TEALfest 2023
TEALfest 2023
20th-21st June 2023
Empowering students and staff through small teaching
This year the theme for TEALfest is on 'Empowering students and staff through small teaching' in a range of exciting ways. Small teaching examines the modest but powerful changes we can all make that lead to big enhancements for our students' learning.
This is a strategy (based on the science of learning) developed by James Lang and Flower Darby. They discuss the topic and share insights in the following freely available Teaching in Higher Ed podcast (full transcript available).Small teaching with James Lang ; Small teaching online with Flower Darby. James Lang also discusses the science behind small teaching in this recorded speaker series.
Contact us
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Email tealfest@warwick.ac.uk
or Jess Humphreys
jessica.humphreys@warwick.ac.uk
TEALfest 2023 Programme
Running over two days, TEALfest 2023 hosted a range of discussions, presentations and workshops as well as online posters in our virtual poster space and inspiring keynotes.
Jump to: Tuesday | Wednesday | Digital Artefacts Padlet
10:45-11:00
TEALFest Welcome
11:00-11:50
The transformative power of video
Anna Donnelly and Jonty Leese, University of Warwick
This presentation will showcase the power of video as one of many approaches to support learning, in this case for Initial Teacher Education. We will examine how video can support ‘establishing the reality’ (Knight, 2021), how it can support a clearer link between theory and practise for Trainees and Partner schools and create links between theory and practice situation research into real life applications.
Type of Small Teaching: Small interventions in a module, programme or extended learning experience.
Event Sub-Themes: Wildcard
Session: Nano presentation
A picture is worth a thousand words
Kim Watts and Paul Philipson, WMG
Visual communication is all around us. In today’s modern world we are bombarded with communication in visual forms, across social media channels, live streaming platforms, packaging, branding etc… we absorb so much information from what we see alone such as genres and themes for entertainment purposes and quality, standards, and level of service in other areas. The University of Warwick is a world leading institution and the forms in which we communicate to our students should reflect that. Through small changes we can all make a big difference to bring a powerful, consistent, streamlined message. Visual communication is a universal language (Günay 2021), it’s interdisciplinary; we can apply it across all areas of the curriculum and, as David Sless says, “Visual communication is one of the most exciting and potentially useful tools in education if we can understand how to exploit its richness” (Sless, D. 2018).
Günay, M. (2021). ‘Design in Visual Communication’. Art and Design Review, Issue 9, p109-122. Available at: Doi: 10.4236/adr.2021.92012
Sless, D. (2018). Learning and Visual Communication. Oxon. Routledge. Available at: DOI: 10.4324/9780429021909
Type of Small Teaching: Small modifications in module or programme design, assessment or communication with your students
Event Sub-Themes: Wildcard
Let’s make it clear: improving communication and instruction in virtual learning environments with the use of visual design components.
Richard Clay, University of Warwick
When teaching online it’s important to provide clear instructions, to make the the purpose of class activities explicit and to communicate to learners what’s needed to succeed (Darby and Lang, 2019). Lack of clarity in instruction puts too high a load on the working memory, with too much time spent on problem-solving the instructions as opposed to learning (Shibli and West, 2018). With just small changes to how instructions are presented in a virtual learning environment (VLE) the online learning experience can be improved.
In the wildcard category, this nano-presentation demonstrates Moodle’s Components for Learning tool, exploring how visual design components can improve communication with learners, reducing their cognitive load and helping them to understand what’s expected of them. Delegates will gain an understanding of how HTML design components can be used in a VLE to aid communication, taking away practical knowledge and ideas for use in their own practice.
Type of Small Teaching: Small modifications in module or programme design, assessment or communication with your students
Event Sub-Themes: Wildcard
Session: Nano presentation
11:50-12:00
Break
12:00-13:00
Course Design and Digital Approaches to Learning
Lucy Chilvers, Emilie Hayter, and Olanrewaju Santa, University of Brighton
Jess Humphreys, Aishwarya Dere, University of Warwick
Making Digital Construals
Isabella Wasden, Jonathan Foss and Meurig Beynon, University of Warwick
'Making digital construals' is an alternative way to conceptualise computing as 'a mind engaged in sense-making' - a more primitive activity than 'following rules' intimately related to learning processes. To encourage academics across all disciplines to explore its potential for small teaching online, Meurig will demonstrate how an online environment can be used to explore a familiar topic: making sense of currency and transactions with coins.
Making a construal is also an alternative software development tool for building models, but construals are accessible to non-programmers. In addition, it is a new way to interact with the computer, which can reflect a human thought process. Isabella will discuss how 'making digital construals' can be used effectively as an educational tool.
In her third-year undergraduate Computer Science project, Isabella created the first portfolio of educational construals accompanying a syllabus. This was a proof-of-concept and one example portfolio, specifically for teaching core concepts in computer science to university students alongside a syllabus.
By creating this portfolio, 'making digital construals' was reviewed from an educator's perspective with a computing background. By sharing the portfolio with other undergraduate students, 'making digital construals' was reviewed by interdisciplinary students. The students suggested how they thought making digital construals could be used in an educational environment in the future.
The advantages of making construals as educational tools include the easy-to-build interactive visualisations and the personal nature of the digital artefacts. Making construals is a new way to share a thought process digitally.
Type of Small Teaching: Brief in session or blended learning activities
Event Sub-Themes: Building inclusive communities; Supporting interdisciplinary experiences; Co-creation e.g. with students, communities etc. ;S
Session: Presentation
13:00-13:45
Lunch and Posters
13:45-14:35
Communicating with care in a virtual online environment to build positive student-teacher relationships
Lauren Schrock, Maryam Masood, Ninna Makrinov and Asima Iqbal, University of Warwick
Communicating with care is an important activity for developing a positive student-teacher relationship. This is significant as a positive student-teacher relationship enhances student engagement and feelings of belonging, so students feel supported to succeed academically. However, there are several challenges to communicating with care in a virtual environment that can be exacerbated by a large class size, such as clarity and personalisation. Therefore, the presentation seeks to answer the research question, “How to communicate with care to a large class within a virtual learning environment?” By examining the ‘small’ actions of care that support student learning and community in a large blended transferrable skills module, the presenters share practical techniques for verbal and non-verbal communication that can enhance positive student-teacher relationships.
Type of Small Teaching: Small modifications in module or programme design, assessment or communication with your students
Event Sub-Themes: Student support and wellbeing
Session: Nano presentation
Using GoogleDoc to co-create and deconstruct assessment rubric in partnership with students to develop assessment literacy
Alice Lau and Brinder Rajpal,Coventry University
This Nano presentation will share how GoogleDocs was used in partnership with students to co-create and deconstruct assessment rubric in an online Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice course. The PGCert in Academic Practice is a requirement for all new academics joining the institution without an existing teaching qualification . The course aims to provide colleagues with opportunities to experiment, develop and enhance their learning, teaching and assessment practices. Through the simple, yet effective, use of GoogleDocs, the teaching team can expose and introduce students (who are also staff at the institution) to develop assessment literacy through co-creation and deconstruction of the assessment rubric. Students participants have commented positively about the experience, and many went on to implement this idea, and versions of this activity, in their own practice. We will share with colleagues how we approached this ‘small intervention’ and how it has resulted in a big impact on our student’s assessment literacy and practice.
Type of Small Teaching: Small interventions in a module, programme or extended learning experience.
Event Sub-Themes: Co-creation e.g. with students, communities etc.
Session: Nano presentation
Creating Connections and Building Community
Anne Haggerson, The United States Department of State English Language Programs
In this session, I will be showing an inspiring way to begin a class using a digital, community-building activity to draw upon funds of knowledge (Moll, L.C., Amanti, C., Neff, D., & Gonzalez, N, 1992) to create connections between school and community, help students get to know one another, and discuss topics of interest (Maley et al, 2014). It is important to open the classroom activity with an engaging hook to grab students’ attention from the start of class. Making this hook content-based, culturally relevant, and also a kind of game is an interesting way to build a more playful, inclusive learning environment.
- Moll, L.C., Amanti, C., Neff, D., & Gonzalez, N. Funds of knowledge for teaching: Using a qualitative approach to connect homes and classrooms. Thoery into practice. 31 (2), 131-142. Qualitative Issues in Educational Research 1992.
- Maley, Alan, Masuhara, Hitomi, Pugliese, Chaz. “C is for Creativity.” English Teaching Professional, Issue 95, 2014, p.14.
Type of Small Teaching: Small interventions in a module, programme or extended learning experience.
Event Sub-Themes: Co-creation e.g. with students, communities etc.
Session: Nano presentation
14:35-14:45
Break
14:45-15:45
Creating a community with peer-to-peer feedback in formative assessment by using OneNote
Patricia Perlman-Dee, University of Manchester
This nano presentation will discuss an innovative practise in educational technology for creating a community of learners building shared learning resources. Building on from the pandemic response, the session will share how OneNote is used for formative assessment, incorporating peer-to-peer feedback to create a community of learners. The course already supported and encouraged engagement with the wider community. The integration of OneNote learning resources and peer feedback supported a community of learners within the community. The integration of OneNote also encourage engagement with self-reflection. The approach can be applied in any higher educational setting that includes group work, practical work and/or build on a theoretical framework.
Type of Small Teaching: Small modifications in module or programme design, assessment or communication with your students
Event Sub-Themes: Co-creation e.g. with students, communities etc.;Equipping learners to contribute to a sustainable future;Building inclusive communities
Session: Presentation
Echo360: Leveraging EchoVideo for Flipped Learning
Chris Bull, Echo360
This short session will overview the capability within the EchoVideo lecture capture system to be utilised for flipped learning – an instructional strategy that involves the inversion of traditional classroom activities to enhance student engagement and foster a deeper understanding of the subject matter.
This session will present a scenario where a lecturer can swiftly re-format the course content by delivering pre-recorded videos, online resources and short assessments for students to access outside of study time. This enables the lecturer to dedicate the subsequent study session to interactive activities, discussions and problem-solving exercises – enabling students to apply their knowledge and engage in a collaborative learning environment.
The implementation of a flipped learning model such as this can lead to increased student participation, improved critical thinking skills and enhanced academic performance – and via the EchoVideo platform, can be created with the simple-to-use tools available.
Type of Small Teaching: Brief in session or blended learning activities
Event Sub-Themes: Building inclusive communities; Supporting interdisciplinary experiences;
Session: Presentation
15:45-16:00
Close
10:45-11:00
TEALFest Welcome
11:00-12:00
AI and the future of HE Panel Discussion
Charlie Reis, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
Chih-Hsiang Lo, VP for Education, Warwick SU
Isabel Fischer, University of Warwick
Jennie Mills, University of Warwick
Martin Compton, UCL
Morgan Dee, EDUCATE Ventures Research
12:00-12:10
Break
12:10-13:10
Bridging the Gap in Hyflex Learning: Building an Inclusive Active Learning Experience
Olivia Yiqun Sun, Xi'an Jiaotong, Yan Wei and Charlie Reis, Liverpool University
Hyflex learning presents unique challenges for instructors who need to balance the needs of diverse student groups in three modalities: classroom, synchronous online, and asynchronous online. Online students often feel neglected due to inadequate classroom technology, resulting in a feeling of being "blind" or "deaf," as well as “unsituated” as so many professional learnings are grounded in classrooms, rather than online or a combination of online and onsite learning (APA, 2022; Linzana & Lera, 2022). Another reason is that teachers tend to focus more on in-person students, resulting in unequal attention to online students or a lack of involvement in class activities.
In our presentation, we will showcase several strategies that we have used in our classrooms to create an inclusive Hyflex active learning experience using low-budget technologies, for example, tracking cameras, wireless microphones, a second digital device, and collaborative technologies such as Etherpad and breakout rooms, and student response system.
Type of Small Teaching: Small interventions in a module, programme or extended learning experience.
Event Sub-Themes: Building inclusive communities
Session: Nano presentation
Implementation and evaluation of the effectiveness of a Flipped Classroom model in an undergraduate engineering module
Adriana Smith-Ortiz, Piotr Mazurkiewicz and Gill Cooke, University of Warwick
Flipped classroom (FC) approach has become more popular in the last decade due to the potential of creating deep learning experiences for students based on active learning and the use of technology that facilitates the implementation of the approach. The presenters designed, implemented, and evaluated a flipped classroom model in a second year (300 students) engineering undergraduate module during the Autumn Term in 2022. Following ethical approval, two questionnaires were used to gather data about the student’s intention of engagement with the FC model and their perception of usefulness. Results indicate that students perceived the usefulness of active learning in the activity-oriented classes. However, there is evidence in the results of lack of student’s engagement with the pre-class shared content and their perception of more time and self-regulated learning skills requirements to work effectively with the new FC model. Considerations about how to support student’s engagement the new model are contemplated.
Type of Small Teaching: Brief in session or blended learning activities
Event Sub-Themes: Wildcard
Session: Nano presentation
13:10-13:50
Lunch and Posters
13:50-14:40
Enhancing accessibility with Blackboard Ally
Jim Judges and Nadine Stewart, University of Warwick
This nano-presentation will focus on quick wins and tips related to using the Blackboard Ally accessibility tool to improve the accessibility of activities and resources hosted in the VLE (Moodle). By using the course level tools and reports we will show how simple changes and a better understanding of some of the common accessibility pitfalls can make a big difference to all users. Small changes can make big wins and can help to build a more inclusive learning environment.
Type of Small Teaching: Small interventions in a module, programme or extended learning experience.
Event Sub-Themes: Building inclusive communities ;Student support and wellbeing
Session: Nano presentation
Embedding ESD through small teaching
Dr Maryam Masood, Dr Lauren Schrock, Dr Asima Iqbal and Ninna Makrinov, University of Warwick
Education for sustainable development (ESD) has garnered increasing interest from educators, industries, policy makers and students. Higher education institutes strive to provide university graduates the necessary skills and competencies to help achieve the sustainable development goals (SDGs) by embedding the knowledge and skills in the curriculum. However, there are varying levels of complexities in incorporating ESD and the process is challenging due to reconciling different discipline-based practices and values. To address these challenges, this presentation examines the small interventions of an academic team to embed sustainable development in a multi-disciplinary research methods module taught to over 1,200 students in a blended format. Building on some of the specific interventions used, participants will be invited to consider how they can make small changes in their teaching to contribute to the big challenge that global sustainable development poses.
Type of Small Teaching: Small interventions in a module, programme or extended learning experience.
Event Sub-Themes: Equipping learners to contribute to a sustainable futu
Session: Nano presentation
Powering Up Your PowerPoint
Andy Clegg, University of Portsmouth
Death by PowerPoint refers to the experience of being disengaged through the use of PowerPoint in a very didactic and sequential nature. Yet, PowerPoint contains advanced functionality that can be used innovatively to create more engaging and effective learning activities.
The aim of this nano-presentation is to illustrate how the core functionality in PowerPoint that can be utilised to enhance the power of PowerPoint presentations. The session will focus on two specific aspects: (1) the use of animation to create opportunities for interactive engagement and (2) the use of the section tool to create non-sequential presentations where students can choose the structure of a session.
Moving beyond Death by PowerPoint requires a shift in approach from simply relying on slides to actively engaging with the audience. By drawing on advanced features in PowerPoint, educators can create more engaging and effective presentations that leave a lasting impact on learners.
Type of Small Teaching: Brief in session or blended learning activities
Event Sub-Themes: Equipping learners to contribute to a sustainable fut
Session: Nano presentation
14:40-15:30
Reflections from TEALfest 2023 and close
You will find the following posters and digital artefacts in this space.
Stop and think: An investigation into the introduction of short tasks to promote active learning in an online module
Jennifer Pulkkinen and Alison Xu, University of Derby
This digital artefact will share insights into how small teaching activities can be used to promote active learning in asynchronous online learning resources. It will outline the results of a targeted investigation that embedded ‘Stop and think’ tasks into an existing postgraduate online module to promote greater cognitive engagement. With limited opportunities for learner-content interaction in the current module, the aims of the project were firstly to develop a range of appropriate task types and secondly to design specific tasks to embed in the learning materials. This interactive artefact will offer guidance on the design of small teaching activities for asynchronous online materials, provide examples of the ‘Stop and think’ tasks and evaluate the effectiveness of using backward design. This presentation would be of benefit to delegates with an interest in designing small, meaningful tasks that encourage cognitive engagement in online study.
Type of Small Teaching: Small interventions in a module, programme or extended learning experience.
Event Sub-Themes: Student support and wellbeing;
Session: Digital Artefact
Using Reusable Learning Objects (RLOs) to enhance in session and blended learning activities
Abigail Ball and Miriam Averna-Joint, University of Warwick
At the start of the pandemic, the Centre for Teacher Education transferred all its teaching and learning activities online. We undertook research to evaluate our provision during this time and discovered a need to improve our asynchronous teaching and learning activities. One of the identified issues concerned their perceived separation from their learning context (Wiley, 2001 cited in Sinclair, Joy, Yin-Kim Yau, and Hagan, 2013).
Reusable Learning Objects (RLOs) are instructional design components that can be used for multiple purposes. They are usually small electronic components that have been developed for a specific use. They can be conveniently reused in multiple settings, often with little or no editing (Pappas, 2016).
This screencast will be of value to anyone interested in blended/online curriculum development, who wants to create or make better use of existing RLOs. It explains how we developed our RLOs, gives examples, and discusses lessons learned throughout the process.
Type of Small Teaching: Brief in session or blended learning activities
Event Sub-Themes: Wildcard
Session: Digital artefact
A WebAR use case for practising materials selection
Shanshan Yang, University of Warwick
Students wish to develop work-based skills in selecting suitable materials for building a vehicle. They need flexible learning modes, as some cannot always stay on campus. However, building a physical lab on campus is challenging due to a shortage of space, time and practical equipment. Moreover, it is important to equip learners to contribute to a sustainable future. An AR practical activity would have the following potential benefits:
- Simulates a real-world practical activity using an interactive 3D model in an AR setting, capturing the attention of students and providing them with immediate opportunities for engagement.
- Supports blended learning and can be reused many times for consolidation purposes.
- Fosters a culture of sustainability and a sense of responsibility.
This digital poster will share our experience in exploring innovative small teaching methods to improve the quality of education. It will also educate people on reducing the impact on the environment, both locally and globally.
Type of Small Teaching: Brief in session or blended learning activities
Event Sub-Themes: Equipping learners to contribute to a sustainable future; Wildcard
Session: Digital Artefact
From Paper to Digital: Meeting Student Demands for Sustainable and Realistic Assessments
Adam Turner, Swansea University
We have implemented a transition from paper-based assessment resources to digital resources in response to student feedback. In pharmacy practice, resources are accessed using mobile devices, laptops and other internet connected devices. Students expressed concerns about the sustainability of using paper and the lack of realism in practice-based assessment settings. The benefits of this transition have been a reduction in the use of paper and making assessments more realistic. There were also some challenges encountered during the transition, such as the need for students to become familiar with digital tools and platforms. Strategies for addressing these challenges have been investigated, including providing training and support for students. Overall, we demonstrate the importance of listening to student feedback and being responsive to their concerns. The transition to digital resources has not only improved sustainability but also enhanced the realism of assessments, resulting in a better learning experience for students.
Type of Small Teaching: Small modifications in module or programme design, assessment or communication with your students
Event Sub-Themes: Equipping learners to contribute to a sustainable future;
Session: Digital Artefact
ChatGPT in Higher Education – Opinions from other universities
Shanshan Yang and Celine Martin, University of Warwick
ChatGPT has become a global hot topic since its launch in November 2022. This chatbot prototype has demonstrated good application in compiling ideas, answering general questions and writing full documents, including poems, plays, letters and essays. While the emergence of ChatGPT has brought many opportunities, there are great concerns within higher education and academia regarding plagiarism, since the current plagiarism detection tools have been unable to identify the work produced by ChatGPT.
This digital poster will compare different universities’ artificial intelligence (AI) policies regarding the use of ChatGPT. Several Russell group universities have informed students that using ChatGPT for assignments will count as academic misconduct. However, a number of universities in the United Kingdom (UK), Europe, the United States (US) and Asia permit, and even encourage, the appropriate use of ChatGPT as an effective learning tool.
As the latest AI wave hits, ChatGPT brings new educational challenges to higher education. What should we do with it next? Should we discourage it, allow it with conditions, or encourage the use of it as an effective learning tool?
Type of Small Teaching: Brief in session or blended learning activities
Event Sub-Themes: Wildcar
Session: Digital Artefact
Introducing Video Annotation Software
Diana Shore, University of Warwick
Type of Small Teaching: Small interventions in a module, programme or extended learning experience.
Event Sub-Themes: Wildcard
Session: Digital Artefact
Eight Great Ways To Use Video Annotation Software
Diana Shore, University of Warwick
Type of Small Teaching: Small interventions in a module, programme or extended learning experience.
Event Sub-Themes: Wildcard
Session: Digital Artefact
Exploring the affordances of Video Annotation Software
Diana Shore, University of Warwick
Type of Small Teaching: Small interventions in a module, programme or extended learning experience.
Event Sub-Themes: Wildcard
Session: Digital Artefact
Innovation by design
Diana Shore and Dr Ali Ahmad, Unversity of Warwick
Digital Pedagogy Library
Rebecca Stone and Jess Humphreys, University of Warwick