View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE LTSN BIOSCIENCEprovided by CLoK BULLETIN AUTUMN 2002 No.7

The Learning and Teaching Support Network (LTSN) Centre for Bioscience is one of 24 Subject Centres, funded by the four UK higher education funding bodies, to promote and support high quality learning, teaching and assessment in UK higher education

Successful FDTL4 projects 2 Janet Clegg, Evelyn Brown, Stephen Gomez, Chris Seal, Colin Hughes, Tony Gardner- Medwin and Richard Rayne PRODIGIOUS PRODIGY?

The basic tenets of teaching ethics to WELCOME TO THIS NEW EDITION OF THE LTSN BIOSCIENCE BULLETIN. THE LTSN AS A WHOLE HAS 4 Bioscience students been under the spotlight recently and the August 16th issue of the Times Higher Education David Cook Supplement featured a whole-page article on the LTSN entitled “Is the prodigy ready to prosper?” LTSN has been undergoing an evaluation by a team from Lancaster University, and their Report The Stanford Research tries to gauge the academic community’s awareness of what they call the ‘LTSN Brand’, and also 5 Communication Programme: whether there is evidence to show that the Network is making a difference to tertiary level teaching. a case study of better integrating research in the teaching environment In terms of awareness, the report concluded that junior staff were more likely to have heard of the Carolyn Gale LTSN than older staff (readers, professors, deans) and that smaller departments were less likely to have heard of it than large departments. The really good news though is that 49 per cent of those Special Interest Group – interviewed said that the LTSN was already changing their teaching activities, and 67 per cent said 6 practical work in the biosciences that it had the potential to affect teaching and learning. Professional bodies/learned societies Allan Jones thought that the LTSN was complementing their work at the educational level. The survey team received responses from 219 institutions and each university’s PVC for teaching and learning was Guidance for Student Projects (GSP) interviewed. There is therefore evidence that we are having a significant effect – but no one 7 John Finn and Julian Park pretends that there is not still a long way to go. This is particularly true of the group of staff who see research as their only priority and have little interest in improving their teaching. Therefore, not Numeracy skills deficit among only do we have to keep banging the publicity drum by whatever means we can – by visits to 8 bioscience entrants departments, personal contacts, the web site, the Bulletin, etc – but also we need to continue to Vicki Tariq work hard at building the network in the bioscience community. Although the Centre for Bioscience is the hub of activities, the really important thing is to develop an enduring network in which people Widening participation in bioscience departments talk to each other rather than through us (although of course we are 9 keen to be active and stimulatory, and to harvest and disseminate good practice). Consequently, our Cliff Allan Departmental Contacts, Discipline Consultants and Special Interest Group Co-ordinators are vitally important in sowing the seeds and forming nodes out in the community. We are constantly on the TLRPs for teaching look out for individuals who can help and provide the lead in these sorts of ways. 10 Ian Hughes Another consideration is just how long it takes to put some innovative teaching ideas into practice. Graduates in industry – You can only change the course once a year, and you need to plan in advance for next year’s 11 high performance teamwork session as well as convincing one’s colleagues that it is worthwhile to do something differently! Martin Todd Everyone knows that, but as mentioned in the THES article, our Teaching Development Fund (TDF) grants can help people to try out an idea or develop something which may help to improve teaching Computer-based formative assessment practice. Have you an idea that could be developed given a bit of seed-corn money? You can look 12 with WebOL Lite on the web site for details of previous projects and also find the details of how to apply. Ray Harper In addition to all of the above, we will focus on the Government’s agenda to widen participation, Origin improve retention of students, and enhance employability. One particular role of LTSN Bioscience Jac Potter will be to support and encourage improvements in the teaching of, and learning by, incoming students with a wider range of abilities and backgrounds. To this end we are holding a discussion Forum on 12/13 September to discuss what is already in place and how good practice might be spread. The report on the outcome of the meeting will appear on our web site in due course.

Professor Ed Wood LTSN Centre for Bioscience

http://bio.ltsn.ac.uk/ ltsn LTSN Centre for Bioscience, School of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Learning and Teaching Leeds LS2 9JT. Telephone/Fax: +44(0)113 343 3001 email: [email protected] Support Network Bioscience 2 TWO

SUCCESSFUL FDTL4 PROJECTS

INTRODUCTION IMPROVING THE COST-EFFECTIVENESS OF FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT IN SCIENCE The projects funded under phase 4 of the Fund for the Development of Teaching and Learning (FDTL) were announced recently. The project aims to improve the cost effectiveness of formative assessment to improve student FDTL is to support projects with the aim progression and retention in science courses, including Biosciences, by evaluating the impact of of stimulating developments in teaching existing formative practices on student learning behaviour, progression and retention in courses and learning that are disseminated across from the Open University and Sheffield Hallam University; developing, implementing and evaluating the higher education sector. the impact on students of new approaches to providing students with feedback, and establishing a set of principles for the effective operation of formative assessment. ■ For the first time projects have the opportunity to work with LTSN Subject Centres in Dr Evelyn Brown developing their dissemination strategies and The Open University, [email protected] draw on the expertise and networks we have built up over our first two years of operation.

Below are brief project outlines and contact details of a number of projects that will be working with LTSN Bioscience. More detailed PROFILE: A FLEXIBLE, GENERIC SYSTEM TO SUPPORT articles about individual projects will follow in THE ASSESSMENT FOR ACADEMIC CREDIT OF WORK- future issues. BASED LEARNING WITHIN NON-VOCATIONAL BIOSCIENCE SANDWICH DEGREES

A generic, web-based system called PROFILE defines work-based learning in a way that forms a PASS: PROJECT TO ASSIST foundation for assessing placements for academic credit. The system will monitor, support and assess student placement experience on-line. Initially it will be developed for Bioscience placements but by STUDENT LEARNING the end of the project it will be available for all HE Institutions. We would also like to involve end- users in the development of PROFILE. ■ >> Project designed to cater for varying backgrounds of cell biology knowledge for Dr Stephen Gomez entrants into the biology programme Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of the West of England [email protected] >> The project is to provide less able students with self-study packs and supporting work- shops and seminars to allow them to obtain sufficient grounding in the subject matter, JISC-FUNDED LIFESIGN PROJECT HAS MADE allowing them to study the cell biology module content with maximum benefit A MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH WITH THE BBC >> The incidental benefit of these study packs will enhance the students’ ability for Two major series, The Private Life of Plants, presented by Sir David Attenborough and ■ independent learning The Human Body, presented by Robert Winston are now available on-line. Other programmes from the BBC are Horizon’s “Is GM Safe?” and the fascinating “Professor Dr Janet Clegg Bonner and the Slime Moulds”. The programmes are available in their entirety but the St Mary’s College viewer also has the option to select a specific segment they wish to view. University of Surrey [email protected] All programmes are available free to UK higher and further education institutions. (see http://www.lifesign.ac.uk).

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SUPPORTING AND ASSESSING STUDENTS’ PROGRESS AND ACQUISITION OF WORK-RELATED SKILLS IN THE PRACTICALS FOR PLACEMENT ENVIRONMENT USING A WEB-BASED INTERFACE THE BIOSCIENCES –

This project will develop and disseminate good practice in supporting and assessing students’ COMING SOON TO A acquisition of work-related skills in a placement environment, using the Food and Human Nutrition BSc degree programme as a model. We will be developing a web-based interface using the Blackboard WEB SITE NEAR YOU! Managed Learning Environment (MLE), to provide appropriate support at all stages of the placement process; through seeking and obtaining placements, maintaining contact during the placement year The Centre is developing an on-line itself, and in collation and preparation of assessment materials for City & Guilds qualifications. ■ resource of tried and tested bioscience practical exercises and Dr Chris Seal associated learning resources (student School of Medical Sciences, University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne handouts, etc.) contributed from UK [email protected] Higher Education.

This Practical Work Compendium (to be made available in autumn 2002) will span the broad range of EFFECTIVE FEED-BACK, DISSEMINATION OF bioscience disciplines and will provide a mechanism for sharing expertise ENHANCED LEARNING: FORMATIVE CONFIDENCE- and identifying and developing good practice with bioscience colleagues THE EFEL PROJECT BASED EXERCISES around the UK. It will also act as a useful reference point for new staff The project aims to develop and enhance The aim is to reward students for reliable and those developing new practicals assessment procedures. Good practice within confidence judgements about their answers to or modules. the partnership and associated institutions will questions. This assists reflective study and be audited. Generic grade criteria and task- formative assessment and (in a recent trial) has Contributions welcome; please specific criteria will be developed to ensure been shown to improve the reliability of consider sharing one or more of your more consistent marking. Time-effective summative assessment (with potential savings practicals. Your input will help make strategies will be developed that give students in exam effort). The project will disseminate the this a useful resource for the prompt, clearly structured feedback related to UCL scheme for biomedical subjects and bioscience HE community. Details of those criteria. Students will be helped to numeracy (elsewhere and to new disciplines), practicals may be completed and interpret criteria and feedback more effectively and establish pooled Computer-Aided accompanying electronic documents so that they may set targets for, and enhance, Assessment (CAA) resources. ■ can be easily uploaded using our on- their learning. ■ line form: http://bio.ltsn.ac.uk/ Prof Tony Gardner-Medwin imagebankuploads/compendium/ Dr Colin Hughes Department of Physiology insertpage.asp. Department of Life Sciences University College London Nottingham Trent University [email protected] Practicals submitted will be clearly [email protected] www.ucl.ac.uk/~cusplap attributed to their originator(s) who will retain copyright, but agree to their use for educational purposes.

Latest details can be found on the project homepage: http://bio.ltsn.ac.uk/ OLAAF: ON-LINE ASSESSMENT AND FEEDBACK resources/bioscience/compendium/ and any questions may be directed to The OLAAF project will develop and disseminate a set of generic criteria and practices for embedding [email protected]. effective computer-based assessment and feedback within a range of pedagogical approaches. We will establish an OLAAF Interest Group to involve the wider HE community in the project. ■

Dr Richard Rayne School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Birkbeck College [email protected]

http://bio.ltsn.ac.uk/ LTSN BIOSCIENCE BULLETIN AUTUMN 2002 4 FOUR

THE BASIC TENETS OF TEACHING ETHICS TO BIOSCIENCE STUDENTS

THE FIRST TENET: good quality research. It is also possessing the THE THIRD TENET: PREPARE FOR ETHICS MATTER IN THE BIOSCIENCES ability to act ethically and to be able to offer a TOMORROW AS WELL AS TODAY moral justification for the work done and the E NEED TO TEACH BIOSCIENCE way it is done. The danger is that we teach ethics as if students ethics because of the Bioscience and ethics are static rather than issues facing society. Genetic and Medicine and bioscience have stressed the developing. Students need to be aware not only fertility developments, xenotrans- importance of four fundamental principles. of future developments in the biosciences but plantation, new forms of contraception and Bioscience students need to know and also that societal and professional changes will questions of euthanasia and assisted suicide understand the principles of non-maleficence impact the practice of and demand for ethical (helping people to die) put Bioscience and ethics (do no harm), beneficence (do good), maximise bioscientific research. The law is becoming ever in the frontline. At the same time in university autonomy (the freedom of the individual or more intrusive in the regulation of the sciences. and in the practice of the biosciences, high community) and Justice (treating equal cases But is this ethical and how do we judge the ethical reflection and standards are required. equally and unequal cases unequally). validity of governmental control? The media The scandal and aftermath of Alderhey and the constantly demand justification for action and crucial issues of consent, funding and ownership The second tenet is to ensure that bioscience clarification of the implications of research. of research make it vital that bioscience students students have a clear grasp of the way that Ethical justification is a crucial bulwark against have a clear grasp of the ethical perspectives ethical debates are taking place and are able to the breakdown of public confidence and a and concerns. reflect on their own values in light of the retreat to law and expensive litigation. professional and communally accepted values. The first tenet in teaching ethics to bioscience As science advances, the moral bioscientist will students is that ethics matter whether we like it When teaching ethics to bioscience students recognise his or her responsibilities to society, or not and is necessary for a career in the we must help them cope with the reality of conscience and the profession. Science does biosciences. living in a pluralist world where there is not one not happen in a vacuum and the international universally agreed and accepted answer. aspects of bioscientific research will require Morality is rarely black or white in the careful moral monitoring and assessment. THE SECOND TENET: complexity of the issues produced by and So too will an understanding of the social LEARNING ETHICAL DECISION MAKING facing bioscience. It may be helpful to suggest implications of the biosciences. Modern movies that they reflect on the extent to which there is picture a brave new world where biotechnology What is less straightforward is how and what some kind of natural law in the nature of things rules and intrudes on every aspect of human we are actually trying to teach. Bioscience and people. Are there things that are being. The students of today will be the leading students are not philosophers, but they can be universally good and things which are bad for bioscientists of tomorrow. They will shape not taught to think and reflect ethically. This means all people? Interestingly, both a traditional just the science, but the impact and application helping them develop basic skills in ethical Roman Catholic and an Evolutionary ethic point of the biosciences. Unless they have been well decision making. Students need to be able to towards fundamental values in the natural taught how to reflect and act ethically and how distinguish between moralities based on realm. It is also important that students are to think about brand new moral questions principles from those based on consequences. helped to ask what it means to be human and raised by new applications of bioscience, then They need to grasp that we live in a largely what values we consider fundamental to the world will be a risky and dangerous place utilitarian and relativistic world, where humanity. This is not just important because of and science a new pariah. ■ maximising happiness and the denial of the debate over the use and status of animals absolute values is common place. They need to but also because research involves people realise that there is considerable unhappiness working often on people for the benefit of Dr David Cook with these traditional approaches to morality, people. What then are the limits to such Green College, Oxford and instead an emphasis on growing and being research and activity? We need to consider [email protected] virtuous people is widely appreciated. That whether or not there is some common core of means asking and answering what it means to basic, ‘rock-bottom’ morality and what that be a good bioscientist doing good work. This is means for bioscientific activity. not just a matter of high professional skills and

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THE STANFORD RESEARCH COMMUNI- CATION PROGRAMME: A CASE STUDY OF BETTER INTEGRATING RESEARCH IN THE TEACHING ENVIRONMENT

A common tension with university faculty is balancing a teaching load with a research agenda. What if these responsibilities were better integrated, or the tensions between them reduced? What if undergraduates were exposed to researchers speaking in an understandable language about their studies? What might the effect of this be in fostering cross-disciplinary communication between researchers, enhancing learning in the classroom, and informing the general public?

PURRED BY THESE QUESTIONS, AN constitutes research in a wide variety of Participants not only use statements in the idea was born at Stanford University. disciplines at the PhD level and beyond. classroom for teaching purposes, but also as a In 1999, a pilot group of thirteen PhD basis for job talks, grant proposals, and other students would attempt to write brief, I-RITE is continuing to build on its core instances where communicating work to the clear, and compelling statements about their programme with modules that integrate oral general public is useful. research to share in introductory undergrad- components codenamed I-SPEAK, and the uate classes. Three years later, the Stanford ability to include figures or diagrams with the For the future, the Research Communication Research Communication Programme has written statement. Programme plans to create an organisation developed and refined a process and that will allow institutions in the US to curriculum that builds upon this experiment. I-RITE’s success is evidenced by participation implement versions of I-RITE. Proposed plans from over 200 undergraduates, PhD students, include creating a package of participant and The programme’s primary offering is I-RITE, postdoctoral researchers, and faculty from instructor materials for use in workshops, where participants from all disciplines create institutions in the United States and Sweden. provide instructor training programmes and 750-word statements that describe their I-RITE also receives financial support from a certification, and showcase best practices from research and why it is important in a larger broad range of disciplines within Stanford: the participating institutions. The programme also context. The statements must be clear and Schools of Earth Sciences, Engineering, and hopes to expand to countries in Europe; if any compelling to 17 year-old students (generally Humanities & Sciences; the Graduate institution in the UK is interested in piloting a US high school senior/university freshmen), Fellowships Programme; the Center for trial version of I-RITE or using some of the which, in turn, can reach a broader audience. Teaching and Learning; and the Center for teaching applications in the classroom, do not Innovations in Learning. The Wallenberg Global hesitate to contact the author. ■ The core I-RITE programme is a six-week Learning Network has also provided initial experience conducted mostly online, with support for participation in Swedish universities. supplemental face-to-face meetings. Carolyn Gale Participants create and revise their work many Another pilot project of the Research Comm- Stanford University, USA times over the course of the workshop with unication Programme was Odyssey, a magazine [email protected] help from peers in different disciplines and created by undergraduates that featured external reviewers: communication researchers completed I-RITE statements, combined with affiliated with the National Communication in-depth interviews of programme participants Association, and undergraduate students. The and other researchers. During the Spring of undergraduates are of particular interest, as 2002, Odyssey secured sufficient advertising to they review I-RITE statements in mandatory produce 1,500 copies distributed across the first-year writing courses at Stanford. By Stanford campus, and to major US research bringing draft research statements to the universities. One can imagine similar projects classroom, students learn the basics of critical could be undertaken in undergraduate reviewing, and begin to understand what journalism or communication courses.

http://bio.ltsn.ac.uk/ LTSN BIOSCIENCE BULLETIN AUTUMN 2002 6 SIX

SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP – PRACTICAL WORK IN THE BIOSCIENCES

The LTSN Centre for Bioscience has set up a Special Interest Group (SIG) looking into Practical Work in the Biosciences. The Co-ordinator is Allan Jones from the University of Dundee.

Y INVOLVEMENT AS CO-ORDINATOR sufficiently recognised and allowed for when our intention to organise resources such as the of the LTSN Bioscience Special developing practical work in the biosciences. Compendium of Bioscience Practicals, supervised Interest Group (SIG) on Practical by Jackie Wilson (Project Officer), according to Work in Biosciences is a consequ- The SENDA (2001) [Special Educational Needs either the sub-discipline and/or the pedagogical ence of many years of interest and involvement and Disability Act (2001) DDA part IV] topic wherever this will assist the reader: cross in practical work ranging from laboratory work to legislation will also require new thinking about referencing will be used wherever possible to field courses, and from protocol-dominated the accessibility and validity of our practical maintain the integration of the site. The Comp- activities to independent project work. These activities. This would seem, therefore, to be a endium is an important resource associated with activities stimulated the development and co- particularly good time for the LTSN Centre for this SIG and its specific aim is to encourage and authoring of the Practical Skills series of Bioscience Centre to be setting up this SIG as enable the sharing of ideas, experience and textbooks published by Pearson. This now good practice in bioscience practical classes. For includes separate titles on Biology, Biomolecular the latest news on that project, or to contribute Sciences, Environmental Science (which includes material to it, please visit our web site at http:// ecology) and Chemistry. Through my work with bio.ltsn.ac.uk/resources/bioscience/compendium/ this SIG, I wish to facilitate and develop index.htm. I would ask that you seriously discussion and debate about the many problems consider contributing to this particular resource. facing practical work in the Biosciences and to help promote the dissemination of good practice The current aims and objectives for this SIG are and thoughtful implementation and assessment summarised below. They are to… of practical work. >> collect and disseminate good practice We are all faced with increasingly difficult through the Compendium of Bioscience situations with regards to decreasing curriculum Practicals and through the organisation of time and available resources for practical work. In appropriate symposia, the first of which particular, fieldwork activities have become Personal Transferable Skills and Practical increasingly difficult to sustain in the face of a Work – Problems and Strategies is being diminishing unit of resource and the increasingly planned for 7 November at the University common requirement for students to pursue paid of Leeds; employment. At the same time, the cost of practicals and project-work in many areas of the >> encourage and promote the development of modern curriculum has become almost cost-effective practical activities – have you prohibitively expensive. We have also to cope with we are facing considerable challenges that will designed any practicals that are effective increasingly large class sizes, with the inevitably require both new thinking and new approaches and yet have a relatively small cost increased costs, and an increased diversity of to the roles and functions of practical work in requirement? We need you! the student population in terms of both pre- the biosciences. university experience and modular backgrounds. >> identify interested persons and their areas The nature of secondary-level (high school) Bioscience is a term incorporating a disparate of expertise / interest. We are compiling a practical work has changed, and continues to collection of sub-disciplines, each with their list of those who have expressed particular change, in both character and quantity, e.g. own perspective on the place and value of interest in this field and it is hoped that they there has been a general reduction in the use of practical work within the curriculum. This will will receive email updates, notification of animal materials in most curricula. This provide a significant part of the challenge for events, activities, etc on a regular, but not significantly affects the assumptions that we can this SIG where the aim is to represent all excessive, basis; make, and our expectations, when designing a aspects of the subject area. Whilst not wishing tertiary-level practical curriculum but, in my to fragment the activities of the SIG and lose >> facilitate discussion of the functions of experience, these changes have not been the benefits of cross-subject interactions, it is practicals (experimental, observational,

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fieldwork, procedural, manipulative, virtual, >> discussing the particular question of the C&IT, etc). It is hoped that synchronous and/ role of peer and self-assessment in or asynchronous discussions will be practical work. ECOLOGICAL facilitated on key topics. These activities will be developed mainly through: PROJECT >> identify and disseminate information on what works and what does not! >> the web site pages; COMPENDIUM >> commission discussion papers on key >> meetings to be held at sites in both the topics for publication on the web site – but north and south of the UK; The British Ecological Society is if you have a particular interest in a ‘hot’ developing an innovative on-line topic and would be prepared to write a >> development of discussion areas within an resource for lecturers and others discussion paper for our web site, please let asynchronous or synchronous chat room teaching ecology in Higher Education. the team know. context; The project is currently accepting contributions of successful practical >> encourage debate about strategic >> commissioned ‘expert’ discussion exercises in ecology ranging from approaches to practical work (preparation, documents to stimulate debate on particular examples of student-centred learning group-work, assessment, curriculum topics; and and project case studies to more development, etc) lecturer-directed activities and >> the Compendium collection of practical effective strategies for dealing with >> facilitate informed discussion on important work (http://bio.ltsn.ac.uk/resources/ large student groups. If you would like and often sensitive aspects of practical bioscience/compendium/index.htm). to submit work for publication, work such as the use of dissection and the instructions for authors and more ethics of experimentation; I am very keen to develop interactions with details about the project are available other interested persons so if you have any on-line (at www.britishecological >> discuss and disseminate good practice with comments or suggestions, please contact me society.org). The Compendium is also regard to disability and practicals / fieldwork; or the LTSN Bioscience team. ■ seeking suitably qualified individuals to referee submitted work for the >> discuss the incorporation and integration of quality of the science and the peda- Personal Transferable Skills (PTS) into the Dr Allan Jones gogic approach. You do not need to be practical curriculum; Life Sciences Teaching Unit a member of the British Ecological University of Dundee Society to contribute to this new >> facilitate discussion of the problems of assess- [email protected] resource as an author or as a referee. ing practical work within the concept of If you would like to find out more constructive alignment of the curriculum; and please contact the Managing Editor, Jac Potter, at [email protected]

One of the strengths of GSP is its breadth of Throughout the website, we provide advice and coverage of issues that arise during student guidance from our own experience as project GUIDANCE FOR projects, from the selection of a research topic, supervisors and researchers e.g. see the list of the assessment criteria used for dissertations, common problems in ‘project management’, STUDENT PROJECTS advice on experimental design and data ‘data presentation’ and ‘compiling the report’. presentation to the formatting of research We provide numerous hyperlinks to websites reports. The major topic headings in GSP are: and references to literature that provide quality When conducting final year research projects, dissertation assessment; project management; learning resources for student researchers. the level of guidance and assistance that literature review; experimental design; data students receive can vary considerably. presentation; and compiling the report. Funding for GSP was provided by an LTSN Guidance for Student Projects (GSP) is an online Bioscience Teaching Development Fund grant. learning resource to assist students with the Within each of these topic headings a number planning, execution and presentation of research of relevant issues are presented. So, for projects (http://bio.ltsn.ac.uk/hosted/gsp/ example, the section ‘Project Management’ Dr John Finn introduction.html). This resource is targeted at contains suggestions and advice on how Teagasc, Republic of Ireland undergraduate students in the biological student and supervisor should interact, how to [email protected] sciences who are expected to undertake final plan and schedule a project (including a year research projects. However, the content detailed case study), and highlights important Dr Julian Park should be more widely applicable to MSc and transferable skills (e.g. time management, University of Reading PhD students, and to other disciplines. computing and information management). [email protected]

http://bio.ltsn.ac.uk/ LTSN BIOSCIENCE BULLETIN AUTUMN 2002 8 EIGHT

NUMERACY SKILLS DEFICIT AMONG BIOSCIENCE ENTRANTS

HERE IS GROWING >> changes to GCSE and A-level include AS- or A2-level Mathe- biosciences and often resent any concern that many Mathematics curricula in the matics is simply not feasible and time spent explicitly on basic entrants onto 1980s and 90s; may prove futile given growing numeracy skills. And do not forget bioscience degree concerns about assessment those high achievers who may feel programmes lack the skills >> an over-reliance on the use of policies and declining standards at disenfranchised by your attempts that, according to the Govern- calculators and computers for GCSE, AS- and A-level. Adopting to cater for the low achievers. ■ ment, define a ‘numerate simple calculations; and strategies aimed at improving individual’. This, despite the entrants’ numeracy skills is one fact that most, if not all, >> students’ lack of confidence in, option that includes: Dr Vicki Tariq possess at least grade C in and irrational fear of, anything School of Biology and Biochemistry GCSE Mathematics, and many numerical. >> offering summer courses prior Queen’s University Belfast possess a higher mathematics to or following entry to [email protected] qualification (e.g. AS- or A2- The Government’s National undergraduate programmes, or level Mathematics). Numeracy Strategy is attempting to one-year foundation modules address some of the above through that cover specifically the In contrast to the Government’s proposed changes to the teaching mathematics required by the definition of a ‘numerate individual’, of mathematics in schools and via biosciences; many bioscience entrants: initiatives aimed at creating a RESOURCE climate of greater support and >> using the results of diagnostic >> fail to recognise why numbers encouragement for parents and tests (paper- or computer- STARTER PACK are important and have a children at home, as well as within based) to organise revision limited sense of the sizes of the wider community. However, classes or tutorials; numbers and where they fit in higher education is unlikely to reap We have put together an the number system; the rewards, if any, of such policies >> encouraging the application of introductory resource pack, for another five to ten years. Never- mental calculation and the including a quick guide to >> lack confidence in their ability theless, in an initiative that may more appropriate and effective LTSN Bioscience, an to deal with basic mathematical yield more rapid returns, teachers use of calculators; annotated list of useful concepts, arithmetic and and academics have united to online sites for bioscience algebra; provide a single voice in advising >> providing drop-in ‘surgery’ educators, a bioscience the Government on mathematics facilities where staff can help learning and teaching >> are unable to calculate curricula, assessment and the with students’ acute problems bibliography and a list of accurately and efficiently training and supply of mathematics of understanding; bioscience education without the aid of a calculator; teachers. The Advisory Committee journals. Copies have been on Mathematics Education (ACME) >> organising tutorial support, sent to Staff and >> do not possess strategies to is an independent committee, either within or outside subject- Educational Development check whether their answers chaired by Sir Christopher Llewellyn specific modules; and departments in the summer; are reasonable; and Smith and based at the Royal Society. those that requested copies >> providing access to self-help for distribution should have >> are unable to manipulate num- In the shorter term we will continue and independent learning received them in early bers and equations, to convert to be confronted with the problem resources (e.g. self-instructional September (copies can still between units of measurement, that we can no longer assume that texts, computer-based learning be ordered from: and to explain and make our entrants possess the necessary packages, and web sites). [email protected]). predictions from data presented base level of numeracy skills upon The pack can also be found in graphs, charts and tables. which tertiary bioscience program- Whatever strategy(ies) you adopt, on our web site http:// mes of study aim to build. be prepared for a challenge! Many bio.ltsn.ac.uk/resources/ Reasons proposed for the students do not appreciate the bioscience/publications/ perceived decline in numeracy So, what are our options? Raising limitations that numeracy skill index.htm. skills include: our entrance requirements to deficits place on learning in the

LTSN BIOSCIENCE BULLETIN AUTUMN 2002 http://bio.ltsn.ac.uk/ NINE9

WIDENING PARTICIPATION

F YOU HAD NOT ALREADY institution’s student profile, your the design of the course and how it noticed from the volume of geographic location, the trend in is delivered, and the academic and coverage in the media and student recruitment and entry pastoral support that is provided ESCAPE… from wider debate about the qualifications. The factors are role of Higher Education wide- numerous and vary widely and ning participation is now the there is no single and comprehen- ON COURSE PROGRESSION … attend one of our key policy priority facing us all. sive approach to addressing this forthcoming Professional issue. However, useful models are Are non-traditional students provi- Development Programme It is an issue which impacts on all emerging which allow appropriate ded with sufficient and appropriate events for opportunities to levels of HE; the sectoral, the interventions and strategies at the support throughout their progress- discuss particular aspects institutional, departmental and departmental and subject level. ion? Are appropriate assessment of bioscience learning and discipline, the individual – staff and One such model is to consider approaches being developed and teaching, share problems, students. It is an issue which widening participation strategies in utilised? Is the pedagogy, the experiences and develop generates considerable debate, terms of the student lifecycle. course design and the learning ideas and solutions with some of it misinformed and styles encouraged suitable for a like-minded colleagues. prejudicial (such as the contrasting diverse student population? myths that ‘more means worse’ ASPIRATION RAISING 23 October University of Birmingham and ‘universities are elitist’). It is These are just some aspects of the Diversifying Assessment for also an issue which is essentially What can you do to raise the student life-cycle which could be Effective Student Learning non-negotiable – clearly HE should aspirations of future students used to make the widening partici- be more socially inclusive and in a currently in schools and colleges, pation agenda manageable, mean- 7 November world where public funding is now particularly those in disadvantaged ingful and workable. Your focus University of Leeds driven by the ‘something for areas? The future supply of could be at one stage or several. Personal Transferable Skills something’ credo, additional funds students from disadvantaged and Practical Work – will only be forthcoming if HE does backgrounds can be driven by There is also an abundance of Problems and Strategies become more socially inclusive. greater involvement of HE staff and assistance available to provide you 28 November undergraduate students working with ideas, good practice, means University of Newcastle Our sector now has clear targets more closely with schools to of sharing experience and how to Exploring Tools for On-line for both increasing the level of improve the levels of attainment secure the changes necessary to Assessment – a whistle- participation to 50 per cent of and raise aspiration levels of many make your widening participation stop tour for busy 18–30 year olds by 2010 and for who otherwise would not consider strategy work – LTSN Bioscience is bioscientists widening the social profile of a future at university. a gateway to some of this. ■ students while maintaining our Registration for these traditionally high rates of student events is free and you can success (student retention) and PRE-ENTRY AND ADMISSION Cliff Allan now register on-line at: standards of educational provision. LTSN Programme Director http://bio.ltsn.ac.uk/events/ These are challenging targets and Schemes such as summer schools [email protected] universities and colleges will be and preparatory programmes can faced with delivering specific boost many students’ ability to targets in these areas over the next acquire the appropriate entry year or so. Therefore, departments, requirements for many courses. subject communities, course Similarly, taking a broader view on teams and individual academics the nature of qualifications and IMAGEBANK NOW OPEN will all be involved in some way in experience of prospective students helping to deliver this key may be required. The LTSN Bioscience Imagebank is now online at http:// dimension of higher education. bio.ltsn.ac.uk/imagebankuploads and is looking for images to populate its database. Users are able to search for images based Where does one start? Clearly, it FOCUS ON YEAR 1/ on keywords or browse within a wide range of bioscience subject FIRST SEMESTER will depend on factors such as areas. Images are then ‘downloadable’ along with a descriptive where you sit in the institution, text provided by the contributor. If you wish to contribute images, your institution’s and/or This is the time when most please contact us at [email protected] department’s mission, your students drop-out. Look closely at

http://bio.ltsn.ac.uk/ LTSN BIOSCIENCE BULLETIN AUTUMN 2002 10 TEN

TLRPs FOR TEACHING

OR HARD-PRESSED LECTURERS, MAKING which forms a TLRP. The material in a TLRP develop but was completed in 3 hours; a case software available for direct student may require students to: study estimated to take 60 hours took 2 hours access via a distributed network seems and a work book estimated to take 32 hours an easy way to provide a teaching >> produce a glossary; took 0.5 hours. resource. However, if this is all that is done few students use the material and those that do are >> design a poster or produce a web page; Some 19 TLRPs are available from the British usually the better students rather than those Pharmacological Society (www.bps.ac.uk). These who need the help. One piece of software >> complete a crossword; contain pharmacological material though some provided in this way was used by only 12 per may have generic applicability (e.g. on production cent of the students on a module. Increased >> provide a drug or disease profile; and of posters or on writing good dissertations). utilisation results if software is properly integrated into the course and the way this is >> complete a work-book; done can greatly influence the student’s FUNDING OFFER perceived value of the software. For example, >> set or complete a number of MCQ or EMQ; software was provided together with a workbook The LTSN Centre for Bioscience will consider completion of which was a required and >> label a diagram; bids for funding from groups of teachers who assessed part of the course; student approval = would like to develop TLRPs appropriate to our 90 per cent. The same software provided with >> fill in missing words in text; discipline community. If you have ideas on how MCQs which had to be completed in pairs and a to integrate software or new teaching methods joint submission made and marked; student >> deal with problem based learning exercises; into courses come and talk to us - you could approval = 78 per cent. When the software was produce a TLRP. ■ just shown in a lecture and provided on the >> or track through event scenarios. intranet; student approval = 59 per cent and when simply made available on the intranet, The TLRP may contain student schedules and Professor Ian Hughes student approval = 46 per cent. The data are answers/explanations and marking schedules Co-Director LTSN Centre for Bioscience indicative that ‘it is not what you have got – its at different levels and for different types of [email protected] how you use it’ that matters. To draw and student. The material is provided for teachers analogy with a laboratory, we do not say to to use selectively as appropriate with their students, “There’s a laboratory, go and do students. It is provided without copyright something in it.” A practical class is linked to restriction and can therefore be freely changed concurrent lectures, is assessed, requires a and adapted to meet local needs. TLRPs supply write-up and contributes to the final mark to teachers a choice of editable wrap-arounds LTSN BIOSCIENCE awarded. Similarly, software should be properly to integrate a software package into a module. integrated into a module. WEB SITE Staff developing TLRPs commented that they However, the production of the ideas and enjoyed collaboration with colleagues and materials to achieve integration is very time enjoyed the intellectual challenge. Each TLRP The LTSN web site has been consuming and to overcome this difficulty TLTP took on average 70h to put together though the significantly re-organised recently. project 83 (Implementing technology-based development time is shortened with experience. Users should find the new site easy to teaching and learning in Pharmacology) has Staff using TLRPs did so because they needed use and navigate. The content is developed Teaching and Learning Resource to use new teaching methods and materials to divided into easy to remember Packs (TLRPs) which enable specific pieces of cope with the pressures on teaching and had sections e.g. http://bio.ltsn.ac.uk/ software to be implemented in courses with limited skills or time available. They were very resources or http://bio.ltsn.ac.uk/ only minor time commitment from staff. positive about the resulting teaching sessions events. You can also find information and were convinced that using a TLRP about our special interest groups produced a big reduction in time needed to (http://bio.ltsn.ac.uk/network/sigs), THE TLRPs prepare the required student support materials. funding opportunities (http:// For example, preparing material to enable bio.ltsn.ac.uk/opportunities) A site- Since it is the development of supporting students to use a simulation package was wide search is included in each material to integrate technology-based estimated to take 8-10 hours but took only 2 section. We hope you like the changes teaching into courses that takes time, expertise hours using a TLRP. Similarly, a problem based and look forward to your next visit. and innovation from teachers, it is this material learning scenario would have taken 30 hours to

LTSN BIOSCIENCE BULLETIN AUTUMN 2002 http://bio.ltsn.ac.uk/ ELEVEN11

GRADUATES IN INDUSTRY – HIGH PERFORMANCE TEAMWORK

Today’s bioscience graduates form a major cornerstone of the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry and will become tomorrow’s pioneers of major scientific breakthroughs and exciting new medicines. To achieve this goal, bioscience graduates need to be able to contribute sound biological knowledge, problem solving, and creativity, within a team structure, to drive the discovery and development of new products and services. The person should be flexible, have a willingness to learn new techniques and be a good communicator.

HE BIOSCIENCE GRADUATE IN employed so that the number of compounds bioscientist of today needs strong industry today, enters an unparalleled made and tested for each project is much determination and tenacity to explore new and rapidly evolving world of exciting higher than a decade ago. avenues, to develop new ideas and to challenge and opportunity. In the understand and apply new information, pharmaceutical industry for example, drug In common with many employers, we in the concepts and strategies. discovery is a long and complex process, which pharmaceutical industry are looking for often takes more than 10 years from initial graduates who not only have a good quality One of the best opportunities for students to concept to the delivery of a safe and effective scientific training but can also apply this develop these desired skills during an academic new medicine to the market. For the last 20 knowledge in the workplace. Scientific course is through participation in project work, years, the process has followed a flow scheme understanding must be combined with practical ideally in relatively complex biological systems. of medicinal chemists synthesising new skills in the generation and analysis of data. An This creates an opportunity to generate and molecules that are then tested in primary ability to make rational decisions based on the analyse data and develop ideas and concepts. (binding, etc), secondary (usually a functional available information is key – as is the ability to Project work also allows the student to gain a test) and finally tertiary behaviour or disease effectively communicate these views to deep understanding of a particular aspect of models. However, in the last 5 years the tech- colleagues in other disciplines. biology, read and summarise the literature, and nologies associated with genomics, genetics, put their new data in the context of earlier work. automation and imaging are generating The importance of the ability to carry out and It is important to be able to integrate taught increasing quantities of experimental inform- interpret experiments in complex biological information with experimental observations and ation from human and animal cells and tissues. systems cannot be underestimated. The to demonstrate, with real examples, key skills in This complex and interrelated information is rationally designed, carefully controlled relevant thinking and understanding that can be contributing to the understanding of disease and experiment, using appropriate and meaningful evaluated at interview. Initiatives like sandwich the discovery and development of new medicines technology and analysed using state-of-the-art courses, student placements and employer links for major world problems such as cancer, heart IT tools, is the cornerstone of the decision are important in providing an awareness of the disease, diabetes, and infectious diseases. making process required to select drug targets issues facing industry. These activities also and potential drug molecules. At the same expose the student to the use of new Unlike cystic fibrosis which is caused by a time, good skills in written and verbal technologies and to working in the context of single gene defect, most disease processes are communication are important. Colleagues relevant health and safety working practices. multi-factorial. For example, analysis of normal inside and outside the immediate team need to and diseased human tissue samples indicates be able to use the data and new concepts In conclusion bioscience graduates need the that a malfunction of more than 100 genes developed, either to move projects forwards or opportunity during their courses to apply their leads to the initiation of heart failure. to terminate them. In many ways these theoretical knowledge in a practical setting, Consequently, we need to utilise all our skills in ‘transferable skills’ are as important as the thus gaining an insight into the complexity of biochemistry, cell biology, pharmacology and scientific ability of the candidate. biological organisms. Only by doing this can physiology and to integrate this with genomic they hope to develop those vital skills that will and genetic information to understand the ‘big An employer will want to see all of these skills allow them to become effective contributors to picture’ relating to health and disease. demonstrated at interview. For this reason, high performance teams. ■ group exercises and psychometric tests are Once a target is identified, it is common to frequently used to supplement technical clone and express the receptor in a cell and to interviews. Employers want to recruit scientists Martin Todd develop a high-throughput screening assay to who will have the confidence to question AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals test large numbers (500,000+) of compounds. assumptions and challenge accepted dogma in Macclesfield, UK Rapid parallel chemical synthesis is often order to build new insights. In addition, the [email protected]

http://bio.ltsn.ac.uk/ LTSN BIOSCIENCE BULLETIN AUTUMN 2002 12 TWELVE

network (LAN) when the project files need to be Origin. External organisations that support put on an internet or LAN server respectively. student research by allowing access to their COMPUTER-BASED However, WebOL simplifies this task through land or facilities can be openly acknowledged. maintaining all of the files for a project in one For contributing students there are the benefits FORMATIVE directory ready for distribution. of completing the full research cycle from the initial inception of an idea through to WebOL is a flexible tool for creating publication. At Chester 14 per cent of Biological ASSESSMENT WITH assessments and courseware that can be Sciences students go onto further discipline- distributed through a variety of media – specific study and this extended research Internet, LAN, CD-ROM, floppy disc, etc. opportunity to contributors was a major driver WEBOL LITE in developing Origin. This view seems vindicated. One of last year’s authors was Ray Harper informed at an interview for a place on a ORMATIVE ASSESSMENTS ARE Department of Sport, Exercise & Biomedical competitive, vocational Masters programme, designed to aid learning primarily Sciences that her achievement in Origin contributed to through encouraging participation, University of Luton her acceptance on the course. guiding efforts, enabling progress to be [email protected] checked and practising for summative tests. In addition to the informal feedback from This can be achieved through traditional means students and staff, a major part of developing but some of the pedagogic advantages of Origin was to evaluate both the product and the formative assessment by Computer-Based process. Among both the staff and students Assessment (CBA) are: there has been overwhelming support for the initiative. Student authors have praised the >> repeatability support and structure for publication and in almost all cases have identified an increased >> immediate feedback interest in undertaking further research and science writing. Students reading the work >> consistent marking have commented on the value of seeing work they could realistically achieve. The positive >> increased diversity of assessment styles nature of the feedback has been reflected in the increased number of manuscripts >> flexibility of timing & access to assessments submitted to the journal in 2002. The staff have also been enthusiastic: a crucial element to the >> increased range of design options for success of the initiative given that the project questions sits outside the curriculum. The development of Origin has made some staff more careful in Three factors that can limit the introduction of developing and supporting potential research formative CBA are (i) time to construct the ideas for students as they now need to assessments and support materials; (ii) the consider the feasibility and originality of the availability of easy to use software tools, and work for publication in Origin. (iii) support by the institution. You can find out more about Origin and look at WebOL Lite was produced using a LTSN work by student authors at the website: Bioscience Teaching Development Fund grant www.chester.ac.uk/origin or by sending an and is designed to address these issues. ORIGIN email to [email protected] Students using the software do not have a steep learning curve. At a workshop at the Association ORIGIN IS AN IN-HOUSE JOURNAL of Science Education (ASE) 2001 participants developed in 2001 to publish represent- Dr Jac Potter with no previous experience of WebOL were able ative examples of undergraduate Department of Biological Sciences to construct an assessment in under an hour. research by Biological Science undergraduates Chester College of Higher Education Questions and web pages within an assessment at Chester College. The potential for excellent [email protected] can easily be utilised in other assessments. The undergraduate research to be published in software is free and can be easily obtained professional journals and reach an academic (http://bio.ltsn.ac.uk/resources/bioscience/ audience already exists for a very few students projects/tdf) and installed by an individual user however, there is much of value in the work or by an institution. WebOL has built in help so that is not of this calibre. For example, other that it does not require any formal support from students may benefit by being able to see an institution. An exception is when projects are examples of achievable best practice and may to be delivered over the Internet or a local area be able to build on earlier work published in

LTSN BIOSCIENCE BULLETIN SUMMER 2002 http://bio.ltsn.ac.uk/