James Williams, Swinburne University: Utilising innovative techniques to capture student voices in the creation of viable learning and teaching futures

Valuing Student Voices When

Exploring, Creating and Planning

for the Future of Australian Higher

Education Swinburne University of Technology &

University of Technology, Sydney

James Williams, Swinburne University of Technology

The project team

Swinburne University of Technology

• Dr Simone Buzwell, PVC Professor Gilly Salmon, PVC Professor Glen Bates, Professor Janet Gregory,

James Williams, Sean Tinker

University of Technology, Sydney

• Associate Professor Jo McKenzie,

DVC Professor Shirley Alexander, Dr Ali Crosby

Support for this project has been provided by the Australian Government Office for

Learning and Teaching. The views expressed in this document do not necessarily reflect the view of the Australian Government Office for Learning and Teaching.

Summary of

project aims

• This project seeks to addresses the fundamental questions of:

• How can learners help Higher Education [HE] to consider preferred and viable options for HE learning in the future?

• What are the preferred learning and teaching futures of our current students?

• How can universities best create learner-centred learning and teaching approaches?

Higher Education is in a

state of change due to:

• Digital and web technologies

• Changes in the student demographic

(e.g., Bradley review)

• Other reasons

(e.g., restructuring of universities)

The Future of

Australian Higher Education

“Just as it is important to realise the future

cannot be „predicted‟, so also it is important to

understand that Alternative Futures can and

should be forecasted, and the consequences

of the alternatives considered before

Preferred Futures are envisioned and created.” Dator 2004

How to respond?

• Consult a primary stakeholder: THE STUDENTS!

Why?

• To encourage greater cooperation between staff and students.

• To enable universities to plan.

• To enhance student engagement and reduce attrition.

Methodology

Students require assistance to develop constructive visions of Higher Education in

the future.

Creative Events

• Sculptures and a world café

• Photography

The first event

Results

Results continued

Last One…

Responses to sculptures

What do you love about the sculpture?

• The reflections focussed on the importance of the sculptures incorporating multiple styles and views.

• The sculptures presented a great overview which showed an end to the learning journey.

• A number of students also indicated that they loved that the sculpture was well balanced.

• The most popular response was that what was loved most was that the sculpture was student directed.

Responses to sculptures

If emotions can talk…

• A mix of positive (e.g. hope) and negative (e.g.

frustration) emotions were recorded.

What is wanting to die?

• A mix of personal issues (e.g. fear of failing) and

aspects of university learning (e.g. hierarchical

learning paradigms) were indicated. A greater

proportion of responses focussed on personally

relevant issues.

Responses to sculptures

What is waiting to emerge?

• Most responses focused on the personal (e.g. sense of

achievement; job aspirations). In terms of learning they

focused on choice and having input.

What are the key conflicts Higher Education will face?

• The need to keep engaging students and to keep

university learning relevant.

What is the deeper meaning of learning emerging?

• The need to think critically and in many different ways.

Responses to World Café

• What needs to change... – More practical learning – More group discussions – More discussion board – Virtual group discussions – More real life examples – Lecture discussion – Tutors should know their students – Seminars rather than lectures – Less overly structured assignments – More diversity in the style of teaching

Responses to World Café

• How will this future happen? – Better facilities (e.g., library) ******* – Run more workshops like this ***** – Act on feedback provided in tutorials **** – Research / testing of new methods vs old methods and

integration of these new ideas into course structure **** – Pilot implementation of the recurring ideas in the student

population across all faculties ** – Cyclic progression of idea generation <-> implementation <->

testing across various learning measures/styles ** – Cultural change- break down hierarchy ** – Students should become part of the change ** – There needs to be Accountability **

Next steps

• Further focus events on the desired future

and how to get there [Methodological issue].

• The next event will be in December.

• Further events that have been confirmed

include:

An event with online students

An event with students on probation

First year event during orientation

Conclusion

• Our first event revealed some surprises and confirmed some current understandings.

• The event verified the importance of gaining the students’ perspective of the future of learning and teaching.

• We are excited to discover if the views of different student cohorts paints a different picture of their perspective of the future of Australian Higher Education or if all students speak with one voice.

Further Information

and

Updates

Please email Simone Buzwell

[email protected]

if you wish to be kept informed of the

project outcomes and techniques