SAIDE, (April,1998) The Distance Education Practices Of
The Wits P & DM Master Of Management Programme In Mpumalanga, SAIDE: Johannesburg |
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CHAPTER THREE
LECTURE SESSIONS AND COURSE PACKS
One of the central questions for this evaluation is: 'How effective is
the blend of distance education methods course materials, face-to-face sessions,
use of the PictureTel technology for delivery of classes, assessment practices, learning
groups?'
This chapter will focus on the interplay between the course packs and the lecture
sessions, chapter four on the use of PictureTel, and the successive chapters on learning
groups and assessment.
The link between the lecture sessions and the course packs was drawn out in a previous evaluation of P&DMs degree courses:
'there needs to be a balance between facilitation and teaching within each of the courses of the program. In part this can be addressed by making it absolutely clear how reading materials are to be used from the beginning. Materials need to be clearly assigned and discussed in class as well as in syndicate sessions. Course packets need to be managed by instructors so that students get as much out of them as possible. One might consider tutorials with syndicates or groups of syndicates to work on specific reading assignments.' (Picard, L. (undated). Academic Program Development in the Graduate School of Public and Development Management. University of Witwatersrand).
Professor Picard suggests here how the various methods can be integrated lectures, materials, and work in syndicate groups. In other words, he discusses the blend of methods.
In this chapter, the lecture sessions and course packs will be analyzed in terms of how they contribute to the P&DM teaching and learning methodology outlined in the previous chapter along the dimensions of access and equity, support and interactivity.
ACCESS AND EQUITYThe central questions here are:
- whether the amount of time Mpumalanga students are required to spend attending lecture sessions affects their access to the programme; and
- whether they are getting equal treatment to the students based in Parktown.
The information/views from the management and the students are solicited as well as some analysis made of attendance at the sessions in order to address these questions.
According to information received from the MMP management in Nelspruit (Based on interview with Christo de Coning, 19 August 1998), the main means whereby the curriculum of this Masters Programme is communicated, at least in the first year, is through lecture sessions. The course packs and the organization of students into learning groups support the lecture sessions. The amount of lecturer/student contact time stipulated for each module 40 hours is interpreted in the first year compulsory courses as time spent teaching the whole group of students together in lecture sessions of three hours twice or three times a week. In the second year, the block release system is used for the electives (two days at a time for six days for each elective), and for the research project in the final part of the course, the model is entirely different, with individual supervision of students by lecturers. The focus in this evaluation will be on the first year compulsory courses, as these were the courses agreed on for review.
Six to nine hours a week represents a considerable commitment of time for students, especially when it must be considered that some students (2 or 3) travel from the Middelburg/Witbank area, and some (5) from Ermelo/Carolina to Nelspruit. It must also be considered that the students are in full time employment, some with fairly high-powered political jobs.
STUDENT OPINIONWhen asked (Based on focus group discussion with MMI student in Nelspruit, 18 and 19 August 1998) if they felt they were missing out if they were not present in the lecture sessions, students agreed that they did miss out if they do not attend on an opportunity to learn from colleagues, and the personal touch of the lecturer. Some students also mentioned that they need face-to-face interaction with the lecturer and the learning provided in the sessions because they have no time to read. They said that the sessions are helpful because they provide opportunities for sharing information, a chance to bring on board, and to clarify concepts. This makes it easier to study for exams, and you get to relate better with the lecturer.
However, although there is general approval for the sessions, often for the reason outlined by Mark Swilling personal contact with the lecturer there is quite a lot of dissatisfaction about the amount of time and the times/days for the sessions, viz.:
- Saturdays are a problem to me;
- Exhausting after a long day of labouring at the office;
- 3.5 hours are too long after work.
When asked to suggest ways of improving the sessions, students made two suggestions a block release system, and the possibility of a day session at midweek.
When asked about his views on the comparison between a block release
system and after work sessions, Linda Mwale the student representative for the MM2
students (which has been exposed to both systems), said:
(Based on interview with Linda Mwale, 19 August 1998)
'This system [block release] is much more
effective, because you organize everything. Students have a chance to prepare more
thoroughly than for the after hour sessions in the first year. Students are also more
focussed.'
It must be noted that both the solutions to the time problem day session at midweek, and block release are not feasible if PictureTel is used at the current location. As will be discussed in the next chapter, the venue for PictureTel is not available in the daytime.
STUDENT ATTENDANCEGiven the above difficulties with the timing of the sessions, it might be expected that student attendance would be fairly low. At the time of observation there were 36 active students involved in the Master of Management programme at Mpumalanga 9 of them in their second year and 27 of them in their first year. The management does not keep a record of student attendance (because we do not want to create the impression of control by the facilitator) (Based on interview with Christo de Coning, 19 August 1998). Therefore, this research looked at the patterns of attendance in the sessions observed all for the first year students.
The following were the figures for attendance:
Mike Muller 98/07/28 (PictureTel to two classes at once Tuesday
17h30 to 21h00)
9 in Mpumalanga; (27 in Parktown)
33 %
Kirsten Harrison 98/08/08 (face-to-face in Mpumalanga Saturday
9h00 to 12h00)
17 in Mpumalanga
63%
Mike Muller 98/08/18 (PictureTel to Mpumalanga students only
Wednesday 17h30 to 21h00)
10 students in Mpumalanga and 3 from Mpumalanga in Parktown.
48%
Christo de Coning 98/08/19 (face-to-face in Mpumalanga Thursday
17h30 to 21h00)
16 students
59%
Mike Muller 25/08/98 (PictureTel to two classes at once Tuesday
17h30 to 21h00)
9 students in Mpumalanga; (24 in Parktown)
33 %
It must be noted in addition that the above figures represent the totals for the session, but that there are many late comers, and late students come anything from 15 minutes to one hour late.
Although from such a small sample of classes no trends can be drawn out reliably, what can be said is that the attendance rate on these five sessions was low by postgraduate standards, and even by undergraduate standards.
It appears that the lowest attendance rate for Mpumalanga students is for sessions where two classes are taught simultaneously, although this could be a result of the nature of the subject (statistics). It also appears that the highest attendance rate for Mpumalanga students is for face-to-face sessions in Mpumalanga. A possible reason for this is indicated in the student comment in the focus group discussion that addressing two classes simultaneously is difficult, and it is problematic making dual communication with the lecturer. However, it is suggested that if the programme runs in the same way next year, attendance is monitored so that programme staff can understand more clearly the reasons for lack of attendance.
VIEWS OF MANAGEMENT ON LOW ATTENDANCEWhat was clear from the interview with the MMP programme manager and coordinator is that they know the students very well. The attendance levels of participants are not a result of neglect. They are aware of who is legitimately away from class at any time, and follow up regularly and strenuously with students whose lack of attendance is unexplained.
The reasons they gave for the low attendance during the period of observation were:
CONCLUDING COMMENT1- Two students were overseas, and one was ill.
- Often the three students who have to travel from the Middelburg/Witbank area are not able to make it (this is corroborated by a student complaint in the focus group discussion about the time and cost of travelling).
- At this particular stage of the course, the morale is low because the statistics module is not popular. (This is corroborated by student comment in the focus group discussion (Based on focus group discussion with MMI student on 18 August 1998), where one student commented that the analytical method is not clearly presented, and another that lecturer attitude and performance is vital).
The two initial questions need to be reiterated as this section is concluded:
- whether the amount of time students are required to spend attending lecture sessions affects their access to the programme; and
- whether they are getting equal treatment to the students based in Parktown.
The motivation for running the lecture sessions as frequently as they are run is clearly a result of the vision for the programme (the importance of customized personal relationships with students), as well as the desire for equity. The MMP programme manager in the two interviews held with him on 31 July and 19 August 1998 emphasized that a guiding principle in the development of an Mpumalanga Master of Management Programme was that it should be of the same standard in terms of teaching and learning provision and assessment as the Master of Management Programme offered at Parktown.
However, if equity of provision is mainly understood in terms of equal provision of lecture sessions, and Mpumalanga students are for a variety of reasons not attending the lecture sessions regularly, then the interests of equity are not being served. What should perhaps be looked at are ways to provide teaching and learning of equal quality and quantity in ways that are more carefully attuned to the needs of the students. In other words, the same is not necessarily equal.
However, the students obviously value the personal contact with the lecturers, as reflected under Student Opinion above, and this does need to be borne in mind when other suggestions are made.
What needs to be addressed now is the success of the lecture sessions in providing opportunities for the kinds of interactive teaching and learning that is specified in the Teaching and Learning Policy, and the kinds of support provided to the students to make the interactivity possible.
INTERACTIVITY AND SUPPORTThe key point about interactivity was made clearly by Cathy Churchill in response to a question about her understanding of what an interactive lecture session involves: student preparation: if students prepare, they can participate(Based on interview with Cathy Churchill, 19 August 1998). The major form of preparation is the readings provided in the course packs, although the lecturers role in motivating students to read is vital. This point is made in the first item in the summary of the teaching and learning approach: 'Socratic interactive teaching approach based on reading, group analysis, discussion and synthesis.' (P&DM. (1997). Teaching and Learning Policy 1997. Johannesburg: P&DM. p.21.)
The first point to be discussed under interactivity is therefore the role of the course packs in the lecture sessions observed. The course packs support the lecture sessions and should be making it possible for them to be interactive.
Thereafter, the interactivity in the sessions will be analyzed according to the processes that lecturers are required to think through to construct interactive sessions:
planning defining goals and objectives
meaning understanding and making sense of experience
confronting challenging resistance and confronting difficult issues
feeling managing the emotional context of the classroom
structuring methods of learning and structuring experiences
valuing creating a supportive climate of mutual respect. (P&DM. Teaching and Learning Policy, op cit. p.18)
Added to this will be the cyclical learning process referred to in the Teaching and Learning Policy, (Ibid. p.19.) which the lecture sessions presumably are meant to facilitate, and the extent to which links are made in the sessions to contexts and forms of learning outside the lecture sessions forms of teaching and learning that support the major means of communication of the curriculum.
THE COURSE PACKSThere are three issues related to course packs.
The first issue is that if the administration around the course packs
and the materials handed out at lecture sessions is poor, they will not be able to support
the students, as they should. Course packs are provided for all courses offered by
P&DM. In other words, they are not designed specifically for distance education
provision. However, management, production and dispatch of the course packs are more
complicated for students at a distance. (According to the
MMP programme manager, there are two main problems (aside from the specific technical
problems related to videoconferencing) with the management of a distance programme in an
institution whose provision is organised around face-to-face contact:
1. the financial systems at the university (for example, the fact that it takes 60 days to
proces a cheque and the poor financial reporting make difficult to operate a relatively
independent project)
2. the administrative systems around timetabling, production and dispatch of materials and
examinations.
This report will not engage with financial issues, as the focus is on teaching and
learning. However, certain administrative aspects impact directly on teaching and
learning. The programme manager`s analysis of the problem is that the absence of a
champion for distance education at the Parktown campus makes it difficult to sort out
administrative problems)
The second issue is that the course packs themselves need to be sufficiently well produced
and informative to support student use both inside and outside of the lecture sessions.
The third issue is that lecturers need to plan their teaching in such a way that the
course packs contribute to the interactivity in the session.
According to the P&DM materials development brief (29 August 1994):
There is a need to develop a core set of subject oriented learning materials, which can be utilized in a number of courses in P&DM. The idea is to develop an integrative workbook, which includes all the learning materials required for each course:
- the materials should stand alone,
- the material should include course requirements, exercises, case studies, and so on,
- the material should include summaries by lecturers or copyrighted articles only.
This is the beginning of an approach to materials development, which could make it possible for the course packs to be used in conventional distance education mode. However, the requirements in the Teaching and Learning Policy (P&DM. Teaching and Learning Policy. op. cit. p. 22-3) seem to be more along the lines of a course guide, providing all the necessary information about the course as well as relevant reading materials. Because the independent interactive nature of the course pack is not emphasized to the same extent, the course packs will not be reviewed as distance education material. However, should P&DM wish to rework the materials for independent distance education study, categories for review of such materials have been provided in Appendix Two.
The essential difference between some of these course packs and distance education materials is that the course packs are not self-contained instructional modules. They are typically a set of readings which students are meant to use to prepare for the lecture sessions. In addition, they do not normally provide activities with feedback on the activities. Some exercises and questions are provided in some of the course packs, and some are provided on loose sheets handed out at the sessions, but it is assumed that the feedback on these will be in the lecture sessions or comments on assignments. In other words, the course packs usually provide information, and the main teaching and learning is assumed to take place during the contact sessions and when learners attempt to apply the theory in practice.
What is important here is to see whether the sample of course packs reviewed meets the requirements as laid out in the Teaching and Learning Policy, what student views are of the adequacy of the course packs, and whether any of the points made were corroborated in the observations of the sessions.
All three of the course packs reviewed in the table on the next page are from the third compulsory course Information-based Policy Analysis and Decision-Making.
OBSERVATIONSWhat the review shows is the following:
1. There are variations in packaging (the organization of material appears to be more successful in the bound volumes than in the ring binder format).
2. There are variations in the degree to which the lecturers meet the agreed requirements for the course pack format.
3. There are variable understandings of learning outcomes/learning objectives/aims.
4. The page numbering in two of the course packs is problematic.
5. In two of the course packs, important material (such as timetable, session outlines, assignment topics and exercises) was handed out in the lectures themselves, and not bound in the course pack from the beginning.
In light of the above, it is suggested that P&DM should set standards for the development of course packs, and, given the suggestion that the number of lecture contact hours be reduced and alternative methods of teaching and learning explored, that the course packs are remodelled more along the lines of traditional distance education materials. Contact sessions can then be better utilised for debate and to emphasise current developments.
Course packs reviewed in terms of the requirements in the Teaching and Learning Policy (1997)Analytical approaches and techniques PADME 49 | Information gathering for the policy process PADME 58 | Introduction to public policy PADME 47 | |
The cover should include · full name of course & component· date· F/T or P/T· Course convenors name |
Yes Yes Yes, but inaccurate info providedNo name provided |
The material in this course pack was placed in a plastic ring binder. The cover of the ring binder merely provided P&DMs details. (The other course packs were bound A4 volumes.) | Yes Yes Yes Yes |
The front page should include · name and contact details of course convenor and lecturers· brief CVs of all teachers· consultation times· course outline
· learning outcomes· timetable· course requirements - particularly assessment· list of learning materials |
Yes Yes Yes Yes, but no introduction or aims
No Yes, but on separate sheetYes, but on separate sheetYes |
No Yes No No
Yes but confused with aimsYes Yes, but no percentages allocated to components and assignment on separate sheet given out laterNo |
Yes, extensive details
Yes No Yes, with intro, objectives, overarching goals of module, learning outcomes, key termsYes Yes Yes, with assignment topic, suggested length, recommended approach, as well as weightingYes (incorporated into session outlines) |
Session outlines should include: · Title and date of each session· Learning outcomes or objectives· Readings - should be legible with no hand written markings· Preparation· Exercises· Questions· Notes |
(on separate sheet) Yes, on separate sheet Yes Yes, but strangely numbered and with handwritten page numbers.No No, except in readings themselves, and on sheetsNo, handed out separately in lecture sessionsNo |
(distributed throughout the course pack) Yes (from course outline)Yes, but inconsistent across sessionsYes , but not numbered and no page numbers
Yes , but very vagueNo, case studies listed, but not clear where they areNo No |
(bound in the first pages of the course pack) Yes (in course outline)Yes, themes as well as outcomesYes, with computer numbered pagesYes No Yes No |
According to the programme manager ( Interview with Christo de Coning, 19 August 1998), of particular difficulty for distance delivery is the fact that lecturers sometimes fax additional materials just before or a day before the lecture session, without considering that there are difficulties with copying and distributing material that comes late. He also drew attention to the fact that if course materials are placed in a large ring binder file, it is difficult to carry around (especially if you come to class straight from the office), and it also allows lecturers leeway not to prepare ahead of time. Some students are diligent and add their own notes to the file, but others tend to lose the notes. Portability is important, and it is important to provide students with the material in advance so that they can prepare ahead of time. As was pointed out earlier, the main way in which you can achieve interactive classes is by motivating students to prepare for the session.
According to the students, there is a need for more clarity of presentation in the course packs, better administration of the course packs, as well as more comprehensiveness. Their suggestions for how the materials could be improved include: (Pionts made on cards during focus group discussions in Nelspruit, 19 August 1998.)
Suggestions about clarity:
- Good packs are organised and all inclusive, with page
numbers and clear print.
- Correctly paged.
- Page numbering.
- Paged and numbered.
- Written in bigger letters, it strains my eyes to read the small ones.
- Replace small print with big print.
- Must be clear.
- Quality of print.
- Photocopied material is rechecked for readability.
- Must have full pages.
- I hate the handouts and loose papers flying all over.
- By including all the readings and additional references.
- Short and concise reading material.
- Key readings must be clearly indicated.
- Provide table of contents.
Suggestions about better administration:
- Must be brought in time.
- Should be received in advance.
- Need course packs in good time.
Suggestions about greater comprehensiveness:
- Written solutions to assignments, projects, are needed as
well as individual comments which should be practical.
- Readings should contain summaries.
- Must be supplemented by additional readings.
- Need to be able to access books from which compulsory readings in course packs are
taken.
- Must be supplemented by original books from which photocopies have been made.
- Establish a library in Mpumalanga.
These comments indicate quite a large degree of dissatisfaction with the physical quality and legibility of the course packs, as well as the accessibility of their contents through such things as page numbering, contents pages and so on. The students, like the programme manager, object to receiving loose pages and seem to want packs that are all inclusive. It is clear, too, that often the course packs do not reach them in time.
An interesting additional dimension, though, is that they seem to be indicating a need for more comprehensive course packs, more in the distance education tradition, with written solutions and summaries. It appears also that lecturers are not always sensitive to the fact that students in Mpumalanga do not have easy access to the Wits library to get books which are compulsory reading. Although a resource centre has now been established in Nelspruit, the question of ease of access and the range of supplementary materials remains, especially for learners who are equally distant from both Nelspruit and Parktown.
USE OF COURSE PACKS BY LECTURERSFour lecturers sessions were observed, either directly or on video. What follows is an account of how they used the course packs (or additional material) in their sessions. Full accounts of their sessions appear in Appendix Four.
Mark Swilling (Systems Theory videocassette, PictureTel)
This lecturer was concerned with the readings themselves and the students attitudes to the readings rather than with the course packs as a whole.
As this was an introductory session, he spent some time giving a sense of what the contents of the readings were, what the authors backgrounds were and what students should try to get from them. He also indicated the relative importance and difficulty of the readings. However, his style was to emphasize the difficulty rather than actually mediate it.
He motivated students to read by
- showing links to the exam and the assignments for his course;
- explaining the importance of doing sufficient reading in preparation for classes.
In other words, he did not just set readings but introduced students into a university postgraduate culture where reading is critical. He said explicitly that students who do not read will fail.
He made reference to the fact that he had placed a book on library loan, and said the students in Mpumalanga could possibly have it couriered to Nelspruit, but he had not thought of it until then.
Part of the material for the class was a case study, which is not incorporated into the pack but must be handed out separately.
Christo de Coning (Public policy introductory lecture 19/8/98 face-to-face)
This lecturer was concerned about the course pack as a whole as an aid to learning. In the introduction to his session, he showed how the course packs provide students with an overview of the requirements of the course. He also used the opportunity to give an indication of how his course fits into the module as a whole.
In each each session, he allocates the reading of core articles to particular learning groups for presentation at the next session. In other words, he does not leave it to chance, so that the delay when he asks for presentation is not unnecessarily great. Nevertheless, in the session observed, he had difficulty persuading the second group to report. Through his interactive style in the classroom, he mediated the readings and the examples he used provided a South African and often local perspective.
Also, he did not leave to chance whether or not the students could get hold of the books from which the readings come: he brought to class five copies of the book for the seven learning groups to share. He handed out no additional pieces of paper in the session, except for copies of the overhead transparencies that he had used.
Mike Muller (Statistical Methods PictureTel 28/07/98, 18/08/98, and 25/08/98)
Mike often referred to particular readings in his sessions, but did not warn students beforehand which readings he would be using.
In his sessions, Mpumalanga students often experienced difficulty finding the page he was referring to. Sometimes he forgot that when using PictureTel, you need to say you are turning a page and not just do it. On one occasion, the Mpumalanga students had different page numbering from the Parktown students they had got an earlier edition of the pack. On another occasion, the examples on the sheets handed out in the lecture session were differently numbered: Mike had a sheet with example (f) on it, whereas the Mpumalanga students had example (f) incorporated into example (e). It took five minutes to sort out this confusion.
Often students worked on examples in the readings in the pack, but quite often as well he handed out extra examples on separate sheets. The extra examples were South African in character, but they were not directly drawn from the particular areas of interest of the group.
Kirsten Harrison (Tools for the policy manager guest lecture face-to-face 08/08/98)
She handed out a 45 page Participatory Rural Appraisal Handbook as a supplement to the course pack entitled Towards Partnership in Development. Most of what she lectured on was actually in this booklet.
She did not refer to the course pack during the session.
CONCLUDING COMMENT3It can be seen from the above that while all lecturers featured reading prominently in their lecture session, only one lecturer had a firm grasp of the usefulness of the course pack as a whole in supporting self-directed learning between sessions. Only two of the four lecturers communicated to the students in the sessions observed the importance of reading in preparation for the sessions, and only one demonstrated success in achieving this.
Only one of the lecturers treated the course pack as a self-contained resource. The others supplied additional materials in the lectures themselves. If students see the material for the first time in the lecture, it reduces the potential interaction around the issues raised, as they have not been in a position to prepare.
Two particular problems with running the course at a distance were illustrated in these accounts. Firstly, inefficient numbering of examples and pages wasted a lot of time, and made learning difficult for those at a distance. Secondly, when students do not have access to a library where they are, arrangements have to be made to provide access to books in other ways.
INTERACTIVITY AND SUPPORT IN THE LECTURE SESSIONSAside from the central issue of the interplay between the course packs and the lecture sessions, the lecture sessions in themselves need to be looked at. To what extent do they uphold the interactive teaching and learning approaches outlined in the Teaching and Learning Policy document? This report is not merely an evaluation of the extent to which the objectives of the programme are reached, however. It is also an investigation into the blend of methods used. If there are problems with the lecture sessions or they are not being used to their full advantage, perhaps other methods could be strengthened and the amount of time spent on the lecture sessions reduced.
The criteria, which emerge from the Teaching and Learning policy, have been outlined earlier in this chapter. They have been expanded a little by the evaluators comments, based on the views of the programme coordinator (in brackets) (Based on interview with Cathy Churchill, 19 August 1998).
Lecturers should give thought to: planning defining goals and objectives (giving students an overview, showing students the link between this session and others and between this session and their own work contexts, giving them a clear understanding of the requirements of the course) meaning understanding and making sense of experience (helping students work through the cyclical approach to learning reflecting, connecting, deciding, doing; knowing the class well enough to make good use of their experiences to help them work through the issues raised) confronting challenging resistance and confronting difficult issues (making it clear that students are responsible for their own learning, and not spoon feeding them; pushing the class to analyze rigorously and not be satisfied with slogan type responses to questions) feeling managing the emotional context of the classroom (managing the dynamics in the class, being sensitive to students differing needs, creating a comfortable relaxed atmosphere, providing positive reinforcement) structuring methods of learning and structuring experiences (preparing carefully and creatively, so that the long sessions have a structure, efficient time management in sessions) valuing creating a supportive climate of mutual respect (operating democratically, creating opportunities for collaborative work) supporting independent learning using the lecture sessions to set up learning processes that take place outside of the lecture sessions |
Kirsten Harrison (Participatory rural appraisal 08/08/98)
The session observed took the following format:
- Viewing of video on participatory rural appraisal (PRA);
- Discussion of video and principles of PRA emerging;
- Lecturing interspersed with questions and discussion around aspects of PRA raised in the PRA Handbook handed out at the beginning of the session;
- Group exercise students have to describe how they would conduct a PRA in a specified context; and
- Report back on group discussion.
The lecturer had clearly planned the session, and provided for some variety in approach. However, links between this session and others, and this session and the workplace contexts of the students was missing. Because the students did not get the material beforehand, the possibility of their being able to relate the method to their own experience and thereby give it meaning was reduced. Also the concentration was on content understanding rather than process or argument, although the intention was to challenge the students. The cycle of reflecting, connecting, deciding, doing was to some extent made possible by the group activity at the end of the session. In terms of managing the class (feeling and valuing), the lecturer clearly had the right intentions and motivation, but has not yet had enough experience to do it adequately.
Christo de Coning (Introduction to Policy Analysis 19/08/98)
The session had the following agenda, which was put up on the white board at the beginning of the session:
1. Objectives of session and introduction to course pack.
2. Learning group presentations.
3. Open discussion.
Break.
4. Presentation of theoretical frameworks (Christo).
5. Open discussion.
6. Closure/ readings session 2 and 3.
7. Evaluation by SAIDE (Tessa and Christine).
As mentioned above, the introduction to the session provided an overview of the course as a whole and enabled them to see where the present session fitted in. Links between this session and others in the course as well as in the programme as a whole were made throughout the session. The purpose to work towards a common understanding of policy was clearly stated. The requirements of the course as a whole were also clearly stated, including workload and assessment.
The students had prepared for the session to a variable degree, but the first presentation indicated that at least one group had done so thoroughly. This meant that the subsequent interactive discussion could be lively and productive and help students to reflect and connect. The lecturer knows the students very well and could use examples from their own experience, as well as his own considerable experience. He constantly invited students to be critical about the views put forward by theorists, and pushed them to reflect on their own context.
The lecturers facilitation skills were considerable:
- highlighting important aspects,
- stimulating debate,
- affirming contributions made by students,
- linking contributions made by different students,
- listening to students contributions and building on them,
- linking backwards and forwards to other modules,
- encouraging critical thinking by asking probing questions,
- deflecting questions to students for their responses,
- presenting his own experiences and opinions and clearly indicating when it is his own voice,
- being reassuring and encouraging,
- keeping time.
These skills are a blend of intellectual and interpersonal, and threaded through with a respect for the students. The observers had the feeling that the students were interested because they were encouraged to contribute. The lecturers critical input seemed to create a non-threatening climate in which students felt comfortable about giving expression to their own critical views about the theories which they had read and about relevant experiences in their own work environment.
The student presentation of the second reading, however, was less successful. A little time was wasted in deciding who would do the presentation, and the presentation itself was less effective. Not as much discussion emerged.
Finally, the lecturer clearly uses the lectures to set up learning processes that take place outside of the lecture sessions. The main technique was allocation of responsibility for presenting on the readings for the next session.
Mike Muller (Statistical Methods 28/07/98, 18/08/98, 25/08/98)
Although not stated up front, Mike Mullers sessions included the following (not always in this order):
- explanation
- example worked through by lecturer to illustrate theoretical point
- questions and discussion
- example done by students in loose groups and pairs
- discussion of answers and problems experienced by students
- description of assessment requirements or administration of test
- feedback on assessment.
As far as planning is concerned, the boundaries between one session and the next were not always clear. With the exception of the first session (described by the lecturer as the most successful), each session seemed to carry on a topic from the previous session. The topic rather than the objective or outcome for this particular session was paramount. The lecturer did not provide a rationale to the students as to why they needed to be able to use the particular statistical methods, or how they fitted in with the other courses in the information based policy analysis module. Although the examples chosen were South African ones to which students could relate, it was a pity that the lecturer did not ask the students what kind of research they might need statistical methods for, and build his approach around their experience.
A considerable difficulty in the presentation of this subject is the vastly differing skill and background in the subject that the students have. It would appear that three-hour group tutorials (particularly if managed by videoconferencing) are not the best strategy to deal with such a diverse group. Inevitably one goes too slowly for the capable students, and at the same time confuses those who are struggling. The requirement to challenge without overwhelming becomes difficult to meet. Managing the pace of the sessions is also problematic. In each three-hour session, as few as six examples were discussed. In one session, an example started in a previous session was discussed and worked on for a further hour.
In the sessions themselves, particularly in the one where the lecturer faced the Parktown class, he was able to create a relaxed atmosphere, which helped the students to participate easily. The students also easily moved into group and pair discussion, although some of the time, particularly towards the end of the long sessions, time was not being spent on task.
The lecturer was conscious of the need to provide additional support particularly to those students who were struggling, and in one of the sessions, he indicated the kinds of ways in which students could successfully prepare for the examination:
- Attendance at the lecture sessions;
- Additional lectures (offered by another lecturer);
- Individual appointments with the lecturer himself;
- Self study;
- A second test; and
- A two-day intensive revision session (to be held for 11 hours over 2 days on Friday 14/8 and Saturday 15/8 in Parktown) to correspond with the next visit to Parktown by Mpumalanga students.
In an interview held with him (Based on interview with Mike Muller, 25 August, 1998), the lecturer indicated in addition that students could phone him and e-mail him at the office. It is clear from this that the lecturer uses the lecture sessions to set up learning processes that take place outside of the lecture sessions.
CONCLUDING COMMENT4What emerges from the above account is that the lecturers are putting in considerable effort some in the provision of additional support, some in the preparation for the sessions, and some for both. It is fairly clear from these accounts what the good and bad features of the individual performances are. What is of interest here, however, is the issue of the three-hour lecture session supported by course packs as the main strategy for communication of the curriculum.
In only one of the sessions was the time used to optimum benefit, and this was a result of the excellent planning and unusually good facilitation skills of the lecturer concerned. It must be noted that this session was not a PictureTel session. It must also be noted that even this facilitators skill could not elicit two successful presentations from the students. This could indicate that the expectation of student preparation is a little unrealistic. Many of the problems in the Statistical Methods sessions were, as indicated, probably mainly a result of the diverse abilities and background of students.
A further point to be made is that only in one of the sessions was there explicit use of the learning group as a structure to facilitate learning within the session or in preparation for the session.
The question therefore is how can interactive teaching approach based on reading, group analysis, discussion and synthesis be realized more fully? We would suggest the following:
CONLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS- more emphasis in lecturer planning on links between the session and the module as a whole;
- greater expectations placed on lecturers to structure the sessions properly and provide variety of method;
- more emphasis on motivating students to prepare thoroughly for sessions;
- possibly decreasing the amount to be prepared for each session and increasing the quality demands;
- or alternatively, reducing the number of hours to be spent attending lectures and increasing the amount of work to be done in between in different ways;
- making greater use of the learning group structure for work between sessions;
- developing an alternative strategy for the presentation of statistical methods and other courses where the students diverse abilities create problems for facilitation.
The main means for communication of the curriculum is the 40 hours of lectures offered per module. The motivation for running the lecture sessions as frequently as they are run is clearly a result of the vision for the programme (the importance of customized personal relationships with students), as well as the desire for equity of provision between Parktown and Mpumalanga.
The existence of a document offering guidelines on the expected teaching and learning approach is commendable. However, the implementation of the agreed interactive methodology outlined in the policy document was variable, although elements of the approach were present in all sessions. The attendance at the sessions was poor, often for valid reasons directly related to studying at a distance. Some of the low attendance could be attributed to problems with a particular subject. The whole group lecture session using PictureTel was not perceived to be a successful way to teach a subject such as statistical methods in which the students have very varied ability and prior knowledge.
RECOMMENDATIONS.COMPREHENSIVE AND SUPPORTIVE COURSE PACKS- Although staff-student contact is an important part of P&DMs vision, we argue that long lecture sessions which insufficient numbers of students attend is not a way to ensure effective personal contact with lecturers, particularly if the lecture sessions do not make very good use of time. Replicating the same model of delivery as that used in Parktown may not result in effective (and equal) provision of opportunities for teaching and learning.
- It may be more effective to have fewer lecture sessions, and provide carefully structured ways in which students can prepare for these sessions through independent learning from the course packs and other resources either individually or in learning groups.
- In short, it is necessary to interpret the P&DM Teaching and Learning guidelines within the context of the Mpumalanga experience rather than assuming that the approach which works for Parktown students will necessarily be equally applicable in Mpumalanga. If there is some divergence of approach in this way, it becomes even more of an imperative to have agreement on the overall vision, programme objectives and learning outcomes between the centres.
The P&DM materials development brief contains a clear outline of the expectations of completed course packs. However, even though the brief states that the course packs should be able to stand alone, only one of the lecturers we observed treated the course pack as a comprehensive guide to the course and only two required the students to read particular readings for presentation in the sessions. The quality of the course packs reviewed was variable. In one case the course pack was a course guide providing all the necessary information for the course including the readings. In others, the physical quality and legibility of the material was poor in places, and the contents were not easily accessible because of problems with page numbering, absence of content pages and so on.
Often they were not self-contained, and additional vital information was distributed on loose pages, easily lost. In addition, students reported that sometimes the course packs or associated material did not arrive in time and it was not possible to use them to prepare for sessions. What also concerned students is that lecturers are not always sensitive to the fact that some students in Mpumalanga do not have easy access either to the Wits library, or to the new Nelspruit resource centre, to get books which are compulsory reading.
RECOMMENDATIONSGENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS- Particularly if students are expected to prepare more thoroughly for sessions, the quality and administration of the course packs will have to be improved.
- Course packs will also have to be made more comprehensive. At present, even the best example reviewed mainly communicated information rather than actually teaching through the provision of exercises with worked solutions or feedback on questions, or summaries.
- More independent learning also requires more thought about how students at a distance can access resources not contained in the course packs.
- It is suggested that P&DM should set standards for the development of course packs more along the lines of traditional distance education materials.
It is suggested that if the programme runs in the same way next year, attendance is monitored so that programme staff can understand more clearly the reasons for lack of attendance in some sessions and can plan to obviate these problems in future.
The importance of establishing a local resource centre is an important lesson arising from the MMP experience and should be noted by potential new service providers. Linked to this is the need to consider sharing resources with other service providers in order to further reduce the distances students have to travel to access support and resources.
Thought should be given to how students can be encouraged to prepare adequately for the contact sessions. It may be necessary in the early stages to build in some kind of assessed reportback or test linked to the readings at the start of a contact session in order to establish a habit of adequate preparation. Linked to this is the need for sensitivity on the part of lecturers to the fact that students are studying whilst working. Fewer high quality readings may result in a greater commitment to preparation than supplying many nice to have but not essential resources.
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