Using audio for feedback on assessments: Tutor and student experiences

Recently we have been providing individual audio feedback to 1st and 2nd year undergraduate Chemistry students on a variety of assessments (posters, laboratory reports, laboratory diaries) with the aim of providing richer, more detailed and more comprehensible individual feedback than is possible within the same timeframe using written feedback. In this communication, various aspects of the use of audio for feedback are discussed including practical and technical aspects of the recording of audio files whilst viewing and assessing student work, the transmission of these files to individual students, our experiences as tutors of providing audio feedback and the experiences and views of students on audio feedback

Screencasting as a means of providing timely, general feedback on assessment

Feedback has been highlighted as a key area for improvement in teaching in higher education following recent National Student Survey results. While feedback may be provided in a variety of forms, both general and specific to individual students, there is often a need to provide general feedback to a whole class without consuming valuable and limited contact time.Screencasting involves recording a short video clip of a computer screen with narration. It can be used to demonstrate various computer programmes, how to perform data analysis and to provide feedback on assessment, both individually and to the class as a whole. Camtasia or other screencast facilities were used to produce short videos of solutions to problem based assessments, incorporating general feedback and addressing misconceptions that had arisen. The resulting video files can be made available through virtual learning environments or on external websites giving the students round the clock access to a „mini lecture‟ enabling them to use the feedback at a time and place of their choosing. We have experimented with screencast feedback in a number of chemistry modules, focussing on feedback for in-class tests and problem-solving activities.In this communication we will look at screencasting as a means of providing efficient and effective whole class feedback, highlighting the strengths and challenges of this technology. We will discuss the experiences of both students who receive screencast feedback and tutors who provide it, and finish with our suggestions for best practice in the area

10 years of curriculum change viewed through the lens of student workload

The past decade has seen significant changes to the Chemistry course at Keele including two curriculum reviews, the COVID-19 pandemic, and a more gradual evolution of how we teach, particularly including flipped classroom methods. Student workload provides a means of quantifying the impact of these changes and is also a valuable tool in ensuring that all learning and teaching activities have sufficient and equitable access to time. The longer-term impact of changes to curricula has not been studied significantly, and there are limited examples of workload models that incorporate flipped classroom methods in physical science subjects. The purpose of this study is to review 10 years of semester 1 level 6 chemistry modules through the perspective of objective workload (timetabled sessions and deadlines) and more closely through changes in one block of taught content. Workload has been selected as a metric because objective workload is within the control of teaching staff and links to attendance, engagement, and achievement. Assessment timetables and timetables were analysed and workload week maps and credit per week map visualisations devised to represent the data. A workload model was proposed. A series of recommendations are made for the use of these visualisation to both support student learning and ensure equity across modules. Further work is required to investigate this complex issue, particularly to incorporate the student voice and perceived workload

Evaluation of the use of Lecture Recordings in Chemistry Modules

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the attitude of students towards lecture recordings used in some Chemistry courses. Studentfeedback was collected by anonymous questionnaire using a variety of Likert and free-text responses. Students in all three years of the Chemistry course (N = 99) responded, and all had experienced lecture recordings in the form of screen capture in several courses. Lecture recordings provide support to students in a variety of ways and the majority of students like the fact thatsome lectures are recorded despite not always intending to use them. Lecturerecordings may offer a valuable resource for revision with students ratingconventional sources of additional information such as textbooks poorly incomparison. Further work is required to investigate the precise use that students make of lecture recordings, the impact on performance in assessment, and the use to students with specific education needs or English as a second language

Teaching with microscale reactions

Like many chemists, I am fascinated by the visible changes that occur during chemical reactions, yet frustrated by how few reactions are done for the pure joy of seeing a change

Peer and simple?

Peer assessment – where students mark the work of their classmates – is a popular way of helping students engage with all aspects of a piece of work, and in many cases is a very authentic method of assessment. It’s a valuable activity, providing an opportunity for students to reflect on assignments beyond the traditional ‘submit and forget’ mindset

Diagnostic tests for better teaching

Benchmarking students’ ability after any transition between levels of study allows tailored teaching, but requires careful question design. Katherine Haxton shares her tips for where to begi