Education research and scholarship
This broad theme encompasses research and scholarship across the disciplines within the School of Chemical and Physical Sciences.
The Keele Centre for Team Based Learning (TBL) implements and evaluates the TBL methodology across a range of topics from organic chemistry to spectroscopy and assists colleagues at Keele and beyond in using the technique. The relationship between student success in assessment and feedback is explored through research into the impact of feedback cycles on developing scientific writing skills.
Other areas of work include Education for Sustainability, Supporting Diverse Groups of Students, Learning and Assessment in the Laboratory, and Authenticity and Engagement in Medicinal Chemistry.
Staff within this theme present regularly at internal, national and external conferences and recent highlights include hosting the 2021 Methods in Chemistry Education Research Conference, and a workshop on Decolonising the Chemical Sciences Curriculum sponsored by the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Higher Education Group. Staff are also involved in the organisation of a range of other activities including the Enhancing Student learning through Innovative Scholarship meeting.
Areas of research
- Team Based Learning
- Assessment and feedback
- Education for sustainability
- Learning and assessment in the laboratory
- Supporting diverse groups of students
- Authenticity and engagement in medicinal chemistry
The Keele TBL Group have been recognised for their work pioneering the use of Team Based Learning in the chemical and physical sciences. They received the 2021 Royal Society of Chemistry Team Prize for Excellence in Education and a 2022 AdvanceHE Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence (CATE).
Dr Helen Pain, Chief Executive of the Royal Society of Chemistry, said: "Educators are some of the most important people in the sciences, nurturing and inspiring the next generation of talent who ultimately will help us further advance understanding of the world around us and solve some of the immense challenges facing the world today and tomorrow ... The Keele Team-Based Learning Group have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to chemistry education, and it is our honour to celebrate their considerable contribution."
