Toolkit for Educational Dialogue: Integration into a Foundation Year STEM Curriculum

Abstract

This paper details the integration of a Toolkit for Educational Dialogue (TED) within a foundation year STEM curriculum. Educational dialogue, the ability to articulate reasoning and build on others’ ideas, is important for academic success. In this project, we developed the TED to provide structured opportunities for students to develop these skills through paired discussion sessions centred on multiple-choice questions with targeted feedback. The TED provides structured support and skills training for foundation year students in preparing for the oracy requirements of their undergraduate degree. The development and integration of the TED was part of a larger Nuffield Foundation-funded project involving six university partners and three subject disciplines. This paper aims to present the practical implementation of the TED within an engineering and physical science context, including the design of discussion materials, the training activities for students, and a reflection on the challenges encountered, providing practical insights for other teachers who may want to support students’ educational dialogue in their disciplinary contexts.