The Reflective Toolkit: An Archaeologist’s Perspective

HEA Workshop 6th Feb 2013Abi Hunt

University Centre Peterborough

Thanks

Dr Richard Hawkins, University of Wolverhampton

Cathie Potter: 1st Year Student, Archaeology and Landscape History, University Centre Peterborough. Cheryl Hilton: 2nd Year Student, Archaeology and Landscape History, University Centre Peterborough. Amy Clements: 2nd Year Student, Archaeology and Landscape History, University Centre Peterborough. Tom Pearce: 3rd Year Student, Archaeology and Landscape History, University Centre Peterborough.

Introduction

• University Centre Peterborough. • Archaeology at University Centre Peterborough.• The Placement and Portfolio Module. • The Toolkit: The Student Perspective. • The Toolkit: The Teacher Perspective.• The Toolkit: Will We Use It?

Aims

• To explain the context within which I work.

• To explain the context within which the proposed toolkit might be used.

• To share how the toolkit could be useful from different perspectives (student and teacher).

University Centre Peterborough

• Joint Venture between Peterborough Regional College and Anglia Ruskin University.• 652 FTE.• 25 + courses.• £6,500 PA.• Non – traditional students.• Support. • Engagement. • Employability.

Archaeology at UCP

• 2003 – present. • Validated by ARU.• Unique to UCP. • 31 FTE.• Industry focussed. • Field trips. • Students provided with training

opportunities throughout their programme.

• We do Personal Development Planning throughout the degree, but reflection is most prominent in the placement module.

Placement and Portfolio Module

• 30 credit module. • Semester 2.• Year 2.• 12 hours tutorial support.

Learning Outcomes (threshold standards):

On successful completion of this module the student will be expected to be able to:

Knowledge and understanding

1. Have a fuller knowledge and understanding of specific examples of archaeological and landscape history fieldwork practice

Intellectual, practical, affective and transferable skills

1. Reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of organisations engaged in fieldwork activities

2. Evaluate the relative contribution of a variety of practical approaches to the study of archaeology and landscape history

3. Demonstrate competence in a variety of field skills e.g. survey, field observation, excavation and recording

Placement and Portfolio Module Reflective log book 50% 3000 words The reflective log book is a portfolio examining 164 hours of practical activities you have undertaken since the beginning of the course. This can include placements, activities you have undertaken as part of the course, and visits to sites. As this is an academic piece of work you should link your experiences back to theoretical concepts in order to evaluate the contributions of different practical approaches to archaeology and landscape history. Placement report 50% 3000 words The placement report is a report examining 36 hours of placement undertaken as part of the module. This should link to your personal development plans produced as part of the module and you should review the strengths and weaknesses of the organisations you visit in relation to the wider sector. As this is an academic piece of work you should link your experiences back to theoretical concepts in order to evaluate the contributions of different practical approaches to archaeology and landscape history.

Placement and Portfolio Module

• Consolidates a range of experiences and activities.

• Makes students think about their ‘professional’ past, present, and future.

• Embeds employability.• Creates a link between

theory and practice.

Placement and Portfolio Module

• Students’ organisation.

• Ability of non – traditional students to complete placements within the module time frame.

• Quality of placements. • Quality of reflective

pieces.

Support for Reflective Writing

• Tutorials built in to the module to address assessments and reflective practice.

• UCP Tutorial Scheme, with options for sessions on reflective writing.

• UCP Study Skills Scheme, with specific sessions to explore writing PDPs, reports, essays - reflection is embedded within these.

But, archaeology students still find this exercise hard…

Year Group Size Mark Range

09/10 8 15% - 69%

10/11 5 32% - 66%

11/12 8 43% - 73%

The Toolkit: The Student Perspective

• I spoke to Richard to gain an understanding of the toolkit’s proposed contents.

• I emailed all staff , 2nd and 3rd year students, and one 1st year who is repeating with an outline of the contents and asked them to think about how the toolkit could help them.

• I offered a chocolate reward for all comments received and got responses from the 1st year, two 2nd years, and one 3rd year!

• The comments are interesting and useful.

The Toolkit: The Student Perspective

Cathie:

“I have yet to do a reflective piece of writing. That said, the toolkit seems to be good educational pack that would help students have a good set of guidelines when trying to accomplish this task. The definition of the word [reflection] would help students understand what is being asking of them, the annotated essay would allow students to grasp how it [the work] could be structured. The video sources are a great idea; every student will have a different way of learning and this toolkit would certain provide that.”

The Toolkit: The Student Perspective

Cheryl:

“I haven't had this assignment yet. However, I have previously briefly looked at the online module guide. I think this toolkit is a good idea, it would enable students to enhance and develop their skills. Many of us may be unfamiliar with the reflective style of writing and this type of toolkit could provide practical ideas not only to aid academic development but also personal development.”

The Toolkit: The Student Perspective

Amy:

“From my experience in year one, writing on reflection is a hard task. As you probably know there is nothing to guide us that is of any use, so this toolkit would be greatly appreciated and also needed.The definition and guidelines would make the assignments clearer. It seems like you have covered everything in the toolkit, and the annotated reflective essay would probably be the most useful part just to understand the layout of our work. Sometimes having the layout sorted means that there are less mistakes, and less missing thoughts that should have been included in the assignments.”

The Toolkit: The Student Perspective Tom:

“I think that helping students think and write reflectively will be beneficial and using the placement/portfolio module as a platform for this is a great idea. Learning how to reflect on my own experiences has helped me work on primary research for my third year undergraduate project, as well as trying to look at my own work and the work of others more critically.

I did find tying theory and practice together quite difficult at times - although doing this independently made the module a little more challenging - which is not always a bad thing. It was definitely a skill I learned through the module - however, I think further reading could address difficulties further so the references to further reading would be particularly useful in my view.

I think the thing I found most difficult was not fully understanding what to leave in or out of the placement/portfolio task - particularly when it came to addressing a theoretical theme. The checklist idea would be brilliant way to combat this. I find that a clear, defined guide to an assignment helps me the most.

The toolkit can only be a good thing, and used in the right circumstances I think it could be really successful. It may be a good idea to let students pick and choose aspects of the toolkit that fit their particular educational needs; Those who feel competent in skills addressed might not feel they are being challenged enough if they have to sit through a particular skills session. However, I believe the all aspects of the toolkit are useful and have the potential to have a real impact on understanding.

The Toolkit: My Perspective

• You can’t teach students how to critically reflect.

• Students need to reflect on their activities to make a link between what they learn in the classroom and field.

• Reflection is a skill that takes a long time to develop and is linked to personal and emotional development.

• Reflection is pointless if it does not inform our present and future (performance, goals, self - awareness).

The Toolkit: My Perspective

Definition

Glossary

Self assessment checklist

Video resources

Guide on how to reflect

Annotated essay

Ref to further reading

Clarity and confidence

for staff and students

Encourages ownership

and autonomy.Tool for classroom, VLE, and self –

directed learning.

The Toolkit: Will We Use It? YES!

How?• We don’t just teach, we work ‘with’ students. The toolkit has the potential to support

us with this. This could be a great key learning resource for practice based modules, used in the classroom, via the VLE, and by students as part of their self – directed learning.

Why?• Student feedback is important to us and the comments provided are positive. It

would be good to pilot the toolkit within our current framework to get more views on the toolkit and its application.

• We are proposing to develop the vocational element of our programme and strengthening the employability elements from 2014/15. We are considering offering practical modules at other levels and we feel strongly that reflection is an apt method of assessment for these types of modules. But we also recognise the importance of supporting students effectively in critical reflection.

Contact Details

Abi Hunt Higher Education Manager University Centre Peterborough Park Crescent Peterborough CambridgeshirePE1 4DZ 0845 196 5770 abigail.hunt@peterborough.ac.uk @UCParchaeology