MA in Education: Amsterdam Centre

Blog relocation

Phil Whitehead — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 10:36:35 +0000

The main blog homepage now has an updated look and contains the latest programme information across all our modes of delivery. This is to ensure a more consistent approach and to help create a better community of learners as the number of students across out progammes grows (and grows!).
Please check out the homepage and the new oxford blog for viewing examples of work: Gallery

Procrastinate later!

Phil Whitehead — Thu, 01 May 2008 10:58:45 +0000

Thursday afternoon and we are all feeling good - how about you?!
This afternoon we will be working together as a whole group with some individual and pair activities.
We will be soft spoken and gentle.
Our main aim or objective rather for the afternoon is to take a holistic review of where you are in the dissertation process - an opportunity to stop, think and reflect.

Proposed timetable for Amsterdam dissertation sessions

Phil Whitehead — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 09:23:46 +0000

Tuesday April 29th- Saturday May 3rd:

Tutors arrive Tuesday evening

Wednesday 7.30 am tutors meet Mike at hotel for breakfast then enjoy Queen’s Day! Depending on weather - PM drive over to Mike’s for a barbeque or meal at the Punt.

Thursday 1.00- 4.30pm meet students at BSA middle school for whole group welcome, update on progress, review timetable to completion including last dates for final drafts and summer school possibilities; critical analysis activities; receive feedback and any agendas students want to discuss; group work based on age/progress; set up arrangements for Friday.

Friday 9.00-12.30 individual tutorials; 12.30-1.30 lunch; 1.15-2.00 course committee; 2.00-3.00 individual tutorials; 3.00-4.00 review and group issues; evening - last supper!

Saturday - tutors depart

Tutors: Barry Gransden; Erica Holley; Robin McClelland; Phil Whitehead

Next Steps

Phil Whitehead — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 13:41:46 +0000

To avoid that sense of bereavement after we’ve gone!
Easter availability:
Phil - Monday 31st March; April 1st (ha!);April 2nd, 3rd & 4th
Barry - 26-28th; 31st March; April 1st-4th
Erica - 26-28th; 31st March; April 1st-4th
Robin April 1st-4th
Summer School - Sunday 13th-Wednesday 30th July 2008
We will be around as indicated during both these periods but you will need to ‘book’ us in for tutorials. The library is open throughout apart from Easter Bank Holiday period - check the Brookes website for details.

Setting your timeline -
work back from the hand-in date of Thursday October 2nd 2008;
so you need to have, in your hands a final copy ready to go off for binding by the end of the second week in September - Friday September 12th. You need to check timings/book in with a binding service (the University has one but this may not be convenient unless you finish during August).
Your tutors will have to have read/reviewed your chapters prior to this and some may not be available at all during August - check with them and book in a latest date for reviewing your final draft. This could be either last week in July, a week during August or by the beginning of the second week in September (e.g. Phil will be in work probably week August 12th-15th but not either side of that until Monday September 1st). It probably won’t be helpful if we receive everyone’s work on September 8th so please book in a date and take this as a final, personal deadline!
You now need to work back and set other deadlines for chapters, recognising that you will not be working through the dissertation ‘chronologically’.
To help in this we will be back here on Thursday May 1st at 12.30 for light lunch with a 1.00pm start. We would hope to have read your literature review by then and be focusing on:
General issues arising from your research;
Focus on data analysis and conclusions
Confirm deadlines and tutor availability over the next few months;
Meet for tutorials with you.
.

4 Back again

Phil Whitehead — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 22:19:51 +0000

Yes - we are on our way and looking forward to meeting up again tomorrow evening - tea at 5.00pm with the session 5.30 to around 7.00pm - mainly general feedback on your assignments and outline of the next 2 days.
Friday is individual tutorials as per the timetable - trust you have had this - 1- 1.5 hours each to talk about your work so far.
Saturday - we want to work as follows:
9.30-12.30
1. Structure of a ’standard’ dissertation - top tips from past students (Erica)
2. reminder of paradigms and design - because this was not a strong point in proposals (Barry)
3. methodology chapter example to review (Erica)
4. Case study and action research - the most likely/friendly approach - some further reflection (all team)
5. referencing and on-line library again - I know but you markers love to pick this up and some bits still need tweaking in your work - eg referencing from web (Phil)
6. Ethics/confidentiality - no naming and shaming here (Robin)
Lunch
1.30-3.00pm Small group tutorials to discuss common issues/ opportunity for 1:1 or however the tutor group wants to play it
3.15-4.00pm next steps - your timelines - our availability - we’ll be back in May just after Queen’s Day but also we’ll be at summer school in July in Oxford so why not come and join us (no charge from us just your expenses!).

Update

Phil Whitehead — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 09:35:13 +0000

Hope all is well with you lovely people!
We are currently marking your ER proposals and will get feedback to you in 2 weeks time.
We will also confirm your dissertation supervisor with that feedback.
In the meantime please find a link to a new page - Toolkit for Research. This is a useful reference for your dissertation research methodology section published by the NFER. I have linked this to the Rome Blog to encourage you to look at some of the posts, pages and resources there.

Sister Blog

Phil Whitehead — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 19:29:32 +0000

You may want to check out the Rome MA Blog - I will try to make sure the same kind of info is available on both but do check out the resources links and blog roll.
We are now marking the AR assignments and will get feedback to you within the required 4 week period.

New module handbooks available

Phil Whitehead — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 20:51:21 +0000

Hi - both your new module handbooks - Educational Research and Dissertation - are now available from the Pages menu.
Happy reading and see you Wednesday evening - usual time 5.00pm tea, 5.30 session starts. We will all be together to begin with. 4 tutors will be working with you - Erica, Barry, Robin and Phil.
Timetable to follow.

Coming Soon

Phil Whitehead — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 21:42:04 +0000

See you all next week.
Sorry for delay in posting dissertation and ER handbooks - will be up by the end of this week!
Hope you are managing to get a half term break and finish off your AR - deadline is next Monday 5th!
Barry Gransden will be joining us as an additional tutor. Barry will lead some ER sessions and act as a dissertation tutor. Barry was until a couple of years ago a secondary head teacher in the UK; he now works with us at OBU.

Nearly there!

Phil Whitehead — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 13:33:13 +0000

Yes, it really is almost the end of the school year but more importantly also the end of your first year of MA.
Get those portfolios rolling in (thanks to those already sent in)- remember to ask for confirmation of receipt from Susie.

As soon as the Educational Research and Dissertation handbooks have been updated I will post them up for you to enjoy over your holidays!

See you in November!
MA tutor team

PS the FILM is coming soon to this page!!