Where to focus – course content or learning skills?
Even though reading and writing are integral to gaining skills and knowledge in higher education, the interests in reading and writing are not practised as expected. There may be many reasons behind this, but I find mainly two reasons: institutional and individual. Institutional problems are associated with higher education institutions (HEIs). In the name of consistency (maybe?), HEIs are prescribing textbooks to almost all levels of students. Even though the textbooks provide a lot of generic concepts, the readymade knowledge doesn’t help students develop the creative thinking required to solve real-life problems. Thinking about the textbooks, I have read only one textbook that was very engaging and even made me laugh a few times while reading it.
The second problem is rooted in the individuals, which is linked to the family members and early schools. Students are expected to develop a habit of reading and writing from their childhood. This habit could be developed from their homes and people they met in their early days. It is said that the family members are the first teachers, and homes are the primary school of every child. If parents read and write, children may develop these skills as well (at least, there is a belief). I have observed less than 30 per cent of parents read and write at home. It is also found in the literature* that three-fifths of parents do not read to their children.
And we are here to find and address the gap.
If students do not read and write, that matters a lot. But why does it matter? I did an experiment in a training session. I gave a piece of reading and asked a group of students to read and tell me what they understood. For another group of students, I asked them to read and write their understanding. Then, I asked for their understanding by setting up a one-to-one meeting. I found that the students who read and wrote were better at explaining the concepts than the ones who just read and told the content. It obviously poses a question — how can we, as lecturers, make students read and write?
Bolt-on approach could be a solution if students realise the importance of reading and writing in their learning process. However, students might find extra work stressful, particularly when they have electronic devices, which have made them dependent. If the bolt-on approach does not work, what else can help students to develop their reading and writing skills?
Any activity out of the class could be a burdensome task for students. So, I am doing experiments with Level 4 and Level 6 students. I am keeping the last 20 minutes to write their understanding of the session and ask them to send me their write-up for formative feedback. All Level 6 students sent me their responses, and 41 per cent of Level 4 students responded last week. I will keep a track record of their progress and see how effective this activity will be.
I can see the horizon but don’t know the fences of ups and downs. I do not mind passing through those fences and boundaries if the destination is reachable.
*Literature: Research shows the importance of parents reading with children – even after children can read — http://theconversation.com/research-shows-the-importance-of-parents-reading-with-children-even-after-children-can-read-82756