Abstract:

The Science Foundation Year at the University of East Anglia is an example of a very diverse student cohort. They come to us with a variety of educational backgrounds and a range of aspirational destinations. A single, rigid teaching structure could never cater to all.

A blend of pedagogies and technology-facilitated modalities are sequentially employed to first determine and then meet the needs of our students:
(1) A quiz, delivered on the virtual learning environment establishes their prior knowledge.
(2) The individual feedback directs students to single-concept chunked video resources hosted on Echo360. The students are encouraged to complete the videos by simple recall questions.
(3) Once familiarity with the content is ensured, the students are engaged in a highly interactive face-to-face learning experience, leveraging the social construction opportunities. They are guided to make sense of the underlying concepts through rounds of peer instruction.
(4) The application of a digital platform (Padlet) facilitates online interaction with students. beyond their immediate physical neighbours. Students retain individual anonymity while motivated to engage by an inter-programme competition.
(5) After the face-to-face teaching, students are directed to a second set of chunked video resources, which are enhanced with demanding questions that probe and solidify their conceptual understanding.

This presentation will outline both the technological solutions we currently employ and the potential for simplification and streamlining, through consolidation of the pedagogical features on the Echo360 platform.

We will provide participants with an insight into the student experience by modelling the pedagogy, which will require an oral presentation. No previous chemistry experience is required.

References:
[1] S. Freeman, S.L. Eddy, M. McDonough, M.K. Smith, N. Okorafor, H. Jordt & M.P. Wenderoth, “Active learning increases student performance in science, engineering, and mathematics”, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111, 23, 8410–8415, http://www.pnas.org/content/111/23/8410.full, 2013.
[2] S. Chamberlain, D. Elford, S. J. Lancaster, F. Silve, CHIMIA International Journal for Chemistry, 75, 1-2, 18-26, https://doi.org/10.2533/chimia.2021.18
[3] E. Mazur, R. C. Hilborn, Phys. Today 1997, 50, 68, https://doi.org/10.1063/1.881735.
[4] S. Lancaster, D. F. Cook, W. J. Massingberd-Mundy, ‘Teaching Chemistry in Higher Education: A Festschrift in Honour of Professor Tina Overton’,
Creathach Press, UK, 2019.

Keywords:

Active learning, individualised learning, peer instruction, blended learning, Echo360, Blackboard, Padlet, chemistry, interactive, chunked videos, concepts.