Scale up project
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This document summarizes a SCALE-UP project piloted at Sheffield Hallam University. SCALE-UP is an active learning pedagogy where students work in groups on conceptual exercises and problems. The university piloted SCALE-UP in 13 subjects across 7 schools with 37 instructors and found mostly positive results. Students reported high satisfaction with SCALE-UP modules and signs of improved problem-solving, understanding, and expectations. Instructors found benefits but that careful planning is needed for group work, resources, and pre-class activities. The university aims to evaluate conditions needed for wider SCALE-UP implementation and impacts on learning given mixed approaches and constraints generating conclusive data.
![I feel more
enthusiastic coming
to these sessions
At first I did not like
[it] but as time went
on I enjoyed it and
always kept people
engaged
I like that I am not
just spoken to for
an hour and that’s
it
Enjoy that we have
more interaction with
the tutor & as a class
Scale-up’s good,
bigger groups so
more ideas on work
Time wasted
on…group
discussions
I would have
preferred to have a
more traditional
lecture](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/scale-upproject-150128053914-conversion-gate01/85/Scale-up-project-27-320.jpg)
Scale up project
- 1. SCALE-UP project Jane McNeil Learning & Teaching Exchange Sheffield Hallam University 8th January 2015
- 2. Why we did it How we did it What happened
- 5. Why we did it
- 7. Identifying information-responsive What is the existing answer to this question? Producing discovery-responsive How can I answer this question? Pursuing information-active What is the existing answer to my question? Authoring discovery-active How can I answer my question? Student-led Staff-led Exploring existing knowledge Participating in building knowledge Adapted from Levy 2009
- 9. Benefits Based on a comparison of 16,000 Physics students at NCSU Ability to solve problems improved Conceptual understanding increased Expectations and attendance improved Failure rates were significantly reduced “at risk" students also did better in later modules Beichner et al 2007
- 12. Reason No. Lectures perceived to be ineffective 13 Wanting to use technology 7 Attracted by the SCALE-UP rooms 6 Opportunity to further develop PBL 5 Seeking to engage students 5 Try a new teaching approach 5 Opportunity to teach the whole cohort 4 I’m very much in favour of trying to involve students, trying to make teaching as interactive as possible I got involved because I’m interested in the use of technology in education I’m always happy to have a go with new approaches that can improve our teaching
- 13. How we did it
- 14. Meet Bob Decide to do it Telecon with Bob SCALE- UP day Adapt rooms Teaching starts Sept 2012 Nov 2012 Jun 2013 Sep 2013 Apr 2013 Aug2013
- 15. Researchers Michaela Borg Gladson Chikwa Technical advice Marek Oledzki Royce McKie 37 Pilots Pilot leaders Module teams Students Levels 4-7 7 Schools 13 subjects Making it happen Senior managers L&T Co-ordinators Libraries IS Estates Timetabling
- 16. Before
- 17. After
- 20. What happened
- 21. First class
- 22. Evaluation 1. Assess SCALE-UP intended benefits in context 2. Identify conditions needed for SCALE-UP 3. Assess potential and feasibility for wider use Challenges Multiple disciplines Institutional information needs Constraints on data generation Mixed approaches to SCALE-UP
- 24. “It's made me aware of how important it is to get the tasks right…I think some of the stuff I did in the SCALE-UP wasn't the best…In a way, SCALE-UP has helped me to become more reflective on my practice” “…being able to interact with students is better than just standing in front of them talking and it did really reinforce that, particularly going back into the lecture theatre...I have been trying to keep some of the principles” “I have turned the curriculum upside-down”
- 26. EvaSys: Full year modules Student reporting (out of 5) Overall indicators Modules A B C D E F G Teaching on this module 4.8 4.6 4.5 4 4.6 4.6 4.8 Assessment & Feedback 4.8 4.6 4.7 4.2 4.6 4.1 4.8 Module organisation & resources 4.7 4.4 4.5 3.9 4.5 4.0 4.7 Overall satisfaction 4.6 4.6 4.4 3.8 4.4 4.2 4.7 EvaSys module questionnaire
- 27. I feel more enthusiastic coming to these sessions At first I did not like [it] but as time went on I enjoyed it and always kept people engaged I like that I am not just spoken to for an hour and that’s it Enjoy that we have more interaction with the tutor & as a class Scale-up’s good, bigger groups so more ideas on work Time wasted on…group discussions I would have preferred to have a more traditional lecture
- 28. Evaluating SCALE-UP benefits Aspect NCSU 16,000 students Problem-solving Improved Conceptual understanding Increased Expectations Improved Attendance Improved Failure rates Significantly reduced NTU pilots Positive signs Improved Students largely positive Module satisfaction high
- 29. Attendance Attendance? Same as last year. Quality of work improved. 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 No of students in a session (%) Sessions Mod A (SSS)_L4 Mod B (EDU)_L5 Mod C (NLS)_L5 Mod D (SST)_L6 Mod E (EDU)_L6 & 7
- 30. Evaluating SCALE-UP benefits Aspect NCSU 16,000 students Problem-solving Improved Conceptual understanding Increased Expectations Improved Attendance Improved Failure rates Significantly reduced NTU pilots Positive signs Improved Students largely positive Module satisfaction high No effect Inconclusive on failure Positive impact on grades
- 31. What next
- 32. What we learned about conditions for SCALE-UP Need careful planning for: group management resource design framing of pre-class activities Preparation takes longer Peer & specialist support crucial Worked best where several modules used it SCALE-UP principles can be used in other classes
- 33. What we learned about conditions for SCALE-UP Spaces are loved Round tables are crucial Circulation space is important Voice augmentation is useful Technology must be seamless Scarcity of large, flat rooms Consideration of contact hours
- 35. “The main thing with SCALE-UP is capturing how students learn, because I think years and years of evidence have shown that students do not learn the way we teach, so what we need to do is to start teaching the way they learn and that’s what SCALE-UP does.” SCALE-UP pilot leader