This page provides information on teaching and learning research projects being undertaken by staff within the School.

2008 Teaching and Learning Grants

David Michayluk

Title: "Using Interactive Student Response Systems to Improve Student Engagement and Teaching Quality"

Summary: Large classes pose problems for student engagement. Similarly, small classes can have students that are not willing to participate due to cultural barriers or dominant students. This project will implement the use of student response systems in two subjects and test whether studentsengagement is sustained over the semester and whether teaching quality improves.

Chris Terry, David O’Toole and Danny Yeung

Title: "Enhancing Analytical Learning and Communication Skills of Students Who Have Been Identified as Being at Risk of Failing"

Summary: The Financial System (25556) is an entry subject for pathway (i.e. Insearch) students attempting the Finance major. Analysis of the subject's results over recent years reveals very poor learning performances by these students. The aim of the project is to improve their learning performance given their abnormal risk of failure. The project comprises the development of a database of information on student study behaviour and the perceived value of the subject's learning environment and to trial (and evaluate) a targeted set of "learning to learn finance" sessions that aim to strengthen these students anaytical learning skills.

Peter Docherty

Title: "The Impact of Writing Programs on Student Writing and Student Attitudes to Writing"

Summary: This project examines an extensive collection of data generated as a by-product of two previous FOB-funded projects. Its aim is to thoroughly evaluate the effectiveness of writing programs and to prepare two papers for submission to higher education journals. The first would examine quantitative evidence relating to improvement of writing outcomes against data on attendance at writing workshops and a wider array of control data than previously considered. The second paper would examine qualitative data about student attitudes to writing and writing programs collected from 30 minute interview recordings and notes.

Deborah Cotton and Rowan Trayler

Title: "Peer Assisted Learning and Support for Postgraduate Students"

Summary: This project will extend the successful ePal system to the postgraduate subject, Finance Management: Concepts and Applications. The PAL sessions will be voluntary for the students enrolled in the subject and will be conducted as small drop-in style classes run by the PAL instructors, who are more senior students. The instructors will be able to pass on their own experience and knowledge of the subject content, the subject expectations and how to achieve the desired outcomes. It is expected that the student's learning will improve not only in this subject but in their approach to learning throughout the rest of their course.