STEMinar Series: eSTEeM Scholarship Showcase - 8th October 2024

Dates: 

Tuesday, October 8, 2024 - 14:00 to 15:00

Location

Via MS Teams

Contact

eSTEeM

Evaluating and improving inclusivity in group project work for distance-learning engineering students

Jo Smedley, Silvia Varagnolo, Fiona Gleed, Hedieh Jazaeri, and Alice Moncaster

Projects and teamwork are the predominant contexts in which most engineers work. Providing supported learning experience of such contexts supports employability for our students. However group projects are particularly problematic within the distance-learning format, making group cohesion more difficult. The Open University also has a particular diverse student population with significant differences in current circumstances and previous educational experiences. Inclusivity represents a critical issue for the engineering profession. Whilst UK engineering professionals are predominantly white, male, and able-bodied, recent publications have highlighted the positive impact that diverse teams can have and the relevance to engineering design of understanding the needs and experiences of different people. Well designed group projects provide an opportunity to demonstrate empathy, understanding and inclusion. These projects need to ensure that all students are supported in their studies, and that students are empowered to support and work with others. In this presentation, we will describe the main findings of an investigation of challenges and opportunities in designing, developing and implementing distance-learning group activities. The study centred on a specialist engineering module, which included a remote group project, and drew on related core modules with a group work element.

What holds students back from attending live tutorials and using online forums on level 2 biology modules?

Sarah Daniell and Lorraine Waters

It remains the case that despite different initiatives to encourage tutorial attendance, few students attend live online tutorials in LHCS. Similarly, forum use is also unpopular, with many students only using their tutor group forums for activities related to assessment, rather than for communicating with other students and building a sense of community. Our study explored tutorial engagement and forum use by students studying two level 2 biology modules over two presentations, with a particular focus on those experiencing mental health issues. Our findings from questionnaires and interviews will be presented, together with some suggestions to take forwards.

Registration

This event is open to OU staff, please visit the registration form to sign-up.

Keep up to date on the STEMinar Series by visiting the STEMinar Series intranet site. 

Related resources: 

Attachment	Size
Jo-Smedley-Silvia-Varagnolo-Inclusive-Group-Work-STEMinar-Oct-24.pptx	9.49 MB

STEMinar Series presentation.

Attachment	Size
Sarah-Daniell-Lorraine-Waters-STEMinar-Oct-24.pptx	4.22 MB

STEMinar Series presentation.