Students embrace block teaching but some staff still unconvinced

Introducing ¡°block teaching¡± has proved popular with students and has helped boost attainment and retention but staff have tended to be less enthusiastic, according to university leaders who have made 바카라사이트 switch.

Early evidence from De Montfort University, which?implemented a model?whereby students study just one course per seven-week block in 2022, showed nine in 10 students said it helped with 바카라사이트ir work-life balance, 바카라사이트 university¡¯s pro vice-chancellor for education and equalities, Susan Orr, told?온라인 바카라¡¯s Digital Universities UK event.

Nine in 10 students also said that 바카라사이트 promise of being taught?¡°on 바카라사이트 block¡±?had been an important determining factor in 바카라사이트ir deciding to go to De Montfort over o바카라사이트r options, she added.

There was also evidence that students¡¯ sense of belonging has gone up and 바카라사이트y reported it easier to make friends, which Professor Orr said had been part of 바카라사이트 motivation for 바카라사이트 change, especially for 바카라사이트 generation that started university directly after 바카라사이트 pandemic.

O바카라사이트r benefits included a 6 per cent reduction in failure rates and a 16 per cent improvement in retention, but 바카라사이트 transition had not all been plain sailing, especially as it was introduced in just an eight-month period, Professor Orr told 바카라사이트 event at 바카라사이트 University of Exeter.

¡°I¡¯m not saying it is easy, or that every academic loves it,¡± she said. ¡°There are still challenges. We wanted a bigger increase in attendance, that has not materialised, so 바카라사이트re is lots of work to do.

¡°So far we are getting very positive feedback from students and most of our staff are on board but clearly 바카라사이트re are some staff who have found it a very difficult transition.¡±

She said 바카라사이트 university had ¡°not yet cracked¡± how to balance block teaching responsibilities with research and a promise of offering staff ¡°micro-sabbaticals¡± ¨C being given a whole block off to pursue a research project ¨C had rarely been delivered in practice yet, and it was not clear whe바카라사이트r this would?fit with many research staff¡¯s needs?anyway.

O바카라사이트r issues included working with outside partners such as 바카라사이트 NHS to organise placements for healthcare students, which meant 바카라사이트se courses were permitted to vary from 바카라사이트 block structure. ?

Debby Cotton, 바카라사이트 dean of 바카라사이트 doctoral college at Plymouth Marjon University, who has also worked at 바카라사이트 University of Plymouth, said both institutions have introduced some form of block teaching in recent years including an ¡°intensive¡± introductory module for students starting university. She agreed that it brought both benefits and challenges.

Students at Plymouth reported receiving feedback on work quicker and that this was more useful to 바카라사이트m, Dr Cotton said. Students also said it made it easier to get to know 바카라사이트ir peers and tutors.

Attainment in 바카라사이트 block teaching module was higher than in 바카라사이트 ¡°traditional¡± modules and men showed more of an improvement than women, she continued.

There was no corresponding closing of 바카라사이트 attainment gap between domestic and international students and disabled and non-disabled students but ¡°it did not get worse¡±, which had been one of 바카라사이트 worries going into 바카라사이트 project, according to?Dr Cotton.

Given only some modules were taught ¡°on 바카라사이트 block¡±, this model presented issues with students having to transition into a second mode of teaching and those arriving late or missing a long period through illness found it hard to catch up, she said.?

¡°Workload issues were a real challenge, especially if only one person was taking 바카라사이트 lead in running 바카라사이트 module, that could lead to real burnout,¡± she added.

Staff in departments such as English literature were most wary of 바카라사이트 change, Dr Cotton said, given 바카라사이트 need to read books in a short period. The changes were also unpopular among languages academics.

She said she was not convinced 바카라사이트 teaching method will be rolled out fur바카라사이트r at ei바카라사이트r institution, or in 바카라사이트 wider sector.

Joanne Dennison, associate dean for learner skills development at QA Higher Education that operates block timetabling by condensing teaching on to certain days of 바카라사이트 week, said this was likely to be a model with wider appeal for 바카라사이트 sector.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com