Shropshire students experience virtual lessons
In a first for Walford and North Shropshire College A2 Sociology learners have been given the opportunity to experience a Virtual Lecture broadcast from Sheffield University.
Curriculum Area Leader Sara Shelston became the first lecturer to take advantage of the College’s newly-acquired Virtual Conferencing Equipment when she collaborated with a team of professionals to provide her students with access to this stimulating new experience.
The team involved were Rob Ellis from Virtually University, Graham Moore from Shropshire Council’s Lifelong Learning Team, the College’s Information Systems Controller Henry Nurden and Will Mason from Sheffield University.
The lecturer for the one hour long session was Will Mason who provided an interactive session entitled "Sociology- Qualitative Research Methods - The Challenges of Ethnographic study in an Inner City Youth Centre." Sara explains “Essentially, ethnography involves researching groups by becoming a member of that group. So, using the example of the lecture, Will worked with young people in Sheffield by becoming a voluntary worker in two youth centres.”
The students had prepared for the experience by researching ethnography and so were able to engage fully with the content as well as with students from Shrewsbury Sixth form, who also took part, via an interactive questions and answers session.
Matthias Pryce-Reddell, a 17 year old student from Oswestry, who took part in the session, commented “It felt a little artificial at first but once it got going it felt almost like Will, the lecturer, was there in the room with us. I enjoyed his humour and I found the whole experience very useful and informative. As well as allowing the group to experience a degree level lecture it provided an insight into the kind of thing one needs to do in order to complete research at that level.
Sara is a brilliant lecturer and I would definitely recommend this College to others. You are given so much more responsibility for your own learning here and again that is really good preparation for university level study when students need to be very self-motivated.“
Sara commented “We all really enjoyed the experience. Will is an inspirational lecturer who made excellent use of interesting subject matter. I am now really looking forward to seeing the Spring Lecture Programme when I will be doing my best to encourage other lecturers to get involved and take full advantage of this valuable learning resource.”
