2018
Evidence for Enhancement: Improving the Student Experience
Annual Academic Development Symposium 2018
Evidence for Enhancement: Improving the Student Experience
10th Annual Academic Development Symposium, Thursday 26 April 2018
The theme for this year's Annual Academic Development Symposium aligned with the new QAA Scotland Enhancement Theme, Evidence for Enhancement: Improving the Student Experience, launched in June 2017 and running until June 2020.
The Theme considered what information is useful to help us identify and understand what we do well and what could be improved. This information, which includes qualitative and quantitative evidence, can be used to identify the issues that would benefit from intervention, help prioritise interventions for improving the student experience and evaluate the effectiveness of those interventions, including reporting on the ways in which the student experience has been improved.
The Annual Academic Symposium provided an opportunity for staff across the University to engage with and discuss the new Theme.
The Symposium took place on the afternoon of 26th April, beginning with the keynote speech by Professor Sue Rigby, Vice Chancellor of Bath Spa University, an exploration of the question “Can Data enhance the Student Experience?”
The keynote was followed by parallel 'swap shops' to share practice including:
- Dynamic Feedback
- Digitally enhanced Learning: experiences and preferences of students and staff
- Survey Insights
- An Induction and Feedback Process for Enhancement
- Enhancing the Student Experience: Using the Evidence in PIR
- HEA Compendium
- Getting the best from SCEF
The event concluded with a debate entitled "This house believes that students have an equal role to play in co-creating their own curriculum " chaired by Harry Chalklin, President of University of Aberdeen Debating Society, with Liam Fuller speaking for the motion, and with Dr John Lamb speaking against the motion.
Swap Shop Synopsis 2018
Dynamic Feedback
Dr Martin Barker, Senior Lecturer (Scholarship), School of Biological Sciences.
This workshop will explore ways to make feedback more of a 'conversation' between teacher and student. Closing the feedback loop allows a better understanding of how (or even whether) staff feedback is being used by students. It also gives opportunities for students to benefit from the feedback that they get, both as an incentive and a reward.
Digital Enhanced Learning: experiences and preferences of students and staff
Dr Kirsty Kiezebrink, Senior Lecturer (Scholarship), Institute of Applied Health Sciences.
This will be an interactive swap shop where we will look at how technology can be used in the facilitation of learning as experienced by staff and students. As a group we will aim to work through some of the challenges and barriers to embracing this technology and identify some techniques that can help enhance the experience for those involved. We will be asking 4 key questions:
- What digitally enhanced learning tools are available?
- What encourages or discourages us to engage with these?
- If it's not broke why fix it?
- What changes do I need to make to my teaching to enable the use of this type of technology
Survey Insights
Dr Colin Calder, Senior Adviser, Centre for Academic Development.
This workshop will explore the evidence for enhancement from core student surveys in the context of changes to the instruments used at Aberdeen in AY2017/18 and the changing landscape of student surveys across the sector.
Colin Calder Bsc PhD FHEA is a senior adviser at the University of Aberdeen's Centre for Academic Development, where he oversees operation and analysis of the University's core student surveys and undertakes evaluation and research to inform teaching and learning enhancement.
An Induction and Feedback Process for Enhancement
Prof. David McCausland, Director of Undergraduate Studies, Business School.
Key messages:
- students at the forefront of designing selected induction activities developing productive peer relationships
- accreditation and professional bodies informing the design of the induction portfolio to embed employability awareness from the outset
- matrix of informal and formal methods, both bespoke and institutional processes, feeding into the design of the curriculum and assessment as well as the induction portfolio itself.
Enhancing the Student Experience: Using the Evidence in PIR
Dr Stuart Durkin, Lecturer in Politics and International Relations, School of Social Sciences, and Dr Malcolm Harvey, Teaching Fellow in Politics and International Relations, School of Social Sciences.
This workshop will draw upon experience from two honours modules in Politics and International Relations, designed to incorporate the evidence associated with good outcomes for undergraduate.
Getting the best from SCEF
Dr Peter Henderson, Senior Lecturer (Scholarship), School of Natural and Computing Sciences.
In this workshop we'll look at different question options, and the settings for sending out the survey and reminding students. This isn't a workshop on 'how to write surveys' but aims to offer some practical examples of how to (re)write your own SCEF. It's an opportunity to discuss with others the questions we may want to ask about our courses.
HEA Compendium
Chair: Dr Darren Comber, Senior Educational Development Officer, Centre for Academic Development
This session will comprise a 'compendium' of short, snappy ideas for teaching, submitted by University of Aberdeen staff and drawn mostly from their Higher Education Academy (HEA) applications. Ech presenter will provide a 3-4 minute overview of their idea, followed by the opportunity for discussion with the audience about how their idea might be used in different contexts and subject areas plus how to get started with it.
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Teaching students how to read
Dr Gerry Hough, Lecturer (Scholarship), School of Divinity, History and Philosophy
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Some real benefits of thinking backwards
Dr Heidi Mehrkens, Lecturer (Scholarship), School of Divinity, History and Philosophy
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Story Telling in Lectures
Dr Michael Scholz, Lecturer (Scholarship), School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition
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The Weekly Challenge: engaging students beyond immediate course topics
Dr Clare Trinder, Lecturer (Scholarship), School of Biological Sciences.
Professor Peter McGeorge
Professor McGeorge studied Behavioural Sciences (Psychology/Zoology) at the University of Nottingham before completing his PhD in Experimental Psychology. He moved to the University of Aberdeen in 1990 to become a post-doctoral research fellow and subsequently a lecturer in the School of Psychology. In 2004 he became the Head of School of Psychology within the College of Life Sciences and Medicine and in 2010 was appointed Vice-Principal for Learning and Teaching.
Peter McGeorge has a broad range of research interests and publications covering the area of visual attention in both healthy and clinical populations.
Professor Sue Rigby, Vice Chancellor of Bath Spa University
Sue is a palaeontologist by background. After being an academic at Cambridge, Leicester and Edinburgh she moved into senior management, first as Assistant Principal and then Vice Principal at the University of Edinburgh. She is an HEA Principal Fellow.
She is Chair of the HEFCE Learning Gain project, is chairing work on the design of a PGT national survey and is Chair of the Natural Sciences TEF Pilot Panel. Internationally, she has contributed to the development of reward and recognition processes for staff in learning and teaching through the U21 network, and developed the first MOOC to be shared by students in the U21 Universities.
Dr Martin Barker, Senior Lecturer (Scholarship), School of Biological Sciences
Martin has a strong interest in finding ways to close the 'feedback loop' for both staff and students. His current focus is on dynamic feedback (using BluePulse2 technology), iterative feedback (e.g. embedding feedback into assessments) and feedback-as-conversation.
Dr Colin Calder, Senior Adviser, Centre for Academic Development
Colin Calder Bsc PhD FHEA is a senior adviser at the University of Aberdeen's Centre for Academic Development, where he oversees operation and analysis of the University's core student surveys and undertakes evaluation and research to inform teaching and learning enhancement.
Harry Chalklin, Debate Chair
For the academic year 17/18 I have been serving as the President of UoA Debater and have also been the Chair of the Student Council. I have been involved in debating since first coming to university and it has seen me travel to most nations of the EU to compete, as well as Westminster on more than one occasion.
Whilst I don't have much subject knowledge in this area, I am keen to learn and believe that debating is a fantastic way to do this. So, here's looking forward to a robust debate.
Dr Stuart Durkin, Lecturer in Politics and International Relations, School of Social Sciences
In 2016/17 he was awarded the Excellence in Teaching Award (undergraduate). At Honours Level, Dr Durkin currently teaches courses in Spanish Politics and Dirty War and its Aftermath (Argentina, Spain and N.Ireland).
Dr Malcolm Harvey, Teaching Fellow in Politics and International Relations, School of Social Sciences
At Honours Level, Dr Harvey currently teaches American Politics and Constitutional Change in the UK.
Dr Peter Henderson, Senior Lecturer (Scholarship), School of Natural and Computing Sciences
Dr Gerry Hough, Lecturer (Scholarship), School of Divinity, History, and Philosophy
He teaches primarily in the areas of Philosophy of Language and Metaphysics. He received his HEA Fellowship in October 2017.
Dr Kirsty Kiezebrink, Senior Lecturer (Scholarship), Institute of Applied Health Sciences
Kirsty joined the university in July 2010 as RCUK funded research fellow based in the health services research unit. Since then she has joined the postgraduate education group of the institute of applied health sciences. Her research interest focus the role of a assessment and feedback as tools to engage students with learning. In addition she is involved in projects exploring way to reduce student disengagement during PhD studies. She also has a particular interest in the use of digital technology to enhance student and staff experiences.
She is the postgraduate coordinator for the Institute of Applied Health Sciences and teaching on a variety of research methods and applied health courses.
Dr John Lamb, Lecturer, Business School
He has a PhD in engineering, is a fellow of the higher education academy and has often been compared. In his spare time he likes reading poetry and avoiding televised sport.
Liam Fuller
I graduated from the University in 2015 and went on to be the Education Officer at AUSA for two years helping support students and
In 2017 I was student president at the students' association helping oversee the development of a new policy structure and recruitment of new staff. Since October 2017, I've been enrolled in an MSc in Social & Educational Research here at the university of Aberdeen focussing on higher education and students being active partners.
Dr Heidi Mehrkens, Lecturer (Scholarship), School of Divinity, History, and Philosophy
Professor David McCausland, Director of Undergraduate Studies, Business School
Dr Michael Scholz, Lecturer (Scholarship), School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition
In 2008 my role changed to a teaching only post and my teaching responsibilities now cover a broad range of topics related to Biochemistry, Physiology and Sport Science and I deliver lectures, practicals and tutorials to students from numerous science and non-science degrees as well as medicine and dentistry. I received my HEA Fellowship in 2016.
Dr Clare Trinder, Lecturer (Scholarship), School of Biological Sciences
After working in nature conservation and environmental education for 13 years, I arrived in Aberdeen to do a PhD in 2004 in the School of Biological Sciences. I followed this with a 3 year postdoc and have been lecturing since 2011. I am particularly interested in field-based teaching and developing new courses to provide students with the practical skills they will need to work in conservation and ecology. I'm also investigating activities that make lectures more interactive and ways to improve students' skills in interpreting data and problem-solving. I have also experimenting with additional activities to increase students' engagement with biology.
Poster Abstract Submissions for 2018 Annual Symposium
Teaching Performance
A. Bryzgel
In all of my courses in the Film and Visual Culture Department, I include practical elements to help students understand the art-making process from the inside, from the perspective of the artist. Rather than simply analyse the work from a distance, students become artists, and participate in the creation of artwork, either individually or collectively.
- Click here to view the poster.
Engineering Transitional Summer School
S. Middleton
In order to assist engineering students making the transition from college to university, the University of Aberdeen offered a free summer school programme to help prepare college students for their university studies.
Who attended? The programme was open to college students transitioning to University. Nineteen students started and completed the summer school.
Why was the summer school set up? It was designed to act upon the recommendations of the Commission on Widening Access to encourage college students to continue their studies at university.
What was studied? The two-week summer school focused on four key areas: mathematics, computer programming, materials science and integrating into university life. As part of the computer programming students studied Matlab which is necessary for the honours engineering degree but makes up a very small portion of the HNC and HND.
How much does it cost students? The Summer School is a free programme and offered free accommodation.
- Click here to view the poster.
The role of student support mechanisms in student engagement and learning
A. Poobalan, J. Barrow , I. Doig, K. Foster, J. Cleland
Transitioning to and through higher education is a challenging phase for many students. Formal and informal support is crucial in motivating student engagement throughout their learning. The aim of this project is to understand the factors that support student success and satisfaction. Themes emerging from focus group discussions (FGDs) on how students use various formal support structures and mechanisms available to them for support, and their views of how these formal mechanisms help them engage academically and socially with their peers and the wider learning community, will be presented.
- Click here to view the poster.
A New Modern Model for Teaching Intravenous Fluid Prescribing in an Undergraduate Curriculum
D. Wandless
Background - Foundation year doctors have been shown to struggle with the composition of the fluids(1), often there are discrepancies between textbooks (2)
Objectives -Using what is known of the challenges in intravenous fluids, we have designed a new approach to teaching based on both evidence and pedagogical principles therein.
Methods -Using active frontline NHS staff we aligned this, to blueprint a multi-academic level syllabus to tie traditional systems teaching to practical principles.
Discussion - Standardisation to both local, national and international guidance could improve the discrepancy in knowledge within both the University, and the wider healthcare system.
- Click here to view the poster.
Evaluating two interactive 3D tools for the teaching of heart anatomy
F. Gröning, L. Pérez-Pachón, R. Sloan, P. Robertson, A. Denison,
Interactive digital learning tools can enhance Anatomy teaching in multiple ways. In this project we created a photo-based 3D model of a human cadaveric heart and made it available to students and Anatomy teaching staff in two different ways: 1) as an interactive 3D PDF and 2) as a game-based app in which users were asked to orientate the heart model correctly and receive feedback on their performance. 61 undergraduate Anatomy students and 5 staff members evaluated these tools. Students and staff would recommend both tools to enhance Anatomy teaching and learning, but the game-based app was considered more useful.
- Click here to view the poster.
Work based placements: fostering the development of graduate attributes at Masters level
H. Morgan
It is increasingly an expectation - of students, academics and potential employers - that University education will encourage and support the development of 'graduate attributes'. Graduate attributes are designed to enhance preparedness for further study, future employment and citizenship post-graduation. While they are becoming recognised internationally, graduate attributes vary between institutions. However, one common approach to fostering their development, and an improved student experience, is through work based placements. We introduced work based placements with health and development sector organisations for MSc Global Health and Management students at the University of Aberdeen in 2013. This poster explores the role of placements in the development of graduate attributes at Masters level.
- Click here to view the poster.
Students 4 Students - Enhancing the 1st Year Undergraduate Experience
J. Barrow
Starting out at university can be a daunting prospect for students, which will only become more of an issue with more diverse and larger first year intakes expected. Students 4 Students (S4S) has been developed over an eight year period to become a university-wide initiative aimed at helping first year undergraduates settle into university life and aid the transition to a higher education setting. All first year undergraduates from across the institution get an S4S Mentor, and current developments include Enhanced S4S Mentoring; this will provide more specialised support to enhance the provision for incoming students.
- Click here to view the poster.
Impact of a final year project skills workshop series
J. Barrow, D. Scott
Recent years have seen large increases in the number of students entering our Honours year and with that a more diverse set of inherent skills. For this reason, coupled with staff and student feedback on previous projects, we created a series of four project preparation workshops that aimed to educate our students in some of the areas supervisory staff highlighted as key for a positive project experience. Here we will summarise the preliminary findings on how effective these sessions have been, as well as highlighting the workshops that have shown the most impact.
- Click here to view the poster.
Vacations and Vocations: Learning from Our Students' Summer Experience Survey
J. Perkins, R. Gibson, Z. Hickman, R. Lindsay
Careers Service-led research was carried out to discover the types of activities returning undergraduates engaged in during the summer 2016 vacation period. Research was carried out via an online survey, focus groups and student-authored case studies. The main aims of the Higher Education Careers Service Unit (HECSU)-funded research were to:
- Understand how these experiences impacted on students' employability.
- Explore potential new ways to recognise, reward and support students' wider summer learning.
- The poster will present key research findings and recommendations derived from the study to further develop students' employability across the University.
- Click here to view the poster.
Embedding Engineering Work Experience into the Second Year Curriculum
P. Davidson (key author), Z. Ahmed, J. Perkins
- Click here to view the poster.
An alternative model for re-conceptualising student experience
L. Puhalak
There is widespread interest in student experiences (SE) in higher education both internationally and nationally, particularly in relation to the concepts of social justice and widening participation. The majority of studies investigating this topic have tended to focus on the learning experience itself, rather than making a more comprehensive account of student life, whereby experiences of specific groups (e.g. students from less affluent backgrounds) could be better understood. It is proposed that SE can be re-conceptualised to incorporate a wider range of influencing factors. The capability approach, as developed by Sen and Nussbaum, with a focus on individuals' freedom to achieve wellbeing by exploring students' lived experiences might provide an alternative model for evaluating SE.
- Click here to view the poster.
The power of anonymous feedback from students
M. Pinard, M. Barker
Students often want to provide staff with feedback on their courses but may be worried about repercussions from sharing critical comments, especially while courses are running. We present lessons learned in the School of Biological Sciences from 12-month trial of a live, formative feedback platform, BluePulse2. While the proportion of students using BluePulse 2 was often low, some students used the platform effectively to highlight concerns and make constructive comments in a safe environment. With BluePulse 2 staff also have the opportunity to respond to anonymous students, so engagement is encouraged and the feedback loop can be closed.
- Click here to view the poster.
Reviewing assessments - efficiency and effectiveness
P. Henderson
A review of changes to Chemistry assessment to reduce assessment effort.
- added to online continuous assessments. This had the added benefit of giving more specific feedback to students, which was not given for previous written final exams.
- MyAberdeen marking rubrics. To speed up marking, improve feedback, ensure consistency.
- Delegate and shared marking. Using this Blackboard feature for the first time.
- Peer assessment. WebPA was used for student self- and peer-assessment or a group lab report.
A summary of each assessment, review of marks and staff and student comments will be presented.
- Click here to view the poster.
Lecture attendance monitoring and assessment performance in a 1st year chemistry course
P. Henderson
This poster presents a detailed breakdown of QR-code lecture attendance data for my first half-session level 1 course.
- Click here to view the poster.
Students perception and experience of a new knowledge-swap method of learning and teaching in medical education: An adaptation of a Swedish method
S. Shahida
A new knowledge-swap method of teaching and learning was partially adopted from a Swedish teaching method which was successfully developed and implemented into a human cadaver based third year MBChB dissection based course (ME33HA) over a 3 weeks' period. At the end of the study data was collected by an anonymous student survey from each student and was coded and analysed to identify the key findings. The preliminary data demonstrates efficient learning experience and knowledge gain without increasing student workload. To cross validate the data from the ME33HA, this knowledge-swap system was also adopted into another short course (AN5501/An5502) designed for various health professionals where students demonstrated a very similar level of satisfaction rate.
- Clickhere to view the poster.
Connecting with the global - live!
S. Thomson, C. Aldred, A. Ackland, S. Cornelius
We report on the iterative development of international collaboration to support Teaching Qualification in Further Education (TQFE) students to think more abstractly about vocational education and the societal, political and economic factors that affect the vocational education sector.
Working with international vocational teacher educators, we used a 'Flipped Classroom' model (see Crouch and Mazur, 2001) and asked students to watch videos prepared by contributors from Finland, England and South Africa about challenges for the vocational education sector in these national contexts.
For the first time, students and international contributors met online in Blackboard collaborate and together explored external influences on vocational education. Discussions continued asynchronously on discussion forums after the workshop.
For many years, the course has included an international theme to encourage students to extend and challenge their view of their community of practice (see Wenger, 1998). Interactions with vocational educators in different contexts have helped students to do this. Each year, the TQFE team has introduced a different method of international collaboration including live online workshops, asynchronous discussions using discussion forums and bespoke videos from vocational educators.
The combination of all 3 methods, used this year for the first time, has provided a more effective stimulus for students to understand their own vocational area and its place in larger societal trends. Student feedback for this approach was very positive. Our poster will explain the iterations of this learning activity in more detail and provide qualitative evidence from student chat box comments, discussion forums and other relevant sources.
- Click here to view the poster.
Does Mindfulness Practice Influence the Well-Being of Chemistry Students?
T. Eldridge-Hinmers, S. Wehmeier
Postsecondary education has become a major enterprise worldwide,transforming higher education institutions and systems and contributing to economic and social development. In higher education contemplation and critical thinking may be said to have a long and respected history. With the All-Party Parliamentary Group on mindfulness report 'Mindful Nation UK' in 2015 the concept of mindfulness has gained traction in many sectors of society. In higher education we are seeing it take the form of contemplative pedagogy.
A BSc Chemistry Honours research project presents evidence of how contemplative pedagogy, like mindfulness practice, enhances student experience and well-being. A mixed methodology approach (questionnaire, interview) was used to evaluate the responses of chemistry students who participated in a 6 week 'Introduction to Mindfulness' course alongside the chemistry curriculum.
- Click here to view the poster.
Improving the Student Experience through Online Professional Skills Courses
T. Innes
The online level 1 professional skills course was completed by 2374 (87% of those eligible) students during 2016-17. The course includes interactive activities to encourage student engagement in Aberdeen Graduate Attribute development throughout the University. Post-course evaluation data shows:
- 98% agree or strongly agree with the course learning outcome statements.
- A positive impact on student experience with 93% reporting they had taken at least one action as a result of completing the course, including: 48% researching opportunities to get involved | 44% working towards developing further skills and attributes | 40% starting to keep a record of their skills, activities and achievements.
- Click here to view the poster
2018
Evidence for Enhancement: Improving the Student Experience
2018
Evidence for Enhancement: Improving the Student Experience
2018
Evidence for Enhancement: Improving the Student Experience
2018
Evidence for Enhancement: Improving the Student Experience
2018
Evidence for Enhancement: Improving the Student Experience
2018
Evidence for Enhancement: Improving the Student Experience