Video of initial First Year Lecture

Exercise in pairs - part 1: "what is learning" my instructions on the task

Exercise in pairs - part 2: -

Footage of students exploring the differences between their definitions of "what is learning" and my summing up of this exercise by introducing the Learning Portfolio assessment task.

My follow up to the "what is learning" exercise

I use the "what is learning" exercise as the starting point to draw out the differences between shallow and deep learning and then link my goal of encouraging deep learning goal to the assessment. I also introduce my teaching philosophy - explaining the importance of making connections between what you know and don't know. I also introduce two examples of the tragedy of the commons 1) the group house from hell 2) the tutorial where no one comes prepared.

2nd interactive exercise - small group work

Groups of 4-5 of people who did not know each other are asked to look back from the year 2070 and devise a "road-rule" for making human-environment relations to work better. The clip includes an explanation of 4 tasks from first lecture that I ask them to complete in their learning portfolio and my attempt to encourage peer learning - "pinching ideas from friends".

Explanation of course structure and expert panels in particular

I outline how these two hour expert panel sessions work - 40 minutes of expert opinion - 10 minutes of group work formulating key questions for the panel members - then a question and answer session.

Explanation of essay support material and opportunities for feedback on proposed assessment