Complete thesis - Murdoch University

Figure 7.17: Things to add/change/delete in a unit structured this way• reflecting on whether they (individually) felt they had learnt more/less this way. Figure7.18 shows that the class was fairly evenly divided on the point of learning more or lessfrom this approach: comments on a lack of mastery of subjects: (less every time newcontent arrives); of only focusing on components addressed by the project, on delegatingand relying on others (slack off and rely on others to do reading; learn concepts fromothers), indicate concern about less content learning (no mastery of subject). Towardsthe end of semester, some of these students still felt lost and confused: self teaching isnot one of my fortés stated one student, perhaps with a hint of despair.Students felt they learnt more in the areas of research, communications (confidence tospeak up; need to be heard & get ideas across) and team skills. They added conceptseasier to grasp; forced to learn more for project relevant components and, finally theyhad to grapple with various perspectives from others. In summary there were ampleresources & up to us to take it.Comments on the collaborative environment were also indicative of student acknowledgementof the changing nature of the unit, although some students had issue with the random allocationof group membership. Those comments characterising the opposing perspectives areperhaps the most pertinent, and an aspect that requires further research. An understandingof the learning motivation for the students might reveal a relationship between why theylearn and how they expect to learn.The University-administered SSU for ENG260 supports results of analysis of the qualitative316