Welcome! Preparation for Higher Education Independent Learning in Higher Education

1. Welcome! • Preparation for Higher • Education • Independent Learning in Higher Education • Study Skills for Higher Education • Next Steps

2. Day One Programme (see pack) • Includes: • Independent Learning in Higher Education • Knowledge and Skills audit • Intelligence and learning • Learning Styles • The role of reflection and Learning logs • Critical thinking in Higher Education • Motivation and time management • Preparing for presentations • Home study • 2.40pm • Visit to University Centre, Blackpool & the Fylde • College • Return to Bispham campus around 4.20pm

3. Differences between HE and FE • or workplace learning: • HE is more academic and less practical/hands on • More independent working – do research and wider reading • Develop critical thinking skills • Learn theory and then apply it to different situations • Pace faster • Self motivated • Level of maturity

4. Independent Learning is: “The ability to take charge of one’s learning” Holec, H. (1981) Autonomy and Foreign Language Learning. Oxford: Pergamon

5. Independent learning involves: • Taking responsibility / making choices • Being self-motivated • Developing confidence • Reflecting on your learning • Having the ability to solve problems • Setting your own learning goals • Managing own time effectively • Being self-aware – understanding • when, how and where you learn best • But NOT necessarily working on your • own (more next time!)

6. Fostering independent learning in our students (see handout) • Reflection • Sharing ideas • Questions • Learner voice • Catch confidence • Opportunities for independent learning • Learners centre stage • Support development of study skills • Progression • (Source: Quality Improvement Agency)

7. Lecturers at Hull said • “Learners who have • experience of life and work: • Bring maturity of thought • Transfer life and work experiences to study • Generally very meticulous and accustomed to meeting deadlines • Usually well organised • More used to team working • Better problem solvers ”

8. But - apprentices tend to be: • Less confident in their abilities • Feel ‘different’ as may not have done A levels • May not feel a ‘part’ of the university if don’t live on or near uni • May need to develop HE study skills such as essay writing and how to do research

9. Knowledge and Skills Audit • What skills do you have already? • Do you need to develop them further in preparation for HE? • Are there new skills you need to acquire and develop? • Consider: • How well does the knowledge I have match what is required for my future in HE? • How do I know that my knowledge is sufficient, adequate, accurate and up to date? • How will I keep my knowledge up-to-date? • How and from whom or where will I gain the knowledge I need? • How and when will I make the time to do this?

10. Knowledge / Skills audit for trainers • 10 - 15 mins at PC or on paper (hard copy in pack) • Skills audit pro forma is on the Wiki website • http://p4he.wikispaces.com/Session+One+7+Jan • And save to memory stick • Username: beneast • Password: eastben1 • What knowledge skills are needed for your role in • supporting HE progression for apprentices? • How much do you know about the topics we’ll cover in the course? • Are there teaching or IAG skills that you need to develop? • What should you focus on if you are to support apprentices in the future? • Not the development plan (just skills audit). • Compare notes after break (break 11 – 11.15)

11. Developing skills for supporting apprentice progression: • courses • self study • web searches • mentoring • learning informally from others • shadowing another person • experiencing it yourself – go to a lecture, visit a library, visit the student union, go to a visit day, visit an admissions tutor • Any other suggestions?

12. Intelligence and learning Spearman (1927) and Terman (1975) believed that each individual has a general level of intelligence known as the intelligence quotient or IQ and regarded intelligence as a single fixed underlying capacity. Gardner (1993) and others argue genetic influence is 20% or less. A child may be at very different stages in number development and spatial/visual maturation … Intelligence not singular or specific, but individual may possess multiple intelligences, a grouping that constantly changes. Spearman, C. E. (1927). The abilities of man, their nature and measurement. New York: Macmillan 1975. Terman, Lewis. M. Genius and Stupidity. Classics in Child Development. New York: Arno Press. Smith, Mark K. (2002, 2008) 'Howard Gardner and multiple intelligences', the encyclopedia of informal education, http://www.infed.org/thinkers/gardner.htm.

13. Gardener’s seven intelligences are: Linguistic intelligence Logical-mathematical intelligence Musical intelligence Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence Spatial intelligence Interpersonal intelligence Intrapersonal intelligence

14. How might this relate to career paths? Verbal/ Linguistic: teacher, lecturer, presenter Logical/ Mathematical: scientist, engineer Visual/ Spatial: artist, surgeon, architect Musical/ Rhythmic: singer, composer Body/ Kinaesthetic: actor, athlete Intrapersonal: therapist, philosopher Interpersonal: politician, social worker (Taken from Lancaster University Learning Styles Handout – on Wiki site)

15. Learning styles

16. Learning Styles • Learning styles are different approaches or ways of learning – the skills and individual preferences that affect how a person perceives, gathers and processes information. • An understanding of how we learn can help us to learn effectively. • Controversial field, very active! • Over 90 different types of learning style! Some have a solid research base of evidence to support their validity - some do not.

17. Advocates of learning styles say that: • Mismatch in learning style and learning method means: • Learning is less effective • Learner loses motivation • Learner gives up! • While awareness of preferred learning style means: • Plan for learning tasks • Learn more effectively • More satisfied and motivated • Understand why difficult • Strategies to cope • Improve

18. EXPERIENCE CONCEPTS REFLECTION PRACTICE Kolb’s learning cycle Four distinct stages: Practice leads to change – then more experience …

20. Kolb’s theory of four learning types with associated learning modes:

21. Learning styles offer a good opportunity for research and critical analysis! “We all have preferred ways of learning and learn better from some activities than others.” (Peter Honey) Or “Unrealistic, prescriptive and needlessly academic.” (Phil Race) Or both? What do you think?

22. VARK (Neil Fleming) • Theory based on students’ experiences and strategies in absorbing information. • Visual (V): information is absorbed best when displayed graphically (i.e. pictures) • Aural (A): information is absorbed best when it is heard, listened to (i.e. music, lectures) • Read/Written (R): information is absorbed best when displayed as words (i.e. books, magazines) • Kinaesthetic (K): information is absorbed best when performing a task, trying it out, experiencing (i.e. experiments) • More than one approach? Multi-modal (MM) preference.

23. Home study on learning styles • Read handouts • Do a learning styles questionnaire (from handout or find one on-line) • Browse Wiki site materials • Draw your own conclusions • Handouts include info for trainers • NB Honey and Mumford handouts not on Wiki site

24. Why do you think reflection is an important learning tool in higher education?

25. Donald Schon - The Reflective • Practitioner(1983, Basic Books) • Two types of active reflection - both crucial to • learning process. • Reflecting IN Action – thinking while doing • e.g. a cricket bowler in a match, a lawyer in a courtroom. Instinctive, thinking on your feet, spontaneous/unplanned. • Reflecting ON Action – thinking back on an experience / “stop and think” behaviour: • Stop action • Remove (mentally or physically) yourself from • the experience or situation • Formally reflect or think about the experience • Change action strategy • Try out action strategy

26. A reflective learner will think about … • What they are learning • How they are learning it • How they are using what they are learning • What their strengths and weaknesses in learning are • What their priorities are • How they can improve and build upon their learning process • How well they are working towards their goals. • Their motivation • Their attitudes and ideas, and changes in these • The skills they need for different components in their study and learning • What (if anything) is blocking their learning • The gaps in their knowledge and skills, and how they might fill them

27. Learning journal or log • Very useful tool for reflection • Another way to reflect ON action • For this course could be: • On line e.g. Institute for Learning REfLECT learning space • http://www.ifl.ac.uk/get-involved/connections/related-links/reflect • Electronic • e.g. format used for Hull course, pro forma on Wiki site • Hard copy (use a notebook)

28. Learning log Personal diary of your learning experiences Chance to reflect and record your thoughts Use format to suit you Private - for your eyes only No right or wrong Be honest with yourself Short summary of learning log for assessment portfolio - key points from your learning journey

29. Tips for Learning Log (general): • Feelings about course and progress • Feelings about facilitator and other learners • Changes in your motivation or attitude • Ideas about how you learn best • Things you find difficult/easy and why • Ideas for tackling assessment tasks • Thoughts about feedback you receive • How areas of study are connected • How study relates to ‘real life’ • Specific for this course – any suggestions? • When and how often? • Electronic or hard copy? • One file for each entry or a continuous log?

30. Lunch! Back at 1.20pm Read the post-its about developing independent learning skills Add more ideas if you like!

31. Critical thinking • Or Encouraging a questioning attitude • Checklist from the Hull course - ask yourself: • Author? Source? Credibility? • What is the main idea or general message? What specifically am I asked to believe/accept? • Specific evidence? Validity? Convincing? • Are there any alternative explanations warranted by the evidence available? • What are the main ideas that I have learned from this book/article? • How do these ideas/findings fit in with what I already know?

32. Critical thinking YouTube presentation from King John School in Essex Might appeal to young apprentices? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuC3Vd7YBDk&feature=related Critical Thinking Quiz: - http://www.thekjs.essex.sch.uk/yates/quiz/quiz.htm

33. Motivation and time management The weakest link: What stops you from doing something? What de-motivates you?

34. Motivation and time management The strongest link: What motivates you to do something?

35. In brief, key motivators tend to be: • personal gain (internal) – • tangible (better job, earn more money) • emotional (feel happy, confident, relaxed) • external pressure (lose your job, make someone annoyed with you) • The amount of effort you put in (how motivated you are) is determined by: • The value of the reward • How certain you are that certain behaviour actually will yield that reward • We have to see reward as being attainable (useful to have SMART goals)

36. Tips for motivating yourself: • Set realistic but challenging targets for yourself – short, medium and longer term • Keep the final goal or destination in mind • Remember that progress motivates – break the overall target down into mini-goals • Establish the right conditions for study – experiment • Allow time for short and long short breaks • Recognise and celebrate your progress – treats and rewards • REFLECT and note successes • Challenge yourself, but be realistic and flexible • Find a study buddy or mentor • Know your weakness & avoid self-sabotage!

37. Time management • HE students have lots of demands on their time: • Face to face /online study • Home study /research /reading • Course work • Work • Friends and family • Health and fitness • Sports and hobbies • Etc • There aren’t enough hours in the day!

38. Five tips for effective time management for learners:

39. TIP ONE Work out how much time you’ve got for learning (simple exercise, very revealing) Draw a chart for your week or month, marked into hourly slots Block out time for “essentials” (no choice) e.g. Face to face classes, work, school run/family commitments, other regular commitments – sports practice, volunteering. Don’t forget eating, sleeping, personal hygiene, household tasks! What else do you need time for? (self study, socialising, face booking, phoning mum …) Do you need to re-balance time spent on different activities? Are you wasting too much time on some activities?

40. TIP TWO Make your diary your best friend Use a diary to schedule your activities – experiment with different diary types Include time for learning in and out of class Include longer (3 hours) and shorter periods of self study– 30 mins to 1 hour Don’t be too rigid!

41. TIP THREE • Eat the elephant • What does your elephant • look like? (Clarify the task) • 2) Break down the task into smaller parts e.g. • Clarifying topic and parameters • Planning • Identifying resources • Background reading and research • Assimilating notes and drafting outline headings • Drafting each section • Editing and re-writing • Proof reading • Final version • Submission

42. TIP THREE continued • 3) Allocate time for each part of the task • Use your diary to draw up a schedule • Allow extra time for contingency e.g. • Sickness • Computer breaks • Takes longer than expected Mmmm yummy!

43. TIP FOUR Stop procrastinating! Use motivational techniques to keep on track (see wiki site) Set milestones and reward yourself when you reach them Stop before you get bored!

44. TIP FIVE Don’t panic!

45. TIP FIVE Not enough time? Use the Merrill Covey matrix to prioritise - it really can help! Urgent Not urgent Important Not important

46. Presentations Experience of using Powerpoint? Short - speak for 5 – 7 minutes. Don’t run over (practice!) 2 or 3 questions after each presentation plus feedback Bring presentation on memory stick Hand in notes later - part of assessment portfolio

47. Exercise - split into two groups Group One What makes a good presentation? What criteria should we use to assess whether each presentation reaches a pass level (40%)? Make a list of these criteria Group Two What skills are needed to give and receive constructive feedback? (two lists of guidance)

48. Home study for Day One 1) Start your learning log Reflect on today’s topics – what was new, surprising, useful? How might you introduce the topics from day one into your work with apprentices? 2) Complete your skills audit - add development plan so that this forms an action plan with SMART objectives. Save it on your memory stick. 3) Read about Learning Styles + do a questionnaire Are learning styles relevant to you / your work? 4) Presentations for 25 January – see Wiki site. 5) Research and reading on today’s topics Use resources on wiki site, plus extend your research and reading with web searches and other reading – books, articles etc. Any resources you can recommend for Wiki site?

49. Visit to Blackpool and The Fylde College University Centre Minibus at front of building at 2.40pm Leave Uni Centre at around 4pm – back here for around 4.20pm Tour of facilities PLUS Talks with HE Learning Mentors Service and Learning Resources Team What do you want to ask them?

50. Thank you and see you next time! Tuesday 25 January Same place!