Projects
But what do you do all day?
Background
This project led by Dr Ceri Sullivan at the University of Wales, Bangor, aimed to create a DVD and a series of webclips showing a day in a life of a first year English student. The intention was to try and demystify something of the undergraduate experience in order that potential students of English would have a better idea of what day-to-day life might be like nine to five. This resulting DVD allows the viewer to shadow a “real” undergraduate through different aspects of his day. The six minute-long fly-on-the-wall clips show a student:
Project design
Design of a DVD containing a series of fly-on-the-wall clips show a student attending a lecture, taking part in a seminar, working in the library etc. which allowed for a practical and functioning end product that could be used at open days and also displayed on the WWW. The resulting DVD shows a first-year student:
Introducing himself and a typical day in the life of an English student.
You can view this videoclip from the DVD by clicking on the image above
Participating in a first year seminar on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein
You can view this videoclip from the DVD by clicking on the image above
Attending a lecture and taking notes on feminist literary criticism
You can view this videoclip from the DVD by clicking on the image above
Researching for an essay in the library
You can view this videoclip from the DVD by clicking on the image above
Acting in a student play
You can view this videoclip from the DVD by clicking on the image above
Reflecting on career possibilities
You can view this videoclip from the DVD by clicking on the image above
Key findings
Using voice over format the viewer sees both the activities occurring and the student responding to them. The DVD strips away fallacies about English students being a tremulous group of sensitive beings innately able to respond to a text, and show them as people who do all sorts of things with words, with precision, imagination, enjoyment, and diligence.
Overall it is hoped that the DVD might play a part in aiding transition between school and university level English as well as helping Departments recruit appropriate students and retain them by educating their expectations.
Copies of the DVD have been sent to every English Department. Careers advisors and sixth-form tutors may also wish to make a link-through to the current page.
Project leader
Dr. Ceri Sullivan
Department of English
University of Wales Bangor
Tel: 01248-382102
Project Partner/s
Dr. Andrew Moor, English Dept, University of Wales Bangor.
