Data Poems
5. Development of transformative study methods
These themes were used to derive titles for the data poems which follow.
1. Communication/collaboration/learning from one another 2. Direct entrant experience
3. Second year experience
4. Criticality and independence in learning
5. Development of transformative study methods
Communication/collaboration/learning from one another What’s it like at university then? Hopes, dreams and the stuff in between.
The following poems tell the participants’ stories of their experiences from starting their second year to completing their degrees.
Same, same but different We are the same, you and I. Our struggles here the same yet Culture and language a gulf.
79 What connects us; hopes and dreams.
Chinese auditing, UK accounting, The same, but different.
Before we calculated,
Filled in the blank on the sheet.
In school they taught you, In China the teacher writes You copy, the answer is clear. But now we face the unknown For me, it is hard.
We selected the best answer A, b, c or d.
The longest is good.
You can guess and win, the fun is the risk.
But here you must explain your ideas. Through friendly, open discussion You can share your ideas.
But you must do self-study.
Uni life college life is much the same
They give you the work and expect you to do it They help you if you ask
There’s extra stuff, extra support.
Teachers get satisfaction out of students doing well. But you need to work hard in the UK to do well. Like life.
We are not just in a dream Thinking about what we could do.
Doing group-work
Everyone has to do the work Delegate and pull their weight But some do nothing.
Contribute, carry the work-load, An equal balance of shared ideas. But we work with our friends,
80 Only our friends.
UK students think we do not have the power. But different ideas, different opinions
Expand my narrow mind.
You admire my work ethic, so work with me.
Direct entrant experience Second year experience Build a bridge
From school to college From college to uni From China to the UK From Pakistan, from Saudi.
Use what you know But tell me how Like before Fill in the gaps
From the first to the last I missed that you forgot me You’ve left me behind.
How can I ask you to tell me what I don’t know to ask?
Second year Builds on the first
Experiences feed into the present
Take the knowledge and make it my own
Hesitant I reach out from the support retreating Make steps to learn and build
Final challenges too far away to picture They can wait.
Third year More reading More writing
Articles, articles, articles.
81 Your opinion based on their opinion.
Building, building. Synthesis is everything
Evaluation, selection, applying the knowledge The tutor gives us the guidelines
The rest we do for ourselves
One group of students helping each other Studying hard to get the grade
Criticality and independence in learning Direction
Tell me what to do Then I can do it I need a structure Then I can do it
I'm the same as you Then I can do it
Don't tell me just write Then I can't do it
I think you are so smart Not like me.
We memorize and memorize And study and study
Repeated labour
Laborious efforts eating time.
Last year was easy but The second year is hard.
Chinese people are good at maths But our simple words,
Can you count them?
How many words do I need? Building them up to frame
My answer, each word gains a point.
82 Others hate it.
Ok, this is my life now, I will work hard. That’s what I see reflected.
Too much reading I need to work harder.
We need the teacher to help us. But why don’t you help each other?
It is plagiarism and
Chinese people are not clever. No!
It’s just because it’s in English.
Do you ask questions? I don’t ask questions. Sometimes I do
But sometimes we don’t understand a single thing They already explained but we still don’t understand.
I’m too shy to ask “Sorry, say that again” He has to repeat it You are paying for this.
I will ask once but not again Some ask until they get an answer Some just don’t want the hassle.
But they don’t learn as much as the next person.
The teacher says something You say something
Just be in the discussion Contribute.
Development of transformative study methods Study Methods
How do you learn? To learn
83 Follow the rules, follow the rules, follow the rules.
Learn the key points. But which are key?
The summary is all you need. But it’s too much; it’s huge. Five hours a day.
Two hours.
Memorize the theory. The method?
The answer? No, method To your madness.
Add to class notes. Do more reading. Analyse and Memorise and Synthesise.
Exams
If we have the question before we can prepare. Write it out, write it out, write it out.
Then I can remember.
I can write three pages. I can’t do more. There is no time to write more.
How many words for how many points? Apply the knowledge,
Structure the knowledge, Add something of yourself.
Writing
It's so hard to write I can't catch the words That fit the question They float out of reach
Slipping from my grasp Grey birds blurring in Misty air their calls
84 Distant; they vanish.
Make a plan and read The text.
The exam
Alternative approaches
What it is about?
The words they use do not explain The best and the worst
I have read word by word
I have covered every corner of this book, but I still cannot Remember.
Make notes
In your own words. I still cannot. Chinese English Translation Chinglish. Make a point Support your point Point by point by point.
Argument synthesis discuss support expand. It’s hard to write!
Discuss
This means people have different ideas? Different ideas, but prove your point Everyone has different conclusions;
The teacher looks at your reasons so you have to say Enough reasons to support your idea.
So we don’t all have the same answers? Everybody has different answers.
Maybe I will write I think this one is better and maybe other people will write...
85 Just, you need to have enough reasons to support it.
Ah!
Happy with grades Good grades are shared
But we sit alone with a bad grade. I try to be happy.
I keep trying.
But I never feel happy. Here it can never be my best.
You as a learner I float through life Grades come easily.
Before it was easy Here it is hard.
Different standards Different rules Different ways.
I try to do my best. At home I was good, I tried to be good.
Teach me I am lost.
In China we practise, practise, practise But do not stop to reflect.
More thoughtful now I take time to reason.
I want to make myself more independent. I want more confidence.
How have you developed as a person at uni? Every day you learn more about yourself You learn more about others
It’s give and take, that’s what uni teaches you People think differently in different countries
86 You gain the confidence you need to never give up
Learning independence. You grow up.