Transcript Here I am again …” or “You really get to know your students …

English Degrees in FE Colleges
HE in FE Networking Day
June 13 2008
Candice Satchwell
Lancaster University/Blackpool & The Fylde College
HEA English Subject Centre
Different models for English degrees
in FE colleges
 Outreach model: University degree
programme delivered by University staff in FE
colleges
 Franchise model: University degree
programme, taught by college staff in first
year, then at HEI in second and third years
 Full degree delivery: Full degree designed
and taught by FE staff in FE colleges – with
support from validating university
 Joint honours programmes
Advantages of college designing and
teaching own degree:
 Understanding strengths and issues for
potential students
 Working with strengths of available staff –
usually a small team
 Enabling creativity within and across modules
 In English degrees, integrating language,
literature and creative writing both in design
and in teaching
Lecturer’s view:
“The English degree was unusual in conception and
development. We sat for a long time thinking about what
we as English specialists – what would we like to do as
a degree?
We’d like to know how the language works; we’d like to
see people using it really well; and we’d like to have a
go ourselves.
We were very fortunate because we weren’t tied by
what was already there as in a traditional university – all
with their own histories. We kept the three strands and
worked with them simultaneously. If we looked at
something, say metaphor in language, then we’d look at
metaphor in literature, and write using metaphors
ourselves.
Although we’ve blended the three strands together, the
individual tutors have retained their subject strengths.”
Examples of blending:
 studying Stylistics modules – e.g. Blackburn College has
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substantial stylistics modules across Years 1 & 2;
studying Caryl Churchill’s Top Girls in a literature module,
and examining features of natural and dramatic
conversation in a language module which runs in parallel;
reading Wuthering Heights in literature, and looking at
narrative structure in both language and writing;
studying Child Language & Literacy in language, and
studying Children’s Literature at the same time, while
writing stories for children in Creative Writing.
while studying rhetoric and persuasive language, students
are writing speeches and emotive pieces, alongside
reading contemporary poetry and drama.
FE lecturers often teach:
 24 hours a week
 from pre-GCSE to degree level
 across a range of subjects
 as personal tutors as well as subject
specialists
 the same students through different levels
and across different subjects
 a number of different modules on the same
degree programme
Implications
1. “Here I am again.”
2. “You really get to know your students.”
3. Limitations on students’ experience?
4. Comfort zones for students (and staff)?
5. Lack of time for research and teachers
having a broad rather than specialised
knowledge base.
6. Lack of time for developing technological
innovations in teaching.
‘Here I am again’ syndrome
“It’s a lot – I teach on 11 modules and deliver 8
on my own.”
“It’s very different from a university where you’d
get about ten different people teaching on the
first year. Here I do it practically singlehandedly.”
“I’ve taught her since GCSE, so that’s six years
now. When she’s done her PGCE she wants
to come and teach here too!”
“I do wonder sometimes that they accept me
teaching all these different topics.”
– but, students say:
 “You know, that never occurred to me.”
 “I’d always assume the teacher in front of me
knows loads more about the subject than I
do, so it doesn’t worry me.”
 “I suppose we’re very lucky because there’s
not one tutor I don’t like – I suppose there’d
be a problem if you didn’t get on with one.”
 “You get to know the lecturers so you don’t
mind asking questions when you don’t get it.”
“You really get to know your
students”
“Tutors can adapt their teaching styles to suit
the students because they get to know them so
well.” (student)
“It’s impossible to shut the door …” (tutor)
“We’ve always had an open door policy but we’re
starting to rethink that now.” (tutor)
“I know it sounds like a cliché but it really is like one
big happy family.” (student)
“Would they manage without the support? And if
not, should they really be getting a degree?”
(tutor)
Limitations on student experience
(1) Lack of choice of modules
(2) Repetitive teaching styles
(3) Students can become ‘institutionalised’ – set
in the ways of the college; producing work
which receives high marks from particular
tutors; remaining within the parameters of
tutors’ knowledge and understanding.
(4) The tutor is required to be “a Jill of all trades”
with the consequent concern, often
expressed by Jill herself, that she is true
mistress of none.
– but, on lack of choice, students say:
 “I like them all. I probably like the writing part least,
which I suppose is ironic since I wanted to be a
journalist. I thought I wouldn’t like the language … but
I’ve found it’s my favourite part of the course. It’s good
that we are made to do it … I was used to having options
[at another university], but I think it’s advantageous that
we see a part of it we might not otherwise.”
 “I’ve enjoyed each strand. I’ve found writing the most
difficult, and sometimes I’ve failed to see the point of
literary theory … Overall it’s very good. The very fact of
studying language helps with writing – and the literature
has been interesting. It’s broadened my outlook.”
More student responses:
 “I think it’s a stroke of genius – the way each element
supports other elements.”
 “For example, the speech writing – learning about
rhetoric and analysis of spoken language at the same
time as learning to write speeches – it’s great.”
 “But if you don’t like it there’s no escape!”
 “I came to this college for that reason – I wanted to
do language and literature, not just one or the other.
The Creative Writing helps a lot, and so does
analysing language which you don’t get in a straight
literature degree.”
On scholarly activity:
 “Whatever the interpretation, respondents took pains to
stress why these activities took place: ‘they are focused
on excellence for our students, not upon establishing the
college’s reputation for research’.” (HEFCE 2003)
 “Young (2002) examines lecturers’ perspectives of
working in the HE in FE context, and compares their
views with those of colleagues in universities. Very
succinctly, FEC-based lecturers are seen to have
identities characterized by strong commitments to
teaching, as distinct from e.g. academics or researchers.”
(Jones 2006)
 “First and foremost I’m a teacher, not an academic.”
(college lecturer)
Technological innovations
 “We do have a VLE, but it’s finding the time to
put all the stuff on there.”
 “Most of the interactive whiteboards and so
on are dedicated to 16-19 year olds, so we
don’t get much chance to use them over
here.”
 “We have to fight to keep the books and the
library for English students because we’re
supposed to do everything on VLEs now.”
Tutors also say: The most rewarding
aspects are:
 “seeing students with non-conventional entry
criteria blossom and grow, and do well on their
degrees. The older students have a lot to offer in
seminars and in their writing, and the younger
ones benefit from this”
 “seeing someone who starts in September
terrified, succeed and get a good mark. Those
who find it a challenge are the most rewarding.”
 “I can’t tell you how rewarding it is – how
appreciative students are of the experience
they’ve had. It really makes a difference to their
lives. I know that’s a cliché, but it does.”
Students also say:
 “The tutors here are marvellous – they’ve always got
time for you. It’s like a family really.”
 “All the tutors have been brilliant, absolutely brilliant
… I’m really grateful. I feel the tutors are a really
good sort of bunch all together you know, we get help
and we get feedback and I think it’s brilliant the way
the course is run, it’s just perfect.”
 “The students here don’t know how lucky they are …
at [another university] it was terrifying – the numbers
of students and no help for mature students.”
 “There is much that universities can learn
from FE colleges, whose ‘traditional’ students
may be ‘non-traditional’ HE candidates”
(LSDA 2003)
Issues for discussion
 Blending language and literature
 Examples?
 Advantages and disadvantages?
 Relationships with university
 Enhancing or restraining?
 Issues of support for students
 Time-consuming but necessary?
 Balancing HE and FE
 Demands and expectations?
 Research and teaching
 Time and value?
References
 HEFCE (2003) Supporting higher education in further
education colleges.
 Learning and Skills Development Agency (2003),
LSDA responds: Widening participation in higher
education.
 Jones, R. (2006) Scholarly activity in the context of
HE in FE.
 Young, P. (2002) – “‘Scholarship is the word that
dare not speak its name’: Lecturers’ Experiences of
Teaching on a Higher Education Programme in a
Further Education College”, Journal of Further and
Higher Education, Vol. 26, No. 3, pp273-286.