Throughout this Action Research Project, I have been gathering information from students in order to find out how my role can be more supportive towards their progression throughout 3rd year BA Illustration. My previous research tasks have included 2 different types of questionnaire and and a focus group whose respondents have comprised mostly of students who are more present in the studio and confident vocally during group discussion.
An important aspect of my research, is to acknowledge the quieter voices and hear from those who do not attend workshops or the studio often if at all. Through this research I would like to found out why this might be happening and what can be done to support all students attending progression workshops. Therefore, a new aim is to find more of a balance between my respondents for a future focus group, as the previous group demonstrated signs that they came from a small friendship group. The differences in social characteristics between individuals in the focus group can be significant for understanding their interaction when giving feedback. (Parker and Tritter, 2006)
‘Issues of sampling and selection are likely to prove crucial in relation to the form and quality of interaction in a focus group’
(Parker and Tritter, 2006)
My previous focus group was approached for response through ‘piggybacking’ (Kreuger and Casey, 2001) on a year group event, a trip to Dungeness. For a future group, I have reflected I will use a different year group session, such as the Monday Lectures, to recruit participants, changing my approach to ‘recruit on location’ (Kreuger and Casey, 2001). To create a randomised sample, I will place coloured post-it notes on the seats of 12 chairs in the Peckham Road Lecture theatre to select students. Responding to suggestions from the last focus group recruitment, I would present the invitation for the post-it note students at the end of the morning session and invite them to speak with me during the last part of their lunch break. Students informed me that as they had an afternoon session following the lunch break, they would be more inclined to use this in between time to talk to a tutor. In selecting 12 students originally, I will aim for around 6 – 8 people to turn up as an ideal group size (Kreuger and Casey, 2001).
The aim of using a more random sample of students is to enable feedback from a broader range of students with a number of positions or views that capture the majority of the participants’ standpoints (Parker and Tritter, 2006). Therefore a future focus group can include students who have not responded previously to call outs for feedback, so their voices can also be heard.
I noted this diagram from the research paper ‘What can universities do to support all their students to progress successfully throughout their time at university?’ that I found insightful for understanding the impacts on a students journey, and what can be done to support more equal progression:
This paper shed valuable light on the importance of understanding a student’s progression holistically and how ‘universities can make a difference through interventions, for example, by focusing curricula and learning, extracurricular engagement, and building supportive social relationships’ (Zimdars, Moore, Sabri, Jones & Higham, 2016). I took from their list of conclusions a number of suggestions that I aim to reflect on and integrate within the progression element of my teaching:
- ‘Expanding ways resources and good practice can be shared. E.g. creation of a well-advertised one-stop website linking the range of resources available and/or create new oppor-tunities for sharing and support.
- Actively encouraging applications and outreach to increase the representation of those from under-represented groups to all professional and academic jobs and, in particular, senior positions.
- Encouraging approaches that view staff, students, and managers as partners learning from each other to enhance outcomes for students.
- Encouraging peer-support between students and developing student networks and groups.’
(Zimdars, Moore, Sabri, Jones & Higham, 2016)
In summary, through holding a focus groups, I have learned a lot about how students respond to call outs for feedback and how to mediate these types of feedback sessions. From this experience, I can see that my focus group has only reached a small sample in the third year, and therefore I need to expand the outreach to get in touch with those who do not attend or speak up. This Action Research Project has definitely opened my eyes to embracing and understanding the voices of students, but also comprehending that silence can also indicate a valuable point of view that may be hidden.
‘teachers must be open at all times, and we must be willing to acknowledge what we don’t know’ (hooks, 2010)