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BGU Investigates the Effects of Student Boredom
A professor at Bishop Grosseteste University has been researching the reasons why university students become bored and whether or not it affects their final degree outcome. Research carried out by John Sharp, Professor of Education at BGU, suggests that the final year grades of certain university students can be affected by their proneness to boredom. Boredom manifests itself in two forms: ‘trait boredom’ or the predisposition of an individual to becoming bored, and ‘state boredom’ or the actual experience of boredom in the moment. Professor Sharp’s study is mainly looking at trait boredom in the first instance. “So far the findings of the study suggest that students identified as having a lower predisposition to boredom tend to perform better in their academic work, resulting in higher final degree grades in comparison to those for whom the opposite is the case,” said Professor Sharp. To measure academic boredom and other related-factors, a sample of 324 final-year undergraduate students taking education-based courses and aged between 21 and 40 completed a series of questionnaires including a new boredom proneness scale. They were also asked to rate and comment on which modes of course delivery interested them the most or left them cold. Further interviews with a smaller sample were undertaken to enrich and shed light on the questionnaire data. Professor Sharp is hopeful that the findings from his study will enable tutors to better evaluate and inform their teaching methods and to find strategies to keep their students who are prone to boredom engaged as well as to help students recognise and better understand the signs and symptoms of boredom to become more effective learners. “Lecturers can use the information to minimise the number of students becoming bored during on-campus learning periods and ways to stay engaged during private learning,” said Professor Sharp. “The fact that we’re able to measure boredom and spot trends in outcomes is extremely useful, because it now gives us the opportunity to act and do something about it.” A similar study in Australia is being co-ordinated by Dr Brian Hemmings at Charles Strut University in Australia. Professor Sharp and Dr Hemmings have collaborated on this and other projects over several years. It is expected that Professor Sharp’s study will be published in four parts with the first currently under review at the Journal of Further and Higher Education. The full study will be completed in the next 18 months. -
Three New Heads Appointed Following BGU Restructure
Bishop Grosseteste University in Lincoln has made three new senior academic appointments following a major restructure. Dr Graham Basten has moved to BGU to head up the new School of Social Sciences, while the new School of Humanities and the new School of Teacher Development will be led by Dr Andrew Jackson and Dr Nicholas Gee respectively. The new School of Social Sciences is launching a suite of new courses including Health and Social Care, Sociology, Psychology, and Counselling. “This is an exciting and timely phase for BGU given the recent news of devolved health and social care budgets to the Greater Manchester region, a model which could be rolled out across England, putting BGU graduates at the heart of this new initiative,” said Dr Basten. Most recently Dr Basten was Acting Head of The School of Allied Health Sciences at De Montfort University in Leicester, where he was responsible for strategic leadership and management of a complex, broad, multidisciplinary and fast-growing school. He joined DMU in 2007 and has significant experience in teaching, learning, research and knowledge transfer. He secured both a Royal Society grant to look at science in primary schools and funds to deliver projects with charities, sports clubs and local government. He is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and the Institute of Biomedical Science, and a DMU Teacher Fellow interested in translating primary education methods to higher education and the use of technology and democracy in learning spaces. He holds a PhD in Nutritional Biochemistry from the Institute of Food Research (University of East Anglia) and a BSc in Biomedical Science from the University of Wolverhampton. He has previously worked at the Medical Schools of the University of Sheffield and the University of Nottingham. “I am absolutely delighted to be joining the team at Bishop Grosseteste University,” Dr Basten said. “It is a university with a powerful vision based on sound values, and I very much look forward to playing my part in its onward journey.” Dr Nicholas Gee will move from the University of East Anglia to BGU next month to become Head of Teacher Development. Meanwhile Dr Andrew Jackson now leads the School of Humanities and was formerly Head of the Department of Culture and Creative Arts at BGU. The university’s new academic structure has been put in place as part of BGU’s Five-Year Strategy which was announced in October 2014. -
Chance to Train as an Early Years Teacher
Teachers who want to become outstanding specialists working with the youngest children can now undertake professional training at Bishop Grosseteste University in Lincoln. In September last year, 13 trainees were the first to begin the new PGCE Early Years with EYTS (Early Years Teacher Status) programme at BGU – and the university will recruit another cohort this autumn. The course has been tailored to suit both those working in early years settings who can be released for study and those who are studying full time. It enables trainees to gain the recommendation for Early Years Teacher Status which is equivalent to QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) through 120 days teaching young children from nought to five and 10 days looking at the progression children make into Key Stage 1. “The new Early Years Teacher Status introduced by the Government is an important development because there is clear evidence that high-quality early education and childcare can have a powerful impact on young children and can fully prepare them for school and later life,” said Amy Stancer, Academic Co-ordinator for the Early Years Programme at BGU. “The new programme is a good fit with our other courses which include QTS (working with ages three to 19 years) and teaching in the lifelong learning sector. Early Years Teacher Status broadens the scope of our training so that we’re now teaching people to teach all age ranges, from babies to pensioners.” Places are still available on the EYTS programme for this September – and two students currently on the course can thoroughly recommend it. Ryan Gilbert (30) from Halifax graduated with a degree in primary education from Leeds Metropolitan University (now Leeds Beckett University) and was working as a supply teacher in West Yorkshire when he decided to enrol on the EYTS programme at BGU. “During my time with the supply agency and in settings when I was studying for my degree I found a fondness for early years more than Key Stages 1 and 2,” said Ryan. “Add to that the comments I had from schools about how positive it is to have a male teaching in early years, and I firmly decided that I wanted to become qualified to teach within the age range. When I wanted to progress more into early years Bishop Grosseteste University was the only university which responded promptly and guided me through its application process. I have enjoyed the course immensely, from the dedicated team of lecturers at BGU to outside professionals who have come to speak to us and the passionate members of my course who really do want the very best for young children. Being surrounded by all these makes me want to continually improve my own skills, passion and knowledge relating to early years.” Ryan continued: “I have learned far more than I realised I would, and I’m still only halfway through the course! I am truly shocked at just how little I knew about early years and how the course content from my degree did not even begin to scratch the surface of what I now know.” Jenna Farrow (22) from near Sleaford volunteered at a nursery between lectures and coursework while studying for a degree in Visual Communication at Birmingham City University as she had always taken a keen interest in how young children learn. “After I’d worked there for a year the manager signposted me towards a new postgraduate opportunity that specialised in the early years,” said Jenna. The course so far has been an enormous learning curve, enabling me to build on all areas of my professional development. The opportunity to work with all ages from birth to seven in a range of placements has given me a clear insight into how the process of the early years practice supports foundations in school. “I would highly recommend this course to others interested in working with young children as it has broadened my knowledge and understanding of the wider social context around early years practice and how early learning must be understood and fostered as a vital component to support our next generations.” To find out more about the PGCE Early Years with EYTS programme at BGU contact Amy Stancer on 01522 527347 or email enquiries@bishopg.ac.uk. -
Archaeology Lecturer Made Member of Chartered Institute
Bishop Grosseteste University lecturer Dr Craig Spence has been made a member of the new Chartered Institute for Archaeologists – and he’s looking forward to strengthening relationships between the institute and the university. The CIfA has been awarded chartered status and Dr Spence, Senior Lecturer in History, Archaeology and Heritage Studies at BGU, thinks the change is timely. The university has launched a new undergraduate joint degree in Archaeology and History alongside its existing Master's in Community Archaeology, and the courses will benefit from closer links with the CIfA, says Dr Spence. “One of the aims of the new degree is to provide students with employability skills to prepare them for working life in the field,” he said. “The CIfA will support this with its Student Member status opportunity. As members, students receive direct support and information from the institute and, once graduated, are eligible to apply for full membership and all the benefits that come with it.” The CIfA’s Student Membership gives budding archaeologists access to training opportunities and a variety of magazines and journals as well as use of Society of Antiquaries of London library. “We encourage all of our students to make use of this fantastic opportunity and I’m looking forward to further developing a relationship between BGU and the CIfA in the future,” Dr Spence added. The CIfA, which achieved chartered status last month, is a national professional organisation which represents the interests of archaeologists both in the UK and overseas. It sets standards, informs on professional practices and provides its 3,100 members with up-to-date information and developments in the field as well as training and networking opportunities. The new BA (Hons) Archaeology and History joint honours degree at BGU is the first of its kind in Lincolnshire and will allow students to get hands-on with the past and explore civilisations and societies from throughout history in a practical and interesting way. BGU currently offers single honours History and the new joint degree which starts in September 2015 was launched last October by Julian Richards, well known for his TV appearances on Meet the Ancestors and Blood of the Vikings. To find out more about all of the history and archaeology courses on offer at the university contact Dr Craig Spence: craig.spence@bishopg.ac.uk. -
Extra Funding to Encourage Young People into University
More young people will be encouraged to study at university thanks to new government funding which has been secured by Bishop Grosseteste University in Lincoln. Today (Thursday 8th January) the university was promised £24,000 over two years to support its collaborative work with other universities and colleges to widen participation in higher education. The money will be used to extend and increase BGU’s widening participation activities across the region and enable the university to engage with pupils from more schools. BGU is involved in three networks which work to improve access to higher education to young people from all backgrounds. “This new funding of £24,470 from HEFCE (the Higher Education Funding Council for England) will provide a great boost to our widening participation activities,” said Karen Richardson, Head of Student Recruitment and Admissions at BGU. “Hopefully we will be able to reintroduce summer schools and help to raise the aspirations of students who would not otherwise think that studying at university was for them.” Lincolnshire is characterised by comparatively high attainment at GCSE but low levels of participation in higher education – only 32% of 18-year-olds go on to higher education courses at university or college compared to the national average of 38%. * BGU’s widening participation activities target people from disadvantaged socio-economic areas, people with no history of higher education in their family, black and minority ethnic groups, males (for teacher training courses) and mature students. The university currently runs two access to HE programmes: First Steps 2 Study and Next Steps 4 Study. First Steps 2 Study is aimed at Year 9,10 and 11 pupils and involves a student ambassador from BGU, campus visits and a visit to the school, while Next Steps 4 Study targets Year 12 and 13 pupils who take part in debates, workshops, seminars and presentations both at school and at the university. BGU is a member of three networks involved in widening participation: the North East Midlands Collaborative Outreach Network, the National Network for the Education of Care Leavers, and Magna Carta – Education for Liberty (which is led by the University of Lincoln). Other partners in the Magna Carta – Education for Liberty network include Lincoln College, Boston College, North Lindsey College, Grimsby Institute and Grantham College. Partners in the North East Midlands Collaborative Outreach Network include BGU, the University of Nottingham, the University of Derby, Nottingham Trent University, West Nottinghamshire College, Central College Nottingham, Loughborough College and Stephenson College in Coalville and Nottingham. The funding announced today is part of a new £22 million national scheme involving 226 higher education institutions and reaching 4,300 secondary schools and colleges. The National Networks for Collaborative Outreach (NNCO) will deliver a nationally co-ordinated approach to working with schools, universities and colleges to help people access higher education. Greg Clark, Minister for Universities and Science, commented: “A record number of students entered higher education in 2014, with entry rates for students from disadvantaged backgrounds increasing by over 10% to its highest ever level. “However there is still more work to do to ensure all students who want to study hard can benefit, irrespective of their background.” * Latest HEFCE statistics for 2011/12. -
BGU History in the Media
November has been a busy month for the past and present staff and students of our History and Humanities courses. Five members of staff and two former BGU students have contributed to the latest volume of the Survey of Lincoln series: North of the River Witham. The BGU staff involved and their contributions comprised of: Dr Mick Jones - the archaeology of the area Dr Chris Bonfield - Lincoln’s early schools Dr Hazel Kent - cinemas Dr Claire Hubbard-Hall - The Drill Hall Dr Andrew Jackson - the Cooperative Society. Lesley Clarke, a former BGU student, provided chapters on Greyfriars and the Central Library while Helen Durham along with Professor Heather Hughes of Lincoln University, presented a chapter on the visitor economy in central Lincoln. The support of BGU to this volume is recognised in a feature within the Lincolnshire Echo, (25 November). Earlier in the month, our Head of School of Humanities Dr Andrew Jackson made an appearance at the BBC Radio Lincolnshire Armistice Day Live Broadcast on 11 November. He spoke about his work on the WWI home-front poet, Bernard Samuel Gilbert and was joined by Maureen Sutton, local poet and folklorist, who read out a few of Gilbert’s wartime poetry in dialect. For more information about our History courses, please click here. -
Trainee Teacher Navigates Path to the Classroom
She’s flown sorties in a Tornado jet over Iraq and Afghanistan, but after ten years in the RAF trainee teacher Jenny Shackley is now taking on a very different kind of challenge. Jenny (31) from Woodhall has just started a one-year postgraduate course at Bishop Grosseteste University in Lincoln and hopes to be teaching maths in a Lincolnshire secondary school this time next year. It’s a far cry from her role as a Tornado navigator, but the mathematics she used in the RAF helped her decide to train as a maths teacher. Now she wants to put down roots and work with young people, and she’s won a £25,000 scholarship from the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications (IMA) to help her achieve her goal. “I was in the RAF for ten years from 2003 to 2013 and did three tours of Afghanistan and two tours of Iraq,” says Jenny, whose partner is also a Tornado navigator currently based at RAF Coningsby. “I spent lots of time away and now I want to settle down and work with people so I decided to go into teaching. I wanted to be a teacher first and foremost; maths is a subject I enjoyed at school but I didn’t have a lot of self-belief. However I used it a lot in the RAF, and that’s given me more confidence with the subject.” With a mortgage and bills to pay Jenny looked round for bursaries, but then found out she was eligible for the IMA’s scholarship which exists to promote good mathematics teaching in schools. She passed the rigorous three-stage application process with flying colours and now benefits from membership of various mathematical bodies as well as access to events and a network of scholars with whom she can share ideas. “I definitely wouldn’t be doing this course if I hadn’t got the scholarship,” said Jenny. “I needed some sort of income so I was delighted when I found out that my application was successful.” With an open degree from the Open University Jenny began looking for teacher training courses in Lincolnshire, and she soon decided that a place at BGU was for her. “I’m very happy that I came to BGU,” she said. “I get a sense that this university is a very positive place and I definitely got a good feeling as soon as I walked onto campus. From day one I’ve been given all the information I need and it feels like a place I can work in and feel I’m being treated well. Our tutors have given us a strong sense of ownership of the course. I think it’s a really good environment.” If you would like to find out more about BGU’s teaching courses, including the PGCE (Secondary) qualification, call Admissions on 01522 527347 or email enquiries@bishopg.ac.uk. -
Bishop Grosseteste University Gears Up for Clearing
The admissions team at Bishop Grosseteste University in Lincoln is primed and ready to deal with enquires during Clearing on Thursday 13th August when students across the country will receive their A-level results. Admissions Assistant Laura Dovey (24, pictured) will be one of the people answering the phone, offering advice and support during Clearing, and she knows better than most what it can feel like to go through the process. In 2010, Laura from Lincoln, had taken a gap year and was planning to start a photography course at university in September when the course was cancelled at the last minute. “I was left without a plan and without a place at university,” said Laura. “My second UCAS choice was the BA English Literature course at BGU, but I wasn’t sure if I had already missed out on a place.” Laura was asked to use the Clearing process to apply for a place and was the first to get through when the lines went live at 8am. Laura said: “I discussed my qualifications with the admissions team and spoke to the senior course leader. I was delighted when I was offered a place on the English Literature course.” Following three years of study Laura graduated in 2013 with a first-class honours degree, something she puts down to the university, she said: “The atmosphere at BGU is one of inclusivity and support. “When I arrived I was quiet and shy, but thanks to the nurturing nature of my lecturers and encouragement from my friends I left feeling much more confident, both in myself and my work.” Laura and the rest of the admissions team will be ready to advise and support the next wave of students as they navigate the Clearing process. The call centre will be open from 8am until 6pm on both Thursday 13th August and Friday 14th August and the number to call is 01522 583698. Prospective students are invited to attend the university’s open day on Friday 14th August from 10am until 5pm. The day provides an opportunity to see what Bishop Grosseteste University has to offer, take a minibus tour of Lincoln and speak to staff and students about courses and life as a student. The open day also provides an opportunity for those who are starting (or hoping to start) in September to speak face-to-face to BGU staff about any anxieties regarding qualifications and pick up a free Freshers’ Wall Planner which contains all of the important events Freshers may want to attend. “The days following A-level results day can be a stressful and anxious time for those students who have not yet finalised their plans,” said Karen Richardson, Head of Student Recruitment and Admissions at BGU. “It’s a busy few days for us but as always we will do our best to ensure that students are not left worried or uncertain about their place at university.” Top Tips for Clearing If you’ve just got your A-level results and you’re not sure what to do next, consult Karen Richardson’s handy set of tips for students who will be entering the Clearing system: Don’t panic! If you stay calm you’re more likely to take in all the information you need to succeed. If your grades fall short, wait for that important acceptance/rejection indication on Track before you put yourself into Clearing. You never know – your first-choice university might still accept you. Don’t give up! You may well get a place on a similar course that’s just as good – but you’ll need to shop around. Don’t rush your decision. The UCAS system doesn’t even let you trigger the formal process of accepting a Clearing place until 5pm on results day, so you have the chance to shop around. Be realistic. If you’ve seriously blown it then think hard about re-sits or another course altogether – you can always re-apply next time around. UCAS is offering a free (for landlines) Exam Results Service on 0808 100 8000 where trained, professional careers advisers will be available to give help and advice Be prepared to make lots of phone calls and to be persistent! Keep your nerve – you may need all your negotiating skills to persuade an academic that they should take you on Enlist the support of friends and family – keep them informed, as they’ll be a great help to you when you have to make that difficult final decision Be prepared to explain to universities why you didn’t do as well as you hoped in your exams – and be honest If you don’t get the grades you need it’s not the end of the world – there are plenty of other opportunities to consider -
First-Class Degrees for Husband and Wife
A husband and wife who returned to study in their 40s will both graduate in Lincoln next week with first-class honours. Andy and Debbie Hicks had to juggle studying at Bishop Grosseteste University with work and looking after their two children, and Debbie also overcame a serious illness which forced her to miss most of an academic year. But on Tuesday 14th July they will celebrate their perseverance by receiving their degree certificates at Lincoln Cathedral. They are not the first members of their family to receive first-class honours: Debbie’s son Adam gained a first-class degree from Coventry University last year and her mother Christine Love graduated with first-class honours from Bishop Grosseteste College (as it was then) in the 1980s. Debbie enrolled at BGU to study Education Studies and History but after a year she decided that she no longer wanted a career in teaching, so she switched to the History and Theology joint degree course. “At the same time I found out that BGU offered a single honours degree in Theology,” she said. “Andy worked for the Life Church in Lincoln and it had always been his dream to do a theology degree, so he signed up for the course and combined studying with his job.” It was in December 2013 that Debbie became seriously ill; she needed three operations and was in hospital for much of the academic year. “We also moved house twice, my mother was very ill too and my stepfather passed away, so it was a very difficult time for us. We had just about everything thrown at us so it’s a wonderful surprise now to learn that we both gained first-class degrees!” With honours degrees under their belts Debbie (46) starts a new job next week as a community co-ordinator for the Royal Voluntary Service while Andy (43) is also looking forward to a change in his career. “We both thoroughly enjoyed our courses and we’re going to miss BGU hugely,” said Debbie. “It’s a wonderful university for mature students: it’s small and friendly and we found that the younger students accepted us as part of the group. “We owe a huge debt of thanks to the tutors at BGU, especially Jack Cunningham, who have been fantastic – we will miss them all so much.” -
Mother and Daughter Celebrate Graduation Success
A mother and daughter will graduate together next week after completing their respective courses at Bishop Grosseteste University. During the ceremonies in Lincoln Cathedral, Judith Coe (46) will receive a merit for her Foundation Degree in Applied Studies (Early Childhood) and Hannah Coe (23) will collect her Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). Two years ago Judith, a qualified nursery nurse, was running a series of childcare groups in Spilsby, East Lincolnshire, when she decided she wanted to invest in her career and develop her professional skills. She has been studying for her foundation degree while continuing with her full-time job and raising a family. The course is a work-related programme that enables practitioners (or experienced volunteers) to study alongside their work and family responsibilities. Students choose from three pathways: Learning Support, Early Childhood or Children & Youth Work, according to their work role. “For two years I have managed to juggle family commitments, my job and my course,” said Judith. “And now coming out the other side with my foundation degree, I feel much more confident in myself and am looking forward to developing my career further.” Meanwhile Hannah, who has a passion for sport, is about to begin her first year as a qualified teacher following the completion of her PGCE in Primary Education. “I’m planning on spending my next year working as a supply teacher,” said Hannah. “I believe this route will help me put what I have learnt into practice and give me an opportunity to gain experience in a variety of settings. “I am so proud of Mum and all that she has achieved. How many people can say that they’re graduating at the same time as one of their parents?”
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