2006). Additionally, elements of inquiry-based learning were introduced in the shape of group
sessions where students would generate questions themselves and then follow them up
individually in two cycles of inquiry, coming together to share their progress.
Experience of using PTA
DePTA project 2010
The changes described above were implemented in 2009-10 with some very positive effects, but
the essay still presented problems; although the levels of plagiarism and non submissions had
dropped, the average grade was low 7.9 (C-) (see table1). In 2010, the teaching team participated
in a JISC-funded action research project along with five other universities and we were able to
replace the final essay with a Digitally-enhanced PTA (see http://dpta.wordpress.com/).
Table 1. Submission rates and performance for Assessment 2 over the last five years.
2008-9
2009-10
2010-11
2011-12 N=52
N=43
N=32
N=24
Submissions
34 (79 %)
31 (97%)
21 (87%)
50 (96%)
Mean
9.9
7.9
11.6
10.4
Stdv
3.3
3.6
3
3.4
Dos
2
2
0
0
Grades use a scale 1 (F-) – 16 (A+). Dos: Disciplinary offences (plagiarism)
2012-13 N=59
56 (95%)
9.1
3.5
0
Richard Winter (2003a) defined PTAs as an alternative to essays: “the patch work text assignment
consists of a carefully structured series of short pieces of writing, carried out at regular intervals
throughout the course - typically over a term or semester”. The “small-scale writing tasks are varied
in style and genre”. (e.g. accounts of personal experience, critical reviews, research proposal, etc.);
“each piece of writing is shared with other students” and the tutor. At the end: “students submit