More than 30 participants gathered in Stirling to attend sessions on
'Innovative approaches to enhancing student learning in the Biosciences'.
The programme began with a brief
introduction to LTSN Bioscience, which provided an opportunity for attendees
to find out more about the work of the Centre, the support services we
can offer and projects such as ImageBank. A copy of the introductory
presentation* is available. The following sessions took place during
the day:
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Innovative Teaching Methods
Professor Ed Wood, Director of LTSN Bioscience
Ed outlined a number of teaching methods including:
- Peer teaching and assessment
- Group working
- Problem based learning (PBL)
- Electronic learning environments
- Computer based learning (CBL)
- Simulations
- Learning logs/reflection
- Internet based teaching and collaboration
He went on to talk in more detail about Peer Assessment, and presented
Professor Ian Hughes's findings from an evaluation of peer and self-marking
by Pharmacology students at the University of Leeds.
A discussion of peer assessment followed, with a number of people contributing
their experiences of peer assessment and student reactions to it.
Ian Hughes's article: But isn't this what you're paid for? The pros
and cons of peer and self assessment, appeared on pages 20-23 of the
June 2001 edition of 'Planet'
(the bi-annual publication of the LTSN Subject Centre for Geography, Earth
and Environmental Sciences).
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Dr Mike Mattey, Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, University
of Strathclyde
Mike provided an introduction and interactive demonstration of Interactive
teaching using Personal Response Systems (PRS), in which students use
individual handsets to provide immediate responses (this is often used
anonymously) within lectures and lab classes.
The technology is easily installed. The cost depends on the size of room
and the number of students (handsets). A sum of £3000 buys two recorders,
the software and enough handsets for 50 students.
The PowerPoint file of Mike's
PRS presentation*
is available (as a pdf), as is the handout*
from this session.
View a of Mike's demonstration*
of the Personal Response System. Further information on this topic will
be available in our June 2002 Bulletin (No. 6) which will contain an article
by Mike concerning his experiences with the PRS.
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The role of practical work in biosciences (including
alternatives to wet practicals?)
Dr Allan M Jones, University of Dundee & Prof. Ed Wood, LTSN Bioscience
In this challenging and thought-provoking talk, Allan took a comprehensive
look at the role of practicals, including:
What do we want from practicals?
Desirable aims include:
- Learning/practice of manual & observational skills relevant
to the subject
- Familiarising with equipment, techniques and materials, including
safety issues
- Improving understanding of methods of scientific enquiry
- Developing experimental, design, problem-solving and analysis
skills
- Developing transferable skills e.g. data-recording, reporting,
IT, statistical analysis, etc.
- Linking theory and practise
- Nurturing professional attitudes (affective domain)
He questioned whether "practicals as currently formulated are
the best way of achieving such aims?"
Allan's
presentation*
is available as a pdf file
Extensive and lively discussions on the subject of practicals, followed.
Allan mentioned that he has successfully used crosswords at the end of
practicals as a useful means by which students can test their understanding
and recall of information, particularly terminology. For more information
on crossword compilers visit:
http://www.x-word.com/ and
http://www.wiscocomputing.com/index.htm
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Phil Marston, University of Aberdeen
Phil presented a self-contained on-line Virtual Laboratory 'shell' developed
by the Learning Technology Unit at the University of Aberdeen, including
a demonstration of one of the first experiments to use the new environment-
investigating the effects of sub-lethal copper contamination on Gammarus
duebeni.
Phil has kindly made his
slides
available. You can visit the Virtual Laboratory: http://www.abdn.ac.uk/diss/ltu/projects/showcase.hti
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Dr Jackie Wilson, LTSN Bioscience
Jackie provided a brief outline of
the Centre's latest project which aims to compile a
'Compendium
of Bioscience Practical Classes'. For further details and the latest
news on this project will be available soon.
* Copyright over these items sits with the author.
Any person wishing to use these presentations for any purpose must first
approach the author via LTSN Bioscience.
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