Treasure Island Pedagogies: Episode 31, the one with the Students

Posted on: 11 March 2024 by Dr Tunde Varga-Atkins in General

In Episode 31, we had a very special edition with four student guests who all shared their lightbulb moments, treasure island pedagogies/props and luxury items, which included career pathways, learning by way of teaching yourself, using generative AI, treasure hunts to connect theory with practice, physical objects, interactive polling and using discussion to aid learning. Tune in to hear more!

Speakers: Sherley Admane, Qi Qi Saw, Sophie Gresty, Yousaf Ditta

Date: 11 March 2024

Treasure Island Pedagogies: Episode 31 podcast

(Treasure Island Pedagogies Episode 31 - Podcast Transcript)

Read or listen to find out our guests’ lightbulb moments, teaching props, pedagogies and luxury items that they would take to their Treasure Islands for precious contact time with students. 

Qi Qi Saw

University of Liverpool, UK
Linked-In

• Degree: 1st year Financial Computing student, Current Role: Generative AI student advisor intern at the CIE
• Lightbulb moment: Originally wanted to do dentistry and decided to go for my current course. I have started exploring LinkedIn and realised that not everyone’s career path has been linear – we have lots of options.
• Teaching prop or pedagogy: I’d like to take some Generative AI like ChatGPT with me to help clarify my understanding or break things down into smaller steps.
• Luxury item:My ukulele to play music.

Sherley Admane

University of Liverpool, England

• Degree: MSc student in Digital Marketing and Analytics, Current Role: Student and Social Media Intern at CIE
• Lightbulb moment: At the beginning of my course, we did a treasure hunt competition organised by my marketing lecturer on campus and we looked at how different services in the university marketed their services to their customers. What I learnt from this activity really clicked when I entered the library on another occasion. I noticed the relaxed atmosphere, the seating arrangements, and the lighting and how it influenced my mindset to create a calming environment. I realised that I was seeing servicescapes theory in action.
• Teaching prop or pedagogy:: Interactive apps such as PollEverywhere, I really enjoy live Q&A sessions where you get instant feedback and deeper understanding from polling tools which also caters to different ways of learning.
• Luxury item:  My saucepan for cooking for relaxation and fun, and to recreate flavours and memories from home.

Sophie Gresty

University of Liverpool,UK
Linked-In

• Degree: Integrated masters course in Physics in fourth year
• Lightbulb moment: During my GCSEs we used ‘Molymods’ in chemistry to visualise different structures. I found these really helpful and bought my own set. I realised that I like to be able to hold the thing I’m trying to think about so now I tend to make stuff even if it is just out of cardboard to get a sense for what I’m aiming for.
• Teaching prop or pedagogy:  I think professionally it’s called ‘expeditionary learning’ but basically like projects and experimental ways of learning to give meaning to what I’ve learnt in lectures. I also find teaching others using the Feynman technique helpful. Reference manager.
• Luxury item: It would have to be Lego!

Yousaf Ditta

University of Liverpool,UK

• Degree: Third-year computer science student, also a course representative and teaching assistant
• Lightbulb moment: I seek out extra lab sessions to speak to teaching assistants and lecturers and what we need to do to get extra marks.
• Teaching prop or pedagogy: : I’d like to take all the department and my lecturers to the island!
• Luxury item: Ice cream to help us cool down and a Mars bar to get motivated!

Any sparks? How might our joined-up Treasure Islands look like?

We discussed the value of induction activities that helped students explore the campus from different perspectives and able to see parts of the campus that they may not normally see to become familiar with the wide range of activities and disciplinary knowledge creation going on. We touched on – can we ever not – the use of Generative AI on our island, especially to help us use the Feynman technique with GPT offering feedback on our teaching-concepts-back-to-ourselves. A key aspect in our learning is to be able to feel comfortable making mistakes during our learning process, and we discussed a range of techniques that this could be facilitated. Not only we will have lots of good learning, enjoyable fun-time activities but we will also use our subject knowledge to make island-living as best as we can be!

Links / resources

Molymods for learning chemistry

Facilitated by Dr Tünde Varga-Atkins, Sound: Chris Loxham/Sandra Samaca, Web design: Dennis Wong, Neil Murray @LivUniCIE