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Student Engagement
6 March 2024
4 minutes to readCo-designing marking criteria with students for non-standard assessments
If we want students to know what is expected of them in an assessment it is critical to have a set of marking criteria that make transparent how they will be assessed. This is even more important in the case of non-standard assessments. This post describes how I get students to co-design…
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10 January 2024
4 minutes to read‘Melanin Matters’ – A student-led skin diversity project
A group of Exeter medical students established ‘Melanin Matters’ to expand the dialogue surrounding ethnic diversity in medicine, with a view to facilitate curriculum change which better reflects the global patient population. Project Lead, Natasha, shares how it all started and the next steps below. Why was ‘Melanin Matters’ initiated? For too…
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13 December 2023
4 minutes to readGamifying review sessions: helping students integrate their learning in a supportive, enjoyable environment
Student engagement is a hot topic in education at the moment, and gamification is one way we can create effective and engaging learning environments for our students. Gamification can also be an excellent way to consolidate learning and enable multiple topics to be tested in a synoptic way. We’ve done this by…
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22 November 2023
3 minutes to readTaking account of student experiences of eco-grief and eco-anxiety when incorporating sustainable development goals into teaching
The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated many changes in higher education, including a greater focus on online learning. However, another key trend has been growing efforts to incorporate the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into university curricula. This reflects a wider recognition that higher education institutions have a crucial role to play in…
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1 November 2023
2 minutes to readScaffolding reflective writing for undergraduate students
Reflective writing can be a powerful tool to improve student learning outcomes in university courses. However, many first-year students lack the skills to write reflectively. This post outlines an approach taken by Dr Rossana Guttilla to scaffold reflective writing for first-year management students. First-year management students often struggle with reflective writing assignments….
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25 October 2023
2 minutes to readThe impact of thinking fast and slow on teaching and learning strategies in mathematics
Professors Layal Hakim and Peter Ashwin recently ran an insightful session exploring how the two different thinking systems proposed by psychologist Daniel Kahneman affect learning maths. Their talk, based on Kahneman’s acclaimed book ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’, provided some great takeaways for engaging students in deeper thinking. The Two Systems of Thinking…
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17 October 2023
2 minutes to readEmbedding wellbeing from the get-go: exploring best practices in teaching that promote student wellbeing
The pandemic has put student mental health under the spotlight. With all the changes in higher education, how do we make sure wellbeing stays front and centre? This post reflects on research and practice around whole university approaches to wellbeing and shares some practical strategies for embedding wellbeing into teaching. Why Focus…
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28 September 2023
3 minutes to readWe need to talk about Schrödinger
In light of recent revelations about the personal life of one of the most infamous quantum physicists, it is time we re-measured Schrödinger’s legacy? [Content warning: sexual assault] In an Irish Times article from Dec 11 2021, Joe Humphreys brought the personal life of one of the most famous names in quantum…
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7 December 2021
3 minutes to readPromoting postgraduate opportunities through the Sustainability Summer Programme
With so many different options for postgraduate study, it can be difficult for students to decide what or where to study. To help address this, the College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences (CEMPS) ran a Summer Programme entirely online earlier this year.
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24 November 2021
3 minutes to readInspiring the next generation of female STEM students
Research shows that females are more likely than males to form negative emotions about their abilities to perform mathematics or sciences, and that these perceptions take root at a young age. These views are often influenced by stereotypes about gender disparities, and false assumptions that mathematics or science subjects are not for…
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15 July 2021
4 minutes to readOpportunities and challenges of digital learning: an interview with Professor Tim Quine, DVC Education
Emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic will bring challenges and opportunities for education, and three Exeter students recently had the chance to quiz Professor Tim Quine, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education), to canvass his views.
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24 June 2021
4 minutes to readBringing learning back to campus through The Festival of Discovery
Over 400 events took place on campus in the University’s inaugural Festival of Discovery. Held over a 2-week period from late May, the event aimed to bring our whole university community closer together to enjoy a range of on-campus and online activities. “I loved the…
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19 May 2021
4 minutes to readBuilding social connections between students during the pandemic
University life is about more than just studying. It’s about building social connections – friendships and relationships that can shape you forever. These social connections with peers are crucial to students’ success and overall wellbeing. But establishing these connections
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29 April 2021
4 minutes to readMaking the case for online conferences: The UG Research Showcase
This year marked two important milestones for the University’s Undergraduate Research Showcase: the annual event celebrated its fifth birthday, and, for the first time ever, it took place all online. The exhibition offers an opportunity for undergraduates to share projects they’ve undertaken during their time at the university
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25 March 2021
4 minutes to readThe unexpected upsides of digital learning – and overcoming the downsides
For many students, the accelerated move to digital learning in 2020/21 has posed a number of challenges. But it’s also had its advantages. Here, Millie Britton, a final year Economics with Geography student and Digital Learning Assistant, reflects on a year of digital learning. From my own experiences as a third year, and the experiences of other students,…
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