Researcher's Corner

PHOTO BY ROBERTO CORTESE ON UNSPLASH

Researcher’s Corner shines the spotlight on two research studies that have been published in the special issue of the Journal of Innovation in Polytechnic Education (JIPE) in 2022. From exploring learner satisfaction and employability to examining the structuration of feedback in online teaching environment, these research studies address how the learner experience can be improved through and beyond COVID-19.

Read on to learn more about the research studies and the researchers behind them.

Through and Beyond COVID-19, Promoting Whole Person, Lifelong and Lifewide Learning

Research study by Doug Cole and Brendan Coulson explores how learner satisfaction and employability can be improved as the world moves to a position of coexisting with COVID-19

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected what was originally classed as ‘normal’ for everyone across the world and will undoubtedly continue to impact on the everyday lifestyle and well-being of the general public for years to come (Frampton, 2021). All the education sectors were affected, and the polytechnic sector was no exception. As the Government moves through and beyond COVID-19 with an agenda firmly rooted in developing skills, it starts to raise questions around widening participation, not just in terms of entry criteria, but also in terms of institutional readiness to support such diverse groups of learners using tailored whole person pedagogical approaches (Kim et al., 2021; McCoy, 2021).

Furthermore, with the pandemic’s rapid acceleration of automation and ways of working, should the focus just be on skills? (McKinsey and Company, 2020; McKinsey Global Institute, 2020; Shepheard, 2020; The World Economic Forum, 2021). Or should there be a parity of esteem with other aspects and outcomes of whole person learning such as reflective practice, professional identity, attitudes, and behaviours which might be best nurtured and developed through both lifelong and life wide learning? As the world moves to a position of coexisting with COVID-19, could part of the solution to improving learner satisfaction and employability be through more person-centred programmes of study?

This review paper argues that the solution is one that is achieved by increasing learner agency and creating a tailored study programme that is focused on the knowledge, experience, social and emotional needs of the learner. The long-term success of these approaches that are discussed within this paper are dependent on several factors outlined within the paper, which will require further inquiry.

Read the full article: Through and Beyond COVID-19, Promoting Whole Person, Lifelong and Lifewide Learning https://jipe.ca/index.php/jipe/article/view/104

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS RESEARCH TOPIC?

Doug and Brendan: Preparing learners for a complex future world is a global education priority. We believe it is crucial the narrative moves beyond one of focusing on just knowledge and skills alone, and instead adopts a more holistic view of learning, recognizing the importance of other aspects of human development, such as attitude, behaviour and other personal qualities that are all vital in combination, harnessing learning that happens both in and beyond the classroom in life more broadly. We wanted to highlight these key considerations and share how we have sought to integrate this thinking into practice in the development of a new and unique blueprint for Higher Technical Qualifications at Nottingham Trent University.

WHAT NEXT? WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE IMPACT OF THIS RESEARCH STUDY?

Doug and Brendan: Having shared the principles underpinning our thinking in developing a framework for these new qualifications, we hope to share an update in the future in terms of the impact of this work in practice. Capturing both the academic tutors’ and students’ journeys in engaging in these programmes.

WHAT IS/ARE YOUR FAVOURITE BOOK(S)?

Personal, Social, Academic and Career Development in Higher Education (2022) by Arti Kumar

PCET: Learning and Teaching in the post compulsory sector (2019) by Jonathan Tummons

About

Doug Cole

Doug Cole, PhD., is Deputy Director of Employability at Nottingham Trent University, a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy with over twelve years industry experience and fifteen years in Higher Education. In 2012 Doug developed a national framework for embedding employability in the curriculum on behalf of the Higher Education Academy, to support institutions in developing graduates with the qualities and characteristics that are vital for success, not only in securing employment and developing a career, but in life more broadly. Doug completed his PhD in learning and teaching for employability in Higher Education in 2020.

Brendan Coulson

Brendan Coulson is a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. He has over fifteen years of working within Further and Higher Education. He is currently the Head of Technical Education at Nottingham Trent University. His role includes leading the development of higher technical skills-based courses; advising on technical educational policy; and skills pedagogy. His experience encompasses teaching, leadership, educational governance, and research in the Further and Higher Education sectors.

The Online Condition as a Structuration of Feedback

Research study by Christian Poulsen examines the structuration of feedback in online teaching environment

Abstract: This article offers an analysis of codes of a broad spectrum of feedback situations reported during lockdown online teaching. The article will account for findings and provide explanatory frameworks for solid observations on feedback situations in a broad sense; for instance, there was a notion of Online Supervision having a structuring effect that suited many students’ learning; Peer feedback in assigned group work was reported as a central approach to learning at the School and provided the group members with well-being and a sense of belonging; Break-out rooms served as a special occasion for fast peer feedback in randomly assigned groups; and finally, evidence will be provided that Online group work is especially suited for Code script and other disciplines where Screen sharing technology serves as a structuring device.

Read the full article: The Online Condition as a Structuration of Feedback https://jipe.ca/index.php/jipe/article/view/110

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS RESEARCH TOPIC?

Christian: My article “The Online Condition as a Structuration of Feedback” is based on research on interviews with more than 2000 students during the second lockdown of Copenhagen School of Design and Technology (KEA). The research showed that although students and educators were not able to meet physically, students had a great focus on feedback on their learning. The context of the lockdown and the steep learning curve of educators doing Online teaching gave a different connotation to feedback, yet still provided immense value to the students’ work.

The open answers of the survey interviews were coded into more than 13000 codes bottom up, thus having no explicit hypothesis. A couple of themes emerged from the data as we went along with the coding. One of the strongest themes was Feedback entailing both Online delivered feedback from the teacher and feedback from peer students. The study showed feedback from the teacher to students being conditioned by the Online media, for worse in terms of intimacy and communicative accuracy, but for better in terms of the feedback being precise, timely and in some cases more frequent. The feedback from peers, especially from the study group was documented to be of high value to support academic and social well-being.

WHAT NEXT? WHAT IS THE PERCEIVED IMPACT OF THIS RESEARCH STUDY?

Christian: The study has changed the way KEA is advising educators on feedback and supervision. A blended approach to supervision, having some supervision sessions Online, is now recommended, especially in coding and other technical and design programmes were share screen possibility is an advantage. Attention is also drawn towards educators and peers giving shorter and more precise feedback. The study also reminded teachers and support functions at KEA about the importance of study groups. Further training in how students give in-group feedback is now encouraged.

WHAT IS/ARE YOUR FAVOURITE BOOK(S)?

Johan Asplund: Det sociala livets elementära former (A Swedish sociological classic, not translated into English).

Pierre Bourdieu; Las estructuras sociales de la economia, Anagrama (shows the great empirical work of Bourdieu).

About

Christian Poulsen, PhD.

Christian Poulsen is a PhD. in sociology from Lund university (Sweden) and has studied at Complutense university (Spain). He has during the last 15 years developed educational software, managed learning projects and offered counselling on Blended Learning. He currently holds a position as Learning consultant at KEA Learning Lab.

CONNECT WITH US

Does your work focus on the scholarship of teaching & learning? Did you work closely with an industry or community partner? Was it applied research? Was it a social innovation research project? Did you conduct experiments at centres of innovation and/or research labs? Whatever it may be, we want to hear about it.

The Journal of Innovation in Polytechnic Education (JIPE) welcomes research stories and manuscripts from seasoned and emerging researchers from across the polytechnic and community college sectors, both within and outside Canada. Students/research assistants are also encouraged and invited to submit in collaboration with a faculty member/ researcher. JIPE publishes original research papers, review articles, brief reports, book reviews and our “microdissemination” options, innovation spotlights and more. Share your research on JIPE.ca.