Session Information
19 SES 04, Learners' Perspectives of Performativity and Identity Construction (part 2)
Symposium, continued from 19 SES 03
Time:
2009-09-28
16:00-17:30
Room:
JUR, HS 17
Chair:
Bob Jeffrey
Discussant:
Patricia Thomson
Contribution
This paper explores the development of writing workshops used to support students submitting assignments as part of a MA (Education) at the University of Plymouth.
The project team used a range of pedagogical practices which were different to the usual approaches on the programme, yet charged to meet the existing assessment criteria. The workshops were attended by students who had previously submitted M level assignments, and our intention here was that they might be able to compare and contrast their experiences of ‘traditional’ assignment writing with the type of assignment we were inviting them to submit.
The research participants were a self selecting sample of 10 students, all of whom who had previously submitted M level assignments. Student experiences were researched by members of the project team:
A) Conversing with participants within the context of a series of focus groups,
B) Autoethnographic inquiry involving the observation of participants in practice settings,
C)Semi-structured interviews with participants.
Method
Expected Outcomes
´Preliminary investigations found that students tend to view writing as product, rather than as an educative process that has the potential to transform, re-engage, and develop creative and critical thinking. Our initial conclusions suggest that students enjoyed taking part in a module that enabled them to become immersed in a range of writing practices that supported their professional development. However our conversations also revealed uneasiness about the possible ‘assessment implications’ of submitting an assignment that didn’t ‘look right’. Thus, rather than supporting performative engagement we may have disrupted it.
References
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