Obtaining meaningful student feedback and evaluations of the learning experience in a business English context

 

Chris Banister English for Academic Purposes (EAP)

LecturerRegent’s University London

Contact: banisterc@regents.ac.uk

Agenda The Regent’s Language Teacher Research Project

(2014-16) Puzzle and teaching and learning context Considerations in learner feedback and evaluations Research tools and potentially exploitable pedagogic

activities (PEPAs) PEPAs in action: Review Collage and Research

Discussion activity Understanding Conclusions

Regent’s University London independent and

international, diverse student population,

140 student nationalities 50 staff nationalities

(Regent’s University London 2016)

Language Teacher Research Project 2014-16

Regent’s Institute of Languages and Culture (RILC)Language Teacher Research Project 2014-16: Lecturers/Teachers of English, Italian, French and SpanishExploratory Practice teacher research the exploration of a teaching and

learning ‘puzzle’ core principles: enhanced

understanding, mutual development, quality of life, sustainability (Allwright 2005).

Project leader: Dr. Assia Rolls

Business English modules and the puzzle

Learners: Undergraduate exchange students, Upper Int (ENG5A1), Advanced (6A1)

Module: 3 hrs p/w, student-led components, blended aspects. Puzzle: Why don't I get sufficient, meaningful feedback and

evaluation of the learning experience from students? Puzzle origins: modular format, limited contact hours, stuffed syllabus

+ limitations of formal instruments = reduce opportunity for informal feedback and evaluations = disconnect

To shed light on: materials, activities, methodology, pacing, interaction and feedback=the totality of the learners’ experience (Mortiboys 2010)

Aim: delve deeper beyond the official surveys, obtain feedback for the teacher but not necessarily about the teacher

 

Considerations: Clarity of purpose (Williams and Brennan 2004) Survey fatigue,duplication,ritualisation (Williams and

Brennan 2004) Psychological: power assymetry (Richardson 2005; cf.

Clayson and Haley 2011 Interpretation: tendency to “filter information” (Mortiboys

2010:125) anonymity v actionability trade-off Importance of feedback to learners (Williams and

Brennan 2004)

Approaching the puzzle

Research tools Lesson videos Peer observations Discussions with other LTR members/project leader

PEPAs

PEPAs = Potentially Exploitable Pedagogic Activities

Familiar, everyday classroom activities (surveys, group discussions, etc.) to explore puzzle (Allwright and Hanks 2009; Hanks 2015)

Determining the research/CPD journey (Slimani-Rolls and Kiely 2014)

Minimal disruption to classroom learning and teaching (Dar 2015)

Potentially Exploitable Pedagogic Activities

Needs Analysis and Tutorials: importance of dialogue (Mortiboys 2010) and maximising the potential of existing activities/tools.

PEPAsMid-module: post-it activity, traffic light survey (Espinosa 2014),

Focus on two PEPAs

1. Review Collage activity

2. Discussion activity focusing on research findings related to learner evaluations and feedback

PEPA 1:Review Collage

Setting up the activity• Explain learners are

going to reflect upon, evaluate and review aspects of the module.

• Show learners the handout as a class and ask if they recall most of the activities.

 Review Collage and Questions

Discussion Questions Handout• Which language skills were

you developing when you did this and how?

• Do you think that this activity helped you or not? Why/not?

• How do you think you performed when working on this activity?

• Did you enjoy this activity?• Would you rather have done it

differently? If so, how and why?

Review Collage: Procedure

Report back to the class on the one which provoked most discussion/interest.

Tell students to choose two activities each and to write their reflections and evaluations.

Why use the Review Collage? Multi-faceted: review, revise, reflect, evaluate. Locally relevant In-class and blended components Adaptable: mid-module or end of module Minimal preparation (digital/paper materials) Obtain learner perspectives in their own words, could

resonate for future cohorts.

Further details

For the full procedure and more details about this see my upcoming piece “Review Collage” in English Teaching Professional (Issue 105 to be published in July 2016).

Learner feedback and evaluationsTransferable

skills/knowledge Peer participation

The topics and materials … which benefit me in listening

[to] lectures given by the lecturer of Financial Risk

Management…the skills of presentations and report helped

me in giving another two presentations” (ENG 6A1

student, autumn 2014)

“Discussion Board: My focus was to increase my speed in writing English… This activity could be improved if participants were more motivated.” (ENG 6A1 student Spring 2015)

Learner feedback and evaluations

Difficulty Ambiguity

If we don’t have the final time limited

writing, I’ll like this course more.” (ENG 5A1 student, autumn

2014)

“It is not a criticism it is just a suggest is give to the students more technical argument.”(ENG 6A1 student, spring 2015)

Learner feedback and evaluations

• Areas for development

“Maybe you could have included more practical examples of how to do a report or an essay.” (ENG 6A1 student, autumn 2014)

My personal expectations the first day were more focusing on vocabulary such as: merger, asset, liability…etc. (ENG 6A1 student, autumn 2014)

Enhanced understanding Mismatch between some learners’ expectations of the

modules and the stated aim of the modules Clarification of module aims Desire for greater clarity re: written assessment requirements Introduction of exemplars Need for a boost in the vocabulary component Incorporation of explicit vocabulary learning strategies (e.g.

vocab cards) with business vocabulary highlighted in language feedback slots

Contagious nature of lack of engagement Stricter guidelines for contributions to online discussion

boards

Improvements to quality of life in the classroom

“I have learnt many new and useful business words.”

“The vocabulary card quiz’s. It makes you be ready and updated.”

(end of module student feedback Dec 2015)

Reconnecting to and in dialogue with my learners

Phase 2 focus

Involving the learner as partner Refocus on the process of obtaining learner feedback and

evaluations Engage with research findings Compare our experiences and feelings with what the experts

say Potential value of “learner agency (and) perspectives”

(Rowland 2011:261) Doubts: my students not teachers, language=very much a tool A challenging new landscape (Hanks 2015)

PEPA 2: Discussion of research

(Adapted from Williams and Brennan 2004)

Questions Which of the above points do you agree with? Why/not?

(explanation, knowledge, personal experience, etc.) Can you think of any other potential advantages and

disadvantages of these ways of collecting student feedback?

Do you like being asked your opinion? Why/not? Which mechanisms do you personally prefer? Why? Do you always tell the truth when asked for

feedback/evaluations by teachers or institutions? Why/not?

B Discuss your ideas with a partner and be ready to summarise part of your discussion to the class.

Enhanced understanding

Red lines: Anonymity important, “anonymous surveys are the most efficient way to collect honest information” and students sometimes doubt that anonymity is real

Student ‘buy in’: “It’s more important for me to feel that mmy feedback is useful and they implement changes.”

Strategic: stating that the course is too hard could disadvantage the current cohort

Time to build a trust relationship

(ENG 6A1 students, spring 2016)

Why use language/classroom research-based discussion activities?

Adopts learners as research partners-teacher researchers and learner-researchers

Raises awareness of the purpose of such activities and potential for student voices to be heard

ELT activities but research-focused in line with expectations of HE

Benefits: a focus on obtaining feedback and evaluations from

learners Facilitates development of the reflective skill in both

learners and teachers Provides mutual access (teacher-learner) for greater

understanding Cultivates a learning environment with an open space

for ongoing dialogue Complements but does not duplicate official university

instruments for obtaining student feedback and evaluations- additional and potentially rich pool of data

Benefits of EP Potentially transformative for the teaching-research

relationship. Classroom events become a “legitimate source of research knowledge about teaching and learning” (Borg 2010:418)

Brings teachers and learners together by foregrounding and improving classroom quality of life and enabling creativity (Hanks 2016)

Helps cultivate quality in teaching by motivating experienced teachers (Slimani-Rolls 2003), boosts staff satisfaction with their practice in a “collegially supportive environment” (Slimani-Rollls and Kiely 2014:433)

CPD benefits: 15+ conference papers, 7/8 publications

Conclusion English language teaching and the English language

classroom in HE settings can become an interface of learning, teaching and research

Students can comment insightfully on the feedback and evaluation process

Enriched learner feedback and evaluations can help boost quality of life in the classroom

Thank you and questions Thank you very much for listening.

Feel free to get in touch: banisterc@regents.ac.uk

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