A Fab First CILASS Experience!
This is my first real ‘engagement’ as a CILASS Ambassador, and I facilitated the ‘Unlocking Technology for IBL: Sandpit Session’. Chris Clow, Ryan Jendoubi, Eve Stirling and Alex Ingleson unveiled their work-in-progress Video Clips of ‘How to’ and ‘Why to’ use technology for various aspects of study and IBL.
I had always figured myself at least moderately savvy when it came to technology, but being in this session made me realise how much I could change the scope and meaning of my research by branching out and using some pretty snazzy gadgets. It also made me realise how much work CILASS is doing r.e. making technology an accessible and approachable concept for students and staff alike. The trust the presenters placed in the group to give feedback on a mid-production project was rewarded with really interesting and considered comments.
What I found particularly impressive about this session (aside from the stellar ‘How To’/’Why To’ videos which I think will be of tremendous benefit to the University at large) was the interaction between the presenting group of CILASS Ambassadors and those who attended the session. It felt like an especially productive environment in which everybody there got something out of the session. Great work!
Some (very delayed) after thoughts from the conference…
After weeks of planning and organising – with a little bit of panicking too – the third staff student conference finally arrived. CILASS’s third staff student conference invited attendees to ‘Inquire, Engage, Challenge and Change’, discussing issues surrounding IBL within the current teaching and learning experience at the University of Sheffield. Delegates from York St Johns and Manchester Metropolitan University also attended and we had an interesting and stimulating mix of discussion amongst guests.
After a gruelling four hour lecture, I made it to the conference just in time for the keynote which focussed on staff student partnerships; how they currently work and possible ideas for the future. From this it was suggested that students Inquire, and sometimes they Engage and when they do, they make a change. The problem is however, how do we get students engaged in the first place? How do they come to realise the importance of IBL, but moving back a step, what is the importance of IBL, and forward, how can we all make improvements to enrich and enhance the IBL experience at Sheffield? These are just a few questions I wanted to explore throughout the day, and in some of the sessions that I presented and attended, I got a chance to explore them.
Session 3: IBL and employability.
This session was jointly presented by Ali, Claire and myself and was an adaptation of a session we previously ran at Manchester Metropolitan University. The session is aimed at second/final year students who and filling out graduate job applications, but need to give them a kick. It helps students realised that IBL is all around them, and that taking part in IBL gives students a distinct set of skills employers CRAVE! Skills are then turned into real examples by students reflection and used to answer questions on a real graduate application. This session was not a popular choice as it was competing against Su’s ‘Small Changes, Big Differences’ – a fantastic example of staff student partnerships and improving the IBL experience – but those that attended really enjoyed the session. This session raised the importance of student involvement in the teaching experience and staff that attended thought that information about skills and careers coming from fellow students is seen as more stimulating and more important that if it came from staff. This is something that should be persued more as it has benefits for the students attending the session, but also the students running the session. Going through this with other students as a third year student, has been especially beneficial for me filling in graduate application forms and additionally running the session has given me skills nd experiences to help me complete the forms.
Comment by nataliew — June 9, 2009 @ 8:02 am