Engagement with Gizmos Using Webinar Sessions, eNotebooks and Lecture Response Systems, to facilitate engagement. Molecular Biology and Biochemistry Gareth Denyer, School Molecular Bioscience

WHAT’S GOOD ABOUT LECTURES? 2 Which reason SURPRISES you the most? A.Discipline to engage with the material B.Feeling of connection with lecturer/course C.Social contact with peers and Uni life D.Rapid disengagement if did not attend E.Ability to ask questions

ARE LECTURE QUESTIONS EFFECTIVE? 3

4 In theory a great barometer of class understanding…. But in a class of 300?????

A SAFE PLACE FOR QUESTIONS? 5 Anonymous In their own home At a time that feels right Recorded Easy to set up No software installation needed University Supported No need to appear on video!

TYPICAL SESSION 6

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DEPLOYMENT 10 Student opinion… exceptionally positive… EXPLANATIONS Originally run during Stu Vac and before exams About 30 turned up regularly – but recorded Since then run in the evenings about once per week Anonymity a key factor – yet felt PERSONAL Especially good for catch up material

WHAT DO THESE EXAM RESULTS MEAN? 11 UoS Mark AAM P C D HD regular attendee

ENGAGEMENT IN PRACTICAL CLASSES ›Traditionally -Lab Bench Experiments -Mainly follow-the-recipe -Little opportunity for extension experiments or revision of approach

ELEMENTS OF SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITY ›In addition to Theory/Background & Technical Skills -Observation -Measurement -Data Analysis -Presentation -Questioning -Experimental Design -Discussion (Feedback Cycle) -Revision of Approach -Opportunity to Repeat -Curation of Data ELEMENTS OF ENGAGEMENT

PRE-ENGAGEMENT PROBLEMS ›Few actually do the pre-work -Worse still: some do, some don’t! ›Rely on tutor tutorial

PRE-PRAC TUTE – ENGAGING??

ELECTRONIC LAB NOTEBOOKS 16 ePortfolio – PebblepadLab Archives

E-NOTEBOOK FACILITATES ENGAGEMENT ›Pre-work actually done!!! ›More time to do real lab work! ›Re-structured class to allow repetition and redesign of experiments

STUDENT-TUTOR ENGAGEMENT ›Little outside class ›Tutors are post-grads working in real research labs! ›No development of the relationship

THE COST OF ENGAGEMENT ›24/7 communication ›Much more work for the tutors -Harder to answer random Qs than deliver well-rehearsed “tute” ›No longer the Sage on the Stage -Loss of status??

CAN THIS APPLY TO LECTURES? 20 Classroom Engagement systems Get the mood of the class in real time Increased preparednessQuality questions and tailored responses eLNAdobe Connect Leverage off student devices

A SHAKY START…. 21 BCHM2072 started sprinkling questions here and there…… But then Danny Liu shows Socrative at Science Teaching Tips Free…. Easy…. (and I got my classes re-timetabled )

GOING THE FULL FLIP? 22 Chemistry reported great success on flipping…. Surely can’t try this with first years!!!?? ………students master basic content before they come to class, and work with their new knowledge in class. This is the reverse of the lecture model, where the professor lectures on basic material, and then students struggle with homework on their own……. Totally unrealistic to imagine that they really will listen to a one hour lecture on-line first… ?

FLIP STRATEGY…COMPETING TENSIONS 23 Make them realise I’m not bluffing Don’t lose the students that didn’t pre-engage

TURNING EACH SLIDE INTO QUESTIONS 24 Original Lecture Slide 26

A FRESH APPROACH 25 Original Lecture Slide 55

THE STUDENT VOICE 26 Thanks to Jill Johnston, Dale Hancock, Danny Liu and Vanessa Gysbers [TRUST your colleagues to analyse your feedback…] But the exam also contains objective measures…. Extra workload – what if everyone did it!? Focus on MCQ and exams rather than engagement per se? No preparation – not worth coming to lecture Very polarised emotions – Loved it or hated it

GIZMO ENABLED ENGAGEMENTS 27 Laboratory ClassTutorials eNotebooksAdobe Connect Lectures Response Systems