Reflecting on my viva experience
I reflect one week after one of the most important examinations in academia, the viva. Like any examination you never know what is going to come up and therefore you have to be prepared for anything. This makes preparation tricky, uncertain and at times perplexing. There were areas I thought might come up, and in those cases I had a response ready.
On the day, despite all the preparation there were questions that required pause, thought, navigation and discussion. Upon reflection, there were times where I would have liked to provide a more polished and articulate answer, but I am not a robot and therefore my answers are human, with stutters and pauses, passion and dedication; they are unpolished and there is a beauty to that.
What made the difference was having two very supportive examiners that were approachable, interested in my research and wanting me to fulfil my potential. Their additional years in the field/academia over mine were not used to demonstrate their superiority, but instead to guide me in the final process of completing my thesis.
The process acted as a reminder to me that how you approach a situation is so important. In academia, whilst we may be trying to highlight the flaws in a potential project or correcting errors or misconceptions in student’s writing so they can improve, we also ought to put the effort into seeing the good in someone’s work where possible. Think about whether your approach is constructive, how can that individual be supported to the finish line. It pays to maybe think back to the time when your work was being dissected, analysed, with the outcome affecting your academic career in front of you, what type of examiner would you have wanted, maybe that is the one you need to strive to be to others.
I passed with minor corrections that they stressed would only take a few days work. I hope this is acts a testament to what is possible. As a first-generation Black woman that tentatively stepped into academia, achieved a first-class honours degree, navigated a masters at Oxford University, was successful in achieving a funded PhD to then pass with minor corrections, challenge yourself and dare to dream!
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Teaching, Learning, and Some Grey Areas: A Personal Reflection
Sallek Yaks Musa
Trigger warning: sections of this blog may contain text edited/generated by machine learning AI.
Growing up in a farming community, I gained extensive knowledge of agricultural practices and actively participated in farming processes. However, this expertise did not translate into my performance in Agricultural Science during senior high school. Despite excelling in other subjects and consistently ranking among the top 3 students in my class, I struggled with Agricultural Science exams, much to the surprise of my parents.
I remembered my difficulties with Agricultural Science while reflecting on the UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF) for teaching and supporting learning in higher education. This reflection occurred shortly after a student asked me about the minimum qualifications needed to become a lecturer in higher education (HE). Unlike in lower educational levels, a specific teaching certification is not typically required in HE. However, most lecturing positions require a postgraduate certification or higher as a standard. Additionally, professional memberships are crucial and widely recognized as necessary to ensure lecturers are endorsed, guided, and certified by reputable professional bodies.
Reputable professional organizations typically establish entry criteria, often through summative tests or exams, to assess the suitability and competency of potential members. In the UK, Advanced HE stands as one of the widely acknowledged professional bodies.
Advanced HE offers four levels of professional recognition: associate, fellow, senior, and principal fellows. Applicants must evidence proficiency and comprehension across three pivotal competency areas: areas of activity, core knowledge, and professional values, as outlined in the UKPSF Dimensions of the Framework. Among others, these competency areas emphasize the importance of prioritising the enhancement of the quality of education, evaluating assessment strategies, and recognizing and supporting diverse learners throughout their educational journey.
It was not until the third term of my first year in senior high school that I began to understand why I struggled with Agricultural Science. Conversations with classmates who consistently excelled in the subject shed light on our collective challenge, which I realized extended beyond just myself to include our teacher. With this teacher, there was little room for innovation, self-expression, or independent thinking. Instead, success seemed contingent upon memorization of the teacher’s exact notes/words and regurgitating them verbatim. Unfortunately, cramming and memorization were skills I lacked, no matter how hard I tried. Hence, I could not meet the teachers’ marking standard.
The truth of this became glaringly apparent when our teacher went on honeymoon leave after marrying the love of his life just weeks before our exams. The junior class Agricultural Science teacher took over, and for the first time, I found success in the subject, achieving a strong merit. Unsurprising, even the school principal acknowledged this achievement this time around when I was called for my handshake in recognition of my top 3 performance.
In our school, the last day of each term was always eventful. An assembly brought together students and teachers to bid farewell to the term, recognize the top performers in each class with a handshake with the principal, and perhaps offer encouragement to those who struggled academically. This tradition took on a more solemn tone on the final day of the school year when the names of students unable to progress to the next class were announced to the entire assembly. This is a memory I hope I can revisit another day, with deeper reflection.
My pursuit of Advanced HE professional membership stirred memories of my struggles with Agricultural Science as a student, highlighting how our approach to teaching and assessment can profoundly impact learners. In my own experience, failure in Agricultural Science was not due to a lack of understanding but rather an inability to reproduce the teacher’s preferred wording, which was considered the sole measure of knowledge. Since then, I have been committed to self-evaluating my teaching and assessment practices, a journey that began when I started teaching in primary and secondary levels back in September 2005, and eventually progressed to HE.
A recent blog by Dr. Paul Famosaya, questioning whose standards we adhere to, served as a timely reminder of the importance of continuous reflection beyond just teaching and assessment. It further reinforced my commitment to adopting evidence-based standards, constantly refining them to be more inclusive, and customizing them to cater to the unique needs of my learners and their learning conditions.
The Advanced HE UKPSF offers educators a valuable resource for self-assessing their own teaching and assessment methods. Personally, I have found the fellowship assessment tasks at the University of Northampton particularly beneficial, as they provide a structured framework for reflection and self-assessment. I appreciate how they spur us as educators to acknowledge the impact of our actions on others when evaluating our teaching and assessment practices. Certainly, identifying areas for improvement while considering the diverse needs of learners is crucial. In my own self-evaluation process, I often find the following strategies helpful:
- Aligning teaching and assessment with learning objectives: Here, I evaluate whether my teaching methods and assessment tasks align with the module’s intended learning outcomes. For example, when teaching Accounting in senior secondary school, I assess if the difficulty level of the assessment tasks matches or exceeds the examples I have covered in class. This approach has informed my teaching and assessment strategies across various modules, including research, statistics, data analysis, and currently research at my primary institution, as well as during my tenure as a visiting lecturer at another institution.
- Relatability and approachability: An educator’s approachability and relatability play a significant role in students’ willingness to seek clarification on assessment tasks, request feedback on their work, and discuss their performance. This also extends to their engagement in class. When students feel comfortable approaching their educator with questions or concerns, they are more likely to perceive assessments as fair and supportive. Reflecting on how well you connect with students is essential, as it can enhance learning experiences, making them more engaging and meaningful. Students are more inclined to actively participate in class discussions, seek feedback, and engage with course materials when they view the educator as accessible and empathetic. If students leave a class, a one-on-one meeting, or a feedback session feeling worse off due to inappropriate word choices or communication style, word may spread, leading to fewer attendees in future sessions. Therefore, fostering an environment of approachability and understanding is crucial for promoting a positive and supportive learning atmosphere.
- Enhancing student engagement: Prior to joining the UK HE system, I had not focused much on student engagement. In my previous teaching experiences elsewhere, learners were consistently active, and sessions were lively. However, upon encountering a different reality in the UK HE environment, I have become proactive in seeking out strategies, platforms, and illustrations that resonate with students. This proactive approach aims to enhance engagement and facilitate the learning process.
- Technological integration: Incorporating technology into teaching and assessment greatly enhances the learning process. While various technologies present their unique challenges, the potential benefits and skills acquired from utilizing these tools are invaluable for employability. However, there is a concern regarding learners’ overreliance on technological aids such as AI, referencing managers, discussion boards, and other online tools, which may lead to the erosion of certain cognitive skills. It is essential to question whether technological skills are imperative for the modern workplace. Therefore, one must evaluate whether technology improves the learning experience, streamlines assessment processes, and fosters opportunities for innovation. If it does in the same way that the changing nature of work favours these new skills, then educators and universities must not shy away from preparing and equipping learners with this new reality lest learners are graduated unprepared due to an attempt to be the vanguard of the past.
- Clarity of instruction and organisation: Evaluate whether students comprehend expectations and the clarity of instructions. Drawing from my experience in the not-for-profit sector, I have learned the effectiveness of setting objectives that are SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound). Emphasizing SMART learning outcomes is crucial in teaching and learning. However, where learning outcomes are broad, ambiguous, or subject to individual interpretation, educators must ensure that assessment marking criteria are clearly articulated and made clear to learners. This clarification should be provided in assessment briefs, support sessions, and during class contacts. Reflecting on this ensures that students understand what is expected of them and prevents educators from inadvertently setting them up for failure. It becomes apparent that assessment criteria lacking validity and reliability hinder the accurate measurement of student understanding and skills, even if same has been consistently used over time. Therefore, continuous reflection and refinement are essential to improve the effectiveness of assessment practices. Afterall, reflection should be a mindset, and not just a technique, or curriculum element.
- Feedback mechanisms: The effectiveness of feedback provided to students is always important. Reflecting on whether feedback is constructive and actionable could help to foster learning and improvement, irrespective of how short or lengthy the feedback comments are. Anyone who has passed through the rigour of research doctoral supervision would appreciate the role of feedback in all forms on learner progression or decision to drop out.
- Inclusivity and diversity: In a diverse educational setting, it is imperative to engage in continuous reflection to ensure that teaching and assessment practices are inclusive and responsive to the varied backgrounds, learning peculiarities, and abilities of learners. Educators hold a significant position that can either facilitate or hinder the progress of certain learners. In cases where barriers are inadvertently created, unconscious bias and discrimination may arise. Therefore, ongoing reflection and proactive measures are essential to mitigate these risks and create an environment where all students can thrive.
- Ethical considerations: Teaching and assessment practices carry ethical responsibilities. Fundamentally, educators must prioritize fairness, transparency, and integrity in all assessment procedures, setting aside personal biases and sentiments towards any individual, cohort, or group of students. It is equally important to consider how one’s position and instructional choices influence students’ well-being and academic growth. Striving for ethical conduct in teaching and assessment ensures a supportive and equitable learning environment for all students.
End.
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Liberalism, Capitalism and Broken Promises
With international conflict rife, imperialism alive and well and global and domestic inequalities broadening, where are the benefits that the international liberal order promised?
As part of my masters, I am reading through an interesting textbook named Theories of International Relations (Burchill, 2013). Soon, I’ll have a lecture speaking about liberalism within the realm of international relations (IR). The textbook mentions liberal thought concerning the achievement of peace through processes of democracy and free trade, supposedly, through these mechanisms, humankind can reach a place of ‘perpetual peace’, as suggested by Kant.
Capitalism supposedly has the power to distribute scarce resources to citizens, while liberalist free trade should break down artificial barriers between nations, uniting them towards a common goal of sharing commodities and mitigating tensions by bringing states into the free trade ‘community’. With this, in theory, should bring universal and democratic peace, bought about by the presence of shared interest.
Liberal capitalism has had a long time to prove its worth, with the ideology being adopted by the majority of the west, and often imposed on countries in the global south through coercive trade deals, political interference and the establishment of dependant economies. Evidence of the positives of liberal capitalism, in my opinion are yet to be seen. In fact, the evidence points towards a global and local environment entirely contrary to the claims of liberal capitalism.
The international institutions, constructed to mitigate against the anarchic system we live under become increasingly fragile and powerless. The guarantee of global community and peace seems further and further away. The pledge that liberalism will result in the spread of resources, resulting in the ultimate equalisation is unrealised.
Despite all of this, the global liberal order seems to still be supported by the majority of the elite and by voters alike. Because with the outlined claims comes the promise that one day, with some persistence, patience and hard work, you too could reap the rewards of capitalism just like the few in society do.
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Civilian Suffering Beyond the Headlines
In the cacophony of war, amidst the geopolitical chess moves and strategic considerations, it’s all too easy to lose sight of the human faces caught in its relentless grip. The civilians, the innocents, the ordinary people whose lives are shattered by the violence they never asked for. Yet, as history often reminds us, their stories are the ones that linger long after the guns fall silent. In this exploration, we delve into the forgotten narratives of civilian suffering, from the tragic events of Bloody Sunday to the plight of refugees and aid workers in conflict zones like Palestine.
On January 30, 1972, the world watched in horror as British soldiers opened fire on unarmed civil rights demonstrators in Northern Ireland, in what would become known as Bloody Sunday. Fourteen innocent civilians lost their lives that day, and many more were injured physically and emotionally. Yet, as the decades passed, the memory of Bloody Sunday faded from public consciousness, overshadowed by other conflicts and crises. But for those who lost loved ones, the pain and trauma endure, a reminder of the human cost of political turmoil and sectarian strife.
Fast forward to the present day, and we find a world still grappling with the consequences of war and displacement. In the Middle East, millions of Palestinians endure the daily hardships of life under occupation, their voices drowned out by the rhetoric of politicians and the roar of military jets. Yet amid the rubble and despair, there are those who refuse to be silenced, who risk their lives to provide aid and assistance to those in need. These unsung heroes, whether they be doctors treating the wounded or volunteers distributing food and supplies, embody the spirit of solidarity and compassion that transcends borders and boundaries.
But even as we celebrate their courage and resilience, we must also confront our own complicity in perpetuating the cycles of violence and injustice that afflict so many around the world. For every bomb that falls and every bullet that is fired, there are countless civilians who pay the price, their lives forever altered by forces beyond their control. And yet, all too often, their suffering is relegated to the footnotes of history, overshadowed by the grand narratives of power and politics.
So how do we break free from this cycle of forgetting? How do we ensure that the voices of the marginalized and the oppressed are heard, even in the midst of chaos and conflict? Perhaps the answer lies in bearing witness, in refusing to turn away from the harsh realities of war and its aftermath. It requires us to listen to the stories of those who have been silenced, to amplify their voices and demand justice on their behalf.
Moreover, it necessitates a revaluation of our own priorities and prejudices, a recognition that the struggle for peace and justice is not confined to distant shores but is woven into the fabric of our own communities. Whether it’s challenging the narratives of militarism and nationalism or supporting grassroots movements for social change, each of us has a role to play in building a more just and compassionate world.
The forgotten faces of war remind us of the urgent need to confront our collective amnesia and remember the human cost of conflict. From the victims of Bloody Sunday to the refugees fleeing violence and persecution, their stories demand to be heard and their suffering acknowledged. Only then can we hope to break free from the cycle of violence and build a future were peace and justice reigns supreme.
Thoughts from the criminology team 