Fortune Cookie Reflections

Reflective Writing The students in Health and Life Sciences have to learn reflective writing; contemplating their placement experiences. One of the biggest problems most students have is linking their experience to theory and research. That problem places writing sometimes into the category: deliberations in a teenage-diary. The students are not happy with their writing, and … Continue reading Fortune Cookie Reflections

Radiography, Gallery of Modern Art & International Students

The Issue I wanted my students, to take ownership of ‘how’ they use English in their presentations, instead of just focussing on bringing content across any-which-way. As master students the class are all professionals, used to present and speak in front of peers. However, translating this confidence into a different language is challenging—I am speaking … Continue reading Radiography, Gallery of Modern Art & International Students

Vulnerability, Possibility thinking and Resilience

Connecting the Dots: Culture of Vulnerability, Possibility Thinking & Resilience Friday thoughts in three dots I am currently working on a couple of projects and research ideas. Some of the conceptual considerations came (more or less) together this morning. Mind you this post is the mind-mappingly drafting of a draft in an attempted linear form. … Continue reading Vulnerability, Possibility thinking and Resilience

From classroom to tweet?

Can ‘real life situations’ be recreated in social media? When I ran the exam preparation buffet a couple of weeks ago, the greatest ‘take away’ for the students seemed to have been peer support and getting advice from students who were from higher years. For instance the 2nd year student providing crucial tips on institute … Continue reading From classroom to tweet?

Exam Buffet for Exam Diet

Exam Preparation and Coping with Stress Living a bilingual life gives me the very annoying super-power to see beyond words, for instance: exam diet. Oxford English Dictionary explains that ‘diet’ describes activities ‘in which a person or group habitually engages’.* However, my superpower enables me to completely ignore the contextualised meaning and jump straight to … Continue reading Exam Buffet for Exam Diet

Proxies and ‘as if’ to establish ‘real-life context’

Auracalia have been my penultimate proxies. Observing these fossil trees can have you time-travel to prehistoric times and spaces. An aspect from my undergraduate studies meandered into my awareness recently: the idea that educational institutions (are supposed to) provide a safe space for learners to try out for ‘real life’ situations. An idea I try … Continue reading Proxies and ‘as if’ to establish ‘real-life context’

Feedback—Fed Back

The final exercise in the feedback session was: Evaluation forms—revisited. At the end of each module (or sometimes when I am developing new sessions at the end of a session) I hand out feedback forms asking the students very focused and often slightly leading questions about their experience of my teaching. So to keep up … Continue reading Feedback—Fed Back

Feedback Rules!

This week raising awareness of feedback, the different forms of feedback and its impact on the students’ academic as well as professional development was on the agenda. I wanted to ensure the students would gain some understanding of how feedback works not only from their perspective but also from the perspective of academic staff. Yes, … Continue reading Feedback Rules!