Events
Scholarship Exchange Webinar
| Date: | Wednesday 17 December 2025 12:00 - 13:00 |
| Location: | Online (see link below) |
Speaker 1: Alan Allman, Lecturer in Language for Science and Engineering Transnational Education, SEMS
Title: Investigating Disciplinary Literacy Needs at QMES
Abstract: This study examines the disciplinary literacy demands of two Chemistry undergraduate modules delivered through English-medium instruction (EMI) at Queen Mary Engineering School (QMES) in Xi'an, China. Despite the rapid expansion of EMI in transnational higher education (TNHE), there remains limited empirical evidence specifying the disciplinary language and literacy practices students require to engage effectively with subject content.
The research draws on data from lecturer interviews, classroom observations, and student questionnaires to identify both target and present disciplinary literacy demands. The analysis reveals challenges that extend beyond general English proficiency, including the use of discipline-specific terminology, the interpretation of multimodal representations such as graphs, tables, and chemical structures, and the continued reliance on first-language mediation.
Making disciplinary literacy demands explicit through systematic needs analysis provides a practical foundation for collaboration between language and content specialists. The study concludes by offering pedagogical recommendations for integrating discipline-specific academic language support into existing curricula, with implications for EMI practice in JEI and TNHE contexts.
Speaker 2: Shafique Ahmed, Lecturer In Materials & Surface Science Education
Title: Flipped and Blended Learning Design in Transnational Engineering Education: An Engagement- and Progression-Focused SoTL Approach
Authors: Shafique Ahmed¹, Colin Crick¹
¹ School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London
Abstract: This study reports the design, implementation, and evaluation of a flipped–blended learning intervention in QXU5010 Surfaces and Interfaces within a materials science curriculum at Queen Mary Engineering School (QMES), Xi’an, China. The intervention restructured one-hour or more recordings into short, topic-specific H5P interactive videos with embedded quizzes and explanatory notes; added Kahoot! formative quizzes to live and asynchronous sessions; and redesigned QM+ (Moodle) pages with weekly structure, activity completion, and leaderboards. Module analytics showed dramatic increases in video views (from ~15–30 per long video to 500–1200 per short segment) and a 50% reduction in failure rate, alongside 90% positive student satisfaction. Meta-analyses and systematic reviews of flipped classrooms, optimal video length, H5P interactivity, Kahoot!-based gamification, and learning analytics corroborate the observed improvements while cautioning about design dependencies and publication bias. Methodologically, we employed a mixed-methods SoTL design: learning analytics, grade distributions, failure rate comparisons, student evaluations, and external examiner’s feedback triangulated with qualitative reflections. Results indicate that chunked videos (<6–12 min), embedded formative checks, structured progress tracking, and gamified quizzes support engagement and assessment quality in engineering education. We discuss implications for materials science curricula and propose a design framework for sustainable flipped–blended delivery.
Keywords: Blended learning; Flipped classroom; Transnational education; Engineering education; Student engagement; Progression; SoTL; Learning analytics; Gamification; H5P; Kahoot.
Join the meeting here
| People: | Alan ALLMAN Shafique AHMED |
| Research Centre: | Research in Engineering and Materials Education |