University of Leeds Bioscience Education Research Group

ULBERG

CURRICULUM ENHANCEMENT

Overview of recent, current and prospective projects

Sue Whittle

ULBERGFACULTY OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

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Bioscience Education Research Group

Curriculum Enhancement

Dr Sue Whittle

ULBERGFACULTY OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

Overview

Projects contribute to several themes

Skills development

Support for laboratory practicals

Employability/Employer engagement

Student support

Developing high-level scientific communication skills amongst MSc bioscientists

Aysha Divan

A communication skills unit which trains students in the different ways/styles in which scientists disseminate data and ideas

Topics covered

• ethical communication• critical review of scientific literature• literature reviews• research proposals• research papers• abstracts• dissertations • oral and poster presentations

Delivery• lectures, workshops and assessed activities• supported by a custom-authored communication skills textbook

Evaluationpre-and post training analysis questionnaires (qualitative and quantitative data)

  

Differences identified between UK and international students at the point of entry to MSc has led to development of an Induction package. 

Developing high-level scientific communication skills amongst MSc bioscientists

Aims

• Development of key employability skills within curriculum

• Create & deliver interactive, curriculum enhancing teaching session

• Primary or secondary level

Science & Society projectsDave Lewis

Anatomy and function

Neurophysiology

Pathology

Science & Society projects

Virtual Labs @ Leeds – supporting laboratory practicals

Sue Whittle, John Heritage, Sue Bickerdike & Neil Morris

A pilot project produced a series of ‘Virtual Labs’ (Heritage and Bickerdike)

These were extremely well received by the students and a further project designed to support two entire Y1 courses in this way was implemented in 2010-11 (Whittle & Bickerdike)

Additional resources have been developed by Neil Morris for Biomedical Sciences students

Online resources to enhance biomedical sciences practicals

• Articulate Presenter resource consisting of images, videos, narration and quizzes

• Mandatory viewing / completion before attending practical (95% compliance)

• Major impact on student confidence and competence in laboratory

• Very positive feedback from students

• Generic information on lab safety, recording/reporting experimental data

• video demonstrations of the practical techniques

• background theory explained via a series of ‘Articulate’ presentations - included audio, video, animations and self testing, delivered through the Blackboard VLE

• formative assessment via MCQ tests with on-line feedback

Biochemistry/Biological Sciences resourcesSue Whittle & Sue Bickerdike

Employability and curriculum enhancement – Postgraduate level

Aysha Divan & Joanne DickinsonIn progress

 

Setting up an Industrial Advisory Board Input into teaching from external speakers Professional development theme embedded into MSc Bioscience programme

• includes career planning and professional development, bioethics, bioenterprise, scientific communication.

Helping students recognise and articulate the skills and experiences gained through the MSc courses

• a pilot scheme that we will trial for the first time during 2011-12 by customising the current generic Leeds for Life web-forms (working in conjunction with Leeds for Life staff – the first course/Faculty to trial this).

• Project with employers looking at the their expectations of graduates with BSc /MSc

Employability and curriculum enhancement – Postgraduate level

iDecide – careers resources for biological sciences undergraduates

John Heritage, Stevie McBurney, Christopher Murray, Al Pickles, Sue Bickerdike & Sue

WhittleAims:

• to introduce and evaluate improved careers and employability information for undergraduate students during their course.

• to create a ‘one-stop’ web resource, amalgamating currently disparate information available to FBS students, together with innovative new information.

iDecide – careers resources for biological sciences undergraduates

New Resources

• an on-line interactive resource including a decision tree to help students narrow their areas of interest

• information about possible careers/further study within and outside science; case studies of recent graduates (video interviews/ ‘a day in the life of’)

• description by potential employers of the roles available within their organisation for science graduates

Education research project

Aysha Divan & Stevie McBurney2011 onward

Co-supervision of a Y3 undergraduate research project

Aim:

to investigate student perceptions on the value of existing employability training opportunities available within taught programmes in FBS

Anticipated outcomes:

The data obtained (both quantitative and qualitative) will be analysed and used as a basis for informing the development of subsequent employability training activities in FBS

Designing a Professional Development & Placement module

Stevie McBurney & Clare Leach2011 onward

Aim:

to develop and prepare work-based, professional development module(s) in partnership with employers of biological science graduates in:

•industry •government •non-government organisations

locally and nationally

Anticipated outcomes:

Identify key employer organisations and development of partnerships to facilitate the introduction of shorter-term work placement / internship opportunities.

Module(s ) designed to augment existing Faculty provision, including short term placement/internship opportunities

Quality assurance mechanisms will ensure high quality placement experiences

Design & implement appropriate learning outcomes, development of learning resources and assessment methodology.

Designing a Professional Development & Placement module

Targeting student support effectively – can we predict students at risk of poor performance?

Sue Whittle, John Sandars1 & Matt Homer1

1(Faculty of Medicine & Health) 2011 onward

Aimto investigate the use of a questionnaire which provides information about students’ approaches to learning and time management in predicting student performance

MethodStudents will be asked to complete a questionnaire comprising relevant elements of the validated Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire, together with a group of questions aimed to probe their time management skills

Correlation between questionnaire responses and student behaviour (punctuality, completion of work etc.) and performance in practicals and tutorials will be sought

Targeting student support effectively – can we predict which students are at risk of poor

performance?

Anticipated outcome

If correlation is established, the questionnaire can be used in future to identify and target students who need support with aspects of their study/time management skills.