In this second part of a two-part special, Karishma Patel (Teaching Fellow in Economics, Aston University) reflects on the recent Aston University Learning and Teaching Festival, held on campus on 1st April 2025. The festival brought together staff and students to share ideas, explore innovative practice, and discuss some of the key challenges in higher education today.

In this episode, the focus is on the themes of Belonging and Community, and Student Partnership and Co-Creation.

We hear from those who chaired some of these sessions: Sunday Blake (Policy Manager, GuildHE), Gareth Woods (Associate Dean Education and Student Experience,College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Aston University), and Stephen Rooney (Learning Development Adviser, Library and Learning Services, Aston University). We also hear from a brilliant group of Aston Students’ Unioncommittee members: Taher Gadiwala (Vice President Communities), Sayeed Farooq (Vice President Student Activities), Karina Jutlla (Vice President Welfare), Juan Carlos Garcia Belza (President), and Afia Amanoullah (Vice PresidentEducation).

This episode explores what meaningful student partnership can look like in practice, how small actions can make a big difference to students’ sense of belonging, and the importance of seeing the academic and wider student experiences as one.

In this first of a two-part special, Karishma Patel (Teaching Fellow in Economics, Aston University) reflects on the recent Aston University Learning and Teaching Festival, held oncampus on 1st April 2025. The festival brought together staff and students to share ideas, explore innovative practice, and discuss some of the key challenges in higher education today.

In this episode, the focus is on the themes of Digital and AI in Learning and Teaching, and Assessment and Feedback.

We hear from keynote speakers Francis Goodburn (Founding Headteacher, Aston University Mathematics School) and Professor Naomi Winstone (Professor of Educational Psychology, University of Surrey). We also hear from two of Aston’s Associate Deans for Education and Student Experience, Paul Jones (College of Business and Social Sciences) and Saira Hussain (School of Optometry). Finally, we hear some reflections from Robbie Love (Senior Lecturer in Communication and Culture, Aston University).

The episode explores a range of insights from the evolving role of the lecturer in an AI-driven world to how we can enhance student engagement with feedback. Join Karishma as she reflects on all the great discussions that happened across the day.

In this episode, Karishma Patel (Aston University) invites Erkan Demirbas, Davina Bird, Jane Charlesworth, and Abdul Haque from the University of Lincoln to share insights into their project, which focuses on creating analogy-based cartoons to enhance teaching in economics, statistics,and finance. James Burlison, a student at the University of Lincoln, also joins the discussion to share his views on the innovation. They talk about how they came up with the ideas for the cartoons, how students were involved in the creative process, and how they have been using these cartoons in their teaching.

In this episode, Dr Karishma Patel from Aston University speaks with Dr Alexandra Arntsen (Nottingham Business School) about her innovative approach to embedding sustainability into the curriculum. Alex talks us through her use of a negotiation role-playing game that she has used to engage students from various disciplines in discussions around climate change. She shares her thoughts on the importance of embedding sustainability into our teaching, as well as insights into the how the game works, student reactions and practical ideas for bringing it into your own teaching.

In this episode, Dr Karishma Patel from Aston University is joined by Dr Sofia Izquierdo Sanchez (University of Manchester) and Dr William Tayler (Lancaster University) to discuss their innovative use of Instagram in economics education. Together, they made the account dailylifeecon, where they create content designed to complement their teaching by connecting economic concepts to everyday life. They share insights from their research that finds a positive link between student engagement with the account and various student outcomes. They also share lots of practical advice and inspiration for educators interested in exploring similar initiatives.

Join us for an engaging live recording of the Learning and Teaching in Economics podcast, hosted by Dr Karishma Patel, a Teaching Fellow at Aston University. This episode covers all you need to know about placements for Aston's economics students! Second-year BSc Economics student Alex Taylor, currently applying for placements, leads the discussion and poses questions to our panel, including Placement Preparation Manager Andrew Hollings.

We also have live call-ins from two Aston students currently on placement: Jemima Maluta, a BSc Economics student at HSBC, and Ngoza Chama, a BSc International Business and Economics student at The Walt Disney Company. They discuss their journey through the application process, the learning curve, and the exciting opportunities their placement years have offered.

Whether you're actively applying or just curious about placements at Aston, this episode is packed with insights and advice to guide you!

In this episode, Dr. Karishma Patel from Aston University welcomes three colleagues from Newcastle University Business School: Joanne Parker (Lecturer in Accounting), Dr. Ana Bogdanovic (Senior Lecturer in Marketing and Director of Education), and Dr. Yulia Dzenkovska (Lecturer in Marketing). Together, they share their experience of using the design thinking framework to enhance student engagement through extracurricular activities. They also provide lots of practical tips on how to use this framework for other projects.

In this episode, Dr. Karishma Patel (Aston University) is joined by Tony Morgan, an Associate Professor in Innovation Management Practice at Leeds University Business School. Tony is one of the founders of the University of Leeds' design thinking community. Design thinking is a problem-solving framework that focuses empathy and a user-centred approach to deeply understand issues and create effective solutions, and has being increasingly applied in Higher Education. Tony shares his experience of unknowingly using the design thinking methodology in the workplace and later applying its principles in higher education. He also shares some ideas for initial steps we can take if we are interested in using the design thinking framework ourselves.

In this episode, Dr Karishma Patel (Aston University) is joined by Dr Alex Squires (The University of Manchester), who recently presented at one of the Birmingham Economics Education Seminars (BEES). Alex shares examples of his use of technology in the classroom, and reflects on his journey towards finding a more balanced approach to integrating technology in teaching to improve student engagement.

In this episode, Karishma Patel (Aston University) is in conversation with Aston students Sumedha Sharma (BSc Economics) and Luc Burns (BSc Economics and Management) who have recently completed their final year assessments. They share their experiences on making friends in the first year, navigating placement applications and managing their time during the final year. Whether you're a current student or an aspiring one, this episode is full of valuable insights and tips for making the most of your university experience. Lecturers can also gain perspectives on the lived experience of their students, offering insights into some of the challenges and triumphs faced during university.