Enhancing the development of experimental design skills in life science undergraduates

Description

The project aimed to further evaluate the impact of a teaching intervention (small group facilitated discussions) aimed at developing 3rd year (of a 4 year honours degree) Zoology students’ experimental design skills. This involved examining the factors that impacted on the students engagement with project work. Quantitative analysis was also carried out to compare student marks in the Insect Projects and other elements of the degree course that involve experimental design. The study also looked at how the students who took part in he Experimental Design sessions performed in the following, final year of their degree. A comparison was made between elements of the course with an experimental design component compared with the remainder of the course. Student interview data was analysed for the emergence of concepts and themes related to the students engagement with the projects.

Previous evaluation had indicated over 90% of the students believed they would be better at designing their own experiments following the teaching intervention and 88% believed they were more able to criticise the design of others' experiments. In addition 80% of the respondents believed that this method of learning was effective and preferable to a lecture format. In semi-structured interviews supervisors were unanimous that the majority of students engaged more successfully with the projects, required less direct guidance and supervision and that the outcomes of the projects were more successful than in previous years. These comments were reflected in considerably higher marks for this part of assessment than in previous years.

Outcomes and downloads

• MacKenzie, J. and Ruxton, G. (2006) Supporting the Development of Undergraduates' Experimental Design Skills and Investigating their Perceptions of Project Work. Bioscience Education E-journal, volume 8 available at http://www.bioscience.heacademy.ac.uk/journal/vol8/beej-8-2.htm
• Question sheets used in the facilitated discussion sessions on Experimental Design
• Presentation about the project given at the 2005 Science Learning and Teaching Conference

Links

Related resources and information on experimental design and scientific method

Presentations by Ian Hughes on approaches to teaching scientific method and experimental design

An article by Chris Willmott et al. based on a series of exercises undertaken with Level One students as introductory training towards the reading and presentation of scientific papers at Level Three and the writing up of final year research projects.

Case studies of curriculum activities linked to research in the biosciences

Guidance on experimental design aimed at undergraduate students; part of the Guidance for Student Projects website compiled by Julian Park and John Finn

Centre for Bioscience Practical Compendium and the Ecological Projects Compendium compiled by the British Ecological Society.

You can also join our Special Interest Group on Final Year Project work