LEARNING ENHANCEMENT RUNNING A ‘DISSERTATION WRITING CAFÉ’; OUR SUCCESSES AND PITFALLS

An idea one afternoon…. HEA writing retreats really seem to work…

Planning and practicalities…. Our intention and aims – Informal learning environments (Blair and McGinty, 2013) – ‘Guide on the side’ model (Martin et al, 2007, cited in Beckers, van der Voordt and Dewulf, 2013) Getting the resources and rooming right – Different spaces for different purposes (Duffy et al, 2011) – IT suite – utilising ‘Pomodoro’ technique – Space to talk and chat – utilising tea and biscuits! Collaboration

Positive impacts – Undergraduate…. Impacts on learning Impacts on student community Staff viewpoint ‘Clearer focus on academic writing; how to construct a good lit. review’ ‘Many questions answered; sub-chapters finished; substantial amount of words reached’ ‘Structured approach to my methodology and a less intense panic attack!’ Feedback from UG students attending Dissertation Writing Cafés in March & April, 2015 ‘Dissertation cafe is a really good idea, you are here for us, to help us with the smile! It was really productive, and with the tea it was perfect. Thank you.’ ‘Very good environment; very supportive; helps to build confidence; very happy about coffee and snacks’ Feedback from PG student attending Dissertation Writing Café in March 2015 ‘[I noticed] that the students were in charge of their own skills development [and] came with specific questions [thereby] setting their own page and agenda. Good for student engagement.’ Feedback from Liaison Librarian ‘As for the dissertation what the café allows for is the breaking down of the myths of a dissertation and provides the learners with the confidence that they can complete this mythical piece of research (the elephant), it is voluntary and it is supportive and it provides social learning for the learner.’ Feedback from Module Leader

Positive impacts – Postgraduate…. Early stage – coincidence Later stage Staff viewpoint ‘I came because I was confused on how to go about my literature review and methodology … it was helpful because I got a good guideline from books and structure on what to do and how to go about it.’ PG student attending Café in August 2015 ‘I just came drop by to small talk about my dissertation proposal, it is helpful they told me what I have to write and show to my teacher, very good opportunity to talk to adviser individually to look at my topic’ Feedback from PG students attending Dissertation Writing Café in March 2015 ‘The added value of the Café for PG students is the opportunity for synthesis between theoretical study and application of the practical skill elements of the dissertation.’ Feedback from PG Dissertation Module Leader

Issues and thoughts…. Timing – particularly PG Promotion and engagement Intensity of support

Spin-offs…. Supporting other modules and projects A ‘neutral’ space ‘…the ‘Café’ as a learning space which provides learners with support in terms of structure, reassurance, a ‘third eye’ which is neutral and not related to the module teaching team so the perception of teacher power over assessment is removed is the innovation for this ‘space for learning’. Feedback from Module Leader

Beckers, R., van der Voordt, T. & Dewulf, G. (2015) A conceptual framework to identify spatial implications of new ways of learning in higher education, Facilities, Vol.33, No.1/2, pp Blair, A. & McGinty, S. (2013) Feedback-dialogues: exploring the student perspective, Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, Vol.38, No.4, pp , doi: Duffy, F., Craig, D. & Gillen, N. (2011) ‘Purpose, process, place: design as a research tool’, Facilities, Vol.29, No.3/4, pp Lave, J. (2009) ‘The practice of learning’ in Illeris, K. ed. Contemporary Theories of learning. Abingdon; Routledge Low, S.H (2015) ‘Is This Okay? Developing Student Ownership in Artmaking Through Feedback’, Art Education, January Available at: ff17c9cbfb6b%40sessionmgr4001&hid=4208 (Accessed: 20 May 2015) ff17c9cbfb6b%40sessionmgr4001&hid=4208 Mewburn, I. (2013) ‘Shut up and write’, The Thesis Whisperer. Available at: (Accessed: 21 May 2015) Mewburn, I. (2014) ‘Drop and give me 20,000 (words)!’, The Thesis Whisperer, 15 October. Available at: (Accessed: 21 May 2015) The Pomodoro Technique (no date). The Pomodoro Technique. Available at: (Accessed: 22 May 2015). Wenger, E. (2009) ‘A social theory of learning’ in Illeris, K. ed. Contemporary Theories of learning. Abingdon; Routledge

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