Hi, I’m Jonny! I will be a BILT Student Fellow alongside studying for my Master’s in Education (Learning, Technology and Society). I am incredibly excited to embark on this experience as I will hopefully be able to apply what I have learned within my studies to my BILT research and visa-versa. My undergraduate degree is in Education Studies from a university along the south coast, and my home is in Guernsey (a British island in the English Channel), so it has been eye-opening to move further north to Bristol. Isn’t it amazing how much can fit on one hill‽
During my time in Bristol I have tasked myself with exploring as many of the parks as possible as I love a green space! Although, a walk along the harbourside comes in a close second. This year is slightly different to the norm, usually I would have been meeting up with new friends on an almost daily basis. These days, going for coffee with a group of course mates after a face-to-face lecture is the highlight of my week!
My interests are in technology enhanced learning, as well as assessment and feedback; so, for me there could not be a better time to research these topics! My interest in using technology for learning began when I was much younger as I loved technology and wished for it to be used more in school. Since then I have surrendered my technological determinist approach, and no longer think that technology will simply change education by itself. However, I still feel that we should use more technology in education. This is because the students that are in our primary schools now, will live to see the 22nd Century, and we should be preparing them to live in that era. What will the University look like when we welcome those primary school children as freshers?
For me, BILT represents an opportunity to co-design a system that enhances the student experience. I am particularly keen to look into students’ assessment workload and how we can make this more effective and beneficial; I very much believe we shouldn’t be learning for the sole purpose of assessing it afterwards. My first task is to explore what formative assessment means to students and advising staff to enquire on how it can be taken seriously, without increasing workload.
Jonny Barnes BILT Student Fellow 20/21 working on the projects – Creating online communities – Assessment and feedback – Students as researchers -Decolonisation.