Dear all,
There have been no formal course evaluations yet from course convenors, but I thought it worthwhile raising a few of the changes to the degree next year that have already been decided.
Firstly, after a large positive response from students we are currently discussing a new 3rd year optional course Practical teaching for biochemists. The Teaching Development Unit of the university has already agreed in principle to do the pedagogical part of the training, but there is a lot of work still to do to see if this can be implemented at all, let alone by next Autumn. I have attached a draft outline for discussion.
Then:
Biomolecules:
Change to timetable. Course becomes more compact with autumn segment starting 6 weeks later than in previous years. Laboratory based practical classes get split into two groups to give a higher demonstrator:student ratio and less waiting for equipment. This is achieved either by increasing the number of demonstrators on the course from 4 to 6 (possible due to slightly reduced teaching loads next year) or by using student tutors from the Pratical teaching for Biochemists course (if established).
New electronic handouts for the DNA/RNA and protein lectures via Moodle
New workshop on maths.
Maths quiz on Moodle to be finished (to join the 4 other self-test quizes)
Pre-practical sessions become compulsory attendance
Methods I:
Change to timetable: A couple of lectures will be held in the Autumn term to overlap with the Biomolecules practical classes.
English for Biochemists I:
Change to timetable: Course becomes more compact in autumn to fit with changes in the Biomolecules timetable. Reading/writing and aural/oral will run in parallel instead of being sequential
Two new teachers.
Better integration into biochemistry
Potentially more small group sessions coordinated by student tutors (see Practical teaching for biochemists)
English for Biochemists II
The science part of the writing to be integrated back into Protein Chemistry I i.e. all of the results to be used as examples and discussed in protein chemistry rather than having separate stand alone sessions to discuss the science of the paper as part of English II.
Protein chemistry I:
New electronic handouts via Moodle
New methods used to ensure more active participation by students
Hopefully new equipment in the teaching lab to overcome shortages on two of the practicals.
Methods II:
All of the handouts to be placed in Moodle at the start of the course including a list of buffers needed to be made
A wider range of positive metals for ITC and Biacore experiments (calcium and magnesium to be dropped)
Integration of the timetabling slot for CD and ITC so a single student does both during a 4 hour timeslot. Requires dropping thermal denaturation curve experiment.
Combined Biacore timetabling slots so that 2 students come for a single 5 hour session during which they will together set up the machine (and put it to bed at the end), but so that they will individually run their own experiment (while the other student has a lunch/coffee break).
Where possible only a single experiment per day per student so that lunch breaks are possible.
The last three should make the timetabling work better for the students and the demonstrators and also mean that the equipmet is more available for researchers to use during this course.
VBW,
Lloyd