SDTL lunch meeting 16 th Nov. 2011

1. 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

2. 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 moreresearch-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

8. Staff engagement • 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

9. 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

10. 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?

11. 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

12. Should Part One count?Student views Yes - 23 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 • 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%

13. 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?