Identifying problems and empowering students to find solutions through reflective writing tasks in a STEM undergraduate program

Martina Wicklein (Department of Neuoscience, Physiology and Pharmacolgy)

10 minute talk

In the neuroscience degree program, a number of first-year students reported feeling overwhelmed and stressed because of remote learning and on online teaching. These reports were unspecific, anecdotal, sporadic, and worrying.
To gain a more detailed insight from all students I asked the students to complete a reflective writing task identifying existing key skills necessary for productive work in this setting, and their skills gap. This proactively empowered all students to identify problems and to engage in finding possible solutions. The critical assessment of the specific problems faced led to the identification of time management, self-care and note-taking skills as the most pressing skill gaps.
In response I prepared and delivered a note-taking workshop. We designed, in collaboration with the Head student representative, a time management presentation and made it available to all students and organised for the Student Success Advisor to run a workshop on time-management and self-care.