Cathy Sherratt | Edge Hill University (original) (raw)

Papers by Cathy Sherratt

Research paper thumbnail of Dangling carrots or downright interfering? Student expectations of tutors in an online discussion board

This paper presents work­in­progress exploring experiences of online learning in a part­ time pos... more This paper presents work­in­progress exploring experiences of online learning in a part­ time postgraduate programme in Clinical Education, delivered by means of Supported Online Learning. Despite widespread reliance on the 'online discussion board' not only as a means of communication but also to support and enhance students' learning, there seems to be no clear consensus regarding how students' engagement can best be achieved or supported. Thus, the main focus of this study is the impact of the tutor in developing meaningful dialogue in the online forum. Individual semi­structured interviews were carried out with students and tutors from a single Postgraduate Certificate course. As a result of preliminary analysis of both interview data and discussion­board archives, a simple typology is proposed, which divides students' expectations of tutor intervention into four broad categories, represented graphically as quadrants of a square diagram. This offers a way of ...

Research paper thumbnail of Synergy, Supervision and Self-reliance

All in-text references underlined in blue are linked to publications on ResearchGate, letting you... more All in-text references underlined in blue are linked to publications on ResearchGate, letting you access and read them immediately.

Research paper thumbnail of Styles of Discussion: online facilitation factors

Whilst tutoring a supported online programme in Clinical Education over the last six years, we ha... more Whilst tutoring a supported online programme in Clinical Education over the last six years, we have become aware that there are significant differences in the ways in which both groups of students -"online learning sets" and individual students, engage in "online discussion" using a VLE discussion board. We have carried out research at various points in the history of the programme to identify different types of "learners". In order to develop our understanding we have now embarked on a major research programme as part of the SOLSTICE Centre for Excellence for Teaching and Learning, to explore the different dimensions of "online discussion", and the role that both design and tutor intervention has in shaping this discussion. This paper reports on the first stage of this analysis. By studying the postings of four separate learning sets simultaneously following the same ten-week module, it identifies two "active" discussion sets and tw...

Research paper thumbnail of Potential

and limitations of e-learning in emergency medicine

Research paper thumbnail of Trainee mistrust of the E-portfolio & Workplace Based Assessment Process: Short Communication - 10R2

Research paper thumbnail of Making assessment relevant for practice in an MA in clinical education: Poster - 8N6

Research paper thumbnail of Working Together: Perceptions of the Role of the Tutor in a Postgraduate Online Learning Programme

Research paper thumbnail of Experiences of e-learning : the role and influence of tutors in a postgraduate blended learning programme in clinical education

This Thesis presents Case Study research (Yin, 2009) into e-learning, in the situated context of ... more This Thesis presents Case Study research (Yin, 2009) into e-learning, in the situated context of a part-time postgraduate blended learning programme in clinical education [Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Clinical Practice]; and addresses a significant challenge for tutors: how to intervene in online discussions in order to achieve the highest quality of engagement by all participants. Utilising a parallel convergent mixed methods approach (Teddlie & Tashakkori, 2009; Creswell & Plano-Clark, 2011), this study offers insights into the perceptions and experiences of tutors and students regarding the role of the tutor within the online learning environment, and in particular, it explores the influence of the tutor on the development of true dialogue in an online discussion board, rather than a bulletin board of unconnected statements, or ‘serial monologue’, which a number of authors have identified (Henri, 1991; Pawan et al, 2003; Garrison & Arbaugh, 2007). Thus, th...

Research paper thumbnail of Autonomy & Authority: Creating a Learning Community Online

This paper explores how we might create or develop a learning community online, and the implicati... more This paper explores how we might create or develop a learning community online, and the implications of this for the role of the online tutor. Opinion is divided regarding the ideal conditions to support the emergence of learning communities, although there seems good agreement regarding the usefulness of the online medium to support a social constructivist approach. A typology of expressed needs for tutor support is presented and discussed as a possible means to assist tutors in nurturing online learning community. Issues of ‘authority’ and peer support are also explored. Introduction This paper will explore how we might create or develop a learning community online, and the implications of this for the role of the online tutor. In the postgraduate programme in Clinical Education at Edge Hill University, a multidisciplinary professional development course for clinical educators, delivered by means of 'blended learning', the Course Team have embraced what can be termed a ‘so...

Research paper thumbnail of AUTONOMY & AUTHORITY: CREATING A LEARNING COMMUNITY ONLINE

This paper explores how we might create or develop a learning community online, and the implicati... more This paper explores how we might create or develop a learning community online, and the implications of this for the role of the online tutor. Opinion is divided regarding the ideal conditions to support the emergence of learning communities, although there seems good agreement regarding the usefulness of the online medium to support a social constructivist approach. A typology of expressed needs for tutor support is presented and discussed as a possible means to assist tutors in nurturing online learning community. Issues of ‘authority ’ and peer support are also explored.

Research paper thumbnail of Human Touch : Building a Learning Community in Cyberspace

This paper explores online learning communities, why they might be important, and how tutors migh... more This paper explores online learning communities, why they might be important, and how tutors might support their development. A simple typology is presented, which identifies online students’ expressed needs for tutor support and intervention, within a VLE-based online programme. The potential usefulness of this typology in assisting tutors to facilitate the development of an online learning community, and possible implications for the role of the online tutor, will be discussed.

Research paper thumbnail of Supporting the peer-observation process for clinical teachers: Short Communication - 7F5

Research paper thumbnail of The use of mixed methods social network analysis to evaluate healthcare professionals' educator development: an exploratory study

Journal of Contemporary Medical Education

Research paper thumbnail of Online health information–seeking behavior by endocrinology patients

Research paper thumbnail of Do Supervised Learning Events reflect clinical competency and support ‘Trainee in Difficulty' identification? Physician Trainees' perceptions

Journal of Contemporary Medical Education

Research paper thumbnail of Online health information seeking behavior by patients prior to their outpatient appointments in endocrinology

Research paper thumbnail of Evaluation of the use of a handheld prescribing card in supporting Foundation year one doctors in End of Life (EOL) prescribing

Research paper thumbnail of Utilization of the internet for health-related information among endocrinology patients

Research paper thumbnail of Learning from Professional Experience. "Centre-stage" or "Spear-carrier"?

Research paper thumbnail of Human Touch : Building a Learning Community in Cyberspace

This paper explores online learning communities, why they might be important, and how tutors migh... more This paper explores online learning communities, why they might be important, and how tutors might support their development. A simple typology is presented, which identifies online students' expressed needs for tutor support and intervention, within a VLE-based online programme. The potential usefulness of this typology in assisting tutors to facilitate the development of an online learning community, and possible implications for the role of the online tutor, will be discussed.

Research paper thumbnail of Dangling carrots or downright interfering? Student expectations of tutors in an online discussion board

This paper presents work­in­progress exploring experiences of online learning in a part­ time pos... more This paper presents work­in­progress exploring experiences of online learning in a part­ time postgraduate programme in Clinical Education, delivered by means of Supported Online Learning. Despite widespread reliance on the 'online discussion board' not only as a means of communication but also to support and enhance students' learning, there seems to be no clear consensus regarding how students' engagement can best be achieved or supported. Thus, the main focus of this study is the impact of the tutor in developing meaningful dialogue in the online forum. Individual semi­structured interviews were carried out with students and tutors from a single Postgraduate Certificate course. As a result of preliminary analysis of both interview data and discussion­board archives, a simple typology is proposed, which divides students' expectations of tutor intervention into four broad categories, represented graphically as quadrants of a square diagram. This offers a way of ...

Research paper thumbnail of Synergy, Supervision and Self-reliance

All in-text references underlined in blue are linked to publications on ResearchGate, letting you... more All in-text references underlined in blue are linked to publications on ResearchGate, letting you access and read them immediately.

Research paper thumbnail of Styles of Discussion: online facilitation factors

Whilst tutoring a supported online programme in Clinical Education over the last six years, we ha... more Whilst tutoring a supported online programme in Clinical Education over the last six years, we have become aware that there are significant differences in the ways in which both groups of students -"online learning sets" and individual students, engage in "online discussion" using a VLE discussion board. We have carried out research at various points in the history of the programme to identify different types of "learners". In order to develop our understanding we have now embarked on a major research programme as part of the SOLSTICE Centre for Excellence for Teaching and Learning, to explore the different dimensions of "online discussion", and the role that both design and tutor intervention has in shaping this discussion. This paper reports on the first stage of this analysis. By studying the postings of four separate learning sets simultaneously following the same ten-week module, it identifies two "active" discussion sets and tw...

Research paper thumbnail of Potential

and limitations of e-learning in emergency medicine

Research paper thumbnail of Trainee mistrust of the E-portfolio & Workplace Based Assessment Process: Short Communication - 10R2

Research paper thumbnail of Making assessment relevant for practice in an MA in clinical education: Poster - 8N6

Research paper thumbnail of Working Together: Perceptions of the Role of the Tutor in a Postgraduate Online Learning Programme

Research paper thumbnail of Experiences of e-learning : the role and influence of tutors in a postgraduate blended learning programme in clinical education

This Thesis presents Case Study research (Yin, 2009) into e-learning, in the situated context of ... more This Thesis presents Case Study research (Yin, 2009) into e-learning, in the situated context of a part-time postgraduate blended learning programme in clinical education [Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Clinical Practice]; and addresses a significant challenge for tutors: how to intervene in online discussions in order to achieve the highest quality of engagement by all participants. Utilising a parallel convergent mixed methods approach (Teddlie & Tashakkori, 2009; Creswell & Plano-Clark, 2011), this study offers insights into the perceptions and experiences of tutors and students regarding the role of the tutor within the online learning environment, and in particular, it explores the influence of the tutor on the development of true dialogue in an online discussion board, rather than a bulletin board of unconnected statements, or ‘serial monologue’, which a number of authors have identified (Henri, 1991; Pawan et al, 2003; Garrison & Arbaugh, 2007). Thus, th...

Research paper thumbnail of Autonomy & Authority: Creating a Learning Community Online

This paper explores how we might create or develop a learning community online, and the implicati... more This paper explores how we might create or develop a learning community online, and the implications of this for the role of the online tutor. Opinion is divided regarding the ideal conditions to support the emergence of learning communities, although there seems good agreement regarding the usefulness of the online medium to support a social constructivist approach. A typology of expressed needs for tutor support is presented and discussed as a possible means to assist tutors in nurturing online learning community. Issues of ‘authority’ and peer support are also explored. Introduction This paper will explore how we might create or develop a learning community online, and the implications of this for the role of the online tutor. In the postgraduate programme in Clinical Education at Edge Hill University, a multidisciplinary professional development course for clinical educators, delivered by means of 'blended learning', the Course Team have embraced what can be termed a ‘so...

Research paper thumbnail of AUTONOMY & AUTHORITY: CREATING A LEARNING COMMUNITY ONLINE

This paper explores how we might create or develop a learning community online, and the implicati... more This paper explores how we might create or develop a learning community online, and the implications of this for the role of the online tutor. Opinion is divided regarding the ideal conditions to support the emergence of learning communities, although there seems good agreement regarding the usefulness of the online medium to support a social constructivist approach. A typology of expressed needs for tutor support is presented and discussed as a possible means to assist tutors in nurturing online learning community. Issues of ‘authority ’ and peer support are also explored.

Research paper thumbnail of Human Touch : Building a Learning Community in Cyberspace

This paper explores online learning communities, why they might be important, and how tutors migh... more This paper explores online learning communities, why they might be important, and how tutors might support their development. A simple typology is presented, which identifies online students’ expressed needs for tutor support and intervention, within a VLE-based online programme. The potential usefulness of this typology in assisting tutors to facilitate the development of an online learning community, and possible implications for the role of the online tutor, will be discussed.

Research paper thumbnail of Supporting the peer-observation process for clinical teachers: Short Communication - 7F5

Research paper thumbnail of The use of mixed methods social network analysis to evaluate healthcare professionals' educator development: an exploratory study

Journal of Contemporary Medical Education

Research paper thumbnail of Online health information–seeking behavior by endocrinology patients

Research paper thumbnail of Do Supervised Learning Events reflect clinical competency and support ‘Trainee in Difficulty' identification? Physician Trainees' perceptions

Journal of Contemporary Medical Education

Research paper thumbnail of Online health information seeking behavior by patients prior to their outpatient appointments in endocrinology

Research paper thumbnail of Evaluation of the use of a handheld prescribing card in supporting Foundation year one doctors in End of Life (EOL) prescribing

Research paper thumbnail of Utilization of the internet for health-related information among endocrinology patients

Research paper thumbnail of Learning from Professional Experience. "Centre-stage" or "Spear-carrier"?

Research paper thumbnail of Human Touch : Building a Learning Community in Cyberspace

This paper explores online learning communities, why they might be important, and how tutors migh... more This paper explores online learning communities, why they might be important, and how tutors might support their development. A simple typology is presented, which identifies online students' expressed needs for tutor support and intervention, within a VLE-based online programme. The potential usefulness of this typology in assisting tutors to facilitate the development of an online learning community, and possible implications for the role of the online tutor, will be discussed.