Welcome Week 2021: Itamar Kastner on bookshops in Edinburgh

Itamar Kastner Itamar Kastner

A warm welcome to our new students and welcome back to our returning students!  We’ve missed you!   To celebrate Welcome Week, we’ve asked members of our School community to provide you with a top tip or recommendation for making the most… Read moreWelcome Week 2021: Itamar Kastner on bookshops in Edinburgh

My PPLS Journey – Reflections 2020/2021

Experiencing an academic year like no other, our four student bloggers Ané, Quinn, Dakarai & Safeera share their personal journey, reflecting on the last few months and highlighting the highs and lows of student life amid a pandemic. Join them… Read moreMy PPLS Journey – Reflections 2020/2021

How do my classmates and I stay connected online right now? 3 words: Weekly Pub Quizzes ;)

How do my classmates and I stay connected online right now? 3 words: Weekly Pub Quizzes ;)

It all started just as a one-off. One of my classmates suggested that she would enjoy hosting a pub quiz if we were up for it, and of course the answer was yes! We all agreed on a date and… Read moreHow do my classmates and I stay connected online right now? 3 words: Weekly Pub Quizzes 😉

Did you know….? 3 + 1 interesting/fun facts about the University of Edinburgh

Did you know….? 3 + 1 interesting/fun facts about the University of Edinburgh

1 Did you know…? That unlike at most other universities, students at the University of Edinburgh don’t wear mortar board hats to doff to the Chancellor at the graduation ceremony? Instead, we are tapped on the head with the ‘Geneva… Read moreDid you know….? 3 + 1 interesting/fun facts about the University of Edinburgh

What’s the point of writing essays? Engaging students in higher education

What's the point of writing essays? Engaging students in higher education

I surely remember some long nights spent writing papers for my Master’s as if it were yesterday. Okay, yes, it was only a couple of years ago – but still. ‘What’s the point in writing this anyway?’, I would ask myself, as I frantically browsed through endless lists of references. Following a brief search on the web, I realise many students struggle with writing essays. Rightfully, then, you may ask why papers are such a widespread method of assessing students at UK universities. Many essays and two degrees later – now teaching in higher education myself – I think I might have figured it out.