Dr Alexandra Moores from the School of Bio-sciences has is celebrating receiving a Teaching Innovation Award from Learning Science for her interactive online smart worksheet, which helped identify students struggling with mathematics due to online teaching and lockdown fatigue.
Dr Alexandra Moores was supported by Mr Francis Samra, Dr Ewan Clarke and Dr Kyra De Coninck in a collaborative cross-division project to produced the online resource for students starting at the School of BioSciences, School of Physical Sciences or School of Sport and Exercise Sciences in September. The project was designed to support students whose learning had been impacted by the pandemic, and to help welcome them to the University with the confidence they need to succeed.
The Smart Worksheet encompassed fundamental mathematical principles in a range of presentation styles to ascertain not only the theoretical areas but additionally how the problems appear (i.e. graphically, tabular, written format) that students might find problematic.
The judging panel commented that the project was “An ‘out of the box’ targeted teaching tool to support mathematics in science. This will have a huge impact on students and help to identify those who need additional support.”
The Smart Worksheet assessed both individual student and entire cohort understanding across Natural Sciences. Academics across multiple programmes throughout the whole division, were then able to adapt and shape future lectures and resources to support student learning success and direct support to where it is most useful. For the School of Biosciences specifically, it identified that 40% of incoming students did not have adequate mathematical skills, thus assessment facilitated the implementation of additional support strategies for those students.
Funding for the Smart Worksheet online resource was provided to the Division of Natural Sciences by Student Success (EDI), as part of its collaboration with the division to introduce targeted Student Success interventions, designed to address factors/barriers which have been identified through Student Success (EDI) Research as triggering lower rates of attainment, continuation and progression.
“Funding for the Smart Worksheet online resource was provided to the Division of Natural Sciences by Student Success (EDI), as part of its collaboration with the division to introduce targeted Student Success interventions, designed to address factors/barriers which have been identified through Student Success (EDI) Research as triggering lower rates of attainment, continuation and progression”.
Dr Alexandra De La Torre |Student Success (EDI) Project |Assistant Project Manager
Learning Science is an organisation that aims to support innovation that positively impacts teaching quality and enhances student learning. The annual Teaching Innovation Awards are presented to applicants who can demonstrate innovation in teaching and learning in their institution through the use of Learning Science resources.