BALEAP - The Global Forum for EAP Professionals

Project Work has become an establish method of developing study skills in Foundation Year students at the University of Leeds Language Centre, exploiting the University's and the Language Centre's facilities, as well as classroom materials. Some of the students also sourced the Internet for additional information. Many, though, had limited experience in accessing information in this way, and in computer skills in general, which could potentially place them at a disadvantage in their future studies. In order to promote the learning of these skills in the students, it was decided that Internet sources should form part of project input. This session demonstrated the Internet elements of a project on Earth Sciences and the design of the student worksheets, including the academic skills development targetted. There was some consideration of the ways in which the students were encouraged to approach their task and to review completed units in the context of a final written assignment. Student feedback was presented and discussed, as well as the impact of this method of working on the written assignment.

Student/Staff involvement: 70 students (26 nationalities) and 5 members of staff

The project:

Third project students had done.
Mainly factual with some theory and content in Earth Sciences (only 2 of the students were preparing for a course in that area).
Materials concentrated on internal structure of Earth/plate tectonics/earthquakes etc. and came mainly from US Geological survey - perfect for Foundation level students.

Project elements:

Weeks 7-11 in Semester 2; 4 weeks input, 1 week writing up.
6 hours per week; 3 hours Internet + 3 hours classes
6 Internet worksheets on the topics
2 video worksheets on the topics + class review
Mid-project review written summary
1 lecture (at end, drew aspects together + looked forward)
Self-Access materials (videos and synopses)
Supplementary websites + booklist (optional)
Leading to 12 minutes oral presentations + 2,000-2,500 word written assignments.

Skills targetted

Internet Skills (expected to be independent users by end)
Study resources available at university
Time management/learner independence
Study reading/note-taking/selecting and organising information

Worksheet instructions:

Include location + instructions in symbols (sidebar etc.). Students could be asked to complete a diagram on the worksheet for e.g. using the Internet information - text to match diagram, then can answer questions on worksheet.

Exercise types:

Info transfer (text to diagram/table)
Matching text/diagram
Note-making diagram/process flow charts or descriptions/cause effect descriptions/summaries
Vocabulary development

Student format:

Can work individually, pairs, groups
Individual/class feedback in-class support materials - video + worksheet
Self-Access all fed into information for the assignment.

Student feedback:

on study facilities/worksheets/relation to course objectives/work methods and preferences
(2-3 hours to complete worksheet successfully)

Usual problems re. use of computers (error messages)
Website materials - attractive, accessible, easy to navigate, found other sites available.
Most students preferred to work alone. Did half a worksheet per session on average
Found independent ways of working at own pace
Problems because can't ask web-site questions about language
Students felt their skills were being developed and added to, more familiar with university resources, self-dependence.

Students suggestions:

Vocabulary lists and glossary of technical terms
Wanted to ask more general questions to test real understanding
More class discussion, clarification, explanation

Impact on assignment:

New general vocabulary being deployed
Concepts generally well understood
High standard of graphics (and cost of printing!)
But also some inaccuracies in labelling and use of technical vocabulary (and pronunciation of same in oral presentations)

Conclusions:

Students learned a lot of objectivity (via evaluation tasks)
Motivation high
Independence
Initiative