Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Sandra Flynn, PhD @sandraflynn.bsky.social · Jul 15

Adding to my summer reading list ☀️😎
@paulashwin.bsky.social @edreslancaster.bsky.social

Teaching in Higher Education @teachinginhe.bsky.social · Jul 15

New publication alert! 🚨

Reimagining the first year experience in higher education through a focus on knowledge engagement

By Laura Cordes Felby and Paul Ashwin

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

#HigherEducation #FirstYear

A screenshot of the first page of the article from the journal Teaching in Higher Education: Critical Perspectives titled: Reimagining the first year experience in higher education through a focus on knowledge engagement by Laura Cordes Felby and Paul Ashwin. The screenshot includes the abstract of the article (available via the link).

A screenshot of the cover of the journal Teaching in Higher Education: Critical Perspectives. The cover is red with a black band on the edge.

1 4

Sandra Flynn, PhD @sandraflynn.bsky.social · Jun 27

There remains a lot to reflect on following #aheconference25 as a first-time attendee.
Many thanks to everyone involved in making it such an enjoyable event. I hope to be back next year.

Reflections from a curious educator at AHE 2025 (part 1)

As an alumna of the Educational Research Department at Lancaster University I regularly attend the Saturday PhD Study Days, hosted by Dr Ann-Marie Houghton. With my PhD now in the rear view mirror, these days are dedicated to writing and research projects. Late in 2024 I was thinking about what conference I might attend in 2025 for personal and professional purposes and at one of these days, my Lancaster colleague Sue Beckingham, suggested the Assessment in Higher Education Conference held annually in Manchester, might be of interest:

sandraflynn.com

Sandra Flynn, PhD @sandraflynn.bsky.social · Jun 18

See you soon Sally 👋

1

Sandra Flynn, PhD @sandraflynn.bsky.social · Jun 18

I’m here Jan, and looking forward to learning loads. Expecting to meet up with fellow @edreslancaster.bsky.social colleagues, @suebecks.bsky.social and @jenhayes84.bsky.social, did not spot any other names yet🤞

3 4

Sandra Flynn, PhD @sandraflynn.bsky.social · May 14

A6 #LTHEChat As class sizes increase I find that instead of having one group per assessment theme, I might have two or three, then pick one group to present to the class. Peer feedback also works well between the two/three groups since they have researched a common theme.

2 2

Sandra Flynn, PhD @sandraflynn.bsky.social · May 14

A5 #LTHEChat I give my students a selection of themes/problems to choose from for group assessment with a selection of readings. They join a group to work on the theme they have self-assigned to, do their research and later present to the class (sometimes live, sometimes recorded) with good results.

1 3

Sandra Flynn, PhD @sandraflynn.bsky.social · May 14

A4 #LTHEChat With different tasks where groups are required to share their learnings with the class, there is greater opportunity to learn more (from each other).

2 3

Sandra Flynn, PhD @sandraflynn.bsky.social · May 14

A3 #LTHEChat I think it depends on the makeup of the group. Sometimes a strong individual can dominate, other times less strong students come to the fore with support from their peers. On balance I believe group learning to be more effective.

1 1 3

Sandra Flynn, PhD @sandraflynn.bsky.social · May 14

A2 #LTHEChat Group discussion interspersed with facilitator feedback / contribution. Students actively participate rather than passively listen as in a lecture.

1 3

Sandra Flynn, PhD @sandraflynn.bsky.social · May 14

A1 #LTHEchat Flexibility and adaptability to student needs, being an active listener, willingness to engage in learning ie. Learning with and from one another.

5

Sandra Flynn, PhD @sandraflynn.bsky.social · Apr 30

A5. #LTHEchat Continuous investment in teachers, teaching, tools that support the pedagogical process, not the other way around that can sometimes be the case. As an industry colleague used to say, 'technology makes a bad process go faster' - he wasn't wrong.

1 1 9

Sandra Flynn, PhD @sandraflynn.bsky.social · Apr 30

A4. #LTHEchat I love the diversity of my on campus classroom with international students from a variety of countries. This year @vevox.bsky.social has been a wonderful tool for students to enter the phonetic pronunciation of their names - and a useful guide for me 😉

1 7

Sandra Flynn, PhD @sandraflynn.bsky.social · Apr 30

A3. #LTHEchat For my part-time teaching role over 20 years, the shift from distance to online Masters programme in 2012 has been overwhelmingly positive, and good practices continue to improve - appreciate this isn't exactly responding to the question 😇

4

Sandra Flynn, PhD @sandraflynn.bsky.social · Apr 30

A2. #LTHEchat A library at all our fingertips, although I admit to enjoying a trip across campus with/for an armful of books.

1 8

Sandra Flynn, PhD @sandraflynn.bsky.social · Apr 30

Very true in my experience.
Even when I suggest book chapters.... or papers, and why they are useful (Leganto reading list is handy for this)... still they complain, 'there is too much to read' even though they are not asked to read everything.

Sandra Flynn, PhD @sandraflynn.bsky.social · Apr 30

A1. #LTHEchat Reading.

1 4

Sandra Flynn, PhD @sandraflynn.bsky.social · Apr 2

A6. #LTHEchat We have been doing it since about 2012 so I have completely forgotten!

2

Sandra Flynn, PhD @sandraflynn.bsky.social · Apr 2

A5. #LTHEchat I think having the right ratio of support ( x moderators to y students) for online programmes.

2

Sandra Flynn, PhD @sandraflynn.bsky.social · Apr 2

A3 #LTHEchat Also a clear timeframe for delivery of feedback, within x weeks, so that students will not have forgotten about the module they are getting feedback on.

3

Sandra Flynn, PhD @sandraflynn.bsky.social · Apr 2

A3. #LTHEchat Consistency across modules e.g. a reflective journal X words, Y%, so that there is continuity and students do not have to deal with considerable change in a short timeframe.

1 4

Sandra Flynn, PhD @sandraflynn.bsky.social · Apr 2

A2. #LTHEchat Our modules run in 5-week blocks with Week 5 being assessment week, although there are weekly activities across the previous 4 weeks.

2

Sandra Flynn, PhD @sandraflynn.bsky.social · Apr 2

A2. #LTHEchat Mid-module assessments perhaps?

1 2

Sandra Flynn, PhD @sandraflynn.bsky.social · Apr 2

A1. #LTHEchat As a part-time distance masters student in the early noughties we had two weeks of one module and two weeks of another and so on. Our feedback lead to a full block of one module that made it much easier to focus, not having to 'switch gears' every two weeks.

1 1 6

Sandra Flynn, PhD @sandraflynn.bsky.social · Mar 26

A6. #LTHEchat I think by its very nature, co-creation involves a level of authenticity. It gives students some control of over what and how they learn, with potential for both formative and summative assessment design.

2 11

Sandra Flynn, PhD @sandraflynn.bsky.social · Mar 26

A5. #LTHEchat My volunteer student assessment co-designers know that I hope to present/publish our work, ethics approval has been granted, and they are keen to see their contribution to a bigger goal (of mine).

1 7