CENTRE for ACADEMIC LANGUAGE and DEVELOPMENT (CALD)
As we begin a new academic year, many teachers are thinking about what particular boundaries need to be set in the first few weeks to ensure an appropriate learning environment exists.
by Rachel Wall
Last year, I embarked on a series of research projects which led me on a merry dance through the avenues and rabbit holes of autonomy. They led me to question my own practice and the precarious balance of appropriate scaffolding; dive into the baffling world of Legitimation Code Theory (LCT); experiment with coding; observe the language choices of my fellow tutors; design surveys and observation instruments and fundamentally left me wondering if autonomy can ever really exist. I’m not going to lie: the process ‘flawed’ me on many occasions – in both senses of the homophone – and forced me to rethink my own approach to life, as both a tutor and a citizen of this luscious planet. (more…)
Because assessment in the learning process, including that offered by their peers, is to help students identify strengths and weaknesses, address target areas of necessary revisions, and most importantly to develop their academic skills, it should be carefully attended to throughout higher education. Undoubtedly, one of the key advantages of peer assessment is that it can be given in greater volume and with greater immediacy than tutor feedback. (more…)
by Kaz Yamamoto
Motivation is one of the key issues in the field of education. At the same time, it is one of the most sensitive subjects. Every teacher must have asked him/herself this question: How can I motivate my students? (more…)