This week I have attempted to consider the role of coursework in this literature review, arguing that non-traditional students, with their responsibilities outside of university, can struggle with the levels of reading that universities tend to require, largely because of an unacknowledged paradigm shift towards coursework. It seems to me that if non-traditional students as well as traditional students can utilise practical study skills, then it can help them critically engage with their work more quickly.
I have often found that the hard part about studying is getting started and that if I can just have a method, it will allow me to get going. I may well change what I do – which is also an important point – but I still need a starting point. Being a flexible learner, and have a variety of study skill resources as part of your academic tool kit is perhaps the most practical and useful advice we, as tutors or fellow students, can give.
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3 comments:
Dear Kate
I agree with you about the paradigm shift to coursework. However, like most shifts it is more a return to an old paradigm, rather than the invention of a new one. In the 1980s I was teaching English literature and English language to GCSE students. At the start of this decade the students were being assessed by means of 100% coursework. In order to pass these subjects they needed to submit a folder containing a sample of essays written over the two years of the course. As I recall, for English literature they needed 20 essays and these needed to relate to six or seven different novels, as well as poetry and drama. This came to an abrupt halt during the Major administration, when a decision was taken that all subjects must include an examination. There was still a coursework component (possibly 50%?) But there was also an end of course unseen examination. One of the issues that concerned us at the time was gender. My experience was that many girls tend to do very well when the subject was assessed by means of coursework. The boys, particularly those who were struggling with the process of adolescence, often found it very difficult to produce the required amount of coursework and were much better at examinations.
I also think that at the moment our degree courses are woefully over assessed. In my own subject, Childhood Studies, students produce four 3500 word essays each semester. However I'm not sure about the way in which this disadvantages non-traditional students. Many traditional students are now also having to work part-time, or even in some cases full-time. Also, it is now much easier to access materials than it used to be. The Internet has made a huge difference. At Chichester we use Ebrary to help students access books electronically and all the usual range of full text electronic journals to allow them to access up-to-date materials. In terms of the amount of reading, I tell my first-year students that they need to refer to at least five books/journals for their essays (first-year essays are only 2500 words). For second-year students I suggest at least 10 books/journals and for a third year students I suggest at least 15 books/journals. I stress that this is a minimum requirement. Many students, particularly in the third year use far more than this. I am certainly not one who subscribes to the current moral panic. In my experience good students are continuing to read widely and intelligently. Poor students are doing what they have always done – the minimum!
Must dash!
All the best
Rob Abbott
University of Chichester
Dear Rob
Thanks for your very insightful comments. I think there can at times be a temptation to reinvent the wheel, but you are quite right in that paradigm shift was back to an old paradigm. I also think the issue of gender is a really central point here and intend to draw on your comments in the process of rewriting this section - keep the suggestions coming!
Best wishes
Kate
My paradigm pre-dates Rob's! I did my first degree (joint honours, education & literature) 1975-1980 (extended because of short interregnum - broken arm). Prior to this all my O'level assessment, then ONC and A'level was examination-based. On the degree course, we had a few short writing assignments (750 words) in the first year - then across the second & third together: nine pieces of course work, of which six would go forward to the degree classificiation, three exams (end of third year) and one dissertation (and I chose creative writing!). The end of the fourth year involved eight three-hour exams (I could have exchanged one exam for a dissertation, but did not). I think that many of our undergraduates have to submit what I did in four years every year - and that feels like over-assessment to me.
ALSO - whilst conventional gender wisdom is that females shine in courework and males in exams, I always much preferred exams...
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