Disrupting the 'Sage on the Stage'

This presentation explored the creation and sharing of resources with students via social media as a way of challenging the authoritative nature of traditional academic skills content (Price et. al, 2017; Gordon and Melrose, 2011). The concept of the ‘Sage on the Stage’ has been replaced in recent years with a more active, student-centred learning environment (Roberts, 2016). However, this disruption to traditional methods of teaching requires more from the students (Morrison, 2014). Audiograms are bitesize audio-visual explorations of student questions about academic skills, created and distributed collaboratively with our Student Peer Mentors. The project amplifies student voices through the multi-channel media assets connecting with students where they are digitally and physically. The presentation discusses interview findings relating to the impact on the student peer mentors ownership of the assets and their own learning. It was anticipated that the students would take the lead in the audiogram creation drawing on and amplifying a range of student voices. Student peer mentors researching, writing, and recording responses to them in the format of an advice columnist so that the advice was given student to student. While the student peer mentors played an active role in the audiogram’s creation, a few barriers occurred which prevented them from taking the lead as hoped. Firstly, the peer mentors struggled to find people to interview to generate questions so had to simulate questions using their own ideas. Secondly, it was found that students needed a great deal of structured support and input to create the answers. While the student peer mentors had a sense of team work around the audiograms’ creation they felt varying degrees of ownership. Ultimately, the audiogram creation was lead, co-ordinated and produced by a staff member. However, desired student outcomes were addressed through collaborative, problem solving and reflective production (Al Qasim and Al Fadda, 2013; Fernandez et al., 2015; Forbes, 2015 cited in Hopkins, 2020). Also Peer mentors acted as coaches who can assist new students with time management, study skills and goal setting. (Parsloe and Wray, 2004 cited in Gordon and Melrose, 2011). Student Peer Mentors needed active support and supervision to achieve this. However, the results of the work bring a less formal and more engaging approach to the subject matter.