Bridge building: applying OR across a range of disciplines

Building bridges:

Applying OR across a

range of disciplines

Dr. Jo Smedley

Aston University

Birmingham

UK

(on secondment to JISC, Mar 07 – Feb 09)

Email: [email protected]

http://www.aston.ac.uk/combhons/staff/jo

mailto:[email protected]

Dr. Jo Smedley Building bridges: Applying OR across a range of disciplines 2

Background to the project

• Crossing the “bridge” to University

– Study skills

– Why do students struggle?

– What can we do to help them?

• Gap analysis among students

– Just the start of recognising gaps….

• Why do students struggle?

• What can be done to help?

• How will this affect staff?

• What can be done to help?

• What other implications are there?

• A range of OR approaches

– Forecasting

– Scheduling

– Knowledge management

– +++++


Rewards of learning

• Reward for students

– Enhanced academy learning

– Real-life learning that has been introduced,

nurtured and developed

– Personal and professional skills acquired

and developed

– Enhanced knowledge management skills

• Reward for staff

– Enhanced knowledge of student abilities

prior to commencement of the modules


First steps

• Funding

• Prototype model – Keep it simple

– Development of online system (August 2002)

• User focused content

• Technical development

– Implementation with student users

– Revision http://www..jiscinfonet.co.uk


Monitor &

Observe

Develop mechanisms

New

Undergraduate

Students

Analyze and

develop systems

Consultatio

n and

communicat

ion

Understand and support

students

Stakeholders

JISC Users and Innovation Programme


“e-ntering™ Combined Honours”

“e-ntering™ Level 2”

“e-ntering™ Level 3”

LEVEL 3

LEVEL 2

LEVEL 1

==============================================================

==============================================================

FLDC

(2005-07)

WP

(2003-05) A levels,

IB,

Access

Level 1

Level 2 &

Foundation

Degree

Online (70%)?

Paper(10%)?

DVD(10%)?

iPod(10%)?

Online (50%)?

Paper(5%)?

SMS(5%)

F2f(20%)?

DVD(10%)?

iPod(10%)?

Online (90%)

Paper(10%)

5

Year

cycle


e-ntering : reflecting on learning skills

• Designed, developed and implemented over a four year period by students on work placement

• Mentors students meeting new academic challenge – Suggested strategies for managing

study skills

• Opportunities for users to

– reflect on their progress

– consider areas for further work

– Personal Development Profiles


Prototypes

• Prototype 1 – Developed by two undergraduate students on placement

(Sept 04 – July 05)

– Basis online system (content/technical development)

– Tested with Year 1 undergraduates

• Prototype 2 – Developed by two postgraduate students on placement

(Sept 05 – March 06)

– Considered existing system (refined/developed)

– Tested on incoming undergraduate students Sept 2005

• Prototype 3 – Developed by two undergraduate students on placement

(March 07 – June 07)

– Considered existing system (refined/developed)

– To be tested

“developed

by students

for students”


About

Content

Quiz Feedback

Structure


“ I realised that group working is not only necessary for university life but also important for

my future life”

“I will use a study strategy after using this

system.”

“Although I have managed to make a

significant improvement, a lot of work still needs

to be done. I have realised that I am quite

bossy and I need to listen to other peoples

opinions more”

“I have reviewed the

numeracy knowledge and

I feel more confident with

my skills”

Feedback on

learning

“I need to make a clear plan for my essay

writing and spend more time on research”

“I recognised that my study methods are disorganised -I want to break the pattern and

use a more effective learning

strategy.” “I need to improve my writing and spelling as it is really important

that others understand my writing

at University”

“I have learned some new things

such as the positive side of

criticism”


“I have realised that my writing is not

very easy to read as I use a lot of long and complicated words. I have to

improve my writing skills by practising

techniques”

“I have learned how to plan and write an essay. This is really

useful in my university life”

Feedback on

learning

“I have realised that spending more time on planning and research is essential”

“I have reflected a lot on my personal development

from high school to university, remembering certain experiences that changed my outlook as an individual. I am aiming to cooperate more in group work – this has been a

particularly useful aspect from e-ntering”

“I have realised that my time

planning is unrealistic. I

need to manage my time better”

“I have realised that my approach to

reading is not very efficient as it takes a lot of time and energy. I will use some of the suggestions from now

on”

“I have learned how to make useful notes during

lectures and how they help my

learning process”


Further development

• Focus on traditionally under-represented groups at university – mature students

– students studying on a part-time basis

– students from non-traditional backgrounds

– direct-entry students

– students entering from Foundation Degrees

• Wider applications

• Learning approaches – Experimenting with blends

• Technologies – mobile technologies for work-placement reflection


Key Questions

• What are the key points in designing and

developing?

– Communicating/winning “hearts and minds”

• Has anyone seen a similar system?

• How could this system could be applied

elsewhere?

• How could this system be developed further?

– More detailed analysis of use

Bridge building: applying OR across a range of disciplines

Education

Transcript of Bridge building: applying OR across a range of disciplines