The Warwick Conference on 'Research-Teaching Links in the Physical Sciences – Politics and Practise'

So this is my first post, flying the flag for all Science students. Not onlythat, but turned out I would represent whole University at the Warwick Conference on RT Links in the Physical Sciences.

Disclaimer: This is not a picture from the actual day, unfortunately

After a gruelling 5am start, I arrived at the Warwick Reinvention centre. Now, I’m new to the research-teaching links area, but I’m aware the Reinvention Centre is famous for good practice in IBL, aptly demonstrated by their‘innovative learning space’. The room was a bare, brightly lit studio scattered with unusual seating (bean bags, a single recliner, stools and benches). This was fun for about 5 minutes, but even those of us with young backs were struggling after a full day. In a professional setting it did feel very unnatural and awkward, but perhaps that is the point.

However, that aside, there were some interesting attendees from around the country, but it was a small conference (there were 22 there in total, 11 ofwhich were presenting). The opening was useful overview of the current, growing status of research-teaching links. The discussion afterwards raised interesting issues such as avoiding ‘Google’ answers to IBL questions, difficulties in assessing IBL projects, and diversity & disability (eg groupwork can be a problem for some students).

After this intro, there were 2 core presentations, beginning with Ros Roke on behalf of the research issued to Nigel Thrift (VC of Warwick) by John Denham (SoS for Innovation, Universities and Skills). Based on the attractiveness of research careers for undergrads, case studies and research concluded that initiatives need to start in schools and, of course, need more funding. Second, Simon Bates talked about the Scottish QAA audits, which focuses on enhancement as well as assessment. Notably, they studied academics’ views, and found some thing they called ‘the oxygen problem’ – some academics see LRT linkages as innate in the University experience as breathing air.

Following this were 6 short case studies from other universities, which are listed in the link at the end of this post. If you want more information on these, please ask me (or them) but otherwise I’ll stick to the issues raised throughout the day. The question cropped up of ‘How to trace students who undertaken these IBL projects possibly into research careers, as evidence to funding councils?’

After this came what I saw as the crux of the day – the discussion session. This was meant to incite policy discussion more than anything else. Unfortunately, it was shorter than scheduled due to presentations over-running, which was a great shame. It meant that the inevitable side-tracking prevented us talking about issues like assessment and accreditation. There was lengthy conversation about the state of he A-level system and the effect it’s having on HE institution curriculum design, possibly leading to academics' presumption that all lower-year students lack knowledge. This lead to comments about how the University league tables are trivialising many IB aspects of student learning. Some of the older academics there remember that IBL used to be very common in schools and Universities, before ‘Health and Safety’ became such a cult. Most at the conference agreed that the current teaching theory regarding knowledge is ‘breadth not depth’ and that this should be the other way around.

At this point, taxis started arriving and the discussion was cut short, much to my disappointment. However, I had to start the long journey home, with these ideas floating round my head for most of it. What did seem to strike me was the comment about league tables and schools; I remember the effect of OFSTED inspections when I was in school (and my parents were both teachers), and the ‘putting on appearances just to get through’ atmosphere. It struck me that I hear similar phrases in the University setting regarding the league tables too, a prospect I find quite worrying given the effect it has clearly had on education at the lower levels.

The conference programme and description of some of the presentations can befound at http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/ps/documents/events/2009/rt_link_prog.pdf. Comment if you would like more info on a particular project.