{"id":3840,"date":"2025-05-12T10:13:57","date_gmt":"2025-05-12T09:13:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/biosciences\/?p=3840"},"modified":"2025-05-12T10:13:57","modified_gmt":"2025-05-12T09:13:57","slug":"kent-microbiologists-receive-teaching-innovation-award","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/biosciences\/2025\/05\/12\/kent-microbiologists-receive-teaching-innovation-award\/","title":{"rendered":"Kent microbiologists receive Teaching Innovation Award"},"content":{"rendered":"

Congratulations to\u00a0Dr Emma Hargreaves<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Dr Alexandra Moores<\/a>, both Senior Lecturers in Microbiology, from the School of Natural Sciences, who have been awarded a prestigious\u00a02025 Teaching Innovation Award<\/a>\u00a0for their work in supporting students\u2019 transition to university and enhancing numeracy skills through targeted interventions.<\/p>\n

The award, presented by digital learning platform\u00a0LearnSci<\/a>, recognises Dr Hargreaves and Dr Moores\u2019 commitment to improving the student experience through innovative teaching practices.<\/p>\n

In 2020, Dr Moores first collaborated with LearnSci to create a numeracy-focused Smart Worksheet. Designed to identify incoming students\u2019 maths skills gaps before they began their degrees, the Smart Worksheet enabled early interventions to address these gaps. This work was recognised with a\u00a0Teaching innovation Award Winner in 2020<\/a>. Data collected through this resource informed the design of targeted workshops and curriculum adjustments, in partnership with the University\u2019s\u00a0Student Success<\/a>\u00a0team. Students responded positively, reporting greater confidence in applying mathematical skills to coursework, particularly in data analysis.<\/p>\n

Dr Moores said: \u2018We are delighted to have been recognised with a Teaching Innovation Award for our work on the Smart Worksheet. Further funding from the Student Success Project has enabled us to continue supporting student success in numeracy.\u2019<\/p>\n

The foundation for Pre-Arrival Hub work began in 2020 as a collaborative project between Dr Hargreaves, Dr Moores, and Katherine Moss (PR Campaigns Manager at Kent). In 2022, Dr Hargreaves, Dr Moores and\u00a0Mrs Candis Robers<\/a>\u00a0(Student Experience Manager at the time) extended their collaboration with LearnSci to co-create the Pre-Arrival Hub\u2014a central resource offering new students essential information and support before starting university. The Hub also allowed for early identification of students who might need additional help, ensuring timely support. Following its successful launch within Natural Sciences, the Pre-Arrival Hub was adopted across the University in 2023 and won a\u00a0Teaching Innovation Award in 2022<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Building on this success, Dr Hargreaves, Dr Moores, and\u00a0Dr Rosalyn Masterton<\/a>\u00a0(Senior Lecturer in Biological Sciences) are now working with local schools and colleges to support further education students\u2014particularly those from underrepresented groups\u2014in their transition to university. They are also enhancing support for foundation year students, introducing bespoke resources and a peer mentoring scheme, in association with the\u00a0Skills for Academic Success<\/a>\u00a0Team, to further ease the transition to higher education.<\/p>\n