Skip to main content
Our journal logo
Search

Vol. 4 No. 1 (2007)

Published: 1 January 2007

Articles

  • Editorial 4.1

    H. Carter

    It is quite an achievement to be in our fourth year of production of the Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice (JUTLP). This would not be possible without the incredible dedication of our Reviewers and our Editorial Board, to whom I extend my warmest thanks. This first issue of volume four contains five papers on a range of topics, all offering some practical application or guidance to our teaching and learning practice which I hope you find both interesting to read and useful as a resource.

    Read article: Editorial 4.1

  • Contemplating Whitehead’s Freedom and Discipline

    C. Jones

    This paper extends the previous application of Alfred Whitehead's educational ideas to the domain of enterprise education. In doing so, a unique approach to enterprise education is illustrated that links students to their reality whilst also connecting the curriculum to contemporary entrepreneurship theory. The paper reports upon past cycles of reflective practice related to the developing hic et nunc teaching and learning framework. Two specific findings of note have emerged. First, that students’ learning outcomes are enhanced through the oscillating influence of freedom and discipline. However, in the absence of either factor, suboptimal outcomes are seen to occur. That is, an imbalance between freedom and discipline has resulted in sub-optimal outcomes from either a lack of student interest or an inability to adequately apply acquired knowledge. Where gains have been made, the most obvious process has been through consultation with students. Second, that the students also play an important role in shaping the nature of the learning environments within which they interact. Both findings are of significant importance to all academics charged with the responsibility of developing enterprise education curriculum. The main implication of the paper is that in the absence of sound pedagogical practises, it is possible that enterprise programs may develop a tendency to reinforce past practises. The processes of constructive alignment and criterion-based assessment are argued to offer avenues through which students can influence the educational process. They also provide the educator with a reflective pathway through which continual improvements are constantly possible. This paper provides other academics with a window through which to view the ongoing development of a process that has been recognised nationally for teaching excellence and influenced many fine young entrepreneurs. The paper also draws attention to a set of core educational philosophies that have transferable value to any academic setting. It is noted that the task of developing a learner-centred curriculum for enterprise education has been an entrepreneurial endeavour in itself. Many mistakes have been made and many memorable achievements have been celebrated.

    Read article: Contemplating Whitehead’s Freedom and Discipline

  • Strategies to Improve Student Reaction to Group Work

    L. Kriflik, Judy Mullan

    After receiving negative feedback from students and tutors about their group work experiences in a health subject, strategies to resolve these collaborative learning issues were considered. The objectives were to facilitate student ability to resolve group work issues, highlight group work as an important graduate attribute and to improve perceptions of the benefits of group work. A literature review assisted in identifying several strategies that had been used elsewhere to resolve issues similar to those raised by the students in this study. Consequently a number of support resources were designed for the revised delivery of the subject to the next cohort of students. These included a structured introduction to elements of group work and several strategies to improve the group work experience. At the conclusion of the subject students indicated that the group work experience was of value. The overall response suggested that active tuition in the elements of group work contributes positively to student understanding of both the process and group dynamics.

    Read article: Strategies to Improve Student Reaction to Group Work

  • Building Professional Dispositions in Pre-Service Special Educators: Assessment and Instructional Tactics

    K. Stoddard, B. Braun, L. Dukes, M. A. Koorland

    Teacher preparation programs, in part due to national accreditation mandates, are beginning to examine assessment and instruction of teacher trainees’ professional behavior and dispositions more carefully than in the past. The faculty at University of South Florida St. Petersburg developed the Professional Behavior Assessment tool (PBA) for rating levels of competence within six professional behavior domains; punctuality, reaction to supervision, collaboration with colleagues, effort, enthusiasm, and ethical professionalism. Four pre-service teachers (PST) were taught the characteristics of the six domains employing written scenarios and rubrics of the PBA. Initially, the pre-service teachers held very different perceptions than faculty regarding behavior expected within each domain. After instruction the PST’s were able to use the PBA to rate scenarios similarly to faculty. Following training, PST’s reported better understanding regarding the level of expected professional behavior in the schools. As the semester progressed, faculty noted improvement in pre-service professional behavior in field settings.

    Read article: Building Professional Dispositions in Pre-Service Special Educators: Assessment and Instructional Tactics

  • Exploring the Use of Focused Freewriting in Developing Academic Writing

    L. Y. Li

    Focused freewriting, broadly defined as writing without stopping and editing about a specific topic, has been viewed and used as a powerful tool for developing student writing in a wide spectrum of educational contexts. This study aimed to further explore the use of focused freewriting in the context of promoting students’ academic skills development, particularly in the area of academic writing. The study was conducted in an intensive writing course provided for students from diverse disciplines during which focused freewriting was employed throughout the entire program to help students develop understanding of academic writing and effective writing strategies. The analysis of student freewriting and student feedback to the course reveals several emerging themes, which highlight the beneficial effects of using focused freewriting as a pedagogical tool in the intensive writing course. The study provides suggestions for utilising focused freewriting as an empowering learning tool beyond the writing class to enhance student learning in the disciplines.

    Read article: Exploring the Use of Focused Freewriting in Developing Academic Writing

  • Supporting Education PhD and DEd Students to Become Confident Academic Writers: an Evaluation of Thesis Writers’ Circles

    W. Larcombe, A. McCosker, K. O'Loughlin

    This paper critically evaluates the pilot of a Thesis Writers’ Circles program offered to Education PhD and DEd students at the University of Melbourne in semester 2, 2005. The analysis focuses on the needs of those students that were felt to be well-met by this model of support. Broadly, the paper identifies two distinct but inter-related themes: firstly, the challenge of developing writing skills to a level sufficient to meet the demands of preparing a research thesis; secondly, the importance for research higher degree students of building confidence as apprentice academic writers. In relation to the latter theme, the paper identifies the benefits of community participation and peer-collaboration in working towards the aim of consolidating a thesis-writing identity. It is in this capacity, we argue, that thesis writers’ circles have distinct advantages compared with other forms of candidature support, making them a valuable supplement to both conventional supervision practices and generic English language and thesis writing programs. The paper affirms the importance not only of equipping international and non-English speaking background (NESB) students with writing tools and strategies, but also of creating opportunities for all postgraduate research students to receive (and offer) non-judgmental feedback on work-in-progress within a discipline-specific learning and discourse community.

    Read article: Supporting Education PhD and DEd Students to Become Confident Academic Writers: an Evaluation of Thesis Writers’ Circles