Swapshops

What is a Swapshop?

Swapshops are designed to highlight the ideas, experiences and expertise of other bioscientists just like you. The intention is that they are a quick, efficient and informal ways of sharing practice during our events.

Swapshops are intended to be:

• kept deliberately short (5-10 minutes) to allow for the maximum number of contributions, and
  self contained,
• open in format - you can just stand up and speak, use OHPs, PowerPoint slides, video clips etc., and
• on any topic relevant to the theme of the day. For example this might include: an imaginative assignment; how to teach a difficult concept; a useful practical session; introducing a new resource (book, software, web) into a module; embedding key skills in the curriculum etc.

How can I contribute to a Swapshop?

When you register for one of our events you will be asked if you would like to contribute to the swapshop session. Select ‘yes’ and a member of Centre staff will contact you and ask you to submit a short description of your swapshop presentation. The swapshop proposals most aligned with the event’s theme and aims will be selected prior to the event. This allows you time to develop your presentation.

Contributing to a Swapshop is relatively easy and painless! It’s likely you already have much of the information you might want to share. What you decide to share is most likely something you are excited about highlighting. It will probably take a little tweeking and need to be applied to a format of your choice.

Delegates can also be encouraged to provide feedback, suggestions and the like during the swapshop session to your own questions regarding your work.

Who can contribute to a Swapshop?

Anyone can volunteer to contribute to an event’s Swapshop session. Each Swapshop session aims to highlight the most relevant and interesting talks.

We do ask each swapshop contribution to be relevant to HE bioscience learning and teaching and that the session is not for your commercial gain.

Why contribute to a Swapshop?

The greatest incentive of all is to share something that you have found useful to you in your own learning and teaching roles. The aim is to provide bioscientists like you with an avenue to distribute good practice, seek advice from like-minded practitioners, and contribute to a Centre event.

Where can I see examples of a Swapshop?

For examples of swapshop contributions visit recent Centre for Bioscience event reports e.g.

• Getting Started in Educational Research in the Sciences
• Developing Enquiring Minds: Linking Teaching & Research

And there is also an example of a whole day based on the swapshop format: Work Related Learning Swap Shop. The swapshop format on this day allowed a slightly longer and more formal format.