The dreaded SPSSsssssssssssss

5 weeks of teaching SPSS have been looming since the start of term. Since I had never even heard of it or seen it, I was a bit apprehensive. Gil went on maternity leave just as this section arrived in the timetable... so not only did I need to figure it out without her, I also had to brief her maternity cover, Jason, who also did not know SPSS.

Happily it has gone really well so far. The exercises are good, and although the tutor's notes are missing, so far I have found that if I work through them myself, I have found I can figure it out and write it up in time to brief Jason.

I was really pleased with the class today - since last week they were complete novices, today they worked with a big data file, found and corrected errors, did some charts, and even cross-tabulations. I think we all had a sense of achievement.

I also think I understand what Chi-Squared test means!!! Don't know how to do it yet but this is a big step.....

Sticky Research

Realised I haven't really talked about my research project yet, and since it's gaining some momentum there's a bit of catching up to do in the story:-

The origins of sticky stuff

Last summer I developed the whole 'sticky stuff' concept around NILE site content and was asked to present it to our divisional away day. That went well and to differing degrees, colleagues had adopted some of the ideas. I was aware of a hardcore of objection though - which bubbled up in of all places the dress rehearsal for the Periodic Subject Review when a colleague stated that 'students had complained about how the NILE sites were all starting to look different'.

I considered the motive of this remark and took it initially as a criticism of my initiative to make NILE sites more distinctive. After some reflection I decided that the motive was actually immaterial. What was more important was to find out what students actually thought about NILE site content. And only if students believed it to be important was there any chance of getting lecturers to make the investment in change.

Getting URB@N

Shortly afterwards, I found myself the only delgate in a presentation on URB@N - an scheme whereby bursaries are granted to students to carry out research projects. I didn't know what it was about and had accepted the invitation out of idle curiosity. What a stroke of luck. Since there were two presenters and only me, they told me about the programme and I speculated whether research into NILE might be suitable. Luckily the application process was very easy and within a few weeks I found I had been awarded a bursary - which meant I would get a student researcher to work with me to do my project.

I encouraged my Marketing Research second years to apply for the bursaries and to my delight, 3 of them were successful in their applications, one of them, Charlotte, for my project. So now we are in the planning stages of the experiment which will take place in 33 days' time to be exact. We will be presenting our findings together at the Learning & Teaching conference at the University in July - in a poster presentation format which I'm looking forward to.

Bidding for more ££££££££££

In the meantime, with Mark and Amanda's encouragement I have also put in an application to extend the same piece of research - this time bidding for £2K of funding from the Higher Education Academy... will find out if that is successful in a couple of weeks.

Conference début

Furthermore, Rob Howe who heads up the Learning Technology team suggested that we put in a joint paper on the sticky stuff idea to the Blackboard Learning & Teaching Conference in Leeds.... and we have been accepted. So that will be just in time to present the preliminary research findings in Leeds in April.

Just need to find out what the students actually think now....

I should also add that all of this is getting noticed in a high profile way, but I am acutely aware that my colleagues are sick of hearing about it and I am becoming public enemy No. 1. Helpful to talk to Jacky yesterday - she's had similar experiences - just goes with the territory. Be a grown-up.

graze & video

Have been meaning to use graze.com as a case study since I started. It's a fantastic entrepreneurship story and the comms materials and brand are so interesting. I was also keen to maintain contact with Ben, one of the founders that I did business with at Esporta.

Sally wanted some DM materials to use for a MKT1002 marketing communications seminar. I suggested graze, showed her a box and the website and she was keen. Between us we ordered enough boxes to

use (4 tutors teach the module).

I also got in touch with Ben and asked for more boxes. I also asked him to send us some of the Christmas pieces - some Reindeers and gift vouchers. He was fantastic - sent us 5 boxes and a big pack of DM materials as well as a link to a Flicker account that showed us how the materials had been turned into viral content.

http://www.flickr.com/groups/reindeergallery/pool/with/5300818162/

After discussion, we decided to run the seminars using a Goldfish Bowl method - pulling out 3 students at once and getting them to interact with and deconstruct the marketing messages. Then Sally suggested videoing the session. She's thinking of using the video to illustrate to prospective students the sort of activities we may be involved with.

I had already run 3 seminars by this time, but was still in time to video the final one. I also realised this would give me material to cut into a small video to send back to graze by way of a thank you (they will love video content).

Word had already spread that Sally had been videoing. I decided to get the students to take it in turns to shoot the video - this being less intrusive, allowing me to manage the session and would give me lots of camera angles.

In spite of initial apprehension about the camera, this session went really well. This group is lively anyway but they really did raise their game - there was a lot of banter but every single person participated and contributed, and with some excellent contributions. Can't wait to see the footage.

Give students the vote?

Reading some of the literature on Sticky Stuff for the research project today and found the view that in commercial sites, getting visitors to vote, rate or give opinions is really 'sticky'.

Considering how this could translate with the students? Will test this by giving my MKT3017 students a choice of seminar activity - one topic, 3 choices of activity. Majority vote wins.

Will attempt to repeat 3 times. Measurement by feedback after 3rd vote. Also by number of votes.

Anger Management

MKT2020 and Sally and I were working with the groups on their exhibition plans. Sally was talking to them about process and research, I was doing customer experience, creativity and impact. I got to Tash/Jack/Naj (Corbyn was missing as usual).

Tash and Jack were having a heated debate as I arrived, and continued their argument as I sat down ready to discuss their plan and give feedback. This was not unusual. They know each other very well, and Tash has a quite forceful communication style. Jack can be similarly stubborn. They did not stop and I indicated to Naj jokingly about their continuing row. He looked resigned and said 'this always happens'. In the end I interrupted them and asked them to explain their exhibition concept.

Tash had planned something out on her PC and launched into a huge speech. I tried to ask questions along the way but she talked over the top of me for some time - her point was about their planned use of 2 laptops - she was concerned that since there were 4 in the team, only 2 laptops would leave the other 2 with no visual aid.

When I could finally get a word in I said the same as I had said to the other groups; they needed to remember that the most compelling thing on the stand was themselves and they should all prepare to speak without over-reliance on props.

Tash went into a big huff. She didn't say anything, but closed her laptop, folded her arms and turned her body away from the group, looking furious. I carried on asking questions and discussing the idea, addressing all 3 of them. Tash refused to look at me or join in the discussion. After a few minutes I touched her arm and asked her what was wrong. She said 'I'm stewing. What you just said is exactly what I have been trying to say!!!'. (Bizarrely she was AGREEING with me!) . She and Jack then resumed their argument, but more angrily than before. I judged their (her) behaviour unreasonable and said I wasn't going to continue and they needed to sort themselves out so I got up and moved away to talk to another group.

I then went back to talk to the group about 15 minutes later and was able to have a sensible conversation this time.

I am left wondering whether I need to have a discussion with Tash. I am her personal tutor and am worried about her confrontational style. When she goes out to work this behaviour will not work in her favour.

I spoke to Sally afterwards and she felt I handled it correctly. Still not sure whether to take it further with Tash though. Or let sleeping dogs lie.

No more Mrs Nice

MKT1002 seminars today; Guinness sponsorship case study - which students are to write up for their portfolio (assessed work).

First seminar. Attendance approx 25. 6 students had failed to print off or read the case study. I gave them copies and carried on. A lively, engaging debate which went well.

Second seminar. Attendance approx 25, 7 students who had not printed or read the case. I had a go at them, went off and got more photocopies. The group was really hard work - for ages I tried to engage them in conversation - only about 4 were speaking to me.

After about 20 minutes, I challenged their silences - asked if they didn't understand, was there a problem... did they understand the nature of seminars and what their contribution was meant to be. In the end I said OK if you won't talk to me, discuss it in small groups and see if you can work it out. A couple of minutes in, I was extremely irritated to find 3 of them texting on their phones. Two of them found me looking at them and stopped. A third had his back to me and carried on. I had some papers in my hand which I flapped on his head (made him jump) and I told them to put their phones away. I was angry and exasperated with them. I told them that if they weren't going to participate, they may as well work through the case study on their own.

I went to the pc and left the class working in their groups for 5 minutes while I found a clip to show them. This allowed them to consider what I had said. I then showed the clip and changed the subject. The students started to engage more. One girl said she didn't understand part of the question - I praised her for speaking up and went on to give detailed help on the question - which they probably wouldn't have been able to answer on their own. I had the attention of the class, and I felt, the respect.

Third seminar. Attendance approx 25. There was friendly banter at the start of the seminar and I briefed them on the next week's activities. Then we got on to the case study and it transpired that only 4 students had prepared. I was appalled. I calculated that by the time I had gone and done photocopies and brought them back to class and given them time to read it (10 minutes at least) the seminar would be over half way through.

I distributed the 6 copies I had and went out of the room, ostensibly to get copies. But I went and checked with the module leader. I had decided that I wanted to make a point and dismiss those who had not prepared. She agreed wholeheartedly so I went back to the room and told them that it was not acceptable and they were to leave. They were clearly shocked. The 4 remaining students I gave as much help as possible on the case study.

In retrospect, this was empowering. I know I have a friendly manner and wondered whether this had lead the students to think they could get away with things.... but think that the rebuke today will have surprised many. I wonder whether I should have done this sooner for effect. Wonder what attendance/participation/preparation will be like next week.