Resources

Here are a collection of resources that have been highlighted during the conference.

Creating futures in Science Toolkit Final.pdf

Creating Futures in Science Tool Kit

This tool kit was mentioned in key not session as a way of creating powerful CVs

Playful learning for remote teaching.pdf

Playful Learning

This Tool kit was created by Dr Louise Robinson and details ways to engage through gamification.

Papers

Below are reference that have been highlighted in the chat.

Webpages

Recordings from Day 1

Recordings from Day 2

Day 2 part 1 :

https://shu.zoom.us/rec/share/s33TM5hBviiNd2zYiW4XxDV511LWm-PsCqnKYfxDeRDp3n3evrCZAgfxjGk3Ec_u.XsbCRT5E8NsUPUCX?startTime=1599122153000

Day 2 part 2 :

https://shu.zoom.us/rec/share/s33TM5hBviiNd2zYiW4XxDV511LWm-PsCqnKYfxDeRDp3n3evrCZAgfxjGk3Ec_u.XsbCRT5E8NsUPUCX?startTime=1599136444000

Chat

Day 1

02:14:36 Kelly Johnston: Thanks you, Liz

02:23:50 David Smith: Questions and comments in the chat starting with Q -

02:27:14 Mel Lacey: Q- what do you think we can do on a grassroots level to help reduce gender inequalities?

02:35:06 Sue Jones: Q - what gender balances do people have in academic staff teams and does this reflect your student body? Does gender balance change between UGT, PGT and PGR to post-doc work?

02:38:07 Mel Lacey: Also, just a comment, this is heart breaking, my 18 yo self really thought we'd be better by 2020 :(

02:54:54 Anita Hall: At my HEI, more teaching intensive staff are women (and other underrepresented groups) compared to our research intensive staff. My discipline (life sciences) at my Uni sees fewer women from beyond post-doc stage.

03:03:27 David Smith: Questions and comments in the chat starting with Q -

Or raise your hand to ask a question

03:05:03 Hazel Corradi: Having spent too much time looking at depressing gender data for Athena Swan, I would be curious to find out if there was any comparison of women in science between academia and industry. There are many aspects of the academic career that are not essential to the doing of science that might put people off (although I'm sure industry has other aspects that don't appeal to some).

03:05:07 Nicholas Freestone: Viv Rolfe made the point about gender imbalance in the scientific discourse in the most recent edition of Physiology News

03:06:44 Christopher Harvey: Excellent talk, many thanks!

03:06:56 Paula Simpkin: Fascinating talk - thank you!

03:07:17 Katharine Hubbard: Anita - data a bit old now, but the gender imbalance for T+S vs T+R shown in Figure 1 of this https://f1000research.com/articles/4-76

03:08:46 Steve Tucker: Q - Many leading journals have recently established guidelines around studies considering sex as a biological variable. While this will hopefully reduce bias amongst data going forward, what can we do as a community about the biased data that has gone before?

03:12:01 Nigel Francis: One reason for introducing elimination style MCQs was exactly due to that reason, of females being less willing to take a guess if they did not know an answer.

03:12:42 Liz Alvey: Would you be willing to share an example? Nigel?

03:14:09 Nigel Francis: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0055956

03:14:44 Liz Alvey: Cheers!

03:15:45 Katharine Hubbard: Sue - I think I’ve seen data to show biology UGs were gender balanced in the 1970s, but obviously our senior academics now are not! For bio the problem is further down the pipeline, as there isn’t much of an imbalance at UG (unlike other STEM disciplines) …..

03:16:24 Sue Jones: Thanks Katharine, that is what I thought from my own experience - would be good to get an idea from this community maybe?

03:16:59 Anita Hall: @sue Athena Swan should have this data?

03:17:24 Katharine Hubbard: Will look at HESA stats - I prepped today for ethnicity stats but not for gender!

03:17:34 Steve Tucker: Thank you Elizabeth - really interesting talk. Lots of work to be done!

03:17:59 Mel Lacey: Great talk, thank you

03:18:15 Jon Scott: When I was looking at promotion criteria, it became clear that, at each stage, proportionally more males applied for chairs but the success rate was higher for female applicants.

03:33:12 Nicholas Freestone: Was wondering how the British Asian experience differed from the Black British student experience at Aston?

03:34:58 Sue Jones: Q- do you have peer-mentoring at Aston to facilitate the students to feel comfortable speaking to / approaching someone "more like them" as you have described?

03:41:41 Anita Hall: An interesting idea that might be worth trying is 'reverse mentoring' (questionable name) - a senior 'old male and pale' member of staff with power is mentored by someone less senior with different life experience e.g. a BAME colleague.

03:47:09 Carol Rea: The biomedical science course I ran up until last year doesn't seem to have an attainment gap for BAME students. not sure I can say why, but happy to input to any groups if it might help crea@lincoln.ac.uk

03:47:31 Anita Hall: (that's more an idea to support the HEI culture changes that can help everyone including students)

03:48:02 Sue Jones: Mine doesn't either Carol, would be good to share resources / info etc across this group?

03:48:32 David Smith: @Carol How many local students v commuter students v students from afar?

03:51:24 Carol Rea: can't say off the top of my head, but could find out. We have historically had a lot of local and commuter students, most of whom are white, reflecting Lincolnshire generally

03:51:24 Jane Loughlin: but are the students who engage in peer mentoring the stronger students anyway?

03:51:48 James McEvoy: 3/4 females engaged, only 1/4 males engaged in peer mentoring

03:52:17 Alix Blockley: Q: How are you going to manage peer mentoring this year with our blended/online models?

03:52:52 James McEvoy: Q for Nick: how do you get more male engagement in peer mentoring?

03:53:31 Momna Hejmadi: we have struggled to recruit students as peer mentors (male or female). Any tips on what incentives work or any other ideas?

03:54:53 Liz Alvey: We also have a steep drop-off rate. How can you keep both mentors and mentees keen?

03:55:10 Nigel Francis: Q for Nick, you mentioned paying the students to mentor. Do you think you would have buy in students without that?

03:56:12 Sue Jones: I check in with my mentors regularly and we timetable sessions alongside tutorials. My mentors do it for free and volunteer every year, they can earn a badge for doing it that goes in their personal portfolio for their key skills module, but nothing else.

03:56:30 Anita Hall: Associate Fellowship of Advance HE might be possible?

03:56:54 James McEvoy: @Jane Loughlin - you make a good point about peer mentor self-selection, but Nick has data to show that students see gains beyond their prior achievement (I think he's coming to that soon)

03:56:59 Hazel Corradi: no gaps, very impressive :)

04:00:44 Hazel Corradi: @Anita My understanding is that AFHEA expects that practice will be maintained so it really is less appropriate for undergraduates. Some university recognition scheme might be better.

04:01:01 Momna Hejmadi: well done Nick and all the team - great work! And good luck with the awards

04:02:15 Anita Hall: Yes, fair point @Hazel usually at least - perhaps it could be a framework HEIs follow for their UGs

04:02:22 David Smith: The Zoom room will remain open after the talks

04:02:54 Louise Robson: we have had some of our students get AFHEA using PASS, but these are the ones who have taken part as mentors and then acted as PASS leaders (i.e. they support students who are supporting others).

04:03:24 Steve Tucker: Great talk as always Nick. Fantastic piece of work.

04:03:52 Anita Hall: Yes, well done to Nick and team! I feel all re-enthused!

04:04:58 Hazel Corradi: @anita It would be great if more could be done to support student (UG and PG) teachers and tutors engage in reflective practice and to set up systems for peer review.

04:06:06 Anita Hall: Agreed, it's on my to do list!

04:06:48 David Smith: @anita & @Hazel the Biochem Soc are pulling together resources around this

04:07:05 Anita Hall: @david that sounds good

04:07:58 Nicholas Freestone: James and I will be talking about setting up our BAG Network at the HUBS meeting. Please contact James or myself if you would like to contribute.

04:07:58 David Smith: Comment: there seems to be a large group of students who don't want to work in labs, Mel, Nick and Karen have all mentioned this. It was also in the keynote

04:08:34 Sue Jones: Comment: Dave Lewis also has stats on this he mentioned in the Capstone project workshops - it is much lower than we think!

04:09:27 Anita Hall: Yes, e.g. I usually have a few Biochemists in week 1 saying, 'I want to be a management consultant'...

04:09:28 Katharine Hubbard: David - yes - is a clear theme coming through. Is this due to perceptions of the lab environment specifically, or wanting to stay in a scientific career at all?

04:09:41 David Smith: Don't know the answer to that, but its worth asking the question


04:10:07 Katharine Hubbard: In general we over estimate the attractiveness of lab based science massively I think …..

04:12:00 Charlotte Haigh: Is it due to less opportunities for lab based careers?

04:12:17 Anita Hall: Sometimes UGs just don't see life in a lab much if at all - online, we could have some more 'lab tours via webcam' to at least start bringing them into our labs

04:14:24 Katherine Rawlinson: ARe the better at realising than we think that not all scientists work in labs?! Science is such a good discipline to merge with other subject which I think is what a lot of them are recognising. Its certainly the impression I get talking with applicants. As academics most of us have come from a lab/research environment - more diversity needed ? Degrees with a different focus like the pharm & reg affairs - more attractive to applicants/better cater for what students are wanting now???? Inclusive curriculum.....

04:15:58 Momna Hejmadi: We are noticing a reduction in the number of students opting to do lab-based research placements. Saw this gender-related attrition in biosciences https://www.qmul.ac.uk/sbcs/media/sbcs/athenaswan/Attrition-of-Women-in-the-Biological-Sciences-Professional-Biologist.pdf

04:16:03 Anita Hall: @katherine - yes, we also know a lot about why a life in a lab doesn't suit everyone

04:16:07 Michelle Payne: C: We're looking at 'recordings of tours of labs' as we're lucky to have good links with regional NHS and SME labs. Would appreciate advice on best equipment/technology to use..?

04:24:10 David Smith: We will be having a break after the questions before the next session

04:25:26 Momna Hejmadi: Is the MT5010 course optional? E.g. can students who have the lab experience opt out?

04:25:32 Anita Hall: Good idea @david - my daughter's having great fun tie dyeing next door and I can check what colours the kittens are!

04:26:35 Liz Alvey: Q Steve T. Was it hard to motivate students on a module that 'doesn't count' (non-credit bearing)?

04:35:19 Jane Loughlin: Steve - has retention improved?

04:59:31 Steve Tucker: They weren't lying!

05:03:41 David Smith: As before questions for Sue in the chat

05:03:49 David Smith: Or you can ask at the end

05:07:40 Nigel Francis: Q for Sue: Do you think your programme design would integrate well with UCL’s ABC learning design, which my institution has adopted and wants all academics to use from here on out

05:12:36 David Smith: Q Is it the key skills in the maths that is having the largest effect on the overall grading. If so why do you think that is?

05:13:53 Hazel Corradi: If there is a mix of criterion referenced and absolute marking that could cause that difference.

05:16:34 Hazel Corradi: Helping student improve in maths is great thing full stop, but I guess the question is whether the maths test is challenging enough, or is it that the feedback for (say essays) is less helpful or... from my experience I would say it is hard to have good marking schemes for maths tests and it is hard to learn from feedback on essays.

05:17:19 Katharine Hubbard: Please put any questions for Sue in the chat!

05:18:29 Nicholas Freestone: do we have any graduate outcome data yet?

05:18:57 Nicholas Freestone: question answered. Thanks!

05:19:05 David Smith: 100% :)

05:19:29 David Smith: Great case study

05:20:10 Nicholas Freestone: agreed lovely stuff

05:23:30 David Smith: I would like in my place, to do more lower value assessments and move away from high stakes as Sue just said

05:24:11 Nicholas Freestone: I agree with Sue - it's probably necessary if we work outside university regulations if we can prove our approaches are successful

05:24:51 Nicholas Freestone: *to work outside

05:25:10 Mel Lacey: The linking between assessment is really elegant

05:27:10 Christopher Harvey: Same here - I would like more flexibility in assessment. We have a blanket rule of two assessments per 20 credits. Can be very difficult to work with.

05:27:30 Vanessa Armstrong: Same here Chris- makes it really tricky

05:28:00 David Smith: I had to "hack" the system and make one of my large 20 credits 4 assessments. I just didn;t tell anyone

05:28:20 Nicholas Freestone: Why do we let "them" tell us how to do our jobs? Are they expert Bioscientists?

05:28:27 Christopher Harvey: Not telling anyone is also my preferred strategy :)

05:28:42 Sue Jones: Hear hear Nick - that is my approach!!

05:28:51 David Smith: www.menti.com

05:29:09 Katharine Hubbard: https://www.menti.com/x3d1w51riw

05:29:23 J Park: great idea

05:32:08 David Smith: THis is a good examples of making on-line teaching interactive BTW :)(

05:32:13 David Smith: that was :)

05:33:21 Jon Scott: As with going for promotion on the basis of teaching excellence, BTOY needs strategic planning to get the evidence in place.

05:33:54 Jon Scott: For promotion AdvanceHE has a Profs in preparation group that helps provide mentoring

05:34:02 Sue Jones: It does Jon - I applied 3 times before I had enough data for a good case study

05:35:10 David Smith: Getting the evidence is key, but what counts as evence is the trick

05:35:33 Nigel Francis: Something like this would be fantastic, especially for people who might be at research focused institutions where there is a lack of teaching focused academics with this sort of knowledge

05:36:43 David Smith: Talk to people at conferences, find someone at a similar stage, Katherine Sue and I have all talked through our development

05:37:46 Liz Alvey: Thanks everyone. See you at 17.33

05:37:52 Vanessa Armstrong: I agree Nigel, would be really useful.

05:38:45 James McEvoy: Thanks for all the talks and discussion peeps. I'm sorry but family calls... I'll be back tomorrow.

05:38:46 Alfred Thumser: Q: could I ask a question about the mentoring?

05:38:55 Katharine Hubbard: Sure Alfred :)

05:39:25 Sonja Dunbar: As a very much newbie, it's always just so nice to see others interested in education (easy to forget when not many people to talk to about it in kmy own institution) - so more connection/network is just inspiring full stop :)

05:40:20 Momna Hejmadi: great talks today everyone! Really enjoyed Sue’s talk :) Have to go too and I look forward to catching up tomorrow :)

05:40:41 David Smith: @Sonja, yes getting involved in these communitees is the access to people who can support outside your normal walls

05:41:49 Nicholas Freestone: Lovely to see you Hazel. Hope all is well.

05:43:38 Tony Blake: Really enjoyed the talks but need to leave too. Looking forward to tomorrow.

05:44:05 David Smith: I am recording the last few and will post on the website with the presenters permissions

05:48:34 David Smith: Any questions Q or comments C in the chat for our closing speakers

05:53:58 Cressida Lyon: Thanks for a lovely and very inspiring afternoon - I have to go now

05:59:03 David Smith: Wonderful talk thanks

06:02:49 David Smith: Q which is the current "best" paltform to use Chris. I live on Twitter but the students dont

06:05:22 David Smith: Like the video content

06:08:14 Katharine Hubbard: For info on this year’s RSB HE Bioscience Teacher of the Year award please see https://www.rsb.org.uk/get-involved/rsb-awards/he-teacher-of-the-year

06:09:08 David Smith: Q Can you get them to comment on the vidoes might give you a clue

06:09:48 Sue Jones: Comment - this will be useful for recruitment this year if on campus visits are not possible

06:10:20 David Smith: YouTube is good as an account is not needed

06:10:21 Heather McQueen: Q Are they sharing your content? Nice!

06:10:43 Vanessa Armstrong: For school engagement how are you going to promote this? I run an workshop outreach group and struggling with how to keep this going remotely.

06:10:55 Chris Willmott: Thanks Chris

06:11:44 Chris Willmott: We have run a Flying Start module over the summer for applicants - weekly content

06:12:01 Katharine Hubbard: Peter Klappa’s case study for HE BTOY was based on using YouTube Live Streaming for teaching - was really good to engage, and balance the needs of students in the classroom and those participating remotely

06:12:21 Katharine Hubbard: https://www.rsb.org.uk/images/Peter_Klappa_HEBTOY_2020_Case_Study.pdf

06:15:27 Chris Willmott: It was about three years ago that I noticed for the first time that project students were trying to read primary research articles on their phones

06:16:07 Leanne Taylor-Smith: Q- how doing the movie watching together? Recommendations?

06:16:56 Leanne Taylor-Smith: Excellent - thanks Chris, ah yep wondered if BoB

06:17:07 Terri Grassby: They also have ER and other TV shows on BoB

06:17:11 Chris Willmott: indeed https://lefthandedbiochemist.wordpress.com/bob-collection/

06:17:29 Jon Scott: To think about overnight - we will be planning to have the Summit as usual next year - hopefully face-to-face again(!). If you are interested in hosting, please let us know. I will be talking with OUP shortly to confirm funding for 2021 and it helps to have a host in place.

06:18:08 Christopher Harvey: That's an excellent BoB resource Chris, many thanks for sharing!

06:18:13 Vanessa Armstrong: Thanks for organising, feeling inspired!

06:18:16 Jane Loughlin: thanks you all very much - very interesting

06:18:31 Leanne Taylor-Smith: Thanks all - great day!

06:18:32 Chris Willmott: Always happy to find fellow BoB devotees

06:18:39 Alfred Thumser: Great talks, stimulating, thank you!

06:18:42 Nigel Francis: Thanks everyone was a great day

06:18:43 Sue Jones: Thanks Dave and Liz

06:18:47 Katharine Hubbard: Thanks all :)

06:18:58 Mel Lacey: thanks all really great day

06:18:58 Heather McQueen: Thanks. Been great!