Context: The Grow lab is a science lab at CSM that currently has circa 210 core users from 3 different MA Courses (MA Biodesign, MA Art and sciences, MA Material futures) and PhD students. Most students have no previous training in science, and many are intimidated by the space, but Staff will train and support them according to requirements. The different demand and patterns of access from courses and students makes a system of “unified inductions” or “induction of single techniques or equipment” not viable for our space. Therefore, we currently do two basic inductions per course every new academic year:
- 1 Session lasts for circa 1h30 and covers:
- Introduction to the grow lab: introduce technicians, the physical (2 lab areas) and virtual (moodle) spaces, basic rules for access, and available resources.
- Health and safety: basic induction showing the location of fire extinguishers, first aid and eye wash stations, closest fire escape route, etc.
Issue: With the current number of students we repeat these 2 inductions at least 10 times, taking at least 3 full days, and some extra time after:
- 3 days (one per MA Course)
- 3 times a day (circa 3 groups of 10 to 16 students)
- Extra session those who missed it (all courses)
- New repetition on demand
Besides being quite tiring, as technicians we feel that the inductions have been inefficient not only in the amount of time we allocated. We have noticed the inefficiency of the format for students with language barriers, people with any physical disability (the lab fits only 12 students comfortably, gets really crowded and hard to move around), or time constraints. Besides, we strongly felt that the sessions had very low attention retention despite our best efforts.
Or big concern was that the completion was far from meaning they understood the basic rules and safety requirements of the space.
Proposal:
The basic: New induction strategy
- In person “Mega” induction: One in-person induction for all students of all courses, together at the theater.
- Session is recorded and made available on moodle
- Recording valuable for many different types of students: carers, parents, neurodiverse, etc.
- Can be subtitled
- Helpful for students with language difficulties – translated subtitles?
- We don’t need to repeat ourselves so many times
- Recordings are available for students who couldn’t attend, join later, or PhD students who join at different points of the academic year without disrupting lab activities.
- Session is recorded and made available on moodle
- After induction, students come to the lab in small groups to get to know us and the space in a more informal “break the intimidating ice” moment.
The ambitious: bookable hands-on introductory sessions in the lab
- Bookable slots for students who are interested to have small practical sessions in the lab.
- Will expand the idea in the report.
Expected outcomes:
- Digitalize the induction and have different resourceful tools for different circumstances and groups of students,
- Be more efficient while not extenuating to staff.