Current Students and Staff

// University News

20 May 2016

School of Science celebrates teaching excellence

Staff in the School of Science celebrated teaching excellence at the inaugural Learning and Teaching Showcase on 18 May.

The event, opened by the Vice Chancellor Bob Allison, recognised the efforts of staff and the vast range of teaching methods utilised to enhance the student learning experience.

Over the last month, School staff have been nominating their colleagues for the new teaching initiatives they have been developing and the way in which their projects have supported learning and teaching.

The nominations in each category were:

Best use of LEARN

  • Iain Phillips – Online tools for collaborative learning
  • Maureen McIver – Online testing to support learning
  • Helen Reid – Flexible lectures via LEARN
  • Sasha Balanov – Maximising the utility of LEARN
  • Mike Walsh – Formative lecture quizzes for deeper understanding

Best peer-identified practice

  • Paul Kelly – Encouraging data recording skills and reducing the laboratory marking burden and developing the use of a group as a genuine research tool
  • Mike Cropper – Assessing laboratory skills (rather than writing skills)
  • Paul Hernandez-Martinez – Designing teaching to develop employability skills
  • Lara Alcock – Engaging students in large lectures
  • Marc Kimber – Holistic programme (re)design

Best electronic resources

  • Marco Discacciati – Supporting student learning through computer aided activities
  • Upul Wijayantha – Pre-lab videos, a step towards dynamic lab manuals
  • Ian Murray – Using screencasts to support student learning
  • Carol Robinson – Personal experiences of using lecture capture

The event included presentations by each of the nominees and an overview of the School’s Teaching and Student Experience Development (TestED) programme which was introduced to enable innovative developmental work for teaching and student experience.

In his speech, the Vice Chancellor commended staff on how the work of all School is already demonstrating objectives highlighted in the upcoming Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF).

The overall winners were announced as Mike Walsh for the ‘Best use of Learn’, Mike Cropper for ‘Best peer-identified practice’ and, Carol Robinson for ‘Best electronic resources’.

Dr Sandie Dann, Associate Dean (Teaching) for the School of Science, said: “Part of my role as ADT is supporting staff and students to be the best they can be. This show and tell event has enabled us to share good practice from across the School and raise awareness of ideas to facilitate student engagement and support learners.  Many staff said they have come away with ways to quality enhance their teaching suggesting we have achieved our goal for the day.”

Professor Mark Biggs, Dean of School of Science, added: “This event demonstrated that simple actions can deliver major improvements in student learning experience as well as save staff time in the long run. This time can be used to further efforts in teaching & learning, research and enterprise. It also showcased some more advanced possibilities that, if more widely adopted, would help cement Loughborough’s position as one of the top UK universities.