Browsing by Author "Sieborger, Rob"

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    The 'feeling of what happens' in fourth year : exploring the emotive dimensions of learning in a communication design programme
    (2009) Grant-Broom, Andrea; Sieborger, Rob
    This is a story of discovery and renewal in my approach to teaching, learning and research. The research is a product of insights gained through the holistic theories of cognition offered by enactivism and complexity thinking. Some of the more established learning theories have clarified areas of concern I encountered in interpreting the data. Among my aspirations for the education of fourth year design graduates are those that tend toward transformational learning, critical learning and lifelong learning. As such, I undertook this research in an attempt to understand the kind of learning environment that would best support creativity, and the self-development of a designer in their fourth year.
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    Integrating children's art and environmental education : exploring a nexus
    (2008) Nepgen, Susan Patricia; Sieborger, Rob; Winter, Kevin
    Current environmental problems necessitate the development of apporaches that facilitate the acquisition of knowledge and nurture an affective personal response to the natural environment. To this end, the study explores connections betweeen children's creative art and environmental education, in the context of the theme of biodiversity. The research contributes to understanding children's learning experiences that may arise from the integration of visual art and environmental education by drawing on theory and empirical evidence.
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    They're learning, I'm learning, everybody is learning: the design and use of a questionnaire to deepen an appreciation of the role of formative assessment in primary teaching
    (2005) Brown, Simon; Sieborger, Rob
    Researchers and practitioners are increasingly recognizing the contribution that formative assessment can make to learning. It is largely based on Black & Wiliam's (1998) meta-analysis, which provided evidence that strengthening the practice of formative assessment raised standards and produced significant learning gains. Whether strategies are carried through into classrooms is, however, less certain. In trying to establish how teachers' use assessment for learning, researchers have drawn on findings from questionnaires or interviews and/or classroom observations but, have usually only been able to describe what teachers say they do. With this problem in mind, the researcher set out to design a questionnaire that would allow them to demonstrate and comment on their current assessment practice. Implicit in this was also a desire to help teachers grow professionally. The sample involved in the development of the questionnaire included six primary schools, fifteen Grade 6 teachers and two professional development teacher educators. During stage one, interviews were carried out with five teachers to familiarise the researcher with common approaches to assessment in schools. Findings enabled the categorisation of ways that assessment is carried out and perceived and, recognised the need to provide teachers with an opportunity to clarify the relevant concepts for themselves. What emerged was a need for some professional development and as a result, the focus grew to explore ways of informing teachers about using formative assessment for learning. A questionnaire was then constructed and piloted (stage two). Feedback from teachers revealed that the questions had made them consider their own practice and realise the potential of using assessment formatively. It also helped to confim1 questions, identify limitations and aid the re-design. The testing stage (stage three) helped to interpret findings, inform decisions, consider effectiveness and where required, justify formative recommendations for the next design. Finally, during stage four, two specialists evaluated the questionnaire. Their feedback served to validate and strengthen the design and establish credibility and confidence in the instrument. They were also able to advise further lines of inquiry and opportunities for extending the research.
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    What matters in practice teaching? The perceptions of schools and students
    (2005) Quick, Geoffrey; Sieborger, Rob
    Based on research involving interviews and focus groups with teachers and student teachers involved in teaching practice, the authors sought to identify the factors that make a qualitative difference to school experience in the training of teachers. The factors identified were: how much teaching practice, the relationships between schools and the university, mentoring and supervision, teaching ability and the value added by schools. They were considered in the light of the literature on teaching practice and examples of established international standards. The first factor involved a consideration of the period of time spent by student teachers in schools. Relationships between the schools and university probed the perceptions of the schools and the students of how the university organised teaching practice. Mentoring and supervision explored the implications of an existing system of supervision and the more extensive use of mentors in schools. Teaching ability considered subject area knowledge, relationships with learners and professionalism, and the value added by schools reflected upon those aspects of training that can only be provided by schools. Conclusions are presented for each of the factors.