Sunday, 16 December 2012
The Great Gatsby comes to life with some journalistic licence!
One of the novels that some of our Higher English classes study is 'The Great Gatsby' by F. Scott Fitzgerald and students are encouraged to write short mock newspaper / magazine articles relating to issues within the text. This helps the authours and their peers to contextualise the various storylines woven throughout the book. Illustrated below are some examples of how the students have interpreted various themes and as can be seen quite clearly, the information is visual, informative, fun and acts as a helpful aide memoire throughout the academic year.
Reflective and participatory learning
The Communication and English teaching team are committed to reflective learning practices and one of the methods used in our teaching is to ask our learners to think about challenges ahead. Below are some posters made up from comments raised by our students on the Higher English stream. The posters are placed outside the classroom where they are familiar and are often seen looking at them prior to their weekly classes. A similar exercise is carried out at the mid and end point of the Programme.
Wednesday, 12 December 2012
Dragons fired up by student business plans
Following on from the great success of last year's Dragons' Den student projects, highlighted at the following link: http://www.candeatsce.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/students-impress-all-five-dragons-with.html, the 2012-13 Introduction to Business cohort arguably raised the bar further this year.
The students have been working closely with Mark Hetherington (Communication), Carole Paterson (Teaching Fellow and Marketing and Business) and John McLachlan (Numeracy and IT) since early September in a project based collaboration.
The success of the project lies with the lecturing staff being specialists in their areas, a willingness by lecturers and students to work harmoniously in addition to the delivery of a wide range of classroom activities. These factors are recognised fully by the students in their feedback.
This year eleven students presented on the day, on the unusual date of 12/12/12 with the lecturer feedback commencing at 12:12!
The premise of the project is for students to demonstrate what they have learned in the respective academic disciplines, such as Market Research, Marketing principles, oral presentation delivery, spreadsheet applications, critical analysis, evaluative and reflective commentary, advanced PowerPoint use amongst many other helpful skills besides.
The Business Plans constructed this year included diverse ideas such as 'Locks Around The Clock', a 24/7 locksmiths proposal, 'Wash While You Work', a company designed to look after client vehicles whilst at work, 'What 2 Wear', a personal shopping / consultancy to help a diverse range of shoppers select appropriate clothing and 'Car-a-Van', a vehicle rental company.
The three winning pitches selected by the Dragons on the day were a florist service called 'Magnolia', a retro music / entertainment company called 'Entertainment Central' and an innovative new bar concept called 'Bar Central.' Each pitch had the 'wow factor' and combined excellent business acumen, strong presentation skills, appreciation of figures as well as some exciting PowerPoint delivery.
The import of formality was addressed in the teaching of Communication and all students attended in appropriate dress on the day, as did the lecturing staff which the students particularly enjoyed.
In the feedback session each student was given the opportunity to say a few words. Fabio said "I was really happy to have been picked for the course and have learned so much and just want to thank the lecturing staff as well as the students in the class for making this an incredible experience." Magda followed on by saying "at first I was unsure about how the class would go for me as I didn't know anybody but I have really enjoyed studying on the Programme and hope to get onto the next course so that I can progress my learning." Finally Kyle noted "I have developed lots of skills doing the Dragons' Den project and the most obvious one has been my improved confidence."
The Dragons echoed the sentiments of the students and noted the industrious application shown by all class members, the cohesive nature of the group and the high standards of work shown across many subjects.
The all morning session was concluded with a short prizegiving ceremony and some drinks and nibbles. The photos and the slides from one of the winning pitches can be seen below. In the words of Duncan Bannatyne, "I'm owt!"
The students have been working closely with Mark Hetherington (Communication), Carole Paterson (Teaching Fellow and Marketing and Business) and John McLachlan (Numeracy and IT) since early September in a project based collaboration.
The success of the project lies with the lecturing staff being specialists in their areas, a willingness by lecturers and students to work harmoniously in addition to the delivery of a wide range of classroom activities. These factors are recognised fully by the students in their feedback.
This year eleven students presented on the day, on the unusual date of 12/12/12 with the lecturer feedback commencing at 12:12!
The premise of the project is for students to demonstrate what they have learned in the respective academic disciplines, such as Market Research, Marketing principles, oral presentation delivery, spreadsheet applications, critical analysis, evaluative and reflective commentary, advanced PowerPoint use amongst many other helpful skills besides.
The Business Plans constructed this year included diverse ideas such as 'Locks Around The Clock', a 24/7 locksmiths proposal, 'Wash While You Work', a company designed to look after client vehicles whilst at work, 'What 2 Wear', a personal shopping / consultancy to help a diverse range of shoppers select appropriate clothing and 'Car-a-Van', a vehicle rental company.
The three winning pitches selected by the Dragons on the day were a florist service called 'Magnolia', a retro music / entertainment company called 'Entertainment Central' and an innovative new bar concept called 'Bar Central.' Each pitch had the 'wow factor' and combined excellent business acumen, strong presentation skills, appreciation of figures as well as some exciting PowerPoint delivery.
The import of formality was addressed in the teaching of Communication and all students attended in appropriate dress on the day, as did the lecturing staff which the students particularly enjoyed.
In the feedback session each student was given the opportunity to say a few words. Fabio said "I was really happy to have been picked for the course and have learned so much and just want to thank the lecturing staff as well as the students in the class for making this an incredible experience." Magda followed on by saying "at first I was unsure about how the class would go for me as I didn't know anybody but I have really enjoyed studying on the Programme and hope to get onto the next course so that I can progress my learning." Finally Kyle noted "I have developed lots of skills doing the Dragons' Den project and the most obvious one has been my improved confidence."
The Dragons echoed the sentiments of the students and noted the industrious application shown by all class members, the cohesive nature of the group and the high standards of work shown across many subjects.
The all morning session was concluded with a short prizegiving ceremony and some drinks and nibbles. The photos and the slides from one of the winning pitches can be seen below. In the words of Duncan Bannatyne, "I'm owt!"
Friday, 9 November 2012
2012-13 round-up of Good Practice from the start of semester one, 2012-13
The Communication and English teaching team have been very busy since September 2012 and below is a snapshot of the great work we are currently involved in.
The team are committed to improving the service of delivery and in vocational areas such as HN Legal Services and HN Events Management a few changes to summative assessments have been incorporated. In the case of Legal Services we met with vocational lecturers to improve both the meeting and report writing assessments. It was felt that learners would benefit from choosing a research area from a range of contemporary topics, such as drinking age increase / reduction, chastisement of children and changes to abortion laws.
In the case of the Events Management students, it was felt that the analysis document used in the previous years (on the Summer Olympics) needed to be refreshed and this was replaced with a 2014 Homecoming Scotland report which the students enjoyed critiquing.
We were timetabled to teach HN Travel and Tourism students a different unit this year (Analysing and Presenting Complex Communication) and lecturers have been busy working with lecturers from the home team to assemble vocationally relevant instruments of assessment that learners will enjoy working on. Reports on the Summer Olympics from a European Tour Operator perspective have been utilised, where students examine the (financial) benefits of a large sporting event. The report that students will ultimately produce will be linked to another Unit that they are studying, namely 'Applying Marketing Principles in Travel and Tourism' and will be on a case study for the Madisson Hotel.
HN Retail Management has been another vocational area that has been further developed where the lecturer has formulated excellent formative and summative materials from Guardian articles, journals and industry reports on topics such as the sexualisation of children's clothing, use of planograms in the Dunkin' Donuts retails chain and the issue of children and consumerism has been explored in considerable depth too.
Programmes such as Entry to Education, Preparation for Work and College Preparation Courses enable members of the teaching team to really develop the learner's skills as we don't formally assess students until semester two. In addition to skills such as literacy, working with others, speaking, listening and researching, the theme of Scottishness and national identity has been at the forefront of our teaching this year. A project concerning the subject of 'The Greatest Scot' was put together and has been adapted by lecturers to suit the needs of their respective teaching groups. The content matter of the project is so flexible that students can learn many different skills, including research, reading, understanding, opinion forming, presenting, writing and voting. The results have been really interesting and Scots in the frame have included Fleming, Robert the Bruce, Rabbie Burns, Charles Rennie MacKintosh, Sir Sean Connery and Sir Chris Hoy. Who the greatest Scot actually is of course is not an easy choice!
The team have forged positive links with the Science section in recent years due to the advent of the SusSol project (Sustainable Solutions), a project designed to bring students, staff, learning institutions and countries within the EU together. This year's project is entitled 'Good Food, Good Mood' and Science students have been working on presentations and reports around this subject. The types of projects they self selected are on a wide range of topics, such as: the effects of obesity on the NHS, processed food vs organic food, whether genetically modified food is good for you and can hunger cure? It is likely that one of the members of the lecturing team will be travelling to Rome with some students to deliver a contextual presentation on the benefits of a collegiate and thematically linked project. Learners from across partner organisations within the EU will be given the opportunity to present their findings and engage in a cultural exchange, provisionally pencilled in for 6th February.
The HN Electrical Engineering cohort was a new group of students taught by a member of the teaching team last year with excellent results. The main reason for this was that we were able to integrate work studied within their home team. Regrettably, no such integrative opportunities were available in semester one due to staff shortages in the home team so new assessments had to be devised for the students. The lecturer met with representatives from Electrical Engineering with a proposal for a new brief on the subject of 'renewable energy' that will be linked across two outcomes and students have engaged really well with this subject, demonstrating a keen awareness of the subject.
Students continue to enjoy contributing to yearbooks, magazines, blogs and projects and this continues in the 2012-13 academic session.
Staff are involved in commercial activity too and have recently been awarded a Public Speaking contract for Thomas Cook staff, in addition to the regular Meeting Skills seminars run for employees of both Edinburgh University and the City of Edinburgh Council.
D2L use has stepped up within the team and innovative use has been made across many cohorts within the college. This is an extremely time consuming exercise but the students engage well with this platform. Colleagues are clear that use of the D2L is NOT a substitute for face to face learning.
The team are committed to improving the service of delivery and in vocational areas such as HN Legal Services and HN Events Management a few changes to summative assessments have been incorporated. In the case of Legal Services we met with vocational lecturers to improve both the meeting and report writing assessments. It was felt that learners would benefit from choosing a research area from a range of contemporary topics, such as drinking age increase / reduction, chastisement of children and changes to abortion laws.
In the case of the Events Management students, it was felt that the analysis document used in the previous years (on the Summer Olympics) needed to be refreshed and this was replaced with a 2014 Homecoming Scotland report which the students enjoyed critiquing.
We were timetabled to teach HN Travel and Tourism students a different unit this year (Analysing and Presenting Complex Communication) and lecturers have been busy working with lecturers from the home team to assemble vocationally relevant instruments of assessment that learners will enjoy working on. Reports on the Summer Olympics from a European Tour Operator perspective have been utilised, where students examine the (financial) benefits of a large sporting event. The report that students will ultimately produce will be linked to another Unit that they are studying, namely 'Applying Marketing Principles in Travel and Tourism' and will be on a case study for the Madisson Hotel.
HN Retail Management has been another vocational area that has been further developed where the lecturer has formulated excellent formative and summative materials from Guardian articles, journals and industry reports on topics such as the sexualisation of children's clothing, use of planograms in the Dunkin' Donuts retails chain and the issue of children and consumerism has been explored in considerable depth too.
Programmes such as Entry to Education, Preparation for Work and College Preparation Courses enable members of the teaching team to really develop the learner's skills as we don't formally assess students until semester two. In addition to skills such as literacy, working with others, speaking, listening and researching, the theme of Scottishness and national identity has been at the forefront of our teaching this year. A project concerning the subject of 'The Greatest Scot' was put together and has been adapted by lecturers to suit the needs of their respective teaching groups. The content matter of the project is so flexible that students can learn many different skills, including research, reading, understanding, opinion forming, presenting, writing and voting. The results have been really interesting and Scots in the frame have included Fleming, Robert the Bruce, Rabbie Burns, Charles Rennie MacKintosh, Sir Sean Connery and Sir Chris Hoy. Who the greatest Scot actually is of course is not an easy choice!
The team have forged positive links with the Science section in recent years due to the advent of the SusSol project (Sustainable Solutions), a project designed to bring students, staff, learning institutions and countries within the EU together. This year's project is entitled 'Good Food, Good Mood' and Science students have been working on presentations and reports around this subject. The types of projects they self selected are on a wide range of topics, such as: the effects of obesity on the NHS, processed food vs organic food, whether genetically modified food is good for you and can hunger cure? It is likely that one of the members of the lecturing team will be travelling to Rome with some students to deliver a contextual presentation on the benefits of a collegiate and thematically linked project. Learners from across partner organisations within the EU will be given the opportunity to present their findings and engage in a cultural exchange, provisionally pencilled in for 6th February.
The HN Electrical Engineering cohort was a new group of students taught by a member of the teaching team last year with excellent results. The main reason for this was that we were able to integrate work studied within their home team. Regrettably, no such integrative opportunities were available in semester one due to staff shortages in the home team so new assessments had to be devised for the students. The lecturer met with representatives from Electrical Engineering with a proposal for a new brief on the subject of 'renewable energy' that will be linked across two outcomes and students have engaged really well with this subject, demonstrating a keen awareness of the subject.
Students continue to enjoy contributing to yearbooks, magazines, blogs and projects and this continues in the 2012-13 academic session.
Staff are involved in commercial activity too and have recently been awarded a Public Speaking contract for Thomas Cook staff, in addition to the regular Meeting Skills seminars run for employees of both Edinburgh University and the City of Edinburgh Council.
D2L use has stepped up within the team and innovative use has been made across many cohorts within the college. This is an extremely time consuming exercise but the students engage well with this platform. Colleagues are clear that use of the D2L is NOT a substitute for face to face learning.
Monday, 21 May 2012
Student Feedback, semester two 2012
The teaching team are committed to consolidating, strengthening and improving delivery within the Communication and English curriculum. What follows is information from end of unit subject evaluation questionnaires, e mails, cards etc.
The comments are put into four sections: What did you hope to gain from the subject? To what extent did the teaching fulfil these expectations? What was the best aspect of the unit? and Is there anything you would like to see changed?
What did you hope to gain from the subject?
A chance to discuss and hear the opinions of others and the opportunity to articulate my own thoughts.
I wanted to learn from other students in how they think and work in class.
I wanted to develop my oral presentation skills as that is something I had very little experience of.
I also wanted to develop skills necessary to look at texts critically and positively.
To have better writing and listening skills that would help me in university.
To develop a wide range of communication skills, to develop listening skills as well as skills necessary for life at university.
I wanted to consolidate my sketchy self-taught PowerPoint skills, but mainly needed reinforcement that my written work was at a level ready, or nearly ready, for university study.
I wanted to develop my analytical skills.
I wanted to improve my time management skills as well as gain knowledge.
As a second language English speaker, I wanted to improve my oral and written skills.
I wanted to gain some new friends and impress the lecturer.
Improved confidence and to speak comfortably in front of the class.
At first it was overwhelming to find out the number of assessments over the year and the lecturer made sure that we didn't feel rushed. I wanted to develop my oral skills.
An opportunity to interact with new people, knowing how communication works and about business communication which is where I want to be in my life.
I wanted to get the skills in place so that I could get onto a better course next year.
I wanted to improve my organisational skills and also develop confidence speaking in front of people.
I was unsure how much I would enjoy the unit, having covered a lot of the material beofre in the workplace, but it has been really enjoyable and I have learned lots of new things along the way.
To think with an organised head.
I was afraid that it would be another subject that gave us additional work but giving no knowledge or skills. I was VERY wrong!
To what extent did the teaching fulfil these expectations?
Multiple class discussions and presentations fulfilled this.
I found the classes very practical which is of great importance to me as it gave me a real sense of purpose.
Presentation delivery has given me bundles of confidence and has helped me conduct myself in a structured way.
Completely and beyond! I am amazed at everything we have achieved and I feel more self-assured having taken a course such as this.
The formative work done in the class prepared me well for summative work, especially in presentation skills. The in-depth feedback given was very useful to me as a learner.
I enjoyed every minute of the course which more than matched my initial expectations.
The fact that the subject matter of classes and assessments were interesting helped me to focus well on my studies.
This was my favourite subject because the style of teaching and pace of classes worked so well for me. I have done a Communication unit before at another college and it was so boring. Not so in this class as he involved everybody and was patient with everybody in the class.
It was excellent. Instead of making us jump into the deep end, there was a gradual build-up of group and individual work and that made me a better student at the end I would say.
My spelling has improved as the lecturer guided me through the difference between spell-checking and proofreading.
Good pace in what we were doing. I was ahead of the class quite a bit but was given extra work to stretch me which I appreciated.
Being able to perform a presentation practically which is a new skill for me. Building confidence speaking in front of others.
I wasn't sure what to expect from the unit at first but it was much better than I expected which was really good!
Feedback and self confidence has taught me that I am improving all the time.
I was really nervous at first but practicing all the time on subjects that were of use to us was great.
I can now stand in front of anybody and deliver a talk as I have given quite a few by now and also I know I can demonstrate what I know to a good level.
The lecturer is very enthusiastic, engaging and encouraging.
I will indeed feel better about delivering another talk as I inderstand the importance of STRUCTURE! I did not have any expectations and was very pleasantly surprised.
Very organised lessons. The class always knew when and what was happening each week.
Good use of D2L to give supplementary information and comments on assessments which were positive and helpful for all.
It was really nice of the lecturer to take an interest in huis students.
I dreaded the Presentation Skills in Science class when I first saw it on my timetable and ended up throughly enjoying it! I picked up lots of important skills and realised that in the right hands, this subject isn't all that scary!
I feel that the presentations given by the lecturer who was always showing us things, techniques and ways to improve has really helped me in the subject and I can now present without fear of making a fool of myself.
I have gained lots of confidence in what I do now and don't worry about speaking in front of people.
My expectations were exceeded by 1000% as the unit turned out to be fun, useful and well managaed. It was difficult at times though and this is something that I actually liked!
What was the best aspect of the unit?
Being able to analyse media/articles/video etc and discuss them with classmates.
I particularly enjoyed writing the film review.
The work was divided into clear sections and the lecturer was very clear about when assessments were and what they might entail.
Everything was explained clearly and feedback was quick and plentiful.
The variety of teaching methods and the assessments. They were great!
The lecturer. He is so supportive and knowledgeable. He quickly made us feel comfortable and guided us through the year.
The assessments were geared to what is expected of us at university. I have full confidence now in my abilities to succeed.
I liked the discussions that happened naturally in the class, often prompting some healthy blog banter too!
I really enjoyed putting the yearbook together which came out really well.
I thought the organisation of classes was second to none and the detailed feedback was very helpful to me.
I loved that most, if not all, of the subjects created some discussion and debate in the class. I really liked the discussion assessment as I wasn't sure how it would turn out, but in some ways we could have continued into the afternoon session!
I knew I could go to the lecturer with any problems and help me to the best of his ability.
How to structure and visual a presentation, definitely. I also really enjoyed the listening part as I realise I hear, but don't listen and that I know must change!
I am now able to critically analyse different types of communication: written, oral and listening and I really liked the stimulated discussion and debate. To see yourself improve and gain confidence is a fantastic achievement.
I liked that it wasn't always easy and it made us think.
Lots of help and support given for the presentations with critical feedback galore, on an individual and group basis. I liked that the lecturer gave proper teaching and was presenting all the time and we had confidence in him because of that. He even presented in front of us to be analysed which was amazing!
The variety of different things covered in the class from local newspaper article analysis to one on plagiarism, from film critique to instructional talks and advanced research methodologies to Radio 4 Programmes. What's not to like?!
I really enjoyed analysing a report on debt then having to write one myself using lots of different resources. I think this helped my writing skills immensely.
The teaching methods and the use of D2L was particularly helpful for me as I missed a few classes. The positive comments from the lecturer was a good incentive for me to attend classes and do well for him.
Teacher interaction was always good and the anecdotes helped make sense of some difficult concepts in Business I thought.
I liked the way we could practice things in class and the lecturer gave us example answers to follow.
The feedback from the lecturer was very helpful to me and as a second language student I welcomed his patience with me. I knew where I could improve on my communication for the future.
The formal meeting. I never realised how much planning goes into an effective meeting.
I liked the reading assessment. I was unaware about how to breakdown a piece of writing and now find myself doing this with newspaper articles. Does this make me a geek? Maybe!
The magazine that we did was superb!
I loved the magazine and seeing what my pals had written.
Not only did I like the magazine but my mum did too which showed her what I can produce.
The yearbook and magazine and that we could have an input into the name. The Banter was an inspired name!
I really enjoyed the opportunity to present in the gym hall. It was an experience that I enjoyed and had never done before.
Trying new things out such as being free from PowerPoint, teaching others about how to take successful free kicks.
I really enjoyed the 'Sport Matters' section at the start of classes.
The build-up to presentations can be quite nerve wracking but I am better with controlling nerves now and recognise that structure is really important.
I liked being able to deliver presentations on sports people.
I enjoyed listening to the talks from friends in the class and being able to answer questions.
I really enjoyed the different challenges laid down for us, from delivering talks to analysing and planning talks. There was never a dull moment in the class and the lecturer's knowledge of sport and all things associated with sport was quite staggering at times!
The atmosphere in the class. Everyone was motivated throughout the unit, despite the fact we moved at a fast pace and covered a lot in a relatively short amount of time.
The feedback from the lecturer and the motivation he gave us.
Perhaps the teaching. We all felt organised and encouraged. The class had a terrific atmosphere and the lecturer had an infectious charisma. Keep him for next year!
I loved putting a scientific poster together. The brief was on what we had learned and were researching for our Graded Unit which has helped us greatly.
The approach to the subject. This was relaxed and enjoyable and my favourite part of all was actually giving the presentation. Who would have thought that?!?
I think the lecturer was the best bit as he really worked with all the students and treated everybody the same, regardless of our abilities. He made sure that the less confident ones were supported and gave extra help if needed.
I really enjoyed the proofreading part of the unit as I have never done this before. The lecturer gave out lots of examples in the class and on D2L to give us practice.
The lecturer was able to deal with our fears of presenting in front of an audience. Everything was really well organised and all the objectives were clear.
Doing the scientific poster. We already had the information needed but it was really interesting to put that data into a poster that others could then read and learn from.
Feedback on how I could improve was most important to me. Thank you.
Is there anything you would like to see changed?
I really enjoyed the course but would actually like MORE feedback from the lecturers.
The course was engaging, varied and well organised.
Nothing. This course will prepare us very well for university study and I have gained new confidence, thank you.
I felt the course was structured well so thank you.
Don't change a thing, it works and people like it!
I would have liked the D2L to be used in conjunction with the blog.
I would like to see film reviews from the previous year's group to gain inspiration but the lecturer has agreed to use OURS for next year which is fab!
I didn't actually think the content of the assessments were that stimulating, but credit to the lecturer who was able to bring a fairly dry subject to life with some great banter and clear guidelines for the class.
Better rooms. 120 is dull.
MB 1.23 can get quite warm.
Computers in MB 1.23 don't always work but the lecturer always made sure they were fixed for his class the following week.
Don't change anything. For HN Science students this presentation unit is a useful one to take.
Keep Presentation Skills in Science on the Applied Science HN as these skills are invaluable.
I wish that Presentation Skills in Science was in bith semesters and I would have loved the IT Unit to have been incorporated with this Unit.
I feel that some of the lessons were too long sometimes.
Feedback from students via the blog: http://access1112.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/final-thoughts.html
The comments are put into four sections: What did you hope to gain from the subject? To what extent did the teaching fulfil these expectations? What was the best aspect of the unit? and Is there anything you would like to see changed?
What did you hope to gain from the subject?
A chance to discuss and hear the opinions of others and the opportunity to articulate my own thoughts.
I wanted to learn from other students in how they think and work in class.
I wanted to develop my oral presentation skills as that is something I had very little experience of.
I also wanted to develop skills necessary to look at texts critically and positively.
To have better writing and listening skills that would help me in university.
To develop a wide range of communication skills, to develop listening skills as well as skills necessary for life at university.
I wanted to consolidate my sketchy self-taught PowerPoint skills, but mainly needed reinforcement that my written work was at a level ready, or nearly ready, for university study.
I wanted to develop my analytical skills.
I wanted to improve my time management skills as well as gain knowledge.
As a second language English speaker, I wanted to improve my oral and written skills.
I wanted to gain some new friends and impress the lecturer.
Improved confidence and to speak comfortably in front of the class.
At first it was overwhelming to find out the number of assessments over the year and the lecturer made sure that we didn't feel rushed. I wanted to develop my oral skills.
An opportunity to interact with new people, knowing how communication works and about business communication which is where I want to be in my life.
I wanted to get the skills in place so that I could get onto a better course next year.
I wanted to improve my organisational skills and also develop confidence speaking in front of people.
I was unsure how much I would enjoy the unit, having covered a lot of the material beofre in the workplace, but it has been really enjoyable and I have learned lots of new things along the way.
To think with an organised head.
I was afraid that it would be another subject that gave us additional work but giving no knowledge or skills. I was VERY wrong!
To what extent did the teaching fulfil these expectations?
Multiple class discussions and presentations fulfilled this.
I found the classes very practical which is of great importance to me as it gave me a real sense of purpose.
Presentation delivery has given me bundles of confidence and has helped me conduct myself in a structured way.
Completely and beyond! I am amazed at everything we have achieved and I feel more self-assured having taken a course such as this.
The formative work done in the class prepared me well for summative work, especially in presentation skills. The in-depth feedback given was very useful to me as a learner.
I enjoyed every minute of the course which more than matched my initial expectations.
The fact that the subject matter of classes and assessments were interesting helped me to focus well on my studies.
This was my favourite subject because the style of teaching and pace of classes worked so well for me. I have done a Communication unit before at another college and it was so boring. Not so in this class as he involved everybody and was patient with everybody in the class.
It was excellent. Instead of making us jump into the deep end, there was a gradual build-up of group and individual work and that made me a better student at the end I would say.
My spelling has improved as the lecturer guided me through the difference between spell-checking and proofreading.
Good pace in what we were doing. I was ahead of the class quite a bit but was given extra work to stretch me which I appreciated.
Being able to perform a presentation practically which is a new skill for me. Building confidence speaking in front of others.
I wasn't sure what to expect from the unit at first but it was much better than I expected which was really good!
Feedback and self confidence has taught me that I am improving all the time.
I was really nervous at first but practicing all the time on subjects that were of use to us was great.
I can now stand in front of anybody and deliver a talk as I have given quite a few by now and also I know I can demonstrate what I know to a good level.
The lecturer is very enthusiastic, engaging and encouraging.
I will indeed feel better about delivering another talk as I inderstand the importance of STRUCTURE! I did not have any expectations and was very pleasantly surprised.
Very organised lessons. The class always knew when and what was happening each week.
Good use of D2L to give supplementary information and comments on assessments which were positive and helpful for all.
It was really nice of the lecturer to take an interest in huis students.
I dreaded the Presentation Skills in Science class when I first saw it on my timetable and ended up throughly enjoying it! I picked up lots of important skills and realised that in the right hands, this subject isn't all that scary!
I feel that the presentations given by the lecturer who was always showing us things, techniques and ways to improve has really helped me in the subject and I can now present without fear of making a fool of myself.
I have gained lots of confidence in what I do now and don't worry about speaking in front of people.
My expectations were exceeded by 1000% as the unit turned out to be fun, useful and well managaed. It was difficult at times though and this is something that I actually liked!
What was the best aspect of the unit?
Being able to analyse media/articles/video etc and discuss them with classmates.
I particularly enjoyed writing the film review.
The work was divided into clear sections and the lecturer was very clear about when assessments were and what they might entail.
Everything was explained clearly and feedback was quick and plentiful.
The variety of teaching methods and the assessments. They were great!
The lecturer. He is so supportive and knowledgeable. He quickly made us feel comfortable and guided us through the year.
The assessments were geared to what is expected of us at university. I have full confidence now in my abilities to succeed.
I liked the discussions that happened naturally in the class, often prompting some healthy blog banter too!
I really enjoyed putting the yearbook together which came out really well.
I thought the organisation of classes was second to none and the detailed feedback was very helpful to me.
I loved that most, if not all, of the subjects created some discussion and debate in the class. I really liked the discussion assessment as I wasn't sure how it would turn out, but in some ways we could have continued into the afternoon session!
I knew I could go to the lecturer with any problems and help me to the best of his ability.
How to structure and visual a presentation, definitely. I also really enjoyed the listening part as I realise I hear, but don't listen and that I know must change!
I am now able to critically analyse different types of communication: written, oral and listening and I really liked the stimulated discussion and debate. To see yourself improve and gain confidence is a fantastic achievement.
I liked that it wasn't always easy and it made us think.
Lots of help and support given for the presentations with critical feedback galore, on an individual and group basis. I liked that the lecturer gave proper teaching and was presenting all the time and we had confidence in him because of that. He even presented in front of us to be analysed which was amazing!
The variety of different things covered in the class from local newspaper article analysis to one on plagiarism, from film critique to instructional talks and advanced research methodologies to Radio 4 Programmes. What's not to like?!
I really enjoyed analysing a report on debt then having to write one myself using lots of different resources. I think this helped my writing skills immensely.
The teaching methods and the use of D2L was particularly helpful for me as I missed a few classes. The positive comments from the lecturer was a good incentive for me to attend classes and do well for him.
Teacher interaction was always good and the anecdotes helped make sense of some difficult concepts in Business I thought.
I liked the way we could practice things in class and the lecturer gave us example answers to follow.
The feedback from the lecturer was very helpful to me and as a second language student I welcomed his patience with me. I knew where I could improve on my communication for the future.
The formal meeting. I never realised how much planning goes into an effective meeting.
I liked the reading assessment. I was unaware about how to breakdown a piece of writing and now find myself doing this with newspaper articles. Does this make me a geek? Maybe!
The magazine that we did was superb!
I loved the magazine and seeing what my pals had written.
Not only did I like the magazine but my mum did too which showed her what I can produce.
The yearbook and magazine and that we could have an input into the name. The Banter was an inspired name!
I really enjoyed the opportunity to present in the gym hall. It was an experience that I enjoyed and had never done before.
Trying new things out such as being free from PowerPoint, teaching others about how to take successful free kicks.
I really enjoyed the 'Sport Matters' section at the start of classes.
The build-up to presentations can be quite nerve wracking but I am better with controlling nerves now and recognise that structure is really important.
I liked being able to deliver presentations on sports people.
I enjoyed listening to the talks from friends in the class and being able to answer questions.
I really enjoyed the different challenges laid down for us, from delivering talks to analysing and planning talks. There was never a dull moment in the class and the lecturer's knowledge of sport and all things associated with sport was quite staggering at times!
The atmosphere in the class. Everyone was motivated throughout the unit, despite the fact we moved at a fast pace and covered a lot in a relatively short amount of time.
The feedback from the lecturer and the motivation he gave us.
Perhaps the teaching. We all felt organised and encouraged. The class had a terrific atmosphere and the lecturer had an infectious charisma. Keep him for next year!
I loved putting a scientific poster together. The brief was on what we had learned and were researching for our Graded Unit which has helped us greatly.
The approach to the subject. This was relaxed and enjoyable and my favourite part of all was actually giving the presentation. Who would have thought that?!?
I think the lecturer was the best bit as he really worked with all the students and treated everybody the same, regardless of our abilities. He made sure that the less confident ones were supported and gave extra help if needed.
I really enjoyed the proofreading part of the unit as I have never done this before. The lecturer gave out lots of examples in the class and on D2L to give us practice.
The lecturer was able to deal with our fears of presenting in front of an audience. Everything was really well organised and all the objectives were clear.
Doing the scientific poster. We already had the information needed but it was really interesting to put that data into a poster that others could then read and learn from.
Feedback on how I could improve was most important to me. Thank you.
Is there anything you would like to see changed?
I really enjoyed the course but would actually like MORE feedback from the lecturers.
The course was engaging, varied and well organised.
Nothing. This course will prepare us very well for university study and I have gained new confidence, thank you.
I felt the course was structured well so thank you.
Don't change a thing, it works and people like it!
I would have liked the D2L to be used in conjunction with the blog.
I would like to see film reviews from the previous year's group to gain inspiration but the lecturer has agreed to use OURS for next year which is fab!
I didn't actually think the content of the assessments were that stimulating, but credit to the lecturer who was able to bring a fairly dry subject to life with some great banter and clear guidelines for the class.
Better rooms. 120 is dull.
MB 1.23 can get quite warm.
Computers in MB 1.23 don't always work but the lecturer always made sure they were fixed for his class the following week.
Don't change anything. For HN Science students this presentation unit is a useful one to take.
Keep Presentation Skills in Science on the Applied Science HN as these skills are invaluable.
I wish that Presentation Skills in Science was in bith semesters and I would have loved the IT Unit to have been incorporated with this Unit.
I feel that some of the lessons were too long sometimes.
Feedback from students via the blog: http://access1112.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/final-thoughts.html
#2.
I entered the course very late, and as a result, the very first time I met anyone was in a communications class. And I made an arse of myself. I didn't print my name on the register. I had never been seen before, went to the classroom very early and managed to single myself out as an incompetent that couldn't follow basic instructions, all before 9am!
I really had no idea what to expect from either the course or my soon to be classmates. Then I learned of the '13 assessments', I wondered if I had made the right choice. Just how much did I want to go to university?
Then came the rules about tardiness, everyone was scared of being late for communications, the classes were always fully attended and it was one of the few lessons that allowed people to really get to know one another.
Personally, I hated the group work, more of an 'independent learner', I think that's the term that's used!
As the lessons progressed through the year though, the detailed feedback given after every one of the 13 assessments was really encouraging, and always helpful. These were the classes that allowed me to work alone at my own pace to a certain degree and be as creative (or not) with my answers, allowing me to retain my own style throughout. Super.
As for the often dreaded presentations, well, they had never really bothered me. I can't say that I enjoy them necessarily, but I feel a lot more confident in my Power Point skills now to the extent that I am going to use them in my Spanish oral - and why on earth not use the skills we've been taught on this course? I believe the university delights in watching students squirm through presentations and we now all have a little experience with presenting, from planning and structuring at the beginning to the final product, we can check that worry off our list.
Regarding the course structure, I thought it would have been better to have done both the reading assessments together, both listening presentations etc., etc, but in retrospect, I actually think that it worked well this way. We gained enough confidence as we went through each one to enable us to finish the three remaining assessments alone without worry.
And so we near the end of this interesting new experience. Twenty people started the course and not quite so many remain, but of those of us that do, what an diverse group we must have been, we're all so very different, a fact obvious from the range of presentation topics and views offered during class discussions. We were lucky to have had a teacher that encouraged these differences amongst us and used them to make the classes more interesting to be in.
So congratulations to all that reached the finish line, a big thank you to Mark for all his patience, encouragement and hard work (and some of us must have been) and here's to the next four years of education!
I really had no idea what to expect from either the course or my soon to be classmates. Then I learned of the '13 assessments', I wondered if I had made the right choice. Just how much did I want to go to university?
Then came the rules about tardiness, everyone was scared of being late for communications, the classes were always fully attended and it was one of the few lessons that allowed people to really get to know one another.
Personally, I hated the group work, more of an 'independent learner', I think that's the term that's used!
As the lessons progressed through the year though, the detailed feedback given after every one of the 13 assessments was really encouraging, and always helpful. These were the classes that allowed me to work alone at my own pace to a certain degree and be as creative (or not) with my answers, allowing me to retain my own style throughout. Super.
As for the often dreaded presentations, well, they had never really bothered me. I can't say that I enjoy them necessarily, but I feel a lot more confident in my Power Point skills now to the extent that I am going to use them in my Spanish oral - and why on earth not use the skills we've been taught on this course? I believe the university delights in watching students squirm through presentations and we now all have a little experience with presenting, from planning and structuring at the beginning to the final product, we can check that worry off our list.
Regarding the course structure, I thought it would have been better to have done both the reading assessments together, both listening presentations etc., etc, but in retrospect, I actually think that it worked well this way. We gained enough confidence as we went through each one to enable us to finish the three remaining assessments alone without worry.
And so we near the end of this interesting new experience. Twenty people started the course and not quite so many remain, but of those of us that do, what an diverse group we must have been, we're all so very different, a fact obvious from the range of presentation topics and views offered during class discussions. We were lucky to have had a teacher that encouraged these differences amongst us and used them to make the classes more interesting to be in.
So congratulations to all that reached the finish line, a big thank you to Mark for all his patience, encouragement and hard work (and some of us must have been) and here's to the next four years of education!
#3.
I suppose I went into this course with a mixture of feelings about it. I was frustrated with both myself and the 'system' so to speak. Having dropped out of University once and only doing one year of another degree, winning a scholarship to Japan but being refused by Edinburgh University; I couldn't quite believe how badly I had made my life go.
Sounds dramatic, but for me, education is hugely important. I don't believe it's arrogant for me to say that I am smart enough, at least academically, that doing a degree well is something I'd get a lot out of. Not everyone is made for University or should be made to feel like they need to go - many of the most successful people don't. But I know that I can, and I know that I wanted to. I'd feel aimless without it. In some ways, it was finding something I could devote myself to for four years, or possibly even more, that was the issue. The typical "Capable, if only he would apply himself more to his studies." child.
When I started to make leaps and bounds in my comprehension of Japanese, I felt that finally I was doing something productive in my life. To have a 'skill' in life is so rewarding an experience that I can't blame the people who blithely parrot "Take a hobby, find new interests." as their go-to life advice. In all aspects I am a convert to this smug little cult, but as irritating as it may be, they are on to something.
A friend of mine, if asked, would say he has no talents or skills. He is now working, moving dishwashers and other heavy objects, 5 days a week, full-time, without a wage or salary but all in order to earn his bi-weekly £105 unemployment benefit. Aside from how abusive I find it to give full-time employees to companies and allow them freedom from paying them, there was a lesson to be learned there.
I refuse to let my life end up like that. I'll work to get into my degree, I'll work hard on the degree itself. There'll be times when I feel stressed, or feel nervous about spending a year in Japan. My debt issues will probably be a problem for me for some time. I may not even get a great job with my degree. But I'll have a skill, an interest or a talent in life. Anything to avoid settling for a slave-like, low self-esteem plagued existence like that.
That's why education is important for me. So thank you all for a fun and enjoyable year. I learned a lot, and enjoyed finding out more about everyone through our presentations. I think I've grown up a little as a result of this course; I'm ready to actually finish a degree this time. Fingers crossed.
Sounds dramatic, but for me, education is hugely important. I don't believe it's arrogant for me to say that I am smart enough, at least academically, that doing a degree well is something I'd get a lot out of. Not everyone is made for University or should be made to feel like they need to go - many of the most successful people don't. But I know that I can, and I know that I wanted to. I'd feel aimless without it. In some ways, it was finding something I could devote myself to for four years, or possibly even more, that was the issue. The typical "Capable, if only he would apply himself more to his studies." child.
When I started to make leaps and bounds in my comprehension of Japanese, I felt that finally I was doing something productive in my life. To have a 'skill' in life is so rewarding an experience that I can't blame the people who blithely parrot "Take a hobby, find new interests." as their go-to life advice. In all aspects I am a convert to this smug little cult, but as irritating as it may be, they are on to something.
A friend of mine, if asked, would say he has no talents or skills. He is now working, moving dishwashers and other heavy objects, 5 days a week, full-time, without a wage or salary but all in order to earn his bi-weekly £105 unemployment benefit. Aside from how abusive I find it to give full-time employees to companies and allow them freedom from paying them, there was a lesson to be learned there.
I refuse to let my life end up like that. I'll work to get into my degree, I'll work hard on the degree itself. There'll be times when I feel stressed, or feel nervous about spending a year in Japan. My debt issues will probably be a problem for me for some time. I may not even get a great job with my degree. But I'll have a skill, an interest or a talent in life. Anything to avoid settling for a slave-like, low self-esteem plagued existence like that.
That's why education is important for me. So thank you all for a fun and enjoyable year. I learned a lot, and enjoyed finding out more about everyone through our presentations. I think I've grown up a little as a result of this course; I'm ready to actually finish a degree this time. Fingers crossed.
#4. Going to university is something I have wanted to do for the last 5 years or so, but until last year I didn’t really do anything about it. I guess I was just busy travelling, working and just wasting my time in general. Moving to Edinburgh and attending this course was by far the best decision I ever made, and to say that this year has been somewhat of a revelation for me is a huge understatement.
I will admit that half way through the course, I got quite fed up of it all. For me this course was just a stepping stone, and something I HAD to do to be accepted into university. I realise now though that it was a very important step I NEEDED to take. Looking back at the quality of the work I completed at the start of year in contrast to the quality of the work now, I realised just how much I improved – it's unreal. I was reading over the the first ever essays we did for communications – I think they were titled “my room” and “about me”, and I cringed at it's quality. To Quote Andrew Marr, it made me “gasp and laugh at the same time”.
I now feel 110% ready for university (thanks to this year) and as much as I...ehm, loved this course, I am looking forward to the next step.
Well Mark, it's been a pleasure! Thanks for all your positive comments and helpful feedback throughout the year, they went a long way in increasing my academic confidence. Also, sorry about my punctuality, I know you didn’t appreciate it very much – public transport is to blame, believe me :)
All the best,
I will admit that half way through the course, I got quite fed up of it all. For me this course was just a stepping stone, and something I HAD to do to be accepted into university. I realise now though that it was a very important step I NEEDED to take. Looking back at the quality of the work I completed at the start of year in contrast to the quality of the work now, I realised just how much I improved – it's unreal. I was reading over the the first ever essays we did for communications – I think they were titled “my room” and “about me”, and I cringed at it's quality. To Quote Andrew Marr, it made me “gasp and laugh at the same time”.
I now feel 110% ready for university (thanks to this year) and as much as I...ehm, loved this course, I am looking forward to the next step.
Well Mark, it's been a pleasure! Thanks for all your positive comments and helpful feedback throughout the year, they went a long way in increasing my academic confidence. Also, sorry about my punctuality, I know you didn’t appreciate it very much – public transport is to blame, believe me :)
All the best,
#5. Since I moved to Scotland the only thing I was clear about was I wanted to get back into studies. My first step pursuing my way back to education was of course doing an English course in order to improve my English. During this course I met a guy who was doing the access course last year and that was my first contact with it and although I thought it was very interesting, I can picture myself thinking that it was too much challenge for me to take and I forgot about it. However, when I finish the course my teacher told me to move on and study something else, so that way I might still improve my language skills without learning just the language. It was this way that I reconsider the option of doing this course and so I applied for it.
When I start the course I was still uncertain about my skills and if I could make my way through to go to university. Despites I'm very talkative and sometimes a bit vehement, I'm very insecure about my skills quite often and I tend to think I'm not going to succeed when new things come along. I think this is the way I am and it's not easy to change it. However, I have to say since I started my education in Scotland I've found more support from the teachers than ever before. I'm really grateful because of this, as even when my fears keeps the same, every time I got feed-back from you it's been so supportive and generous that I gained some of the confidence I've lost in the way, eventually making me think differently about my skills to go to university and hopefully I'll find I'm right if I get the place. I know, whatever happens, I'll always be thankful with you, as you've already become an important part in my life. I wanted to mark this, because I think that's what good education is all about, which is making the best of what people have and make them realise of what they're capable of. So thank you Mark for this, as I've always found you've been demanding but also encouraging and generous while teaching us. Being a good teacher is not an easy task and from my point of view you've done it really well!
I'm sorry but I have nothing to suggest regarding the structure of the classes. I just can say, as a foreign student, I felt you gave me the time to gain the confidence I needed to get through the different assessments and indeed you master the time management and the feed-back and your organisation is accurate alongside your punctuality and what you expect from us.
I feel I've learnt this year so much things that is not easy to number them, as just the fact of finding myself where I'm now says enough of what I learnt and achieved from this course.
Finally, I want to say that I'm thankful with my classmates as well for being so supportive, patient and comprehensive with my difficulties studying in another language. I can say I'll remember this year very kindly, as for me has meant a great deal in many aspects and has showed me what I'm capable of.
I wish you all the best!
When I start the course I was still uncertain about my skills and if I could make my way through to go to university. Despites I'm very talkative and sometimes a bit vehement, I'm very insecure about my skills quite often and I tend to think I'm not going to succeed when new things come along. I think this is the way I am and it's not easy to change it. However, I have to say since I started my education in Scotland I've found more support from the teachers than ever before. I'm really grateful because of this, as even when my fears keeps the same, every time I got feed-back from you it's been so supportive and generous that I gained some of the confidence I've lost in the way, eventually making me think differently about my skills to go to university and hopefully I'll find I'm right if I get the place. I know, whatever happens, I'll always be thankful with you, as you've already become an important part in my life. I wanted to mark this, because I think that's what good education is all about, which is making the best of what people have and make them realise of what they're capable of. So thank you Mark for this, as I've always found you've been demanding but also encouraging and generous while teaching us. Being a good teacher is not an easy task and from my point of view you've done it really well!
I'm sorry but I have nothing to suggest regarding the structure of the classes. I just can say, as a foreign student, I felt you gave me the time to gain the confidence I needed to get through the different assessments and indeed you master the time management and the feed-back and your organisation is accurate alongside your punctuality and what you expect from us.
I feel I've learnt this year so much things that is not easy to number them, as just the fact of finding myself where I'm now says enough of what I learnt and achieved from this course.
Finally, I want to say that I'm thankful with my classmates as well for being so supportive, patient and comprehensive with my difficulties studying in another language. I can say I'll remember this year very kindly, as for me has meant a great deal in many aspects and has showed me what I'm capable of.
I wish you all the best!
#6. Well I started this course because I wanted to change my life totally and now whether I continue in education or not this course has certainly open a number of doors for me and I think has enabled me to see some of the things I want from life and the things I don't.
I feel like I have learned so much by moving to Edinburgh and doing this course. I also agree with Karen that communications was where I felt that I gained the most confidence of all the classes and it really has started to change my outlook on education.
The best part for me about the course will always be getting to know my classmates as it was a totally new experience for me meeting people I did not know and working together and going out together and it is something I will remember for the rest of my life. I think I am getting a bit soft now so will just end by saying that I will miss everyone loads and take away all of these wonderful memories xoxo
I feel like I have learned so much by moving to Edinburgh and doing this course. I also agree with Karen that communications was where I felt that I gained the most confidence of all the classes and it really has started to change my outlook on education.
The best part for me about the course will always be getting to know my classmates as it was a totally new experience for me meeting people I did not know and working together and going out together and it is something I will remember for the rest of my life. I think I am getting a bit soft now so will just end by saying that I will miss everyone loads and take away all of these wonderful memories xoxo
#7. From the beginning of the course I always felt I need to try harder and harder, and I was extremely unsecured and stressed about my progress.
Being polish always felt like I don't understand something, and with all presentations and other assessments I constantly was scared about my writing skills, and grammar mistakes.
I need to say that communications gave me very fresh point of view on all media! I cannot watch any presentation without judging presenter skills !
Also I think the presentations mostly but also all other classes, helped me to feel more secure about myself. I am glad we gained all this skill as I feel like it will make my life in the university much easier.
I need to say the being late issue was EXTREMELY stressful. And that is one of the biggest plusses of working of the class, I am not scare to be late anymore!
I as well as Tanya don't like group work, I very much so prefer working individually, that is why also I like the opportunity of doing the assessments in home, and submitting them online.
I do think that I gained lots of skills on the communication classes and it all well prepared me to studying in university.
I am also very happy that I made decision to do this course.
Also I need to say (a part from Mark being stickler for punctuality :) ) that Mark is great teacher! Very good in his teaching skills, and very well organize what I admire !
I will remember this course for long time !
#8. Is that really a year already? It doesn’t feel that long ago that we all got together and attempted ‘Death by Alcohol’ at 56 North for our first class night out. Or the first month of Spanish when all I learnt to say was ‘Me llamo Andres’. OK, my Spanish isn’t that much better now, but looking back it does feel that we have crammed a lot into this short period of time. I fully admit that when I first joined the class I was a bit rough round the edges. Twelve years spent in a showroom talking about cars, money and sport didn’t do my academic ability any good. Like Imran, when I look back at the first essays we did for Mark and Evan I can’t help but cringe. Or when I think back to how nervous I was when we had to do our first Comms presentation. I definitely had more than one thought that this was going to be too much and that I should go back to what I know. But on each of these occasions I remembered that the reason I took the course in the first place was for a better quality of life. To have the opportunity to study for a career that I actually have a passion for is definitely worth five years spent out-with my comfort zone.
When I look back, I have really enjoyed this last year and feel that I am now as ready as I will ever be for the next step. I am sure that the first time I have to do a presentation or write an essay I will be able to apply what I have learnt, and in the case of the presentation, not **** myself so much! I have met some great people on this course and I am grateful that I won’t be a complete stranger next year at University. Hopefully the surrounding bar staff will not remember us as a group though!
Thanks for all your help on the course Mark. You really have had one of the biggest jobs in getting us through so many assessments. Not sure we are ever going to see eye to eye about Elegy but I can’t argue with the rest of the course content. Good luck with next year’s class, although I’m sure they won’t be as much fun as us!
All the best,
Being polish always felt like I don't understand something, and with all presentations and other assessments I constantly was scared about my writing skills, and grammar mistakes.
I need to say that communications gave me very fresh point of view on all media! I cannot watch any presentation without judging presenter skills !
Also I think the presentations mostly but also all other classes, helped me to feel more secure about myself. I am glad we gained all this skill as I feel like it will make my life in the university much easier.
I need to say the being late issue was EXTREMELY stressful. And that is one of the biggest plusses of working of the class, I am not scare to be late anymore!
I as well as Tanya don't like group work, I very much so prefer working individually, that is why also I like the opportunity of doing the assessments in home, and submitting them online.
I do think that I gained lots of skills on the communication classes and it all well prepared me to studying in university.
I am also very happy that I made decision to do this course.
Also I need to say (a part from Mark being stickler for punctuality :) ) that Mark is great teacher! Very good in his teaching skills, and very well organize what I admire !
I will remember this course for long time !
#8. Is that really a year already? It doesn’t feel that long ago that we all got together and attempted ‘Death by Alcohol’ at 56 North for our first class night out. Or the first month of Spanish when all I learnt to say was ‘Me llamo Andres’. OK, my Spanish isn’t that much better now, but looking back it does feel that we have crammed a lot into this short period of time. I fully admit that when I first joined the class I was a bit rough round the edges. Twelve years spent in a showroom talking about cars, money and sport didn’t do my academic ability any good. Like Imran, when I look back at the first essays we did for Mark and Evan I can’t help but cringe. Or when I think back to how nervous I was when we had to do our first Comms presentation. I definitely had more than one thought that this was going to be too much and that I should go back to what I know. But on each of these occasions I remembered that the reason I took the course in the first place was for a better quality of life. To have the opportunity to study for a career that I actually have a passion for is definitely worth five years spent out-with my comfort zone.
When I look back, I have really enjoyed this last year and feel that I am now as ready as I will ever be for the next step. I am sure that the first time I have to do a presentation or write an essay I will be able to apply what I have learnt, and in the case of the presentation, not **** myself so much! I have met some great people on this course and I am grateful that I won’t be a complete stranger next year at University. Hopefully the surrounding bar staff will not remember us as a group though!
Thanks for all your help on the course Mark. You really have had one of the biggest jobs in getting us through so many assessments. Not sure we are ever going to see eye to eye about Elegy but I can’t argue with the rest of the course content. Good luck with next year’s class, although I’m sure they won’t be as much fun as us!
All the best,
#9. So here we are, still alive after our thirteen assessments and almost a year has gone by.
I really enjoyed this class but i have to admit, that was not what i was thinking when i found out that oral presentations were part of the curriculum at the start of the course, however, i have to hand it to your Mark, you got us through it, even little old me who almost had a panic attack and nearly fainted during the first presentation in class!! I never thought i'd be able to deliver a planned talk like that in front of a number of people (funnily enough, i have no problem in everyday life) but with your support and encouragement, i found myself gaining confidence in not just myself but also my abilities.
The oral presentations were a really good core skill that we were able to use in other classes too.
I enjoyed the TED talks and thought it was a great way for us to hone our critical and analytical skills, definitley an important tool that will be needed for University.
I too, like some others do prefer to work alone but i think group work is an integral part of of being in education and it most definitley improves ones' social skills.
It is great to look back at what i've achieved over the past year. Being out of education for so long makes the brain cells a bit rusty and slow and it takes time to get back into the whole study malarky but very satisfying to see oneself progress and improve. It really is fantastic to see what you are capable of if you put your mind to it.
We had a great bunch of people in the class and quite multi-cultural at that, i think that's what made it much more interesting and it was great learning about other people's backgrounds.
University is now the next step, albeit, a wee bit of a scary one but nonetheless exciting.
I for one really enjoyed your enthusiastic, encouraging nature towards us and the way in which you tried to engage us all in conversation and debate.
I will miss (i think?) the presentation stress coming into college on the bus in the morning (who needs that morning coffee when you have palpitations instead)
However, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
Hope you have a great Access class this coming year, and I agree with Andrew, they won't be half as good as us!!!!
You will be remembered fondly.
All the best
I really enjoyed this class but i have to admit, that was not what i was thinking when i found out that oral presentations were part of the curriculum at the start of the course, however, i have to hand it to your Mark, you got us through it, even little old me who almost had a panic attack and nearly fainted during the first presentation in class!! I never thought i'd be able to deliver a planned talk like that in front of a number of people (funnily enough, i have no problem in everyday life) but with your support and encouragement, i found myself gaining confidence in not just myself but also my abilities.
The oral presentations were a really good core skill that we were able to use in other classes too.
I enjoyed the TED talks and thought it was a great way for us to hone our critical and analytical skills, definitley an important tool that will be needed for University.
I too, like some others do prefer to work alone but i think group work is an integral part of of being in education and it most definitley improves ones' social skills.
It is great to look back at what i've achieved over the past year. Being out of education for so long makes the brain cells a bit rusty and slow and it takes time to get back into the whole study malarky but very satisfying to see oneself progress and improve. It really is fantastic to see what you are capable of if you put your mind to it.
We had a great bunch of people in the class and quite multi-cultural at that, i think that's what made it much more interesting and it was great learning about other people's backgrounds.
University is now the next step, albeit, a wee bit of a scary one but nonetheless exciting.
I for one really enjoyed your enthusiastic, encouraging nature towards us and the way in which you tried to engage us all in conversation and debate.
I will miss (i think?) the presentation stress coming into college on the bus in the morning (who needs that morning coffee when you have palpitations instead)
However, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
Hope you have a great Access class this coming year, and I agree with Andrew, they won't be half as good as us!!!!
You will be remembered fondly.
All the best
#10. What lovely words all round. Yes, the group was pretty tight all year and whilst I acknowledge some learners prefer independent study, a bit of groupthink is always an interesting distraction! Timekeeping, oh yes, a valuable skill so important in education, vocational and social respects. Whilst I adopt a flexible approach, timetables are there to be followed so no apologies there from me I think! The standard of work has been outstanding and yes, next year's group have a LOT to live up to! 13 assessments, let's hope that's not unlucky for some. All the best and thank you to all contributors, followers and readers.
Tuesday, 17 April 2012
Using Technology to Support Tourism and Events
Using Technology to Support Tourism and Events taking Level 4 Communication is an entry level course that feeds into courses in Tourism, Events and Business.
This is the second time Stephen Welsh has taken the class after having a very successful first run through last term (the first time the course was run). Stephen sat down with Kirsty-Anne Nicholson (Travel and Tourism Lecturer) at the beginning of semester one to look at ways the students' communication work could be contextualised.
One of the outcomes for their Tourism course was to produce a factsheet on a tourist destination. Kirsty-Anne provided them with a list of 13 research questions to find out relevant facts about St. Andrews which would provide the basis of the factsheet. After having completed a formative report with Stephen, he asked them to take the research they had done with Kirsty-Anne and turn the information into a factsheet that would work as a guide for tourists visiting the town, focusing on the relevance of the content, clarity of language and practicality of layout.
Last time round the students submitted their factsheets to Kirsty-Anne on their own, but the first drafts needed a lot of work. Many of the class are not native English speakers and so there was a lot of tidying up of grammar and work on clarity of expression needed - so this time round they agreed that they would complete a final draft with Stephen. It was decided that he would collect them in and then pass them on to Kirsty.
Hopefully this will make her job a bit easier! It's been a great learning experience for Stephen and the students as having them do the research with Kirsty-Anne has freed up a session for him which has allowed him to focus more on issues of grammar and writing in a foreign language he would not usually have as much time to go into. They're just finishing up their final drafts at the moment, and so far both lecturers are very pleased with the results. The brief is noted below for reference.
This is the second time Stephen Welsh has taken the class after having a very successful first run through last term (the first time the course was run). Stephen sat down with Kirsty-Anne Nicholson (Travel and Tourism Lecturer) at the beginning of semester one to look at ways the students' communication work could be contextualised.
One of the outcomes for their Tourism course was to produce a factsheet on a tourist destination. Kirsty-Anne provided them with a list of 13 research questions to find out relevant facts about St. Andrews which would provide the basis of the factsheet. After having completed a formative report with Stephen, he asked them to take the research they had done with Kirsty-Anne and turn the information into a factsheet that would work as a guide for tourists visiting the town, focusing on the relevance of the content, clarity of language and practicality of layout.
Last time round the students submitted their factsheets to Kirsty-Anne on their own, but the first drafts needed a lot of work. Many of the class are not native English speakers and so there was a lot of tidying up of grammar and work on clarity of expression needed - so this time round they agreed that they would complete a final draft with Stephen. It was decided that he would collect them in and then pass them on to Kirsty.
Hopefully this will make her job a bit easier! It's been a great learning experience for Stephen and the students as having them do the research with Kirsty-Anne has freed up a session for him which has allowed him to focus more on issues of grammar and writing in a foreign language he would not usually have as much time to go into. They're just finishing up their final drafts at the moment, and so far both lecturers are very pleased with the results. The brief is noted below for reference.
Task 2: Produce straightforward but detailed written communication
You are required to produce a factsheet about St. Andrews. This should be aimed at visiting tourists who need information about the area. Think about:
· The kind of information you should include (see below)
· The kind of language you should use
o how formal or informal should it be?
o Should it be kept simple or can it be more complex?
o Should it be straightforward and informative or more interesting?
· How it should look – use of pictures and layout on the page
· How the information should be organised – should you use headed sections?
The total number of words must be at least 300.
You should have prepared notes in your tourism class using the questions overleaf.
To pass the assessment for your Tourism class, you must include the following information:
· Brief description of St Andrews
· Transport to St Andrews
· Description of a couple of tourist attractions and the appeal of St Andrews
· Include a couple of photographs.
Feel free to include further information if you would like to.
Note: When your work is marked, it is likely to pass the assessment for Core Skills Communication Level 4 if it:
· presents the essential information and ideas in logical order
· uses a suitable structure
· is written in a way that suits your purpose and your expected reader
Researching, reflecting and reviewing within the HNC Applied Science cohort
All members of the teaching team are keen to embark on new challenges within the curriculum and this semester we were asked to teach a new SQA HN Unit entitled 'Presentation Skills in Science' to the HNC Applied Science students. It has been a number of years since we have serviced this Unit and as the lecturer timetabled for the job I was keen to find out more about the task in hand. The unit is split into four sections:
I held a series of meetings with Keith who was extremely helpful in providing ideas to cement the 'science based' learning and we were keen to ensure that the students were not only reviewing what they had done, but what they still had to do to ensure their Graded Unit work was on track. I was impressed with the level of work produced from the students and as way of preparation for the summative work the students were given a series of oral presentation classes covering a variety of 'nuts and bolts' type learning, as well as evaluating recorded talks as well as delivering a series of formative presentations which certainly helped their delivery. I ensured that all students received feedback from me, from their peers as well as self reflecting on their performance, balancing the good with providing an agenda to improve for the summative delivery. To help the students I constructed a mock talk about my own learning which the students found helpful and those slides as well as a couple of student presentations can be seen below as way of example.
The following themes were fedback to the stduents after their presentations:
- Produce a scientific laboratory report
- Edit scientific text
- Produce a scientific poster
- Deliver an oral presentation on a scientific topic
Students were asked to structure their talk using the following guidelines from the brief Keith and I devised:
Slide 1 – title slide (this will include your name, title of your Graded Unit project, date of delivery)
Slide 2 – structure slide (this should state what each section of your talk will be about)
Slides 3-7 - the amount of slides will be variable depending on the focus of your talk but should include the following headings: a clear overview of what your project is about, why you chose the topic, what you knew about your topic before you started the project, what you have found out in your research, what sources of information you have been using and a clear outline of what you intend to do for the remainder of the project (content, resources and timeline).
Slide 8 – conclusion (bullet point 3 or 4 points you would like to re-emphasise)
Slide 9 – a slide with the heading ‘what I have learned’. This could include info on subjects such as difficulties encountered with research, problems encountered, time management strategies, content based etc.
Slide 10 – sources used (this is important and if you are noting websites, please ensure that you include the hyperlink as we may ask you to see this in the q and a session)
Slide 11 – thank you for listening. Do you have any questions?
The following themes were fedback to the stduents after their presentations:
- Reflecting on thier time management and organisational skills as well as their research methodology is VERY important
- This brief was devised to strike a balance between what they did know, didn't know, what they now know and how they processed the info and dealt with problems.
- These skills are of great import if students have aspirations to study at University.
Tuesday, 13 March 2012
Vocational oral presentations on 'home turf'
As part of the curriculum for the NQ Sports and Exercise students we are working on the 'Oral Presentation Skills' Unit. One of the assessments is to plan for and deliver a talk which provides information and/or instruction. When I discussed this brief we looked at possible topics related to their vocational area that the students could talk about.
Some students wished to deliver their talks in the classroom using PowerPoint and those topics were on the following broad subjects: nutrition, how to take a corner at football, first aid focusing primarily on the recovery position, tumbleturns, the rules of dodgeball, trampolining techniques, the rules of flag football, the kayak roll, how to putt successfully, touch rugby rules, kung fu techniques and free kick taking.
Five of the students wanted to present their talks in an environment where they felt very comfortable and this was identified as the Games Hall. The final five talks covered the following subjects: cover drive techniques in cricket, volleyball smashes, taking free kicks, badminton smashes and penalty kick techniques. In these presentations the students were not reliant on PowerPoint but rather, they were able to physically demonstrate their techniques, involving everybody in attendance whilst still adhering to clear structure.
Student feedback was delivered to all students verbally and the feedback from the learners themselves was very positive. Learners identified that both methods could be equally successful and the final scoreline was 17-17. That's 17 students sat and 17 students passed! Below is an example of one of the PowerPoint presentations and also some photos that were taken in the Games Hall.
Some students wished to deliver their talks in the classroom using PowerPoint and those topics were on the following broad subjects: nutrition, how to take a corner at football, first aid focusing primarily on the recovery position, tumbleturns, the rules of dodgeball, trampolining techniques, the rules of flag football, the kayak roll, how to putt successfully, touch rugby rules, kung fu techniques and free kick taking.
Five of the students wanted to present their talks in an environment where they felt very comfortable and this was identified as the Games Hall. The final five talks covered the following subjects: cover drive techniques in cricket, volleyball smashes, taking free kicks, badminton smashes and penalty kick techniques. In these presentations the students were not reliant on PowerPoint but rather, they were able to physically demonstrate their techniques, involving everybody in attendance whilst still adhering to clear structure.
Student feedback was delivered to all students verbally and the feedback from the learners themselves was very positive. Learners identified that both methods could be equally successful and the final scoreline was 17-17. That's 17 students sat and 17 students passed! Below is an example of one of the PowerPoint presentations and also some photos that were taken in the Games Hall.
Tuesday, 6 March 2012
Sixty second pitches and how learners evaluate their skills
Sports and Exercise students were given a chance to speak for 60 seconds on what makes them a good student as part of an exercise in their Oral Presentation Skills classes and what follows are the words and phrases that they came up with. Pretty impressive I'd say:
appetite for learning, enjoyable classes, cope well, passed all assessments so far, competitive, developing my communication skills, bring so much to the class, ideal student, hard working, achiever, represent at a high level, first person to..., aspire, confident, coaching experience, helping young people to progress, passed everything and keen to learn more, up for a challenge, well behaved, ever present, pay attention in class, show respect at all times, offer new ways to do things, ask questions, good communicator, effective presentation skills that can be improved further, voluntary work, captain of the college football team, adaptable, keen on theory as well as practical elements of the course, need to work on prioritisation, eager to seek new goals, got 100% in the mystery shop at my work twice, excellent timekeeping skills, reliable at all times, have a desire to progress to the HN level and realise my potential, smart, industrious, enjoy the classes and SCE in general, passionate, achieved my level 3 SFA coaching badges, maturity, leadership skills, dignified, never missed a Communication class, charitable work.
Wonderful words and music to our ears by the way!
appetite for learning, enjoyable classes, cope well, passed all assessments so far, competitive, developing my communication skills, bring so much to the class, ideal student, hard working, achiever, represent at a high level, first person to..., aspire, confident, coaching experience, helping young people to progress, passed everything and keen to learn more, up for a challenge, well behaved, ever present, pay attention in class, show respect at all times, offer new ways to do things, ask questions, good communicator, effective presentation skills that can be improved further, voluntary work, captain of the college football team, adaptable, keen on theory as well as practical elements of the course, need to work on prioritisation, eager to seek new goals, got 100% in the mystery shop at my work twice, excellent timekeeping skills, reliable at all times, have a desire to progress to the HN level and realise my potential, smart, industrious, enjoy the classes and SCE in general, passionate, achieved my level 3 SFA coaching badges, maturity, leadership skills, dignified, never missed a Communication class, charitable work.
Wonderful words and music to our ears by the way!
Tuesday, 28 February 2012
Presentation karaoke and a 60 second pitch!
Sports and Exercise students are currently enrolled on the 'Oral Presentation Skills' Unit and we have been looking at ways for learners to present and think differently. To this end, a series of slides were put together for the students to try and talk on an unknown subject. Effectively they were stepping up to the plate and delivering a short 60 seconds pitch where they had to give a structured talk mentioning the two words on the screen. The topics were a mixture of sports, health, citizenship and vocational ideas and the students enagaged enthusiastically and performed really well. Ali in the Sports Faculty gave me a few pointers on the anatomical side of things and this will most definitely be used again next session. The onus was on structure, articulation, projection and timing. The slides are attached below.
Presentation karaoke!
View more PowerPoint from Mark Hetherington
Monday, 20 February 2012
February round-up of GP from the team
Stephen has been incorporating group reading and textual analysis team work into lessons his English class. It was suggested that Joyce could lead a staff development session on this participatory exercise some time in the future.
Madeleine has been using YouTube successfully with her HN Complex Oral Presentation Skills class for developing some of the more technical aspects of delivery.
Isobel has also been using YouTube to show famous speeches to her COP class, which has proved successful for developing analysis skills.
Mark is producing magazines with his CPC classes and noted the wide range of topics that students have chosen for their articles. Mark and Stephen are also contributing articles to the magazines. One of Mark's articles will be on the topic of why he believes the voting age should be lowered in the UK.
Mark and Scott are planning to use the sports hall and weights gym to assess presentations delivered by Sports and Exercise students for the Oral Presentation Skills unit.
Mark has found the integration of assessments with the Presentation Skills in Science unit valuable.
Caroline has been using recorded presentations delivered by the TV and Broadcast Production class for assessment. These presentations are an existing aspect of their course and are delivered in the lecture theatre.
Scott reminded the team about the past paper questions for Higher English that have been organised by genre and which are saved on the S Drive in the Higher English/Exam folder. These have been particularly useful for preparation for the prelim. In relation to this, Deborah pointed out that there are good resources on the SQA website aimed at students to provide guidance on exams.
Monday, 23 January 2012
Current affairs, interesting articles and adapting themes for the classroom
The team are very keen for students of all levels to engage with topical subjects and they are used in many ways, from discussions to essay titles and informative report writing to oral presentation delivery. This may be of a formative and/or summative nature. A few recent subject areas with the newslinks are noted below:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-16415584 - networking as a core skill?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-16415584 - networking as a core skill?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-16089232 - 2011: The year when a lot happened!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-16119375 - after the fame has gone...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-16177725 - trouble on the train.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-16076471 - inquiry into 'unfair' exam advice.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15619543 - how did people get so 'disgusted'?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-15171830 - University of Wales degree and visa scam exposed by BBC.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-15253215 - fonts as the new handwriting?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15060411 - understanding financial words and phrases.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15066957 - has the iPod made us anti-social?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-15063136 - SQA figures show exam cheats let off with warning
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Communications was one of my favourite classes this year. It was probably the class that I gained most of my confidence in. It helped me with my nerves of being around people I did not really know, and taught me that speaking infront of others is not the terrifying experience I thought it would be.(Although I think I might still avoid them in the future.)
I feel this class has prepared me well for University, the only thing that makes me sad is that the year is almost over and we will all be going off to do out own things and I will truly miss everyone. Couldn't of shared this year with a nicer bunch of people. Thank-you.