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Students and staff present connected curriculum at UCL Teaching and Learning conference
20 April 2016
Students and staff from the Institute of Ophthalmology reported how they have developed a new set of student led seminars on our clinical MSc programmes at the UCL teaching conference. The Institute's student representatives (StARs) created a series of exciting and interactive workshops which addressed a need to embed meta-research skills into the content-driven and clinically-intensive programmes.
This task was taken up enthusiastically by our PGR StARs and the Education Office staff, who developed five sessions with the following topics:
- Presentation skills
- Teamwork and team roles
- Professionalism, whistle-blowing and managing conflict
- Public engagement in research
- Bridging the gap between scientists and medics
The sessions were fun and energetic, with everyone taking turns to develop content and lead the sessions. Feedback from students was complimentary (“very interactive”; “delivered by excellent speakers”; “very enjoyable”; “learnt new skills”).
The participants learned new skills; the student presenters were given autonomy in running a short, educational programme. For the PGR StARs, these sessions provided an opportunity to share their research experience and reduce the gap between researchers and clinicians.
The team supplied original educational experiences, intended to facilitate student learning and benefit future careers, and provided a platform for peer-to-peer support and mentoring. We are excited about continuing these sessions, with further input from the MSc students themselves."