Sam Davenward

Biography

I graduated from Keele University in 2008 with a BSc (Hons) in Chemistry with Applied Environmental Science, also achieving a certificate of competence in Japanese and participating in a semester abroad at Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia. 

I continued at Keele to complete my PhD in chemistry, which focused on the use of silicic acid-rich mineral water in reducing aluminium body burden, then went on to attain my PGCE in Secondary Science (Chemistry) from the University of Wolverhampton.  I returned to Keele in 2015 to teach within the Foundation Year, and I have since completed my MA in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, and obtained Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy.

Outside of teaching and learning, my interests include hiking, running, and playing board games. I am passionate about promoting both staff and student wellbeing, and I am involved in several wellbeing initiatives, including founding the staff and post graduate board game Club ‘Keele Meeples’. 

Research and scholarship

My educational research interests stem from my passion for creating supportive and inclusive environments, in which students can find the confidence to reach their full potential.  My focus encompasses two key branches, which incorporate smaller projects:

Enhancing Education Through Inclusive and Innovative Pedagogies

This area of my scholarship comprises of collaborative learning, game-based learning, and immersive digital teaching resources.  Examples, include:

• Exploring approaches to promote student confidence and communication skills in Team-Based Learning (TBL).  This objective is a continuation of my master’s thesis which investigated the effectiveness of directive resources in helping to facilitate group discussions.
• Practical miniaturisation of field-based activities using a game-based learning approach to improve accessibility.  This research was part of a TIPS project in conjunction with a colleague from GGE (Ben Davenward), and included two studentships.
• Promoting students’ understanding of scientific concepts through virtual interactive exploration, and the use the interactive educational platform, ThingLink, to create online lab simulation activities.

Facilitating Successful Transitions in Higher Education

This branch incorporates several initiatives to support students’ transition within Higher Education, including:

• Introduction of a student-centred approach to FY induction week, including a series of light-touch collaborative, game-based activities to increase student interaction and foster independent learning habits.
• Incorporation of social spaces and activities for Foundation Year students, and establishing stronger links with receiving schools, to foster a sense of belonging and promote student wellbeing.
• Collaboration with colleagues in medicine (Sarah Aynsley, Becki MacKenzie, Nazim Ali) to equip students with a range of learning skills to support their transition onto their medicine degree, and creation of interactive and self-guided digital resources to bridge gaps in their knowledge.

Teaching

Teaching involvement in current modules:

Foundation year modules

• FYO-00189 Foundations of Chemistry (Module Leader)
• FYO-00191 Advancing Chemistry (Module Leader)
• FYO-00284 Introduction to Chemistry – Blended (Module Leader)
• FYO-00286 Advancing Chemistry - Blended (Module Leader)
• FYO-00185 Practical and Academic Skills for Science
• FYO-00276 Foundations of Science for Sustainability