[2003]		The Learning, Teaching and Assessment Newsletter of the Faculty of Science, LJMU
Ab		stract #5.3
1849		… to be no more than 965 words.				13^th April 2021
			LJMU Annual Teaching and Learning Conference Wed 16th and Thu 17th June 2021 On the theme of ‘Transition and Transformation’, this virtual conference will offer a chance for us to consider and share what has worked during this exceptional year and what we might want to take forward. There are two session formats: · Presentations 20 minutes plus 10 minutes Q&A · Lightning talk 5 minutes maximum and intended to provide a quick overview. Grouped together with a joint Q&A afterwards. Abstract submissions can be submitted here by noon on Monday 19th April 2021.
Talking About Teaching This is the Faculty name for Peer Review, one element of the LJMU Teaching Quality Framework and undertaken annually by all staff. It is a formalised and substantive conversation between academics, dedicated to exploring an identified theme within educational practice that is not a part of other scheduled obligations e.g. programme team meetings. Overseen by Subject Leads, over 170 SCS staff have already confirmed their participation through the simple online form that closes on Friday 23rd April. If you have taking part in an eligible conversation and have yet to register, please do so through the form.
See My Tutor venue option: What the student sees Data from ITS indicates the high usage of See My Tutor by Science staff, averaging 92% across the Faculty. Recent enhancements enable staff to offer specific venues (campus and/or via MS Teams) for individual appointments. This feature will be useful in future once campus COVID restrictions are relaxed.
>	If staff select both campus and MS Teams as potential venues, students are invited to select their preference when booking, Figure below-left.
>	The student’s selection is confirmed in See My Tutor, Figure above-right, and through confirmation email.
			Escape rooms and Simulations 1430 – 1530h Wednesday April 28 2021 Jonny Davies (PBS) and Rachelle O’Brien (University of Durham) will present their work at this digital teaching and learning seminar. Rachelle has used Microsoft OneNote to create escape rooms that provide non-linear learning experiences. Jonny will talk about the PCS Spark patient simulation programme that has been integrated into MPharm this year. Both presenters have explored ways to make asynchronous activities feel synchronous.
Science students experiences of online learning Emma Ball (SPS) and PGR student Laura O'Callaghan have reported on a semester one student survey exploring experiences of online learning. The work was commissioned by the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences for dissemination within the School. It will be also of interest across the Faculty and has been discussed at our Faculty’s Education Committee. This part of the report describes a three-stage model for implementing breakout rooms and the wider findings of the study are summarised in an infographic.
Active Blended Learning: Guidance for the Transitionary Year 2021/22 The ELT-approved guidance was circulated by Registry to all Schools earlier this mopnth. The document highlights that, to be classed as contact hours on the module proforma, online learning must provide explicit instructions to students about what they are expected to do and a clear indication of time-on-task. For an online lecture, it would be advisable to include an introductory slide that provides this information and activities could include annotating slides, answering MCQs and participation in a discussion board. The hours recorded under each session type (lecture, workshop etc) on the module proforma will include both onsite and active online learning. The ‘online’ category on the module profroma effectively then records ‘miscellaneous’ active online learning. Modules should include no more than 20% structured online learning activities in the 2021/22 academic year. Module leaders with a pedagogic justification to exceed this limit should discuss with the Faculty Registrar through the relevant Programme Leader(s) in the first instance.
LJMU Grade descriptors A reminder that the LJMU Grade descriptors are available through the Policy Centre. Although due for review, the document does provide guidance on how they should be used and this may be of particular interest to newer staff. The LJMU descriptors are generic while the QAA Subject Benchmark Statements cover many disciplines.
Canvas advisories: Speedgrader rubrics and Grades mark release Be wary when using Rubrics in team marking as one assessor can accidentally overwrite the scores of another assessor using the same rubric; this is a known bug and has impacted staff in the Faculty. A further issue relates to controlling the release of marks from Canvas and the new interface has caught some staff out; this guide from the Teaching and Learning Academy is worth a read.
Academic Achievement project Update Module leaders have already been advised that all L3/L4 students have been enrolled on a new Canvas Course for Semester 2; Title: Academic Achievement (Science), Code: ACHIEVEMENT_SCS_2020. This is intended to provide an accessible study support resource during the pandemic, supported by the Science Academic Achievement Advisor Phil O'Brien. This report shows by-faculty uptake of the new service and highlights Science’s high usage of the centrally teaching programme (CTP, p2) and individual contact (IC, p3). An initial finding (p4) is that the service is engaging more students with home addresses in Polar Quintile 1 (areas with lowest historic HE participation) than the standard Skills@LJMU programme.
Employability briefing note for final year personal tutors This resource has been previously released by the Careers, Employability and Enterprise Team and is provided here in case you missed it.
Bioscience Education Summit 7th-8th September 2021 at Royal Holloway (thanks to Janice Harland) The two themes of the meeting will be reducing demographic attainment gaps and (post)pandemic digital teaching and learning. Please visit the conference website for further details, and to register your interest.
Phil Denton, Faculty of Science Associate Dean (Education)

Maintained by SCSADE@ljmu.ac.uk. Last Update: 13/04/2021.