Almost everything has started

The second semester is busy! I have my two climate modules, and the geology module (even though it now is Jaco who leads that), and the dissertation module, and the Open Days. And the usual first year tutorials. And second year tutorials too! And the MSc students get their projects. And there are the days in the field with the Anglesey Geology module.

I had already been assigned a MSc student, and met up with my first year and dissertation students, but now I have met up with the second year tutorial students too. And the climate modules have started! And next week I start lecturing in the geology module. And the preparation for the first Open Days is in full swing. 

My fist meeting with the second year students went well! I have ten, so if you want to talk to them individually you don't have much time per student. And you have to keep the ones you're not talking to meaningfully engaged too. Can be a challenge! But I think it went well. I think this will be a good year in this respect!

For the geology module, I am trying to make the lectures a bit more engaging by inserting quiz questions. It's software I haven't used before! I have used questions before, but then I had been using hardware. You can borrow clickers from central services and have students answer your questions with these. But then you have to first book them, then pick them up, distribute them to the students, collect them afterwards, and bring them back. And that is not all too bad but if the students carry a device in their pockets anyway, why would you? So now I'll be using external software that the students use on their phones. I hope it goes well!

So altogether things are rolling but so far I'm keeping up! Let's hope it stays that way...