Challenges with delivering effective workshops and tutorials
Large student numbers and low staff numbers
As student numbers rise, the ratio of staff to students often becomes unbalanced, making it difficult for educators to interact with each student individually. This can result in many students not receiving the support they need.
Common pitfalls
During workshop or tutorial activities, students frequently encounter common mistakes that hinder their progress. Without timely intervention, these errors can lead to frustration and a superficial understanding of concepts. Addressing these pitfalls promptly is essential for fostering a deeper learning experience.
Smart Workshops at the University of Bristol
When faced with these challenges, University of Bristol educator Professor Dudley Shallcross came up with an innovative way to enhance chemical kinetics workshop delivery, ensuring students were engaged and supported when attending the sessions.
Delivered as two one-hour sessions, students would complete worksheets in the workshops, with many only completing a maximum of six out of 16 questions. The workshops were attended by around 20 students, with only two tutors available to support. Year-on-year, it was evident that students were making the same mistakes, with errors observed in areas such as incorrect units, rate equations, steady-state approximation, graphs, and order of the reaction.
In order to enhance the workshop experiences, optional Smart Worksheets were introduced. Students would complete these prior to their workshops, helping to reduce common mistakes and supporting tutors to help more students.
The results:
- 45% of students engaged with the Smart Worksheets.
- Tutors gained valuable insights into students' understanding.
- Students completed twice as many questions as in previous years.
- Students were better prepared to engage with the material.
How you can enhance workshops and tutorials with the Smart Worksheet Library
Our new Smart Worksheet Library supports skill practice and development in chemistry, bioscience and biomedical sciences. By utilising these worksheets alongside your workshops and tutorials, you can engage students and ensure they are prepared for sessions and engaged with the content.
Preparing students for work
The Smart Worksheet Library offers a valuable tool for preparing students before workshops or tutorials. By completing exercises with immediate feedback and support, students can tackle common mistakes beforehand. This preparation allows students to arrive at the workshop with a clear understanding of their strengths and weaknesses, ready to engage more effectively with the material.
Utilising student analytics
Implementing Smart Worksheets as part of pre-workshop activities can support you to identify common issues students struggle with, by reviewing individual attempts with timeline mode, or requesting access to cohort analytics. This data provides information on how students performed at question and section level as well as against defined learning outcomes, including the percentage of students who auto-solved questions to progress. With this insight, you can tailor your workshops to address specific areas of difficulty, enhancing the overall effectiveness of the session.
Encourage collaborative working
Incorporating Smart Worksheets into workshop sessions can promote interactive learning. By using a device between pairs or small groups, students can complete the worksheets together in real-time, benefiting from immediate feedback as a group. This collaborative approach encourages discussion, peer learning, and a deeper understanding of the material.
Find out more about how to enhance workshops and tutorials with the Smart Worksheet Library
Explore the Smart Worksheet Library and learn more about how you can implement it to enhance your workshop delivery. Sign up for a personalised demo today and discover how this innovative toolkit can transform your teaching and improve student outcomes.
