SDTL lunch meeting 16th Nov. 2011

Agenda• 12.00 lunch• 12.20 Away Day – summary and discussion• 12.50 Should Part One count?• 1.15 SDTL community of practice – reflection

and future meetings• 1.30 close

SDTL Away Daysummary

3

Dissertations, Projects and Assessments

• Alternatives to dissertations/projects• Student-led ‘projects’ at Parts 2 and 3• Longitudinal projects / inter-year group

research projects• UG student ‘research groups’• Engaging ‘industry’ to come up with

topics and problems for UGs to tackle• Synoptic assessments/exams to allow

integration of modules

4

Programme structure

• Need to take a strategic view at undergraduate research

• Would like to change the structure and also ensure consistency in approach

• Reading week• Offer fewer, larger modules for more

research-led discussion and activities• More integration of modules to allow

thinking across modules (and synoptic exams)

5

Module design

• Develop research/inquiry-based learning modules

• Develop more student ownership of learning (e.g. wider reading, briefer reading lists and students to find own texts and report back)

• More teaching in the Library (teaching in more context-specific environments)

6

Student presentations

• Create (more) opportunities for students to present their work and to see others presenting

• Cross-year presentations• Interdisciplinary UG research

seminars/meetings

7

UG research journals and events

• Student publications (School, Faculty, institutional journals)

• Research day for UGs• Student conferences• Showcase UG research • Celebrate student research in

degree ceremonies• UG pedagogic research

scholarships • Peer support Part 3s to

disseminate their research• UG research prizes

Staff engagement

8

• Higher visibility of what research staff are doing• Articulate benefits to staff • Challenge staff to develop more

research/inquiry-based learning modules• Work together to better integrate modules so

that the experience of research is reinforced• Reward staff properly for teaching and learning

enhancement• Develop staff to be ‘research teachers’ Make

better use of PhD students• Make colleagues aware of examples of way

forward

Student development as researcher

• ‘Student as scholar’ – provide a roadmap of research skills that students will develop

• Research activities as part of development of skills (at part 1)

• Students to find out research interests of staff in first few weeks

• Encourage student societies to interact with researchers in department

• Articulate benefits to students embed from day 1 attitude that doing research will help get a job

Discussion

Common themes:• Projects, dissertations, assessments• Programme structure and Module design• Student journals and events• Staff engagement• Student development

Which of these, if any, would you like to see the University take a lead on (and how?)

Which of these, if any, would you like support for as a community? and which at School level?

10

Should Part One count?

This house believes that Part One should count towards students’ final degree classification

Debate – Wednesday 30th November 2-3pm

(lunch from 1pm)

Chaired by Professor Tony Downes

Should Part One count?Student views

Yes - 23• We pay £3000, so yes• Aids understanding in

further years• Motivation• If it counts people

would work harder!• Yes, but perhaps 10%• Only at a lower

percentage to the other 2 years

• No more than 20%

No - 25• You need time to adjust • 1st year gives you a

chance to make mistakes and learn from them without penalty

• It’s a useful transition year

• Definitely no – it’s all about getting everyone to the same level

• But I did quite well so it’s annoying

SDTL Community of Practice

• In what ways the meetings served the needs of the Community of Practice?

 • In what ways the content of the meeting(s) was

communicated beyond those who attended?