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Research‐Led Learning in biological science practical activities: supported by student‐centred e‐Learning
Author(s) -
Kemm Robert Edward,
Dantas Arianne M
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.21.5.a220-b
Subject(s) - class (philosophy) , mathematics education , computer science , quality (philosophy) , active learning (machine learning) , subject (documents) , psychology , artificial intelligence , world wide web , philosophy , epistemology
Our aim was to introduce student‐centred research‐led learning (RLL) into undergraduate Physiology practical classes in 2 nd year Science. We took an incremental approach to developing students' skills of investigating scientists with many opportunities for them to practice and assess their own progress. The experimental design scenarios, and skills we aimed to engender, go beyond simple inquiry‐based learning in practical classes and require thinking about bigger issues of research projects in real‐world laboratories. The 1 st semester subject is taught with an emphasis on students learning principles of experimental design. In 2 nd Semester, students apply their experimental design capabilities in designing, executing, analysing and reporting on their investigation of a physiological problem as if it were to be published as a journal article. We support students' tasks associated with RLL by online e‐Learning activities which are normally predictive before any practical class or discussion workshop. Students then have opportunities to review their submissions before lectures in which important issues are raised, using Personal Response Units to encourage active learning. Our results show very high student ratings in quality of teaching surveys, improved student engagement with improved learning outcomes in terms of progressive and final assessments and in later year performances.