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Centre for Bioscience Professional Development Programme
Effective Group Work
Wednesday 5th October 2005
University of Abertay Dundee
Delegates from all over the UK gathered at Dudhope Castle to discuss the benefits and difficulties in using group work to teach bioscience. The content of the day was as follows
Group work has a number of potential benefits such as the opportunity for students to learn from one other and develop people and communication skills. However, teams can fall apart and there are legitimate concerns over the distribution of effort, not to mention the issue of the most appropriate assessment design. This day will provide you with an opportunity to discuss these issues (and more) with colleagues from around the UK.
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Programme
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| 10.00 |
Registration; Tea and Coffee |
| 10.20 |
Welcome and Introduction to the day |
| 10.30 |
Keynote: Why do group work?
Phil Wheater, Manchester Metropolitan University |
| 11.15 |
Effective Group Work - examples of practice
Facilitation and Assessment of Group Work using Web-based Tools
Trudy Hartford, Leeds Metropolitan University
- This session outlines a multifaceted approach to group work, including peer and self-evaluation. The main focus will be on the utilisation of online communications to facilitate, observe and inform assessment of group work. The ability of online interactions to enhance and detract from the group process will be highlighted as well as suggestions for involvement in assessment.
Small Group Teaching for Level One Biology Students
Anne Tierney, University of Glasgow
- a. Lifestyle project
This is a 5 week project and groups of 8-10 students are asked to prepare a poster comparing the lifestyle of a typical inhabitant of a foreign country or ethnic group with that or a typical resident of the UK. The second task is to present an oral case for the eviction of a species of animal from the planet. Groups are then paired and have to defend the opposing group's species.
- b. Cloning discussion
This task looks at the practicalities, ethical issues and technology involved in cloning. Groups are divided into teams and each team concentrates on a different aspect of cloning. At the end of the session the teams give a short presentation to the rest of the group.
Group work - a lecturer's experience of the pitfalls and how to avoid them
John Green, Napier University
- For this example each group of students is given a fictitious biotechnological product and asked to produce a SWOT analysis of the product as a marketable commodity. Feedback shows that this exercise is well received and successful, but has encountered some hurdles on the way. John will outline these hurdles and how he overcame them.
Followed by General Discussion
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| 12.30 |
Lunch |
| 13.15 |
Workshop - Aspects of Group Work
Facilitated by Julian Park, Centre for Bioscience and University of Reading |
| 14.30 |
refreshments |
| 14.45 |
Swapshop - Examples of assessing group work
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| 15.45 |
Discussion and questions |
PDF summary
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