Teaching Development Project -Will reduction of tutor led support in the final year degree show exhibition task, for live events and television students, improve students’ engagement and attainment?

Teachers who approach teaching in a student focused way ‘…..conceive teaching in terms of helping students to develop and change their conceptions and approach’ (Trigwell, Prosser & Waterhouse, 1992, p.67). Furthermore that  ‘…what the student is doing and learning ‘ matters more than ‘what the teacher is doing or covering’ (Trigwell, Prosser & Waterhouse, 1999, p.2). These readings guide me to understand a change in delivery style could create deeper learning opportunities, discussion and conceptual change. Further validated by ‘The role of the teacher is to guide and facilitate learning rather than to control it’ (Brown, 2004. p. 42).

By finding a better balance of staff & student contribution in the final exhibition task (using action research to support this process), students experienced a stronger learning opportunity. Intervention and feedback and reflection enabled me to position my initial perceptions into grounded context, and determined  the relative value  of staff impact to improve opportunity for student engagement and attainment.