Embracing Sustainability: The Journey to Our GrEEn Office

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by Simon Overton, Educational Enhancement Co-ordinator, University of Sussex

In a world increasingly conscious of its environmental footprint, the responsibility to adopt sustainable practices falls not just on individuals, but also on organisations. At the heart of this movement lies the concept of the green office – a space where eco-consciousness is integrated into every aspect of daily operations.

A little flag made with a toothpick and folded paper) on top of a monitor in the EE office. It states the name of this desk - Capri - and that "this desk is of medium temperature with moderate natural light".
A close-up view of Capri. Each desk has a flag indicating how warm and naturally-lit it is.

For our team, Educational Enhancement (or EE), the decision to transition to a more environmentally friendly workspace wasn’t just about following a trend; it was a reflection of our commitment to minimising our impact on the planet whilst still being efficient, inclusive, looking after everyone’s well-being and being a little bit playful at the same time. With this ethos guiding us, as well as the Green Impact toolkit, we embarked on a journey to transform our office into a beacon of sustainability.

One of the first steps we took was to select our new office location. EE sits in the office space on the first floor of the University of Sussex Library, and had been close to an internal window: lovely for seeing Sussex students beavering away at their studies, but less good in terms of heat and light. The library stays pretty warm all year round (probably thanks to 1960s archectural decisions, #SirBasilSpence) and in the summer can become extremely stuffy. Moving closer to windows allowed us to harness natural light, reducing our reliance on artificial lighting and minimising energy consumption. By strategically positioning our workspaces to take advantage of natural heating and cooling, we not only embraced eco-friendliness but also prioritised the comfort of our team members.

We gathered up and stored a large number of desk fans and lamps, dramatically reduced the number of devices drawing AC power, recycled defunct cables, old-fashioned phones, surplus power strips and other outdated tech, and moved our desks.

Four members of Educational Enhancement stand amid their newly moved desks, by a window showing the campus beyond. On the floor are piles of wires which have been removed in the process.
Desk moving complete: 8 December 2023.
Top: George Robinson (Senior Learning Technologist), Chris O’Reilly (Learning Technologist).
Middle: Simona Connelly (Academic Enhancement Officer).
Bottom: Simon Overton (me, pulling a silly face!)

As we settled into our new space, we set out to foster a culture of sustainability within our team. Inspired by the diverse countries of origin within EE and indeed the student body at Sussex, we devised a map highlighting different zones based on natural light and temperature variations. Each desk was given a name, fostering a sense of connection to our surroundings and encouraging mindfulness of our energy usage. The map was inspired by Tolkein’s Lord of the Rings and hangs in our office for visitors to enjoy.

A map of the EE office in the style of Tolkein's Lord of the Rings maps. Each desk is labelled with the name of an island, reflecting the "climate" in that area. Other sustainability areas are also labelled. There are sea creatures swimming in the "water" between the desks.
The EE “GrEEn Office” Map.

In our quest to repurpose and reduce waste, we got creative. Old desktop computers, once destined for the landfill, found new life as monitor risers, wrapped up as jolly birthday presents. This not only gave new purpose to discarded electronics but also served as a reminder of our commitment to finding innovative solutions to environmental challenges. We also avoided needing to buy plastic risers from Amazon and everything that entails. The only new things we did introduce were plants, one for every desk, to brighten things up and provide a bit of natural air purification.

A photo of a typical EE green hot desk. The monitor stands on a riser that looks like a birthday present. Cables are very tidy and the desk is minimalist and has plenty of space for working.
A typical EE hot desk. Note the “birthday present” monitor riser (inside is a defunct desktop PC). The docking hub is hidden behind the monitor and the power strip is behind the riser. The desk is minimalist and has plenty of space for working (also note there are very few cables above or beneath the desk).

Another area of focus was our office kitchen, or “Teaspoon Island” as it was named. Single-use items became a thing of the past as we embraced reusable alternatives. A simple system for washing up teaspoons and replacing shared tea, coffee and milk not only minimises waste but also promotes a sense of responsibility among team members to participate actively in our sustainability efforts. In addition, we created a sustainability station – a hub for all things eco-friendly. Here, team members can swap books, share tools and parts to repair bikes, and find reusable shopping bags, fostering a culture of resourcefulness and community while reducing our environmental footprint.

Two recycled glass jars, one labelled "clean teaspoons" and the other "teaspoons to be washed".
“Teaspoon Island”

Perhaps one of the most impactful changes we made was transitioning all desks to hot desks equipped with easily accessible power points. We reduced power strips to four gangs per desk (there had been 8 to 12 gang strips hardwired to each desk prior to that) and fitted each one with USB-C docking hubs, attached to the back of the monitors. All plugs are now at desktop level and are labelled, making it quick and easy to switch off items that are not in use. This empowers team members to monitor and manage their energy usage, and encourages a collective effort to reduce tech that is on standby.

Two plugs, one labelled "Dock" and the other "Monitor" lie on a desktop next to a power strip. They have been unplugged.
Easily accessible power strips are labelled to encourage unplugging.

As we reflect on our journey to transform our office into a little green oasis, we recognise that sustainability is not a destination but a continuous journey. While we’ve made significant strides, there’s always more we can do to reduce our impact on the planet whether that be exploring alternative energy sources or further minimising waste. In embracing sustainability, we’ve not only improved our environmental stewardship but also cultivated a workplace that fosters creativity, collaboration, and well-being. Our “GrEEn Office” isn’t just a physical space; it’s a testament to our dedication to building a brighter, more sustainable future for generations to come.

If you would like to get in touch with EE about our sustainable office, or any matters regarding Educational Enhancement, please email educationalenhancement@sussex.ac.uk or visit staff.sussex.ac.uk/teaching/enhancement

This post was written with help from Chat GPT.

Posted in Educational Enhancement, Sustainability

Sustainable Strategies for Learning Technologists: Reducing Environmental Impact in Educational Technology

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by Simon Overton, Educational Enhancement Co-ordinator

In the fast-paced world of educational technology, where innovation drives progress and accessibility is paramount, it’s easy to overlook the environmental footprint of our digital endeavours. Learning technologists play a crucial role in shaping the future of education, but with this role comes a responsibility to minimise the environmental impact of our work. In this blog, we’ll explore practical strategies that learning technologists can implement to reduce their environmental footprint and promote sustainability in educational technology.

A stock image of two hands holding a hologram of the planet Earth, suggesting the potential greenness of technology.
Stock photo by Adobe Stock

The Environmental Impact of Educational Technology

Before delving into solutions, it’s important to understand the environmental implications of educational technology. While digital learning platforms and online resources offer numerous benefits, they also contribute to energy consumption, electronic waste, and carbon emissions. Data centres that host online learning platforms consume vast amounts of energy, and the production, distribution, and disposal of electronic devices contribute to pollution and resource depletion.

Moreover, the rapid pace of technological advancement often leads to shorter product lifecycles and frequent upgrades, resulting in a significant accumulation of electronic waste. As learning technologists, it’s essential to recognise these challenges and proactively seek sustainable solutions.

Sustainable Strategies for Learning Technologists

  1. Optimise Digital Infrastructure: One of the most effective ways to reduce the environmental impact of educational technology is to optimise digital infrastructure. This includes consolidating servers, adopting cloud-based services, and leveraging virtualisation technologies to maximise resource efficiency. By reducing the number of physical servers and data centres, we can minimise energy consumption and carbon emissions associated with hosting online learning platforms.
  2. Promote Energy Efficiency: Encourage energy-efficient practices among students, educators, and administrators. Provide guidance on power-saving settings for devices, promote the use of energy-efficient hardware, and educate users on the environmental benefits of minimising screen time and unplugging devices when not in use. Additionally, explore opportunities to power digital learning initiatives with renewable energy sources such as solar or wind power.
  3. Curate Sustainable Digital Content: When developing digital learning materials, prioritise sustainability by choosing eco-friendly formats and reducing file sizes to minimise bandwidth usage. Opt for open educational resources (OER) and creative commons licensed content to reduce the need for excessive replication and distribution. Encourage collaboration and resource-sharing among educators to minimise redundancy and promote efficiency in content creation.
  4. Extend Product Lifecycles: Encourage users to extend the lifespan of electronic devices by providing guidance on proper maintenance, repair, and refurbishment. Promote responsible disposal practices by facilitating e-waste recycling programmes and partnering with reputable recycling organisations. Consider implementing buy-back or trade-in programmes to incentivise users to return old devices for refurbishment or recycling.
  5. Implement Sustainable Procurement Practices: When purchasing new hardware or software, prioritise products with eco-friendly certifications such as ENERGY STAR or EPEAT. Consider factors such as energy efficiency, recyclability, and environmental impact throughout the product lifecycle. Collaborate with vendors to advocate for sustainable product design and packaging, and explore opportunities for bulk purchasing to reduce packaging waste.
  6. Foster Environmental Awareness: Raise awareness among stakeholders about the environmental impact of educational technology and the importance of sustainability in digital learning initiatives. Provide training and educational resources on eco-friendly practices, and integrate sustainability into curriculum development to instil environmental consciousness in students from an early age.
  7. Measure and Monitor Impact: Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to track and measure the environmental impact of digital learning initiatives. Monitor energy consumption, carbon emissions, and electronic waste generation to identify areas for improvement and benchmark progress over time. Use data analytics and reporting tools to identify opportunities for optimisation and inform decision-making processes.

Conclusion

As learning technologists, we have a responsibility to prioritise sustainability in our digital learning initiatives and minimise the environmental impact of educational technology. By implementing the strategies outlined above, we can contribute to a more sustainable future for education while empowering learners to become environmentally conscious global citizens. Together, we can harness the power of technology to facilitate learning while preserving the planet for future generations. Let’s embrace sustainability as a guiding principle in educational technology and pave the way for a brighter, greener future.

Written with assistance from Chat GPT.

Posted in Educational Enhancement, Learning Technologies, Sustainability

It Takes a Village to Raise a Learning Technologist: How Work Shadowing can Enhance Collaboration and Professional Development

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by Faye Brockwell, Learning Technologist

In the grey gloom of the current weather, being grateful for what you have is one way to boost your mood and I had a great opportunity to do just that recently when a colleague from another team asked to work shadow me. Throughout the process I found myself reflecting on my role as a Learning Technologist (LT) at Sussex, how I got here and just how much I owe to the people who supported me along the way.

Stock photo of two colleagues, sitting in front of a laptop. The person on the left is pointing out something to the person on the right. They are next to a bright window in a modern office.
Photo by Adobe Stock

When my colleague approached me I was feeling a little overwhelmed – I’d had a run of catching pretty much every bug going (as had my kids) and that, along with the usual start-of-year chaos of supporting assessments and the set-up of new module sites in our Canvas Virtual Learning Environment left me feeling like I was just skimming the surface of my to-do list. So it would have been very easy to say no.

It would have been very easy to say no.

But the request immediately brought to mind all the people who have taken time out to help me along my way to becoming an LT, when they too were snowed under. Like my wonderful colleagues on the eLearning team at the University of Brighton, who took time out to demystify module templates and patiently explain Turnitin (well, no-one can ever truly explain Turnitin, but they had a good go). And then there’s the Professional Services colleagues (both here at Sussex and at Brighton before them) who have talked me through processes and terminology and helped me work out who’s who. (I could go on, but this is a blog post, not an Oscars acceptance speech, so sorry to the many others not mentioned here). I am eternally grateful to all of those people, and I feel lucky to now be in a position to pass on that kindness.

So I said yes.

During our weekly sessions together, I took my colleague through some of the work I do. And again I felt grateful. This time for the variety of work that my role comprises: helping stressed colleagues fix things that have gone wrong with Canvas; developing and facilitating workshops; playing with new technology; and collaborating with colleagues across the university.

I am lucky to be in a position to pass on that kindness.

So I said yes.

The experience gave me an opportunity to collaborate more closely with my colleague and reflect on how fortunate I am to work with such amazing people. In every task I included him in, I was able to draw immediately on his expertise, which was invaluable when working to develop some Canvas training for professional services colleagues, as well as when we were trouble-shooting some issues with assessments.

I would recommend work shadowing to anyone, whether you are the shadower or the shadowed – you may be surprised how much you gain from the experience. So, to my lovely colleague, thank you for asking to work shadow me. You probably thought I was doing you an immense favour, when in fact it was the other way around.

And thanks for helping to cheer up a wet, grey start to the year!

Posted in Educational Enhancement, Learning Technologies, Professional Development

Sussex Education Festival | 10-11th July 2024 | Call for Participation

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by Dr Charlie Crouch, Academic Developer

Following the success of last year’s inaugural Education Festival, we’re excited to announce a Call for Participation for the Sussex Education Festival 2024. Hosted over two days (10th July in person and 11th July online), the festival will provide a space for colleagues from across the University to share their experiences, insights and innovation in teaching, learning and assessment.

A photo of three participants in discussion at the 2023 Sussex Education Festival. They are sat at a table with many post-it notes on it, presumably generating ideas together.
Photo by Dr Katie Piatt.

The festival will have the three drivers of change from the upcoming Sussex 2035 strategy as its core themes: Human Flourishing, Environmental Sustainability and Digital and Data Futures. We have a variety of presentation and discussion formats to choose from, and we particularly encourage presentations co-delivered with students. We have some student participation vouchers we can offer – please get in touch for more information.

The three core themes of the festival can be interpreted as broadly as possible. Some suggestions for potential topics could be:

Human Flourishing:

  • Building student belonging
  • Supporting inclusive learning communities
  • Social justice pedagogies, decolonising the curriculum
  • Student creativity and self-expression
  • Student resilience and wellbeing

Sustainability:

  • Education for Sustainable Development
  • Authentic assessment and feedback literacy
  • Community engagement and co-creation
  • Pedagogies of hope
  • Learning through the landcape

Digital and Data Futures:

  • Generative AI in teaching and assessment
  • Digital innovations in teaching and learning
  • Embedding learning technologies
  • Accessible and inclusive online teaching

We’re excited to celebrate and reflect on all the amazing work that goes into teaching, learning and assessment here at Sussex. We hope the festival will appeal to colleagues who would like to share their experiences and reflections at any stage of their projects. To reflect that aim, we’re asking for contributions in a variety of formats.

Choose your format:

Work-in-progress lightning talks will last 7 minutes, providing short reflections on current practice, or a pedagogic development you would like to make.

The 30-minute interactive sessions can be run in any way you’d like; they could be used to demonstrate a new tool or teaching technique, or workshop an idea or challenge with fellow colleagues interested in teaching and learning.

The 60-minute facilitation slots are open for colleagues to suggest longer workshops and discussions on a dedicated topic. Do you have a ‘wicked problem’ within teaching and learning you’d like to dissect with colleagues in a solution room, a provocation to push our boundaries and thinking on current practice, or a wider theme you would like to explore through a global café? Please let us know on the CFP- the Academic Developers would be very happy to help you plan and facilitate a session.

Any of these sessions can be presented in person or online. Please note that the majority of the in-person content will take place at the Student Centre on Wednesday 10th July, and the online content will be hosted on Zoom on Thursday 11th July.

Please submit your ideas through the Call for Participation Form by Friday 19th April. If you would like a document version of the CFP, or if you have any questions, please contact the team.

Posted in Academic Development, Educational Enhancement, Events

Academic Developers: March round up

Posted on by Simona Connelly — No Comments ↓
a picture on a pink background, of a megaphone, a mobile phone, a lightbulb, a magnifying glass and the YouTube logo, to indicate announcing information

Education Festival 2024: Call for Participation

Following the success of last year’s inaugural Education Festival, we’re excited to announce a Call for Participation for the Sussex Education Festival 2024. Hosted over two days (10th July in person and 11th July online), the festival will provide a space for colleagues from across the University to share their experiences, insights and innovation in teaching, learning and assessment.  We’re excited to celebrate and reflect on all the amazing work that goes into teaching here. Please submit your ideas by Friday 19th April. 

2nd Teaching and Learning with AI CoP on Monday 18th March, 14:00-15:30 in the Library Open Learning Space.

The theme of the meeting is Talking with students about AI. Our recent EE blog post outlines the plan for the session, recent insights from the sector in relation to the topic and information on how join the session.

Embedding employability:

The 2024 Advance HE case study compendium is now available to members on their website and also here in box (along with those from 2022 and 2023). There are case studies from all disciplines and the themes this year are: Authentic assessment; Enterprise education; Multi/interdisciplinary; Sustainability; Work integrated learning. Also, see the Sussex Embedding Employabily Toolkit (linked to from the EE Support & Guidance page) which provides disciplinary focused case studies and skills guides and more. 

Education and Innovation Fund 

The deadline to apply for the next round of the Education and Innovation Fund is Monday 15 April.   For further information, and a list of previous winners please see the webpage 

Workshops and new web guidance: 

AI and Academic Integrity webpage: Updated with new recommended AI use statements for modules and assessment briefs. We recommend all staff review and action to ensure clear and consistent communication relating to the permissible use of AI for generating materials and content for assessments (including when not permitted). 

AI tools webpage: A new page Find out about the types of generative AI tools available and how to access them 

Teaching & Learning with AI collaborative padlet has been re-designed. It is continually updated with links to recent news and resources.   

New to Learning Matters: 

This month, we have published two new blogs and two news case studies on Learning Matters. In our new blogs, Dr Martin Brown, Lecturer in Education, discusses the benefits of taking an embedded approach to teaching academic writing skills for international postgraduate students and Katerina Psarikidou, Lecturer in Sustainable Development, and Alejandro Luna, Lecturer in Sustainability, Innovation and Energy Policy, explore how engagement is key for inclusive curriculum (re)design. In our new case studies, Dr Joanna Richardson, Senior Lecturer in Biochemistry, explains how the School of Life Sciences developed and implemented its feedback policy and Dr Myrna Hennequin, Lecturer in Economics, shares her strategies for making online quantitative assessments more AI resilient. 

Closing the ‘feedback gap’ for international postgraduate students: An embedded writing approach
Student engagement is key for inclusive curriculum (re)design
Developing a feedback policy for Life Science
Strategies for making quantitative assessments more AI resilient

Featured Journal 

The Journal of Perspectives in Applied Academic Practice celebrates its 10 anniversary with a special issue: Academic practice at the edge: risks and rewards of innovation in learning, teaching, and the student experience . Paper topics include, ‘professional conversations’ assessments, VR in teaching immunology, student experiences of EDI in labs, enhancing research on the undergraduate psychology curriculum through student-teacher partnership, creative pedagogies for active learning, and more…

Posted in Academic Development, Educational Enhancement, Monthly Round-ups

A Framework to Change the World? Introducing the Universal Design for Learning

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by Brena Collyer de Aguiar, Senior Learning Technologist, Online Distance Learning, University of Sussex

WARNING: This blog is a provocation and probably contains too much hope, romanticism and motivation for change.

Many years ago I tried to get a job at FUNAI (the National Indian Foundation) which protects the culture and interests of indigenous people in Brazil. To get that job I had to do an exam on Morals and Ethics.

I failed miserably.

My brother (who was a law student at the time) read through my answers and asked me what I had been thinking as none of my answers could possibly apply to the real world. My choices in the exam reflected values which were “impossible in any society,” he said.

I’ve fallen in love…
with a framework for inclusive education

Years later, now working in education, and I’ve fallen in love with a framework for inclusive education called the Universal Design for Learning (UDL). I am not sure whether UDL is going to change the world on its own, but it goes a long way toward to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal #4, which is to “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.” This is a good start, right?

The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework that makes curricular design more flexible, aiming to make learning spaces more inclusive by removing barriers and providing learning opportunities for all students. It is based on learning theories, educational practice and research, technologies, and advances in neuroscience.

UDL is structured around three groups of neural networks – affective, recognition and strategic networks – and proposes three principles related to them: multiple means of engagement, multiple means of representation and multiple means of action and expression. Each principle is divided into guidelines and checkpoints to aid the implementation of UDL in a given learning environment.

Graph representing the three UDL principles, related neural networks and a brief description of each one.
Source: https://www.cast.org/impact/universal-design-for-learning-udl
© CAST, 2024

Technology has a very important role in this framework. It not only facilitates communication, but its flexibility, versatility and potential to mediate and transform enables manifold possible responses to diversity and accessibility needs.

Three UDL Principles

Multiple means of engagement

This principle is linked to the affective neural networks responsible for the learners’ interests and preferences that influence their motivation and engagement for learning. It is associated with the why of learning. It encourages the implementation of varied learning practices that reflect different interests creating multiple pathways for engagement. The guidelines related to this principle are: Recruiting Interest, Sustaining Effort & Persistence and Self Regulation.

Examples of providing multiple means of engagement include: interactive activities, authentic activities that reflect real world situations, allowing students to choose their own assessment topics, and group discussions or online discussion boards.

Multiple means of representation

This principle is linked to the recognition neural networks that allow us to capture, recognise and integrate information, creating meaning from what is perceived. It is associated with the what of learning. It encourages multiple representations to guarantee learners have access to the information and can learn. Providing information in multiple formats (video, audio, text, etc) not only addresses preferences, but also takes into consideration and provides access to information for those with sensory and learning disabilities and/or language or cultural differences and so on. The guidelines related to this principle are: Perception, Language & Symbols and Comprehension.

Examples of providing multiple means of representation include: Presenting information in multiple formats such as images, video and audio, providing video captions and transcripts, and diversifying pedagogical approaches in the learning environment.

Multiple means of action and expression

The strategic neural networks are related to this principle. Associated to the how of learning, these networks specialise in the generation and control of mental and action patterns as well as executive functioning, where learners apply what they learn strategically. This principle focuses on the different ways learners interact with information, how they learn and their cognitive preferences. The use of different methodologies encourages and enables learners to demonstrate their knowledge and skills in various ways. The guidelines related to this principle are: Physical Action, Expression & Communication, and Executive Functions.

Examples of providing multiple means of action and expression include: using a variety of assessment strategies, different methods for demonstrating skills (e.g.: roleplay), varying question types, using technology to facilitate communication, and peer interaction.

Be curious.
Is there anything you already consider in your
teaching practice? Something you would like to try?

Look at the full framework, including principles, guidelines and checkpoints below. Be curious, is there anything you are already familiar with? Anything you already consider in your teaching practice? Something you would like to try?

Graph/Table showing the Universal Design for Learning Guidelines, its principles, guidelines and checkpoints.
Source: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/CAST-2018-Universal-Design-for-Learning-Guidelines-version-22-Retrieved-from_fig1_359340186 Creative Commons Licence

We will explore all principles, guidelines and checkpoints in more detail in other blog posts and share real examples of its implementation in our Online Distance Learning courses. See also our EE guidance page on inclusion, accessibility and universal design for learning. You didn’t think we could change the world with information available in one blog post only, did you? For now, if you want to find out more or chat about UDL, please contact us.

And don’t tell my brother I’ve written this!

References:

Posted in Educational Enhancement, Inclusive teaching, Online Distance Learning (ODL)

Engaging Minds: How “Subject Talks” Can Re-energise Higher Education Pedagogy

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by Simon Overton, Educational Enhancement Co-ordinator, University of Sussex

Picture a glass jar filled to the brim with dice. My question is simple: how many dice do you think there are in the jar? Take a minute to think and then tell your partner. How did you arrive at your guess? Tell your partner that too. Maybe you counted the number of dice in one layer, and multiplied that by the number of layers. Maybe you just chose your favourite number; if so, tell them why it’s your favourite number. I know what the number is, and it’s an odd number. Does that change your guess? Here’s another clue: it’s between 30 and 60. What could the number be and what could it not be? Final clue: it’s a square number. What is that and how does it guide you to the correct answer?

A glass jar filled with purple dice.
Photo by S Overton

This is an example of a Number Talk, a concept devised by Kathy Richardson and partners, specifically using a resource called an “Esti-mystery”, as developed by Steve Wyborney. Number Talks are used in primary and secondary teaching as a warmer before a Maths lesson and to develop mental maths (notice how I didn’t ask you to write anything down).

In my experience, Number Talks are really engaging and energising for students. Everybody likes a flutter and, on the face of it, that’s all this is – even if the only thing you’re gambling is a gold star or a round of applause from your classmates. It’s low stakes, fluency-based, student-centred and draws on any and all knowledge or skills at an individual’s disposal.

It’s low stakes, fluency-based, student-centred and draws on any and all knowledge or skills at an individual’s disposal.

And it’s this that makes me wonder: Can the same principle work in Higher Education? And for all subjects?

To answer that, let’s first delve a little deeper into what Number Talks are actually doing with reference to a blog from publishers Heinemann. Firstly, a Number Talk helps to create a safe, risk-free learning environment. It establishes, right from the outset, that everybody’s opinions are valued, that all mistakes are useful and that all learning looks different for different people. Secondly, it encourages discussion and – specifically – spoken fluency on the topic. This is especially important in international classrooms or where the language of instruction is a second or additional language. Thirdly, it changes the role of the teacher from being the “sole authority” to being a “facilitator, questioner, listener and learner”. Fourthly, it takes maths off the page (or projector screen) and brings it into real life, where knowledge becomes practical, where genuine connections are made between ideas, and where problem-solving skills are developed.

I wonder what kinds of “Subject Talks” could exist in the different schools at our university?

Art History – The tutor displays an obscure print and the students discuss when it could have been produced and how much it would be worth at auction. Clues can be given to help refine their answers.

Biology – They display an unusual animal and the students use clues (or their own observations) to guess where in the world it’s from.

Economics – Students must try to guess what data is being shown on an unlabelled graph.

Education – Students examine a photograph of a recently emptied classroom and discuss what was just taught there.

Film Studies – The game of “Star Wars”, where you have to guess the film from a five star and a one star review.

History – “Only Connect”, where you have to connect a date, a place and an object.

Law – I have a book from the 1970s of court cases distilled into very short summaries, the point being to guess the judgement. Or how about a single piece of evidence and students need to guess how it influenced the case?

Product Design – Take a little piece of an IKEA flat-pack (out of context) and figure out what it’s for and why it’s designed how it is.

Ultimately, these “Talks” emphasise process rather than product, so in most cases it simply doesn’t matter what the painting or graph or bracket is actually for. And they needn’t take much time or effort on behalf of the tutor. I can imagine a well-trained cohort of students coming into a lecture theatre and seeing an obscure object at the front as the tutor sets up, and instead of checking their socials while they wait for it to start, they initiate a discussion with the person next to them about what this thing could be, why it was chosen, what it cannot be, and how it relates to what they learned last week. Without even lifting a finger, the tutor has given their students the opportunity to warm up, to engage the vocabulary they will need for the lecture, to reflect on previous teaching, to engage with classmates and to develop subject-specific problem solving skills.

Without lifting a finger, the tutor has given their students the opportunity to warm up, to engage the vocabulary they will need, to reflect on previous teaching, to engage with classmates and to develop subject-specific problem solving skills

Oh, and there were 49 dice in the jar.

What would you use for a “Subject Talk”? Leave a comment and let us know. And don’t forget that E.E. has workshops and resources at staff.sussex.ac.uk/teaching/enhancement/

Posted in Academic Development, Educational Enhancement, Learning theory

Artificial Intelligence Community of Practice II: ‘Talking with students about AI’

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by Dr Sam Hemsley, Academic Developer, University of Sussex

The letters AI in neon tubes attached to a dark concrete wall.
Photo by Igor Omilaev on Unsplash

The second meeting of the Teaching and Learning with Generative Artificial Intelligence Community of Practice (or “AI CoP”) is taking place next month and will focus on approaches to talking with students about Generative AI (GenAI).

But, why this topic?

The discussion of GenAI in Higher Education (HE) is both necessary and challenging. Many of us don’t feel very knowledgeable or confident about the use and capabilities of such tools or the impact they have on students’ education and future careers. Another reason is the recent update to the Sussex AI and Academic Integrity page with some standardised statements on the use of AI in assessments, which module convenors can add to their assessment information. However, it remains necessary that tutors also make time in class to talk with students about both the rationale for, and implications of, such permissions and how students might use these tools for self-directed learning. Therefore, our second AI CoP meeting seeks to provide a space to explore and share how such conversations might be initiated and managed, and how they can support GenAI and assessment literacy among students.

Our meeting seeks to provide a space to explore and share how such conversations might be initiated and managed.

The outline of the meeting is as follows:

  • Introductions and updates from Educational Enhancement on GenAI in Sussex and the sector.
  • A lightning talk from Dr Andres Guadamuz, Reader In Intellectual Property Law (LPS) on his approach to having mature conversations with students about AI.
  • An interactive segment with discussion will form the bulk of the session and provide space to explore and share your challenges and practices.
  • Finally, a roundup (on the hour) followed by time for informal conversation and networking.

The importance of this focus has been further reinforced in recent weeks, not least by the publication in February of a Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) Policy Note on students’ attitudes to AI. One of the most attention-grabbing statistics from a poll of 1,250 students shows that 53% use GenAI to explain concepts in assessments, 13% use it to generate text they later edit for assessments, and 5% use it to write assessments for them. What I find concerning is that, in addition to the emergence of a digital divide in the use (legitimate or not) of GenAI, over a third of students aren’t aware of how often such tools ‘hallucinate’ facts, citations or statistics (creating, as my colleague put it in her recent blog, “data mirages”). This is a concern shared by our headline speaker, Andres Guadamuz, as quoted in this Guardian report on the HEPI findings. 

Over a third of students aren’t aware of how often such tools ‘hallucinate’ facts, citations or statistics.

Similarly, staff may see the potential in AI marking tools for improving the speed, quality and consistency of marking and feedback, thereby freeing them up for more student engagement and support. But, in conversations with students, we hear concerns that such marking would be outsourced, impersonal and represent poor value for money.

The importance of having open conversations with students about GenAI was further reinforced in multiple sessions of the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) Quality Insights Conference last week. The comment that resonated most with me came from the consistently insightful Martin Compton, of Kings College London, who emphasised that students are typically reticent about engaging actively or critically with AI unless they are exposed to deliberate, open, meta-cognitive discussions. In other words, students need to be encouraged and supported to think about and reflect critically on GenAI tools, and the use and impact on their own learning. He also emphasised that academics don’t need to be experts in AI to enable such conversations. Rather, they can use such conversations to learn with students in a spirit of shared curiosity and critical engagement. This is the bread and butter of academic enquiry and something we all, as HE educators, have the skills to support.

Finally, last week’s Heducationist blog provided additional nuance and insight into this kind of collaborative critical engagement with students around the use of GenAI. The blog summarised some interim observations from a range of projects at KCL, many in collaboration with students, looking into the possibility of using AI within their discipline and teaching:

“several projects identify how students are sceptical of the usefulness of gAI to them and in some that scepticism grows through the project. In some ways this is quite pleasing, as they begin to see gAI not as a panacea, but as a tool. They’re identifying what it can and can’t do, and where it is and isn’t useful to them. We’re teaching about something (or facilitating), and they’re learning.”

So, please sign up to join us (in person or listening along online) and continue the conversation at the second Teaching and Learning with AI CoP on Monday 18th of March from 14:00 to 15:30 in the University of Sussex Library Open Learning Space.

We hope to see you there!

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Posted in Academic Development, AI, Educational Enhancement

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Based on a work at https://blogs.sussex.ac.uk/tel/.