SEDA workshop results

(Workshop by Tunde Varga-Atkins on Evaluation techniques of teaching,

15th Nov 2012, SEDA Conference, Aston Business School, Birmingham)

Top five challenges:

We explored the question: What is one key challenge in your role as educational developer? We didn't have much time to do a proper session and discussion of the issues, so this below is a glimpse at the potential issues, in prioritised order: The top five voted items were:

1. Evaluating impact of what we do (13 points).

2. Getting staff to attend sessions (10 points)

3. Value of teaching within institution (8 points)

4. Engaging staff who most need developing (7 points)

5. Pulled in too many directions by staff and managers (6 points).

Also featured: [see below image]

Also featured key challenges:

 6. Support for new academics in first few weeks of teaching.   

To re-shape the relationship between teachers and students. (5 points)

7. Uncertainty over future. (4 points)

8. Workload + staff/student timetable   

Helping academic staff see the value of development. (3 points)

9. Accreditation of teaching staff at all institutions   

Lack of confidence in sharing. (0 point)

A comparison of focus groups, surveys and Nominal Group Technique

Advantages of the Nominal Group Technique

Logical process.

Gives an 'authority' to the student voice.

Learn about learning process.

Students could do for themselves.

Stimulates thinking, greater opportunity to discuss ideas.

Avoids dominant voice.

Disadvantages of the Nominal Group Technique

Tendency to 'smooth' the debate?

Generates very picky debate.

Time consuming?

Wording of question could skew the outcome.

? Expensive process

How to choose sample? Bias?

How to analyse the data.

Nominal Group Technique vs surveys

Positive about NGT

Speed??

Gets dialogue started.

Deeper issues emerge.

Opportunity for clarification.

Fun.

Skills required.

Negative: ambiguity of questions.

Can serve a basis for a survey.

Positive about surveys

More contact.

Logistics of NGT, needs synchronous contact.

Easier access – surveys.

Validation and use.

Reliability.

Easier analysis.

Larger sampler size.

Use of technology  - poor response rate?

Nominal Group Technique vs focus groups

NGT offers:

Space for individual thinking/reflection.

Focus and control with participants.

Outcome/product - yields immediate tangible outcome.

Data more acceptable to certain groups.

Empowers all participants.

Perhaps requires less skill to facilitate.

Focus groups:

More exploratory in initial stage.

Allows for more individual direction.

Can be dominated by one or two individuals (not if facilitated properly!).

Don't get 'quantitative' data.

Can be too directed. Allows for more in- depth exploration.