1. Guided Independent Study What goes on in ‘Guided Independent Study’? Nichola Gretton & Steve Rooney, Leicester Learning Institute Tracey Dodman, Department of Criminology

2. Research Background photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ucentralarkansas/61952879 University of Central Arkansas via photopin http://photopin.com http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/cchttp://www.flickr.com/photos/ucentralarkansas/61952879http://photopin.comhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/cc

3. Themes in the literature regarding students’ expectations and experiences of independent study Among prospective students, the need to ‘learn independently’ is a widely acknowledged, but poorly understood, feature of HE learning (Foster et al., 2011; Thomas, 2012) A willingness and capacity to devote substantial time to independent study a key factor in learning effectively in HE (Gibbs, 2010) Becoming a more independent learner forms part of a broader suite of ‘threshold practices’ for students in transition (Gourlay, 2009) The perceived unmanageable volume of information (in particular reading) is a key feature of students’ experiences of HE study at all levels (Hardy and Clughen, 2012; Gourlay, 2014) Reported gaps between prospective students’ perceived and actual levels of preparedness for the demands of reading and writing at HE level (Hardy and Boulton, 2012) The notion of ‘independence’ is itself contested and ideologically loaded (Leathwood, 2004; Walkerdine, 2011)

4. Project Outline

5. Methodology photo credit:http://www.flickr.com/photos/61423903@N06/7369580478/ FutUndBeidl via http://photopin.com photopin http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/cchttp://photopin.com

6. Collaborators

7. Impact photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/haiko/154105048/ Haiko via http://photopin.com photopin http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/ cchttp://www.flickr.com/photos/haiko/154105048/http://photopin.comhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

8. Independent study per week - not including revision periods Time Spent % of overall responses CB % DL % None2 21 Up to 5 hours17 16 More than 5 hours but not exceeding 10 hours23 2128 More than 10 hours but not exceeding 20 hours32 3135 More than 20 hours but not exceeding 30 hours16 13 More than 30 hours8 103 Don't Know2 33 The Story so far......

9. Input and outcome % of overall respon ses CB % DL % Learned what is required and usually happy with marks 575855 Learned what is required but usually disappointed with marks 242230 Limited knowledge but usually achieve good marks14159 Limited knowledge often reflected in poor marks556 Effort and satisfaction % of respon ses overall CB % DL % I put in lot of effort and I am usually pleased with my marks 55 I put in a lot of effort but I am usually disappointed with my marks 282534 I put in a minimal amount of effort but I am usually pleased with my marks 14178 I put in a minimal amount of effort and this is usually reflected in poor marks 333

10. Over to you......

11. Feedback

12. Contact: Nichola Gretton: nh13@le.ac.uknh13@le.ac.uk Steve Rooney: sgr3@le.ac.uksgr3@le.ac.uk

13. References Foster, E., Lawther, S. and McNeil, J (2011) Learning Developers Supporting Early Student Transition. In Hartley, P., Hilsdon, J., Keenan, C., Sinfield, S. and Verity, M., eds. Learning Development in Higher Education. Hampshire: Palgrave MacMillan, pp. 79-91 Gibbs, G (2010) Dimensions of Quality. Higher Education Academy. Available at: http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/documents/evidence_informed_practice/Dimensions_of_Quality.pdf http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/documents/evidence_informed_practice/Dimensions_of_Quality.pdf Gourlay, L. (2009).Threshold practices: becoming a student through academic literacies. London Review of Education, 7(2), 181–192 Gourlay, L. (2014) 'Creating time: students, technologies and temporal practices in higher education', E-learning & Digital Media 11(2), 141-153. Hardy, C and Boulton, H (2012) Writing at School. In Clughen, L and Hardy, C, eds. Writing in the Disciplines: Building Supportive Cultures for Student Writing in UK Higher Education. Bingley: Emerald Group Publishing Ltd, pp. 1-23 Hardy, C and Clughen, L (2012) Writing at University: Student and Staff Expectations and Experiences. In Clughen, L and Hardy, C, eds. Writing in the Disciplines: Building Supportive Cultures for Student Writing in UK Higher Education. Bingley: Emerald Group Publishing Ltd, pp. 25-54 Leathwood, C. (2006). Gender, equity and the discourse of the independent learner in higher education, Higher Education, 52(4), 611–633 Thomas, L (2012) What Works? Student Retention & Success (Final Report). Available at: http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/what-works-retentionhttp://www.heacademy.ac.uk/what-works-retention Cox, A.M. (2011) ‘Students’ Experience of University Space: An Exploratory Study’, International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 23(2) pp197-207. Department for Education and Skills (2003) The future of higher education, London, UK: HMSO, http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/BISCore/corporate/MigratedD/publications/F/future_of_he.pdf, accessed 26 September 2013. http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/BISCore/corporate/MigratedD/publications/F/future_of_he.pdf Meyer, B. Haywood, N. Darshan, S. Faraday, S (2008) Independent Learning: Literature Review. Learning and Skills Network, Research Report: DCSF-RR051Re NUS (2012) Student Experience Research, Part 2–Independent Learning and Contact Hours. Student experience research to gain insight into the quality of the learning experience. London: NUS. http://www.qaa.ac.uk/Publications/InformationAndGuidance/Documents/Student-Experience-Research-2012-Part-2.pdf (accessed 26 September, 2013).http://www.qaa.ac.uk/Publications/InformationAndGuidance/Documents/Student-Experience-Research-2012-Part-2.pdf

14. References Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education 2012. UK Quality Code for UK Education. Part B, Assuring and Enhancing Quality Education. Chapter B3: Learning and Teaching. [Online] Available at: www.qaa.ac.uk/Publications/InformationAndGuidance/Pages/quality-code-B3.aspx [Accessed: 26 September 2013]www.qaa.ac.uk/Publications/InformationAndGuidance/Pages/quality-code-B3.aspx Walker, P. (2008) ‘What Do Students Think They (Should) Learn at College? Student Perceptions of Essential Learning Outcomes’, Journal of the scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 8(1) pp45-60. Walkerdine, V (2011) Neoliberalism, working-class subjects and higher education, Contemporary Social Science: Journal of the Academy of Social Sciences, 6(2), 255-271 White, D., 2011. The Learning Black Market. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 28 January 2013].http://tallblog.conted.ox.ac.uk/index.php/2011/09/30/the-learning-black-market/