The active collaborative learning for student success project ran from March 2017 – February 2019 and has now concluded. This website serves as a historic legacy and is no longer regularly updated.
Why we took this approach
We wanted to increase student engagement and involvement and try to use flipped classroom principles wherever possible. In addition, there was feedback from previous years’ students that SCALE UP would assist delivery of the module given the assignment focuses on a web-based portfolio.
What we did
We reviewed the sessions to make them more interactive and looked to deliver interactive small group tasks wherever possible. We also continued with collaborative formative tasks.
The challenges we faced
Unfamiliarity with the type of laptop used in the session (iOS based operating system on Apple laptops) posed a big challenge but enough students within the group knew enough to get us all through.
The support from SCALE-UP IT staff was also invaluable along with the sessions that I engaged with in preparation for the task.
Feedback and Reflections
Student interaction in sessions was good and feedback reflected that students enjoyed delivery of the module.
Student responded to SCALE-UP very well, although the more confident students participated more, as is usually the case. The difficulty of getting students to engage with flipped activities either before or after the session remains.
The feedback for this module via the university’s Evasys system was the best ever and topped the Course ‘League table’ of Evasys responses and I believe this was due to SCALE-UP.
