Eighth Biennial National Conference of the Association for Academic Language and Learning (AALL) 29 - 30 November 2007
Abstract
Learning from our students
Alan Calder and Bhama Daly
Teaching and Learning Development, James Cook University, Cairns Queensland 4879, Australia
Email: alan.calder@jcu.edu.au, bhama.daly@jcu.edu.au
It is acknowledged that Language and Academic Skills Advisers have a unique relationship with students and that this allows the LAS Advisers to gather information about the nature of successful student learning experiences. While some of the difficulties that students face in their struggle to assimilate a large body of new knowledge can be due to poor language and learning skills, LAS Advisers are also privy to ‘intelligence’ that suggests there are often problems with the manner in which student learning is guided. This paper provides an overview of an ongoing study at James Cook University into how we can learn from “talking with students about what and how they learn” (Chanock, 1995) and then share this knowledge with our colleagues. Students were asked about the strategies that lecturers can use to improve learning; and the AALL community, through Unilearn, was also asked to contribute student feedback on this issue. The initial information received from these sources formed the basis of academic staff development workshops where academics, support staff and students came together to discuss strategies to improve the student learning experience. In leading a process of this type, LAS Advisers are actively engaging in the scholarship of teaching and learning, and by stimulating further discussion amongst LAS Advisers, academic staff and students, the authors aim to contribute to an improved understanding of the nature of successful learning experiences.
Key Words: student learning experiences, academic staff development, scholarship
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