the drawing activities will be explored. Images of their outcomes, reflections and comments on the process will also be included in the publication. Both print and digital formats of the publication would link to a project website which would collate and archive examples of the drawing outcomes made using the briefs.

2. ‘Space v Place’: Learning Places Photo-book (print publication, website) This visual record of images would be comprised of two sections, each depicting learning places across the institution: the first from the student perspective, the second the staff perspective. Participants (voluntary) would receive information digitally on the project, its focus, aims and required outcomes. But they would not meet or have knowledge of each other until the final launch of the publication.

3. An inclusive approach to the teaching of writing and critical awareness skills in undergraduate programmes This project will evaluate the impact of a ‘SCALE-UP’ (student centred active learning environment for undergraduate programmes) approach to the delivery of writing and critical awareness skills in art and design. A year 0 module will be involved as there are a high number of students (approx. 90) in the group with mixed abilities and some with specific educational needs. The project will use a specifically designed and fitted studio space on the Belfast campus, which accommodates such a teaching approach. A series of learning resources will be created to support and facilitate this approach to learning. The project will also evaluate through a number of measures the impact of delivery and the resources used. Key project questions include: - Are there specific practices or tools established which are, or can be made, transferable across disciplines and levels of study to ensure inclusivity? - Could this be a more effective learning experience for students and effective use of staffing resources in the current financial climate? - The validity of inclusivity (opportunities and challenges) in higher education given the current economic environment, government directives and widening access initiatives: how do we ensure equality for all in their learning?

4. Learning Places Book Art (print and digital publication, website) Following the facilitation of a series of student focus groups and workshops that will investigate the key components perceived as being needed for successful learning. A number of key themes will be identified; these will then form the basis of a brief given to both staff and students in a number of specific discipline areas. The outcomes will then be bound in an innovative manner to create a single book. A print and digital publication will be produced that includes information on the project, its methodology, evaluation from participants and printed replications of the staff and students works.

5. Learning Places Network A series of networking events hosted at Ulster with specific pedagogic focus. These events would include national and international guest speakers and staff workshops. This would create opportunities for genuine engagement with staff in critique and reflection on teaching practices and pedagogical understanding.

6. Learning Places website This website would document all of the projects activities and outcomes. External links and resources from across the sector would also be included as appropriate.

7. ‘Illustration Space' Pat Griffin, Christine Blaney, Jonathan Cummins, Chris Barr plus Designer-in- Residences. The project aims to create an active, work-simulated space to be used by an editorial team comprised of a group of students (from years 1, 2 and 3) and the artists/designers-in- residence (all from the BDes Hons Graphic Design and Illustration course) to create and produce an online magazine: Illustration 2016. The magazine will include selected student work (2015-2016) from the course and interviews with alumni and industry professionals etc. The team will be mentored by industry professionals throughout the process. We aim to create a physical space, which will promote interactions and conversations among students, artists/designers-in-residence, staff and industry professionals, encouraging the sharing of knowledge, skills, ideas and practice. This would be a flexible learning space, multipurpose, including for the hands-on creation of work, informal meetings, formal virtual (Skype) mentoring sessions etc. This is a space where students would also have access to the necessary technology to engage fully in the project. Providing: ³a supportive environment, in which innovative approaches to learning are encouraged, recognised, valued,² by creating an opportunity for students to engage in the use of digital and new technologies and to facilitate new ways of learning through drawing on the knowledge of industry and the wider community.

8. Architectural Technology – student partnership project in Learning Hub Jordanstown, David Comiskey & Gareth Alexander

“Analysing the Impact of Learning Landscapes on the Student Learning Experience” This study aimed to address the wider strategic goal that “learning spaces should be ‘student- centred’ rather than ‘teacher-centred’; have the necessary technology to meet student and subject needs; support pedagogic, multidisciplinary, multimedia formats that engage the student and be flexible, ergonomically comfortable, functional and multi-usable” (Wilson and Randall, 2012). The project will increase awareness of innovative pedagogies and increase engagement with their potential for learning enhancement.

ARTS – 2016/17

1. Learning group improvisation in a site interaction context Giuliano Campo, [email protected], plus students t.b.c., DRA318 Commedia dell’Arte. The teaching will outline the impact of Commedia dell’Arte on European theatre over the centuries, as well as providing a critical theoretical overview of common principles of the art of the performer. Seminar/practical workshops will allow students to engage in structured experiential learning through the practice of formalized forms of training and the preparation of short group performances based on traditional Commedia dell’Arte masks and lazzi. Students will acquire intercultural actor training skills and the ability to design adaptable indoor/outdoor/community context performances as well as to perform in a space located outside the studios or classrooms. Overall, the teaching will explore ways of enhancing learning to engage students more collaboratively. 2. Random Twist: Setting the Stage for Creative Collaboration Designing Authenticity Into Creative Arts and Technologies Learning Environments Courses: BSc Cinematic Arts, BMus Hons Music, BSc Creative Technologies Lead Contact: Victoria McCollum (Lecturer in Cinematic Arts) With a grant of £1500, we propose to construct an open, collaborative creative space in the Foyle Arts Building, one which would enable conversations across subjects and traditional subject boundaries. Cinematic Arts, Creative Technologies and Music are all currently embedded within ‘Random Twist’, a collaboration network developed by, and for staff and students at the School of Creative Arts and Technologies. Given that all three courses operate within this online space, a physical space (and offline manifestation of ‘Random Twist’) would represent the logical conclusion to their online discussions, providing a shared real-world space for students to realise collaborative projects. ‘Random Twist Hub’ will be a creative, interactive, informal and social learning space which would encourage student collaboration beyond their own courses and traditional subject boundaries. The creative opportunities are extensive, and embedding the critical importance of collaboration through creative media-rich projects is everything we hope for within the School.

3. Creative Centres not Call Centres Adrian Hickey, Alan Hook, Helen Jackson Evaluation of interactive multimedia issues in a Learning Lab, aiming to investigate how reconfiguration of spaces shapes learning and application of a range of pedagogic approaches.

SOCIAL SCIENCES – 2016/17

1. Gina Bekker & Amanda Zacharopoulou Active Learning in an interactive Law module The introductory module, Introduction to Law (LAW116) involves a specific skill set that has to be mastered and provides an underpinning for all other modules on the degree. The active learning interventions planned for the module will focus on activities that can be delivered in the workshop component of the module as well we through the use of blended learning and that can also be used outside the classroom to help students develop their understanding and skills (promoting deep learning) rather than simply transmitting information (i.e., supporting surface learning). In addition, the new model will provide opportunities for students to apply and demonstrate what they are learning. Further, the use of blended learning will allow them to receive immediate feedback from peers and/or the lecturer.

2. Rosemary Moreland and team Partnership Working The aim of the project is to develop a set of best practice guidelines for Faculty staff and student representatives, in working together in partnership. Several Schools within the Faculty have developed best practice guidelines for staff, with regard to Staff/Student Consultative Meetings. Whilst these are useful, the university is moving towards a more integrated partnership model of staff/student engagement, which includes but does not restrict staff/student engagement to the formal Staff/Student Consultative Meetings. Feedback from Faculty Student Experience Forums, over the past two years, and discussions which have taken place within the Faculty Student Experience Working Group, have outlined the difficulties which faced by student representatives face, when trying attempting to fulfil the expectations of their UUSU role.

ULSTER BUSINESS SCHOOL – 2016/17

1. Clare McCann and team Using the Bloomberg Professional Service to Provide Opportunities for Applied Research Skills across Business Subject Disciplines. The Bloomberg Professional Service is designed for use in industry, and as an offshoot is applied in the academic setting. The Bloomberg Professional service, through the CME Financial Innovation Lab, helps enhance research practices, and can be used by students from a wide range of disciplines, such as accounting, finance, economics, management and marketing. Through practice of Fink’s (2003) holistic view of active learning this project’s PBL active-learning approach will be evaluated in Finance Subject-discipline modules already using the Bloomberg Professional Service to provide these learning experiences and to then incorporate and evaluate this practice into modules of other Business Subject disciplines.

2. Clare Carruthers and Team Active apps: using content curation apps to facilitate active engagement in flexible learning environments. This project will focus on the use of digital curation apps that can be used in class as part of active learning sessions, to encourage students to bring their own device for learning (BYOD4L) and engage in active learning activities. Four of the project team members have incorporated Flipboard (a content curation app) Learning Seminars over the last academic year (2015-16) aimed at encouraging more active learning so this is an ideal opportunity to expand on that work and generate some evaluation of its impact on student engagement and learning.

3. Mark McCrory and team Rethinking PowerPoint for Active Learning: If we do what we’ve always done, we’ll get what we always got. As the dominant ‘supporting technology’ still used in the Ulster Business School and the University more widely, we believe that rethinking our use of PowerPoint will foster a more active and participative approach to learning. This refreshed approach will then serve as a stronger enabler for other innovative projects and the continued development of the new Learning Landscape for the University.To rethink our use of PowerPoint, we propose to review the current perceptions and use of PowerPoint within teaching practice and learning spaces on a Faculty wide basis from both a lecturer and student perspective, also incorporating analytical data from the Office for Digital Learning (via Andy Jaffrey). Based on this review, as well as the emerging literature, we propose a PowerPoint for Active Learning (PPAL) pilot.

COMPUTING AND ENGINEERING – 2016/17

1. Dr A Hadawey (Principal Investigator), Dr Justin Quinn, Dr Shaun McFadden, students/ Engineering Department/ Static & Dynamic Modules The impact of alerting students to recently uploaded tutorial videos on their engagement with learning The implementation of the suggested TEL project involved filming tutorial sessions, uploading them to the on-line repository known as Blackboard LearnTM (BB). Students were given access to these video files as an extra teaching tool thereby allowing students to review the content at their own pace, as the videos became available. When student logs were uploaded on to the University's portal, they will receive a notification via email, informing them of recently uploaded tutorial/revision videos and also bring to the student's attention the number of students related to their course that are also online. This way, they can post a discussion thread at a time where they are more likely to be answered. Over a 12-week period of teaching (semester 1/2016-2017), constant weekly video tutorial sessions will be uploaded to BB to cover the related weekly topics of the considered module. The video tutorials included recordings of problem solving by hand writing the solutions with complimentary voice instruction.

2. E P Curran, N Ayre, R Sterritt, A N Other 1( student ), A N Other 2(student ) , A N Other 3(student ) Confidence Building – the vital link to Employability Students will be selected to take part in this pilot, taking into account course, gender, and year of entry to give balanced participation. Those who participated in the PSR activity referred to earlier will also be invited to participate. Students will be engaged, for 2 hours per week for 6 weeks, in activities which complement work being undertaken in Professional Development (COM360). The activities are very much learner focussed with student thinking being articulated before staff input happens. To encourage individual thinking and brainstorming, internet access will not be permitted during the problem-solving sessions. Particular care will be taken to manage situations where undiagnosed special needs are suspected. The methodology adopted is similar to the SCRUM approach to software development, where each phase is reviewed taking into account the outcomes of the previous phase.

3. Dr Sandra Moffett, Team Lead, Ms Mairin Nicell, Dr Caitriona Carr Make it Count (MIC) Central to the student-learning experience MIC will underpin its learning and teaching approach with appropriate discipline-specific pedagogic research and scholarship and will utilise appropriate technologies, in support of Ulster’s Learning and Teaching Strategic Aims, MIC will provide a virtual learning landscape to support all SCIS students with focused small group tutorials to enhance learning in a face-to-face setting. Getting to know MIC participants will build meaningful staff/student partnerships. As these relationships deepen over time, shared responsibility for learning is engendered. By providing a supportive environment, in which innovative approaches to learning, teaching and leadership are encouraged, recognised, valued and rewarded. Staff engaged in delivering the MIC project achieve self-satisfaction, resulting in motivated, interested and student-focused academics.

4. Dr Alan Brown, Mr Chris Rea, Dr Bob McMurray

Improving engineering education using research informed active learning methods. A small team of students will be recruited in September 2016 to facilitate the design and delivery of the active learning activities. There will be two modules primarily included. EEE197, Engineering Fundamentals and MEC358: Thermal Fluid Sciences. Engineering Fundamentals was a new module in 201516 and introduced some active learning concepts and runs in first semester in a collaborative-style learning space. It has an enrolment of approximately 250 students at level 4. Thermal Fluid Sciences is a new module in 2016-17 replacing two previous modules and has an enrolment of approximately 80 students. It has previously been run in a traditional lecture and tutorial format. The first semester module will introduce research informed active learning techniques. Due to the nature of the class, the sessions are repeated five times for different student cohorts. It is therefore possible to evaluate the effectiveness of the new active learning methods against the existing teaching methods. The MEC358 module in semester 2 will investigate using the same methods in a more traditional lecture theatre setting, as literature suggests that it is still possible to use active learning methods in this environment (Deslauriers et al 2011).

ULSTER ACTIVE LEARNING CLASSROOMS (ALC)

Digital Classroom, Active Learning Studio Belfast

250 staff attended Academic development workshops, demonstrations and technical specification for ALS design and development; JISC Digital Classroom workshop; Flipping the Classroom; Capture and Streaming using Relay and Sharestream; Developing Short course solutions.

Design and development of Active Learning Classrooms

Student and staff feedback on reconfigured classroom layout, learning approaches and learning gain in Active Learning Classroom project where classrooms were reconfigures in selected classrooms in Jordanstown, Coleraine and Magee.

Professional Development Workshops informing dialogue on Active Learning pedagogies for collaborative and dialogic learning across faculty and subject contexts.

DH/Sept 16