Insights into Geography SKE Program at MMU

Pragmatic insights into planning geographical content and teaching activities, along with marketing and recruitment efforts at MMU's Geography SKE program. The program emphasizes using A-level syllabuses for content planning, engaging potential tutors, and monitoring student engagement. It showcases the diverse backgrounds of students and the positive impact of the course on tutors' confidence and teaching strategies.

• Geography
• MMU
• SKE program
• Insights
• Education

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1. Geography SKE Dr Susan Bermingham & Jo Baynham MMU

2. Pragmatic and personal insights Planning the geographical content and T&L activities Marketing and recruitment Staffing the taught sessions, guidance for tutors Monitoring student engagement Behind the scenes

3. Geographical Content Use of A level syllabuses Early in our planning for the 2016 SKE we generated a list of about 25 topics. These were circulated to potential tutors from Feb 2016 to indicate their interest in planning a session. Feedback from students and tutors led to some tweaks to the 2017 timetable.

4. Marketing & Recruitment Leaflet for events Guidance to MMU interviewers re SKE as a conditional offer Online presence Admissions & CPD partnerships support Numbers: 2016 23 students 2017 23 PGCE students & 1 teacher

5. 2016 Students Degree Geography Geography Geology Law Environmental Science and Applied Biological Science History Geography Geography Geography Geography Society and Cities Criminology and Sociology Human Geog Geography Outdoor Studies Geography Environmental Science Military and International history Geography Outdoor Studies Physical Geography Politics Geography Uni Salford Bangor Futy MMU UWE, London MMU Northumbria UoM MMU UoM Sheffield Liverpool Leeds Bangor MMU Nottingham ? Salford MMU MMU MMU Newcastle Salford Last studied geography 1997 2016 2011 2009 1984 2002 2016 2013 2016 2015 2007 2003 2015 2016 2007 2016 ? 2002 2011 2016 2011 2016

6. 2017 Students 45 made contact via email or phone with regards to the SKE - led to 24 on the SKE course, plus drop in Tutor.

7. Insights from drop in tutor Just a note to thank you for inviting me as a student on the SKE course in the summer. As a current member of staff who was asked to teach geography on the primary programme, it was a very useful course. It brought me right up to date with the latest strategies and gave me the confidence to apply half remembered content to teach it effectively this year.

8. Uni & Degree 2017 students Liverpool John Moores Derby UoM Leeds Outdoor Education with Environmental Science Geology Geography Human Geography Geography and Education Geology Humanities and Social Science Geography Sports Science Geology History Environmental Management Land Use and Environmental Management Psychological Studies and Sociology Geology Geography Tourism, Leisure and Management Geography Environmental Studies Media performance Marketing and organisationstudies Geography Geography and English Birmingham Man Poly Salford LJMU UoM Northumbria Leeds Queens, Belfast National University of Ireland, Galway UoM Leeds UCLAN Salford Kenyatta / Keele / Salford Salford Lancaster UoM Trier, Germany

9. Insights from tutors (MMU) they all seemed positive and it was very enjoyable - the mixture of experts and newbies was interesting and possibly challenging - so pitching it was always tricky - I remember the 2ndary PE lady - so so keen as she was new. I can only comment for the 2016 sessions but I thought it worked really well for those students who had not studied Geography. I thought it was great that every topic got its own day and thought the organisation was good. I certainly felt like I was given enough time to go into the required detail. In the last week students began to expect that the sessions would tell them how to teach rather than cover subject knowledge. This caused a few issues. Pitching level of sessions a challenge

10. Staffing the Face to Face 4 weeks Joint planning & development of the SKE between : Geography and Environmental Management tutors in School of Science and the Environment & Geography education tutors within School of Teacher Education and Professional Development

11. 2016 Face to Face sessions Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Ben Introduction & Hazards Jo Weather & Climate Sue Urban & Rural Jo Energy Security Sue & Jo Health Ian Coasts Ben Water Cycle & Flooding Jo Extreme Environments Ian Rivers & Fieldwork Ben Ecosystems Lee Stats & Field Skills Sue Children s Geographies Urban Fieldwork Jane Tectonics & Volcanoes Sue L Globalisation Andrew Population & migration Andrew Oceans & Global Governance Lee GIS Ian Geology Jane Climate Change

12. 2017 Face to Face sessions Monday Jo and Sue Jo Intro Sue Place & Space Tuesday Jo Weather and climate Wednesday Ben (Ian pm) Floods & Water Cycle Fieldtrip to Didsbury Sue L Extreme Environments Thursday Ian Geology Friday Jo and Sue Health Jane Stats & Field Skills Mike Energy Security including Carbon Cycle Sue B Urban & Rural / Population & Migration Ian River Fieldtrip Jane Plate tectonics & Volcanoes Jane Plate Tectonics Vol/Eqs/Tsuna mi Ben Ecosystems Fieldtrip Thomas GIS Sue L Globalisation Jane Climate Change Group Work Day Urban Investigation Ian Coasts Sue Global Governance & Oceans Jo Next steps Valeria Education for Sustainable Development

13. Changes/Challenges Feedback from students 2 days rather than 1 Tutor availability It did take quite a long time for the payment to be arranged/several admin loop holes to jump through.

14. Self study weeks Guidance from other SKE tutors Geog SKE planning meetings Mandatory activities plus choices

15. Self Study Following four weeks of face to face sessions, students are now required to complete four weeks of self-study of approximately 100 hours. If students were absent during the face to face sessions they will need to add an additional 5 hours per day missed. Please create a google drive folder named as your surname and first name e.g. Baynham, J Share this folder with Jo (j.baynhammmu@gmail.com) You need to plan the next four weeks of your study. This document needs to be submitted by Monday 18 July by 5pm. This document must be submitted to your tutor via Googledrive submission prior to the four week self-study time. All tasks must be completed and, wherever required, submitted via Googledrive by Monday 15 August by 5 pm.

16. Mandatory Tasks 1. GCSE Controlled Assessment 2. A level Project 3. Past A Level Papers 4. Education Visits 5. Subject Knowledge Confidence Audit x 3

17. Self selected Tasks During the SKE you will have identified strengths and weaknesses in your own subject knowledge. Select a minimum of 10 geographical areas from the 20 taught days to focus upon. At various points you have been signposted to additional activities, projects and further reading (suggested activities document). You may have also identified other resources or projects you wish to pursue. Please outline the additional activities here (although it is noted that this list is not exhaustive and may develop during your self- study time).

18. Challenges 2016 two tutors monitored students for first 2 weeks, then 1 tutor last few weeks. 2017 one tutor monitored all students. Takes time annotated with insert comments their self study planner on a regular basis 3 students 2017 failed to complete within deadlines. 1 failed the course. 2 did complete within extension time, have struggled on PGCE.

19. Student Insights 'I found the teaching activities really useful, and incorporated them into my teaching practice. I also thought it was a good refresher on the subject content that I had studied previously. Student 2017

20. Teacher Tutor Insights The teaching was a positive experience for me as the students were engaged and keen to participate in the activities. The evidence in the mini plenaries suggested they came away with improved understanding. I can t comment on the outcomes of the tasks set after the session. Teaching was challenging from the point of view of the topic which is very synoptic. There are so many aspects of knowledge pulled together for success in this topic. That being the case, it s even more difficult than usual to pitch because of the uncertainties of so many aspects of prior geographical knowledge amongst the student group. I went in prepared to be flexible, went in around the middle and adjusted. So activity choice needs to reflect this. In connection with the synopticity, there s a lot to teach. With hindsight, I would have tried to link with the climate change topic, also being taught on the SKE and sought economy from there. As it was, we were pushed for time, but they went away with lots of resources and references to follow up.

21. Student Insight I graduated from UoB with a Msci in geology and the SKE was the perfect refresher course. It was intense but covered the perfect mix of human and physical topics to a detailed level! The perfect start to my PGCE year and definitely made me feel more confident re subject knowledge before starting my first placement!

22. Associate Tutor Insights Found the two courses very intense. Four weeks of input on just geography is a lot to expect even from the most enthusiastic geographers and then they have to do four weeks of their own research. Much more intensive than a university course or an A Level. Students need to be dedicated and sometimes, maybe, they have chosen geography as the subject that most meets their needs to become teachers (i.e. fits with their own degree) rather than their passion! The difficulty is, when else would we do it, when the participants are already finishing their own courses, or working? I ve only come across online SKEs before. The difference with face to face courses is that you have to devise teaching strategies to interest, engage and involve the participants in their learning. Online, you can just expect them to do their own research and copy from a set of Powerpoints I guess. I found the two groups had different expectations of the course, and maybe we need to make sure they have the same expectations as the deliverers! Maybe we need to know little bit more about them and their academic background in a bit more depth? I need to make sure I am aware of the references and resources they have. I should also be providing more academic references for my topics, but then, I m not sure I am up to date enough either to give them the latest journal references, for example. Does the University take Geography ? I think I felt I had to give them everything and didn t give them enough responsibility to do their own research.

23. Insights from Geog Subject Co- ordinator Those students who didn t attend the SKE feel like they have missed out, especially in the first week of term but more recently as well Opportunities to use examples of different ways of teaching whilst focusing on subject knowledge trainees continue to use this throughout the year All would benefit from face to face SKE!

24. Insights from SKE co-ordinator Enjoyable planning and teaching geography Routes onto the SKE managing recruitment Managing expectations of students and staff Bit of a worry in May 2017 that we had over recruited. 20-25 seems an effective group size for us.