Learning Outcomes

This morning I was doing some workshop planning on two diverse topics -- PhD supervision and teaching spaces and wanted to know about common course sizes at the University of Windsor. The connection - well students spend a very small proportion of most courses in the classroom, therefore most of their learning takes place in other places and spaces and I was looking for this information to be able to make my point about the importance of informal learning spaces as well as the design and layout of the formal ones. Relevant information for PhD supervisors as well. So I asked Jeanne and she said that wasn't her remit and didn't want to feed me false information so I should ask Bev. Well she tells me that there isn't a formula that she is aware of and there are some rules of thumb she knows so she turned the question round to me. I talked about EFTS and 1200 hours and a need to think about the time students might spend doing specific activities. But I don't have a formula either as we are thinking about students who read at different speeds, think at different speeds, who have different work patterns etc. We did think a plan of getting students to wear mini video cameras for a day or two to record their thoughts and actions might give us an insight. But even if we can't pinpoint the numbers, we do need to encourage faculty to be conscious of what we are expecting of students in their waking hours. But the best bit was Bev said to me "I'm glad you are asking questions that we can't answer (we being her and I) as at least I know you are doing something!!" Outcomes driven?!! :)☺

Folk must be at least browsing the photos as I have had a number of offers to house swap! Thank you for taking the time to read these ramblings.

Today's photo is of me studying something up a tree in the bush at Arthur's Pass, between Christchurch and Greymouth. The New Zealand bush is amazing!