A Student Magazine project: A Key for Many Doors. Jane Sjoberg & Sean Gardner

Overview Our Context The Magazine Project & Learner autonomy in Foundation Students The Student Experience The Finished Product How You Would do it: Group Tasks and Mini-Presentations How We did it

Our context International Foundation Pathways C200 students – China, Middle East, Nigeria etc Language levels from 5.5 to 9+ Growing numbers of U18s (16+) Two cohorts – September/January

A Typical Foundation Student My tutors will tell me what to do and when to do it … won’t they?

You need to manage your own time! We want you to be independent learners!

Learner autonomy Typically seen as challenging for students from highly structured education backgrounds e.g. China More challenging for lower language levels Littlewood (1999): less 'reactive' (guided) forms of autonomy v more 'proactive' autonomy (learners take complete creative control over the learning process) Chan (2001): this may require scaffolding. Chan, V. (2001). Readiness for learner autonomy: What do our learners tell us?. Teaching in Higher Education. 6(4): 505-518. Littlewood, W. (1999). Defining and developing autonomy in East Asian contexts. Applied Linguistics. 20(1): 71-94.

The Magazine Project

Does it foster learner autonomy? We thought you’d like to hear from our previous magazine-team students But first you have to do some pairwork! Look at some of the questions we asked and put yourself in ‘student-mode’ Try to imagine what some of the answers might be!

The students

The questions 1) What did you hope to get out of the experience? 2) What did you learn? 3) What was your most memorable experience? 4) What advice would you give to the next magazine team?

Watch and compare Video lasts c.6’30

Meet ‘The Key Issue 4– 2016’ What the students we interviewed all mentioned was the thrill of seeing the end product…

Digital versions (easy peasy & free) We use: www.youblisher.com http://www.youblisher.com/p/581913-The-Key-The -BFA-Student-Magazine/ http://www.youblisher.com/p/832695-The-Key-BFA-Student-Magazine-Issue-2-2014/ http://www.youblisher.com/p/1146370-The-Key-BFA-Student-Magazine-Issue-3-2015/ http://www.youblisher.com/p/1557742-BIA-Foundation-Magazine-2015-16-Issue-4/ http://www.youblisher.com/p/1810780-The-Key-BIA-Foundation-Magazine-Issue-5-16-17/

Beyond the creative experience Print copies – one per editing member of the Team Used in international marketing events/given out on open days etc Digital version goes on university intranet

Your turn! Work in groups. Think about setting up a similar magazine project for your own EAP context(s) Discuss your task Prepare to feedback briefly (nominate one person)

Group Tasks Group 1. Outline the possible steps/stages in setting up and running the magazine Group 2. What might your students get out of the experience? Group 3. What might you expect to get out of the experience as a tutor? Group 4. Possible challenges and ways to overcome them

Feedback Your Ideas

So how did we do it?

Student-Centred/Tutor facilitated Open to all international foundation students (mix of language abilities) Core editing team c.10-20 students Involves whole cohort (articles, competitions etc) Coordinated by 1-2 EAP tutors Regular meetings (c. twice a month) Facebook page/VLE Begins Term 1 – ends…. Printing budget (100 copies c. £300)

Key benefits – a summary Transferable skills – CV Time management –setting &meeting deadlines Group-work and group dynamics Communication skills Dealing with setbacks Getting motivated and maintaining momentum Writing in different genres (strange ‘reverse’ effect of improving academic style) Proofreading/polishing/presentation Digital skills (images, copyright, layout)