Teaching Matters Edinburgh

In this podcast episode, Kirstin Stuart James an academic and occupational therapist, shares the inspiration for her blog series. She discusses the link between her roles, offering a practical example of curriculum transformation through a pedagogy of occupation. This post belongs to the Hot Topic series: Through the Lens of Occupation↗️ Time stamps:

(2:46) Inspiration behind the blog series and podcast episode

(4:50) Human occupations, occupational disruption and occupational marginalisation

(9:41) Framework for pedagogy of education: Links between Health and Education

(12:09) A practical example of curriculum transformation from the MSc Clinical Education program

(19:15) Conclusion

Transcript of the podcast episode↗️.

Transcript of this episode

Time stamps:

1:06: Chapter 1: Getting there

2:19: Chapter 2: Class

19:00: Chapter 3: Solidarity

21:49: Chapter 4: Home time

22:26: Concluding remarks by Neil Speirs

Music for this episode was provided by Hooksounds. 

The fourth and final episode of Generative AI podcast series↗️ features James Stewart, a lecturer at Science, Technology and Innovations studies↗️, The University of Edinburgh. This episode provides a comprehensive exploration of Generative AI, discussing its influence not only in academia but also across industries, and delving into the key players in this dynamic landscape.

Timestamps: (2:02) Academic integrity and Generative AI

(4:47) Gen AI as a personal tutor

(6:03) Broader technical landscape - key players and value chain

(17:09) Series conclusion: Take home messages

Transcript of this episode↗️

The third episode of Generative AI podcast series↗️ features Lara Dal Molin, a second year PhD student at the Science, Technology and Innovations studies↗️, The University of Edinburgh. Discussing some of the core issues associated with Generative AI technologies, Lara leaves us with a compelling invitation to ponder how we can guide our students in cultivating a responsible relationship with these technologies.

Timestamps: (1:56) What is the impact of ChatGPT on digital divide? (6:13) What are the skills required for the use of chat GPT? How do you think these skills will impact digital divide? (9:17) What do you think about gender bias within the world of Generative AI?  (14:18) How can we benefit from these developments without compromising the safety of the users or data workers? 

Transcript of this episode↗️

Read the accompanying blog post

Timestamps: (2:00) - How does it feel to be an MSc student at the University of Edinburgh in terms of coursework?

(5:00) - In terms of marking scale, could you tell us what does a 55%, a 65% 75% mean to you? How does these numbers resonate with you?

(7:20) - Why would students be tempted to use AI software to help with their essays?

(10:55) - Have you tried these software at all, what did you see? Are they good, have they got any limitations?

(13:45) - How do you think MSc students would use these AI technologies in 5 years from now?

Transcript of this episode

Read the transcript of this podcast

Transcript of the episode is available here.

Music for this episode was provided by Hooksounds.

Our Decolonising the Curriculum podcast series was referenced in this conversation, which you can find here. 

Transcript of the episode is available here.

Music for this episode was provided by Hooksounds.

Transcript. Music for this episode was provided by Hooksounds.

Transcript

Music for this episode was provided by Hooksounds.

Transcript

Music for this episode was provided by Hooksounds. 

Transcript

Lego replica of the University of Edinburgh Main Library

Music for today's episode was provided by Hooksounds.

Transcript

Music for this episode was provided by Hooksounds. 

Transcript

Music for this episode was provided by Hooksounds. 

'Media Hopper Create and its many uses' Transcript

Music provided by Hooksounds. 

In this episode, Ewan McAndrew, the University of Edinburgh's Wikimedian in Residence, is joined by Diana Paton, lecturer at the University of Edinburgh and the William Robertson Chair of History, Lucy Crompton-Reid, Chief Executive of Wikimedia UK, Lucy Parfitt, former President of the University History Society, two history students, Grace King and Siân Davies, and Hannah Rothmann, a former Wikimedia intern and Classics student, to discuss Wikimedia, History how the two topics are interconnected. Particularly, they discuss the Scotland Slavery and Black History Project. This episode is the fifth and final of our Wikimedia Series, which aims to recontextualize Wikimedia's role in academia on its 21st birthday.

The conversation begins with each participant detailing what drew them to the project and its formulation. They also consider Edward Gibbon's quote, "History is indeed little more than the register of the crimes, follies, and misfortunes of mankind." While the group's conversation revolves around the Scotland Slavery and Black History Project, it often diverges into fascinating territory regarding Wikipedia and History. Is Wikipedia a source, a source aggregator, or both? What role can Wikipedia play in documenting history's ever-changing nature? What kind of conversations follow a project such as this one, and what conversations does it necessitate?

This link leads to more information about the Scotland Slavery and Black History Project. 

Timestamps:

2:00 - Introduction of participants, entertainment of Edward Gibbon's quote, and discussion about the inception of the Scotland Slavery and Black History Project

13:40 - The participants discuss the 'othering' of Wikipedia, more about the conversations the project necessitated, and whether Wikipedia is a source or a source aggregator

33:00 - Each participant reflects on the project, detailing what they got out of it and their final thoughts

Transcript

Music for this episode was provided by Hooksounds. 

• Building bridges not walls – Wikipedia in Translation Studies
• Address Knowledge Gaps (Program)
• Growing Wikipedia Across Languages via Recommendation
• Videos on Wikipedia and Translation Studies
• Videos on Translation more generally

• Wikipedia on Olive Schreiner, like it or what? 
• Wikimedia in Education (collection of case studies)
• How Wikipedia keeps political discourse from turning ugly (Harvard Business Review article)
• Why didn’t Wikipedia have an article on Donna Strickland, winner of a Nobel Prize? (Wikipedia Foundation article)
• Female Nobel prize winner deemed not important enough for Wikipedia entry (additional article about Donna Strickland from the Guardian)

Music for this episode is provided by Hooksounds.  Cover art was created by Eric Berger using a template from http://ereyes.github.io/

In this podcast, the Institute for Academic Development's (IAD) Dr Catherine Bovill, Senior Lecturer in Student Engagement, and Celeste McLaughlin, Head of Academic Development for Digital Education, discuss a collaborative international research project that sought to understand the changes to teaching practices as they went online during the initial period of the Covid-19 pandemic. This episode complements the blogpost, "Learning together during a global pandemic: Practices and principles for teaching and assessing online in uncertain times".

Catherine and Celeste's conversation covers fascinating questions about how teachers have collectively adapted to the pandemic, as well.  How did sentiment towards online learning change from the onset of the pandemic to six months in? How has online teaching led educators to rethink their practices? How has the pandemic changed the practices of teachers who were already teaching in a digital space? What did educators consider to be the 'biggest losses' from transitioning to online teaching?

Timestamps:

1:05 - Celeste and Catherine introduce themselves and their research project

6:29 - Celeste and Catherine discuss educators' sentiments about the 'emergency period', and how these compare to the responses gathered well into the pandemic

9:00 - Catherine introduces the idea that teachers have had the opportunity to 'step back' from their normal teaching practices, and the two discuss

14:50 - The pair discuss how smaller blocks of recorded content has been used as an adaptation to digital learning

In this Teaching Matters podcast series, produced by The Race Equality and Anti-Racist Sub-Committee (REAR) at The University of Edinburgh in collaboration with Teaching Matters, we hear from different academics at the University about what Decolonising the Curriculum means for them, and how they have put this into practice in their learning and teaching or research. They also share some readings that they have found useful.

In this episode, Professor Emerita Rowena Arshad, Chair in Multicultural and Anti-Racist Education talks to Dr. Lauren Hall-Lew, a Reader in Linguistics and English Language in the School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences at the University of Edinburgh.

Dr. Hall-Lew’s Recommendations

• Rosa, Jonathan, and Nelson Flores. “Unsettling race and language: Toward a raciolinguistic perspective.” Language in society 46, no. 5 (2017): 621-647.
• Hudley, Anne H. Charity, Christine Mallinson, and Mary Bucholtz. “Toward racial justice in linguistics: Interdisciplinary insights into theorizing race in the discipline and diversifying the profession.” Language 96.4 (2020): e200-e235.
• García, Ofelia, Nelson Flores, Kate Seltzer, Li Wei, Ricardo Otheguy, and Jonathan Rosa. “Rejecting abyssal thinking in the language and education of racialized bilinguals: A manifesto.” Critical Inquiry in Language Studies (2021): 1-26.
• Webinars on “Racial Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in the Linguistics Curriculum” https://www.linguisticsociety.org/resource/lsa-webinar-series-racial-justice-equity-diversity-and-in…

In this Teaching Matters podcast series, produced by The Race Equality and Anti-Racist Sub-Committee (REAR) at The University of Edinburgh in collaboration with Teaching Matters, we hear from different academics at the University about what Decolonising the Curriculum means for them, and how they have put this into practice in their learning and teaching or research. They also share some readings that they have found useful.

In this episode, Professor Emerita Rowena Arshad, Chair in Multicultural and Anti-Racist Education talks to Professor David Kluth, Chair of Medical Education, Deanery of Clinical Sciences at the University of Edinburgh and a consultant nephrologist.

Prof. David Kluth Recommendations:

• Hannaford, Ivan. Race : the History of an Idea in the West / Ivan Hannaford. Washington, D.C: Woodrow Wilson Center Press, 1996.
• Givens, Marjory L et al. “Deconstructing Inequities — Transparent Values in Measurement and Analytic Choices.” The New England journal of medicine 384.19 (2021): 1861–1865.
• Amutah, Christina et al. “Misrepresenting Race — The Role of Medical Schools in Propagating Physician Bias.” The New England journal of medicine 384.9 (2021): 872–878.
• Oni-Orisan, Akinyemi et al. “Embracing Genetic Diversity to Improve Black Health.” The New England journal of medicine 384.12 (2021): 1163–1167.
• Mukwende, Malone, Peter Tamony, and Margaret Turner. Mind the Gap : a Handbook of Clinical Signs in Black and Brown Skin / Mukwende, M,  Tamony, P, Turner, M. First edition. London: St George’s, University of London, 2020.

In this Teaching Matters podcast series, produced by The Race Equality and Anti-Racist Sub-Committee (REAR) at The University of Edinburgh in collaboration with Teaching Matters, we hear from different academics at the University about what Decolonising the Curriculum means for them, and how they have put this into practice in their learning and teaching or research. They also share some readings that they have found useful.

In this episode, Professor Emerita Rowena Arshad, Chair in Multicultural and Anti-Racist Education talks to Julie Cupples, Professor of Human Geography and Cultural Studies; Head of Geography and the Lived Environment Research Institute at the University of Edinburgh.

Prof. Julie Cupples Recommendations:

• Smith, Linda Tuhiwai. Decolonizing Methodologies : Research and Indigenous Peoples / Linda Tuhiwai Smith. New York: Zed Books, 1999
• Ramón Grosfoguel, and Julie Cupples. Unsettling Eurocentrism in the Westernized University. Taylor and Francis, 2018.
• Hooker, Juliet et al. Black and Indigenous Resistance in the Americas : from Multiculturalism to Racist Backlash : a Project of the Antiracist Research and Action Network (RAIAR) / Edited by Juliet Hooker ; Translated by Giorleny Altamirano Rayo, Aileen Ford, and Steven Lownes. Lanham: Lexington Books, 2020.
• Hooker, Juliet. Theorizing Race in the Americas : Douglass, Sarmiento, Du Bois, and Vasconcelos / Juliet Hooker. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2017.
• Hooker, Juliet. Race and the Politics of Solidarity / Juliet Hooker. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009
• Tzul, Gladys Tzul. “Rebuilding Communal Life: Ixil Women and the Desire for Life in Guatemala.” NACLA report on the Americas (1993) 50.4 (2018): 404–407.
• Tzul, Gladys Tzul. “Communal Strategies for Controlling Microfinance in Chuimeq’ena’ Guatemala.” The South Atlantic quarterly 115.3 (2016): 625–631.
• Santos, Boaventura de Sousa. The End of the Cognitive Empire : the Coming of Age of Epistemologies of the South / Boaventura de Sousa Santos. Durham: Duke University Press, 2018.
• Mutu (Ngāti Kahu, Te Rarawa and Ngāti Whātua nations). “‘To Honour the Treaty, We Must First Settle Colonisation’ (Moana Jackson 2015): The Long Road from Colonial Devastation to Balance, Peace and Harmony.” Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand 49.sup1 (2019): 4–18.

Dave Reay, Professor of Carbon Management and Education in the School of Geosciences and a Director of the Edinburgh Climate Change Institute, discusses his hopes for COP26 and the university's involvement in an interview with Joséphine Foucher, Teaching Matters Co-Editor and Student Engagement Officer.  This episode accompanies our November and December Hot Topic theme: COP26 and embedding the climate emergency in our teaching.

Dave begins by outlining some of the Edinburgh Climate Change Institute's (ECCI) work at the University, before expanding into all things COP26. Throughout, he contextualizes the conference, while considering interesting questions. How can climate change become embedded in our curriculum? How are students participating in the conference? What outcomes are we looking for in the conference? And climate change historically has been viewed as being all about big business or the individual, but what might a different perspective look like?

We hope you enjoy this special one-off episode of Teaching Matters! 

Timestamps:

1:25 - Beginning of the interview with Dave Reay speaking about the ECCI's work at the university 

6:45 - Dave and Josephine discuss student and alum involvement in COP26

10:10 - Dave on his and the ECCI's hopes for the outcomes of the conference

17:30 - Dave discusses how climate change/action can be embedded into university courses 

Music for today's episode was provided by Tunesounds. 

Cop26 logo provided by UK Government - https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/cop26, OGL 3, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=99448137

In this episode, Johanna Holtan Co-Convenor of the Race Equality and Anti-Racist Sub-Committee (REAR) and Programme Director, Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program talks to intersectional feminist scholar from the Global South, Dr Radhika Govinda, Senior Lecturer in Sociology at the School of Social and Political Science. Dr Govinda sits on the steering committees for the University’s GenderED and RACE.ED networks. She is Associate Director of CRITIQUE, and an active member of the Centre for South Asian Studies. 

In this episode, she discusses decolonisation as a process of decentring whiteness, which entails unpacking the historical implications of deconstructing knowledge production. For her, the classroom is a key entry point for undertaking such a process in inspiring students to insert dilemmas into their subjectivities. In this way, the classroom is conducive space for exploring discomforts, assumptions, and vulnerabilities.

• Mohanty, Chandra Talpade. “‘Under Western Eyes’ Revisited: Feminist Solidarity through Anticapitalist Struggles.” Signs, vol. 28, no. 2, 2003, pp. 499–535.
• Hooks, Bell.  (1994).  Teaching to transgress : education as the practice of freedom. New York:  Routledge
• Crenshaw, Kimberle. “Mapping the Margins: Intersectionality, Identity Politics, and Violence against Women of Color.” Stanford Law Review, vol. 43, no. 6, 1991, pp. 1241–1299.

In this Teaching Matters podcast series, produced by The Race Equality and Anti-Racist Sub-Committee (REAR) at The University of Edinburgh in collaboration with Teaching Matters, we hear from different academics at the University about what Decolonising the Curriculum means for them, and how they have put this into practice in their learning and teaching or research. They also share some readings that they have found useful.

In this episode, Johanna Holtan Co-Convenor of the Race Equality and Anti-Racist Sub-Committee (REAR) and Programme Director of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program talks to Dr Shadaab Rahemtulla, a Lecturer in Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations at the School of Divinity. He is also the Programme Director of the newly launched Masters in Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations. He argues that decolonisation is a conversation about power that consists in robbing knowledge of its so-called neutrality and innocence and understanding knowledge-production as located within a social context that is always filled with hierarchies and inequalities. In this humbling conversation, Dr Rahemtulla discusses how decolonising the curriculum is a reflexive exercise that those in power have a responsibility to practice.

• X, Malcolm and Alex Haley, The Autobiography of Malcolm X (1965):  https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/572/57282/the-autobiography-of-malcolm-x/9780141185439.html
• Rowland, Christopher (ed). The Cambridge Companion to Liberation Theology (2008): https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/cambridge-companion-to-liberation-theology/F500C9F34574087A4C4EA2658E89762B
• Rahemtulla, Shadaab. Qur’an of the Oppressed: Liberation Theology and Gender Justice in Islam (2018): https://global.oup.com/academic/product/quran-of-the-oppressed-9780198820093?cc=gb&lang=ennn&#
• “Decolonising Divinity: A Roundtable Discussion” (15 March 2021, New College, Uni of Edinburgh): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-qy8eMkNrA

In this Teaching Matters podcast series, produced by The Race Equality and Anti-Racist Sub-Committee (REAR) at The University of Edinburgh in collaboration with Teaching Matters, we hear from different academics at the University about what Decolonising the Curriculum means for them, and how they have put this into practice in their learning and teaching or research. They also share some readings that they have found useful.

In this episode, Professor Emerita Rowena Arshad, Chair in Multicultural and Anti-Racist Education talks to Ayanda Ngobeni a Law Student at The University of Edinburgh, Black and Ethnic Minority Liberation Campaign Officer and Mastercard Foundation Scholar African Leadership Academy Alum (Class of 2016).

Ayanda Ngobeni’s Recommendations:

• Angelou, Maya. “Still I Rise.” Making Literature Matter: An Anthology for Readers and Writers, edited by John Schilb and John Clifford, 7th ed., Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2020, pp. 127-131

Welcome to this podcast series produced by The Race Equality and Anti-Racist Sub-Committee (REAR) at The University of Edinburgh in collaboration with Teaching Matters where we hear from different academics at the University about what Decolonising the Curriculum means for them and how they have put this into practice in their learning and teaching or research. They also share some readings they have found useful.

In this episode, Dr Gwenetta Curry, a lecturer in Race, Ethnicity, and Health in the Usher Institute discusses with Prof Rowena Arshad about decolonising the curriculum as a practice that consists of acknowledging the racist history of certain disciplines. Trained as a medical sociologist, Dr Curry endeavours to embed issues of race and racism within the medical training programme at the Usher’s institute. Her role ranges from redesigning course material to include the lens of race and racism, to delivering webinars for the NHS to raise awareness about how systemic racism impacts patient care. In this engaging conversation, Dr Curry reminds of the importance of questioning the power dynamics that underlie various forms of knowledge-making.

If you are interested in contributing a podcast to this series, please get in touch with Emily Sena (emily.sena@ed.ac.uk) or Johanna Holtan (johanna.holtan@ed.ac.uk), co-convenors of the Race Equality and Anti-Racist Sub-Committee.

Dr Gwenetta Curry’s Reading Recommendations:

• Fanon, Frantz Black Skin White Masks New York : Grove Press, Inc., (1952, 1967)
• Fanon, Frantz The Wretched of the Earth New York: Grove Press, (1968)
• Curry, Tommy J. Decolonizing the Intersection: Black Male Studies as a Critique of Intersectionality’s Indebtedness to Subculture of Violence Theory in Critical Psychology Praxis: Psychosocial Non-Alignment to Modernity/Coloniality (Advances in Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology Series) (pp.132-154) Chapter Eleven, Publisher: Routledge
• Curry, Tommy J. The Derelictical Crisis of African American Philosophy: How African American Philosophy Fails to Contribute to the Study of African-Descended People. Journal of Black Studies. 2011, 42(3):314-333
• Ladner, Joyce A. The Death of White Sociology (1973)

In this episode, Rachel Hunt, a lecturer in Geohumanities, Clare Barnes, an Interdisciplinary Lecturer in Sustainable Livelihoods and Gabrielle King, a research assistant in Geosciences and supporter of widening participation, introduce their research on inclusive culture within the School of Geosciences. This episode accompanies our July-August ‘Hot Topic’: “Lessons from the Learning and Teaching Conference 2021“.

Which experiences leave students feeling like they belong, and which leave them feeling excluded? Rachel, Claire, and Gabrielle's ongoing research involves asking students to reflect on moments of inclusion and exclusion, aiming to better understand and improve widening participation interventions.  In their presentation, they stitch together student testimonials to provide their data in narrative form, allowing the listener to hear stories of belonging and exclusion throughout the university experience.  These stories can help us better understand student belonging, making this episode an essential listen for anyone in the teaching and learning environment. 

Timestamps:

2:03 - Eric's episode-specific introduction 

5:40 - Beginning of student testimonials in narrative form

12:35 - Rachel, Claire and Gabriel's recommendations on widening participation from their research

Music featured is Longest Year by Scott Holmes Music, and otherwise provided by Tunesounds. 

In this episode, Dr. Michael Daw, Director of Quality in the Deanery of Biomedical Sciences, continues discussing his analysis of marking schemes and assessment styles, particularly addressing why it using the full range of marks might be something to strive for. This episode accompanies our July-August ‘Hot Topic’: “Lessons from the Learning and Teaching Conference 2021“.

Today's episode, the fourth of our Learning and Teaching Conference series, features Dr. Michael Daw, Director of Quality in the Deanery of Biomedical Sciences.  Michael's presentation from the conference, "The unintended consequences of approaches to marking and assessment & supporting criteria-based marking", caught our eye with its counterintuitive findings of marking schemes and assessment styles, along with Michael's commitment towards an evidence-based approach towards advising course organizers. 

In this episode, Michael discusses what drew him to this analysis and showcases a few of his findings. The conversation then expands, introducing the idea of 'marking culture' within schools with Michael offering a few of his personal experiences.  He also speaks about contextual marking and how different styles of assessment generally achieve different outcomes, at least in regards to the range of marks.  This conversation begs the question: does your assessment really discriminate learning attainment?  And if it doesn't, perhaps Michael's analysis can help steer you in the right direction. 

This episode is part one of our conversation with Michael, with part two coming next week, which will entertain the question: why might it be beneficial to use the full range of marks?  Is there anything wrong with using a narrow range of marks?  

Timestamps

2:02 - Episode specific introduction and Michael on what drew him to this analysis

8:30 - Michael on some of his counterintuitive findings, and why marking schemes may not affect distribution of marks as much as initially thought

15:28 - Michael on marking culture, assessment styles and authentic vs non-authentic assessment

Is there a 'hidden curriculum' which is working against working-class students? Dr. Neil Speirs, a Widening Participation manager, practitioner and researcher at The University of Edinburgh, introduces the concept of the hidden curriculum, how we may be complicit in it, and what we can do about it. His call to action is compelling, inspiring, and maybe most importantly, actionable for anyone in the university environment, making this an essential listen for teachers and learners everywhere. This episode accompanies our July-August 'Hot Topic': “Lessons from the Learning and Teaching Conference 2021“.

Timestamps: 

2:02 - Episode specific introduction and Neil on the role of hidden subtexts and habitus on the university experience

8:30 - Neil on education being inherently political, Paulo Friere, and the role of doxa and illusio in the hidden curriculum 

16:10 - Neil on how we can individually address the injustice of the hidden curriculum, and the Freirean notion of conscientization

22:08 - Neil on his personal experiences with working-class students and episode conclusions

In this episode, Dr. Nini Fang, lecturer in Counselling, Psychotherapy and Applied Social Sciences and Associate Director for the Centre of Creative-Relational Inquiry at The University of Edinburgh, shares her tumultuous, personal experience delivering classes on racism and colonisation at an English university. This episode accompanies our July-August 'Hot Topic': “Lessons from the Learning and Teaching Conference 2021“.

In the second episode of our Learning and Teaching Conference series, Nini Fang gives an intimate retelling of her experience getting in trouble as a University Lecturer after delivering sessions on racism and decolonisation on a Difference and Diversity course. Her story poses large questions. What role does endurance play in an antiracist curriciulum? How does one walk the line of educating students on decolonisation and antiracism when these lessons may recontextualise some students’ identity while being familiar and deeply personal to other students? And how does one manage the divide that may emerge from these differing dispositions?

This episode serves as a rare behind-the-scenes look at the experience of a University Lecturer attempting to get collaborative reflection about racism and colonisation, and the unjust fallout which results. At Teaching Matters, we celebrate Nini sharing her story at the 2021 Learning and Teaching Conference and appreciate her allowing it to be translated into this gripping podcast episode.

Nini's story begins at 3:10.

This episode accompanies our July-August 'Hot Topic': “Lessons from the Learning and Teaching Conference 2021“.

In what has the student experience changed such that needs outmatch support? What skills do recent Edinburgh graduates consider most valuable? How do we model an ‘Edinburgh Graduate’ without sacrificing diversity and individuality? These questions are addressed by the Curriculum Transformation Programme Board in this exciting premiere of our Learning and Teaching Conference series.  

Members of the board Colm Harmon, Vice-Principal of Students, Richard Andrews, Head of Moray House School of Education and Sport, Iain Gordon, Head of School of Mathematics, and Lisa Kendall, Director of Academic and Student Administration for CAHSS, peel back the curtain on the Curriculum Transformation Programme and the future of the student experience.

This episode serves as an introduction to the Curriculum Transformation Programme for those unfamiliar and a holistic update for those who are.  We hope you enjoy the panel's insights and look forward to bringing more insights from the Learning and Teaching Conference next week!

Timestamps

3:15 – Colm Harmon on the landscape of the modern student experience, the role of the university in student development, and mentality for transformation

13:20 – Richard Andrews on perceptions of the ‘Edinburgh Graduate’

16:50 – Ian Gordon on curriculum transformation from a college’s perspective and deconstruction of ‘curriculum’ and ‘transformation’

21:15 – Lisa Kendall on goals for transformation, student wellbeing and streamlining pathways

Transcript

Cathy Bovill and Cherie Woolmer's paper, "How conceptualisations of curriculum in higher education influence student-staff co-creation in and of the curriculum"

This episode accompanies our "EUSA Teaching Awards 2021 Podcast Series".

In this episode, Grace, a final-year Religious Studies Student, sits down with Judy Harley, Dean of Learning and Teaching for the College of Science and Engineering, and Elizabeth Bomberg, a Professor of Environmental Politics at the School of Social and Political Science, to discuss their nominations for the Edinburgh Teaching Awards.

Judy, Elizabeth, and Grace entertain thought-provoking questions in their reflection. Have we changed our approach for this year? Is there a typical day in academia, online or in-person? What aspects of our old routines have we surprisingly missed? And of course, what will we be taking forward from this year?  In fluid conversation, Judy and Elizabeth bounce between relatable anecdotes from the past year and helpful insights.  They connect over the themes of connection and engagement while discussing the ways they've prioritized these themes in the online world. We hope you enjoy their conversation and continue your personal reflections as we inch closer to the next academic year.

This podcast accompanies Teaching Matter's July-August Learning and Teaching Enhancement theme: Showcasing the Doctoral College.

In this podcast, Fiona, head of Doctoral College, speaks to Professor Patrick Hadoke, who is the Personal Chair of Arterial Remodelling and the Director of Postgraduate Student and Early Career Researcher Experience in the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine. He speaks generally about his experiences as a research supervisor and more specifically about his reflections on completing the UKCGE programme. He also shares some excellent insights and tips for those who are starting out as new supervisors and indeed for anyone else who has an interest in research supervision. A key takeaway is an emphasis he places on the human side of supervision, something which he stresses should not be overlooked even in a busy, high-pressure research environment.

A transcript is provided and, for ease, the main themes are discussed at these times in the recording:

0.44 Overview of experience as a research supervisor, the most enjoyable and most challenging aspects

4.59 Experience of completing the UK Council for Graduate Education (UKCGE) research supervision recognition programme

9.59 Advice and tips for new PhD supervisors

This episode and blog post accompany our May-June ‘Hot Topic’:  “Teaching and Learning during a Pandemic: Lessons and reflections from the last year” and our "EUSA Teaching Awards 2021 Podcast Series".

In this episode, Rohanie, a Peer Learning Coordinator at Edinburgh University Students' Association, sits down with Dr. Nikki Moran, a Senior Lecturer in Music at the University of Edinburgh, and two of her students, Tyler and Nicholas, to reflect on their experiences teaching and learning during the pandemic.

The group's conversation touches on fascinating questions in response to a year of online learning, including, if we're no longer going into lecture halls, where is academia?  In what ways have our day-to-day schedules changed, and how have we repurposed our time? And maybe most importantly, how will we remember this time, and what will we take with us?  We hope you enjoy this thought-provoking conversation and that it encourages you to begin your reflection on this past year of teaching and learning.

The winners of this year’s Teaching Awards can now be viewed here. Congratulations to all nominees.

• GeoScience Outreach Course: Assessment through impactful student projects
• Projects, Peers, Passion, and Play: How Minecraft Transforms (Hybrid) Teaching
• Undergraduate Teaching Champions in the Business School
• The Creation of a Postgraduate Tutor Mentor Post in the School of Divinity

You can also learn more about how Crispin adapted his pedagogy to hybrid teaching and learning including his replacement of lectures with ‘live sessions’ and ‘practice problems’ in his  Reflection on his nomination.

• Podcast: Co-Creation in Hybrid Teaching and Learning (8 min)
• Mental Health in New Learning and Teaching Environments
• Teaching about sustainability through diverse and creative methods
• Flipped classrooms – an evidence-based reflection
• Applied Learning: ‘Working together on the COVID-19 indoor transmission review and publication’
• Approaching coaching: Should schools be providing psychological coaching to improve student well-being?
• Student voice on academic feedback
• Mini-Series: The Politics of Knowledge and Social Justice: Introducing Intercalating Medical Students to Interpretivist Epistemology
• Donna J Haraway

Presented By

Grace Lavender, Student Council Facilitator and 4th Year Religious Studies Student

Produced by

Rohanie Campbell-Thakoordin, Peer Learning Coordinator, Student Opportunities & Dr. Joe Arton, Institute for Academic Development.

Music Provided by HookSounds

• Dr. Sabeti's article about making murals – based on her participation in workshops and interview with the artist and teachers: ‘Making Murals in the Marshall Islands and Hawai’i: an exploration of the limits and possibilities of artistic agency.’ Crossings: Journal of Migration and Culture (10:1)71-87 https://doi.org/10.1386/cjmc.10.1.71_1
• The Project Website: http://www.map.llc.ed.ac.uk

In our previous March 3 episode of the Teaching Matters Podcast, we talked to Judy Hardy and Neil Lent about how Covid-19 impacted assessment design at the University of Edinburgh. We heard how for some the move from traditional in-person exams to open-book online exams and group projects had an unexpected positive impact on students’ learning outcomes. We also heard about how this change in assessment design led to increased workloads and pressures. This episode responds to many of these concerns and offers a roadmap for student success while supporting staff.

• Workshop: Practical Strategies for… Designing out Plagiarism/Misconduct
• Using National Student Survey (NSS) Qualitative Data and social identity theory to explore students’ experiences of assessment and feedback
• Implications of ‘Dimensions of Quality’ in a market environment
• David Willetts: Higher Education and the Student Experience
• HEA Knowledge Hub: https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/hub
• Enhancement themes (QAA) Focus on: Assessment and Feedback project: https://www.qaa.ac.uk/scotland/focus-on/feedback-from-assessment
• Unintended Consequences of Approaches to Marking and Assessment

Produced and Presented by Dr. Joe Arton, Academic Developer, Institute for Academic Development.

In this episode of the Teaching Matters podcast, we continue our conversation with Dr Nina Burrowes, a psychologist and founder of the Consent Collective, an organisation that works with communities and institutions in helping navigate the complex terrain of consent and sexual violence. The Consent Collective has been working closely with the University of Edinburgh for over four years by providing expert psycho-education content and support in creative ways, including gameshow podcasts, panel events, cooking shows and more.

In this second episode, Dr Burrowes explores how consent is an interpersonal skill learned that takes lots of practice. She also discusses the role of higher education institutions in providing spaces for healing, learning, and making mistakes. 

In this episode of the Teaching Matters podcast, we speak with Dr Nina Burrowes, a psychologist and founder of the Consent Collective, an organisation that works with communities and institutions in helping navigate the complex terrain of consent and sexual violence. The Consent Collective has been working closely with the University of Edinburgh for over four years by providing expert psycho-education content and support in creative ways, including gameshow podcasts, panel events, cooking shows and more.

In this first episode of a three-part series, Dr Burrowes explores how consent is an embodied practice and ways of inviting bodies into the classroom. Dr Burrowes also shares insights about trauma-informed teaching, which is one of many research-based approaches for acknowledging trauma in teaching practices.

This week's episode of the Teaching Matters Podcast features a reading by Cathy Bovill, Senior Lecturer in Student Engagement at the Institute for Academic Development, University of Edinburgh and Visiting Fellow at the University of Winchester of her article 'Student Positivity and Creativity as a Source of Hope' that was featured in the October 2020 edition of Teaching Matters. 

In Teaching Matters Out Loud, Teaching Matters contributors read their blog posts out loud giving Teaching Matters readers an alternative way to enjoy current and previous posts. 

Episode 15 is an engaging and heated discussion between Poppy Gerrard Abbott and Amy Andrada, both PhD sociology candidates in the School of Social and Political Science. Poppy and Amy discuss issues such as the role of teaching from a feminist perspective, the link between feminist activism and teaching, and the place of peer support in the University. Amongst many other topics, they question the structural restraints around being a mother in academia, and delve into the way we use deficient language to describe these situations. They describe what sisterhood means to them, and ask if The University of Edinburgh has a ‘feminist’ community, as well as debating the emotional labour of building such a community.