End-To-End Evidence Assignment — Case Study

https://research.edgehill.ac.uk/en/publications/independent-learning-what-we-do-whenyoure-not-there-2/

1. On the need for clearer guidance and scaffolding from staff (especially in early stages)

“Students were generally positive about the support they got from their tutors and other support staff during the course. […] The most valuable staff support came from tutors who would respond to emails or be available face-to-face for tutorials. Some students needed the reassurance of their lecturers to know they were ‘on the right lines’, particularly when doing extended assignments such as dissertations.” (Hockings et al., 2018, p. 154 and 155)

2. On gradually reducing structure (“weening” students toward autonomy)

“Students in the workshops also argued for what we call dependency ‘weening’. They suggested that tutors could start by providing clear, structured and directed independent learning tasks (more like homework), moving though the curriculum with support towards greater autonomous learning, as outlined by Thomas et al. (2015). So for example, by the end of the first semester students might be deciding and negotiating what independent learning they might do with their tutors, rather than their tutors telling them what to do.” (Hockings et al., 2018, p. 156)

3. On embedding skills development and peer support within the curriculum rather than offering optional sessions

“These views echo the study skills and inclusive assessment literature […] that suggests that ‘skills development’ or ‘assignment drop in’ sessions are more effective and reach more students when they are embedded within the curriculum and within the context of the subject. This provides all students the same opportunities to learn what a good exam answer, essay, project or piece looks like.” (Hockings et al., 2018, p. 155)

4. On the powerful role universities can play by facilitating peer learning networks (the strongest influence identified in the study)

“One of the most powerful sources of support for independent learning reported in the diaries and interviews was the informal non-assessed peer-to-peer learning that students engaged in through face-to-face and online social and family networks. […] Overall, students felt that teachers and course teams could play a more proactive role in creating opportunities for peer support for independent learning. Given appropriate coordination, training and incentives, peers could offer students a more impactful induction into and on-going support for independent learning than is currently offered by teaching staff.” (Hockings et al., 2018, pp. 156 and 158)

I used the following E2E questions to help me decide:

• How directly does the evidence relate to the topic?
• Does the evidence provide a clear and specific recommendation or finding about the university’s role?
• How strong and convincing is the evidence (e.g. is it based on student voice/data)?
• Will the evidence help build a coherent paragraph that answers the topic question?

Explanation:

Quotation 2 is the strongest because it directly answers the topic by outlining a clear, practical role for universities: providing structured support at the beginning and then gradually reducing it (“dependency ‘weening’”). It is very specific (gives an example of what tutors could do by the end of the first semester) and is grounded in student workshop feedback, making it convincing and actionable.

Quotation 4 is the second best because it highlights the single most powerful influence found in the study (peer support) and explicitly states what universities/staff “could play a more proactive role” in doing. It is based on rich data from diaries and interviews, so it carries strong student voice. Together, these two quotations cover both staff-led scaffolding and peer facilitation — the two key recommendations in the article — and they will flow well into one coherent paragraph.

Paragraph:

Universities should play a proactive and structured role in helping students develop as independent learners, particularly by providing clear guidance early in the course and then gradually reducing that support. Many students arrive at university accustomed to highly directed school-style homework and initially feel overwhelmed by the freedom and lack of monitoring in higher education. To address this transition, staff can begin by offering tightly structured independent learning tasks similar to homework and slowly shift responsibility to students so that, by the end of the first semester, learners start negotiating their own independent study activities with tutors rather than being told exactly what to do (Hockings et al., 2018). In addition, universities can significantly strengthen independent learning by actively facilitating non-assessed peer support networks. According to the study, the most powerful influence on students’ independent learning was informal collaboration with peers and more experienced students, which provided motivation, practical advice and a sense of reassurance; therefore, teachers and course teams should take a more proactive role in creating opportunities for peer mentoring, study buddies and online discussion spaces with appropriate coordination and training (Hockings et al., 2018). By combining gradual scaffolding from staff with well-supported peer learning, universities can effectively guide students from dependence toward genuine autonomy.