I have recently read a few articles that has made me reflect on incidents with students and how teachers in higher education can show care for their students in order to create supportive learning environments that ‘produces’ healthy and confident, as well as well-educated, students. On 6 May 2015 The Guardian published a piece by a young female student at an elite British university. The article, ‘Take care, female students—you owe it to yourselves’, outlines the extreme pressure especially female students face from their own (and, by extension, society’s) unattainable expectations: ‘You feel guilty if you wake up too late, start work too late, take too long to make dinner.’ The pressure exacerbates problems already experienced by young women, such as low self-confidence and feelings of low self-worth. To counter this, student groups online are actively promoting the concept of self-care.[1]
From the teacher’s perspective, a piece by Maha Bali (in the peer-reviewed online journal Hybrid Pedagogy) discusses how teachers in higher education can show care for their students (even when teaching very large groups) through empathy, sometimes sharing personal (but, I would add, not private) information with students, choosing appropriate (empathic) responses when students themselves share personal information, and simply by asking students how they are getting on.[2] This piece was a follow-up to another by Bali and Jesse Stommel which discussed pedagogies of care in Bell Hooks’s Teaching to Transgress and explored in the MOOC Critical Pedagogy earlier this spring (2015).[3]
This caring, empathic, approach—recognising students’ individual experiences—seems extra relevant today’s diverse classrooms. That students appreciate this kind of care seems clear from a conversation I had with a student last week. He told me about a previous teacher he really liked, explaining that this teacher ‘could send out an email the night before an exam, saying “don’t study tonight, go to bed early and get a good night’s sleep.” He was such a great teacher, he really seemed to care.’ Another student left a supervision with me, saying it was nice for once to be told she was doing well. I had spent most of the time helping her cope with performance anxiety through breaking her big assignment into less overwhelming smaller tasks.
Bali and Stommel cites Bell Hooks: in order to practice a pedagogy of care ‘teachers must be actively committed to a process of self-actualization that promotes their own wellbeing if they are to teach in a manner that empowers students.’[4] That’s the snag: most members of the inSTIL Wiki are (or have recently been) stressed-out students who at the same time are teachers. Perhaps in order to show care for our students, we first need to take care of ourselves. We owe it to ourselves, and to our students.
[1] Jinan Younis, ‘Take care, female students—you owe it to yourselves’, The Guardian, 6 May 2015. [2] Maha Bali, ‘Pedagogy of Care—Gone Massive’, Hybrid Pedagogy, 21 April 2015. [3] Maha Bali and Jesse Strommel, ‘MMCP: Radical Pedagogies; Pedagogies of Care’, Hybrid Pedagogy, 25 January 2015; Bell Hooks, Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom (New York: Routledge, 1994). [4] Bell Hooks, cited in Bali and Stommel, 25 January 2015.
Teaching in student diversity is an issue that has become of paramount importance with increasing number of international students in universities (Yourn BR et al, 2003). I suppose attention to this may vary depending on the percentage that international students make up to, for the course. It might be more of a concern in Management department than in others such as Biological sciences. According to Brown P, et al (2008) we must avoid teaching practises that limits the learning of students from diverse culture, social and economic background.R Freeland (1998) recommends general principles that respond well to student diversity and they include not using idiomatic English language, not calling out on students to represent their entire group and to not assume students prior knowledge. In Biological sciences majority of the areas are largely objective rather than subjective therefore cultural variation in terms of learning or feeling sensitive over discussing a topic is less of an issue. In other subject such as arts and humanities or social sciences there are more intense debates and discussions taking place on matters that may be sensitive or could involve conflict between students coming from diverse cultures. In addition I very rarely in the last three years have noticed a student that has difficulty in speaking English language. A lot of the international students coming in have been to coaching schools already where they learn much in the environment that resembles teaching of those from western countries. Some of them coming over to study in Biological sciences have actually been funded by the government for their brightness and intelligence. Then on the other hand the UKBA criteria only grants visa to those that show evidence of some level of English knowledge. So considering all of this how far should the teachers try to accommodate their teaching for international students in departments such as mathematics and other sciences?
Having mentioned that, it is also important to recognise that even though the factual information may help in reducing problems associated with students from diverse cultures, there is some cultural variation that still manages to persist even in subjects such as mathematics and other sciences. For example, the student’s unwillingness to participate or to speak out loud can be used to assume that they may not know much and may be underestimated in their academic abilities. This unwillingness to participate could simply be a cultural trait, as being quiet in the classroom and not showing off is considered respectful in many Asian cultures. International students may be able to speak the English language well but they may not be able to keep up with the speed or pace of the lecturers (Ballard and Clanchy, 1997). These misunderstanding and complications of language barriers is and can be avoided by recording lectures and posting them on communication portals between lecturers and students. In addition important topics or areas difficult to understand could be made more visual and demonstrated with illustrations. Not only will this help international students but will also benefit learning of many of the local students. However, this approach also has its drawbacks, as posting lectures on communication portals may discourage students from attending classes; nevertheless I suppose that is a choice that students will have to take some responsibility for.
I think students should be encouraged from various cultures to participate and express their views so that other people from their own cultures can hear their perspectives. There should be a full round discussion so that everyone is heard, this will only help increase knowledge and reduce complexity and allow students to gain a more deeper insight into other cultures. Student diversity in a class is a positive change and should be used to enrich the learning environment of the class as a whole. Yes, the teaching strategies must not offend or limit the learning of the students but the teachers must also be careful to not overprotect them. Students from diverse cultures needs must be appreciated but they must also not be cocooned in the new environment as the greater the exposure there is the easier the adaptation into the new culture there is.
[Sobercomplex]
References
Ballard B & Clanchy J (1997) Teaching international students: A brief guide for lecturers and supervisors. IDP Education Australia.
Freeland R (2007) Collected Wisdom: Strategies & Resources for TAs. Pittsburgh, PA: Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence, Carnegie Mellon.
Brown P, Lauder H, Ashton D & Tholen G(2008). Education, globalisation and the knowledge economy, a commentary for the ESRC Teaching and Learning Research Programme (TLRP). TLRP.
Yourn BR and Alison K (2003) Adapting to a new culture of education: not just an issue for students. Learning for an unknown future: proceedings of the 2003 Annual International Conference of the Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia(HERDSA). 6-9th July: 623.
Ensuring all pupils benefit from learning in heterogeneous ability groups
Contrary to popular belief, it is not low-ability students who are most likely to suffer from learning in heterogeneous ability groups, in fact, research has shown that it is the average-ability students who may suffer most from such an approach (Saleh et al., 2005 and Webb, 1991), which is of particular concern when we consider that average-ability students typically account for 50% of the class (Webb, 1991). There are three broad levels of ability amongst students - high, average and low. When all three levels of ability are present in a group, this tends to promote interaction between the high and low-ability students, with high-ability students adopting a teacher role and providing explanations to their low-ability peers. This interaction strengthens the knowledge base for low-ability students, but in the process excludes those average-ability students, whilst high-ability students tend to acquire knowledge at the same rate regardless of group ability (Lou et al., 1996 and Saleh et al., 2005). This does not mean that heterogeneous grouping should be abandoned, rather, there are ways in which this peer tutoring can be incorporated into group discussion through teacher facilitation.
Saleh, Lazonder and de Jong (2007) suggest the best way to ensure that average-ability students benefit from heterogeneous group discussions is to raise their awareness of how to give and receive help and explanations, thus prompting a peer-tutor relationship whether they are with high or low ability peers. Various techniques have been outlined to support this process, including the importance of asking precise and thought-provoking questions (King, 1998), and providing explanations in a timely manner which elaborate and respond to the needs of the student (Webb, Troper, and Falls, 1995).
Saleh, Lazonder and de Jong’s study (2011) of 164 school children in Kuwait employed structured methods to support a peer-tutor relationship in the form of ground rules for helping behaviour. Children were given cue cards which either prompted them to recognise when they needed help or advised them how to provide help, by giving them examples of questions to use in order to satisfy their own or others’ learning needs, such as “What does… mean?” or “Always try to help a student who asks for help”, respectively. Pupils were given relevant cue cards depending on their ability, with average-ability students encouraged to ask questions. The results revealed that, when compared with an unstructured control group, these average-ability pupils made significantly more contributions when in structured lessons, voicing more statements, arguments and questions, and perhaps more importantly, they also demonstrated higher tests scores following the lessons. This study highlights the benefits of encouraging a peer-tutor relationship within the learning environment, ensuring that the majority of the class are progressing in their learning regardless of the ability-mix within their discussion groups.
References
King, A. (1998). Transactive peer tutoring: Distributing cognition and metacognition. Educational Psychology Review, 10 (1), 57–74.
Lou, Y., Abrami, P. C., Spence, J. C., Poulson, C., Chambers, B. & ’d Apollonia, S. (1996). Within-class grouping: a meta-analysis. Review of Educational Research, 66, 423–458.
Saleh, M. Lazonder, A. W. De Jong, T. (2005). Effects of within-class ability grouping on social interaction, achievement and motivation. Instructional Science, 33, 105–119.
Saleh, M., Lazonder, A. W. & de Jong, T. (2007). Structuring collaboration in mixed-ability groups to promote verbal interaction, learning, and motivation of average-ability students. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 32(3), 314-331.
Webb, N. M. (1991). Task-related verbal interaction and mathematics learning in small groups. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 22(5), 366–389.
Webb, N. M., Troper, J. D. & Falls, R. (1995). Constructive activity and learning in collaborative small groups. Journal of Educational Psychology, 87, 406–423.
Showing care for students
I have recently read a few articles that has made me reflect on incidents with students and how teachers in higher education can show care for their students in order to create supportive learning environments that ‘produces’ healthy and confident, as well as well-educated, students. On 6 May 2015 The Guardian published a piece by a young female student at an elite British university. The article, ‘Take care, female students—you owe it to yourselves’, outlines the extreme pressure especially female students face from their own (and, by extension, society’s) unattainable expectations: ‘You feel guilty if you wake up too late, start work too late, take too long to make dinner.’ The pressure exacerbates problems already experienced by young women, such as low self-confidence and feelings of low self-worth. To counter this, student groups online are actively promoting the concept of self-care.[1]From the teacher’s perspective, a piece by Maha Bali (in the peer-reviewed online journal Hybrid Pedagogy) discusses how teachers in higher education can show care for their students (even when teaching very large groups) through empathy, sometimes sharing personal (but, I would add, not private) information with students, choosing appropriate (empathic) responses when students themselves share personal information, and simply by asking students how they are getting on.[2] This piece was a follow-up to another by Bali and Jesse Stommel which discussed pedagogies of care in Bell Hooks’s Teaching to Transgress and explored in the MOOC Critical Pedagogy earlier this spring (2015).[3]
This caring, empathic, approach—recognising students’ individual experiences—seems extra relevant today’s diverse classrooms. That students appreciate this kind of care seems clear from a conversation I had with a student last week. He told me about a previous teacher he really liked, explaining that this teacher ‘could send out an email the night before an exam, saying “don’t study tonight, go to bed early and get a good night’s sleep.” He was such a great teacher, he really seemed to care.’ Another student left a supervision with me, saying it was nice for once to be told she was doing well. I had spent most of the time helping her cope with performance anxiety through breaking her big assignment into less overwhelming smaller tasks.
Bali and Stommel cites Bell Hooks: in order to practice a pedagogy of care ‘teachers must be actively committed to a process of self-actualization that promotes their own wellbeing if they are to teach in a manner that empowers students.’[4] That’s the snag: most members of the inSTIL Wiki are (or have recently been) stressed-out students who at the same time are teachers. Perhaps in order to show care for our students, we first need to take care of ourselves. We owe it to ourselves, and to our students.
[1] Jinan Younis, ‘Take care, female students—you owe it to yourselves’, The Guardian, 6 May 2015.
[2] Maha Bali, ‘Pedagogy of Care—Gone Massive’, Hybrid Pedagogy, 21 April 2015.
[3] Maha Bali and Jesse Strommel, ‘MMCP: Radical Pedagogies; Pedagogies of Care’, Hybrid Pedagogy, 25 January 2015; Bell Hooks, Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom (New York: Routledge, 1994).
[4] Bell Hooks, cited in Bali and Stommel, 25 January 2015.
Should the accommodation to teaching vary from one academic department to another?
Teaching in student diversity is an issue that has become of paramount importance with increasing number of international students in universities (Yourn BR et al, 2003). I suppose attention to this may vary depending on the percentage that international students make up to, for the course. It might be more of a concern in Management department than in others such as Biological sciences. According to Brown P, et al (2008) we must avoid teaching practises that limits the learning of students from diverse culture, social and economic background.R Freeland (1998) recommends general principles that respond well to student diversity and they include not using idiomatic English language, not calling out on students to represent their entire group and to not assume students prior knowledge. In Biological sciences majority of the areas are largely objective rather than subjective therefore cultural variation in terms of learning or feeling sensitive over discussing a topic is less of an issue. In other subject such as arts and humanities or social sciences there are more intense debates and discussions taking place on matters that may be sensitive or could involve conflict between students coming from diverse cultures. In addition I very rarely in the last three years have noticed a student that has difficulty in speaking English language. A lot of the international students coming in have been to coaching schools already where they learn much in the environment that resembles teaching of those from western countries. Some of them coming over to study in Biological sciences have actually been funded by the government for their brightness and intelligence. Then on the other hand the UKBA criteria only grants visa to those that show evidence of some level of English knowledge. So considering all of this how far should the teachers try to accommodate their teaching for international students in departments such as mathematics and other sciences?
Having mentioned that, it is also important to recognise that even though the factual information may help in reducing problems associated with students from diverse cultures, there is some cultural variation that still manages to persist even in subjects such as mathematics and other sciences. For example, the student’s unwillingness to participate or to speak out loud can be used to assume that they may not know much and may be underestimated in their academic abilities. This unwillingness to participate could simply be a cultural trait, as being quiet in the classroom and not showing off is considered respectful in many Asian cultures. International students may be able to speak the English language well but they may not be able to keep up with the speed or pace of the lecturers (Ballard and Clanchy, 1997). These misunderstanding and complications of language barriers is and can be avoided by recording lectures and posting them on communication portals between lecturers and students. In addition important topics or areas difficult to understand could be made more visual and demonstrated with illustrations. Not only will this help international students but will also benefit learning of many of the local students. However, this approach also has its drawbacks, as posting lectures on communication portals may discourage students from attending classes; nevertheless I suppose that is a choice that students will have to take some responsibility for.
I think students should be encouraged from various cultures to participate and express their views so that other people from their own cultures can hear their perspectives. There should be a full round discussion so that everyone is heard, this will only help increase knowledge and reduce complexity and allow students to gain a more deeper insight into other cultures. Student diversity in a class is a positive change and should be used to enrich the learning environment of the class as a whole. Yes, the teaching strategies must not offend or limit the learning of the students but the teachers must also be careful to not overprotect them. Students from diverse cultures needs must be appreciated but they must also not be cocooned in the new environment as the greater the exposure there is the easier the adaptation into the new culture there is.
[Sobercomplex]
References
Ballard B & Clanchy J (1997) Teaching international students: A brief guide for lecturers and supervisors. IDP Education Australia.
Freeland R (2007) Collected Wisdom: Strategies & Resources for TAs. Pittsburgh, PA: Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence, Carnegie Mellon.
Brown P, Lauder H, Ashton D & Tholen G(2008). Education, globalisation and the knowledge economy, a commentary for the ESRC Teaching and Learning Research Programme (TLRP). TLRP.
Yourn BR and Alison K (2003) Adapting to a new culture of education: not just an issue for students. Learning for an unknown future: proceedings of the 2003 Annual International Conference of the Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia(HERDSA). 6-9th July: 623.
Ensuring all pupils benefit from learning in heterogeneous ability groups
Contrary to popular belief, it is not low-ability students who are most likely to suffer from learning in heterogeneous ability groups, in fact, research has shown that it is the average-ability students who may suffer most from such an approach (Saleh et al., 2005 and Webb, 1991), which is of particular concern when we consider that average-ability students typically account for 50% of the class (Webb, 1991). There are three broad levels of ability amongst students - high, average and low. When all three levels of ability are present in a group, this tends to promote interaction between the high and low-ability students, with high-ability students adopting a teacher role and providing explanations to their low-ability peers. This interaction strengthens the knowledge base for low-ability students, but in the process excludes those average-ability students, whilst high-ability students tend to acquire knowledge at the same rate regardless of group ability (Lou et al., 1996 and Saleh et al., 2005). This does not mean that heterogeneous grouping should be abandoned, rather, there are ways in which this peer tutoring can be incorporated into group discussion through teacher facilitation.
Saleh, Lazonder and de Jong (2007) suggest the best way to ensure that average-ability students benefit from heterogeneous group discussions is to raise their awareness of how to give and receive help and explanations, thus prompting a peer-tutor relationship whether they are with high or low ability peers. Various techniques have been outlined to support this process, including the importance of asking precise and thought-provoking questions (King, 1998), and providing explanations in a timely manner which elaborate and respond to the needs of the student (Webb, Troper, and Falls, 1995).
Saleh, Lazonder and de Jong’s study (2011) of 164 school children in Kuwait employed structured methods to support a peer-tutor relationship in the form of ground rules for helping behaviour. Children were given cue cards which either prompted them to recognise when they needed help or advised them how to provide help, by giving them examples of questions to use in order to satisfy their own or others’ learning needs, such as “What does… mean?” or “Always try to help a student who asks for help”, respectively. Pupils were given relevant cue cards depending on their ability, with average-ability students encouraged to ask questions. The results revealed that, when compared with an unstructured control group, these average-ability pupils made significantly more contributions when in structured lessons, voicing more statements, arguments and questions, and perhaps more importantly, they also demonstrated higher tests scores following the lessons. This study highlights the benefits of encouraging a peer-tutor relationship within the learning environment, ensuring that the majority of the class are progressing in their learning regardless of the ability-mix within their discussion groups.
References
King, A. (1998). Transactive peer tutoring: Distributing cognition and metacognition. Educational Psychology Review, 10 (1), 57–74.
Lou, Y., Abrami, P. C., Spence, J. C., Poulson, C., Chambers, B. & ’d Apollonia, S. (1996). Within-class grouping: a meta-analysis. Review of Educational Research, 66, 423–458.
Saleh, M. Lazonder, A. W. De Jong, T. (2005). Effects of within-class ability grouping on social interaction, achievement and motivation. Instructional Science, 33, 105–119.
Saleh, M., Lazonder, A. W. & de Jong, T. (2007). Structuring collaboration in mixed-ability groups to promote verbal interaction, learning, and motivation of average-ability students. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 32(3), 314-331.
Webb, N. M. (1991). Task-related verbal interaction and mathematics learning in small groups. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 22(5), 366–389.
Webb, N. M., Troper, J. D. & Falls, R. (1995). Constructive activity and learning in collaborative small groups. Journal of Educational Psychology, 87, 406–423.