Enabling students to find experiments fun and just a little bit addictive..... Liz Smythe Department of Biomedical Science

BMS385 Practical cell biology Aim: This module aims to provide third level students with experience of research laboratory work in cell biology.

BMS385 Practical cell biology Aim: This module aims to provide third level students with experience of research laboratory work in cell biology. Objectives: By the end of this module students should be able to: *Describe the principles of experimental design and the stages of development of a practical protocol * interpret and present data in a format used in a research environment

BMS385 Practical cell biology Aim: This module aims to provide third level students with experience of research laboratory work in cell biology. Particular emphasis will be placed on the development, execution and interpretation of experimental protocols as is standard practice in a research laboratory. Objectives: By the end of this module students should be able to: *Describe the principles of experimental design and the stages of development of a practical protocol * interpret and present data in a format used in a research environment

What is different about this module?

Standard practical module: Requirements: Predictable outcome Knowledge of fundamental techniques Logistics of classes with large numbers Isabelle Smythe

Standard practical

Problem: what if we need to go back to first principles? Standard practical

Problem: what if we need to go back to first principles? ….or want to try something more elaborate? Standard practical

…yes we did that in Level 1 but it was set up for us so I didn’t really pay attention…

So what do we do?

So what do we do? Introduction The principle of experiment design hypothesis, experimental set-up, data interpretation, re-evaluation of hypothesis

So what do we do? Introduction The principle of experiment design hypothesis, experimental set-up, data interpretation, re-evaluation of hypothesis The principle behind the specific experiments

So what do we do? Introduction The principle of experiment design hypothesis, experimental set-up, data interpretation, re-evaluation of hypothesis The principle behind the specific experiments What we expect from them three related experiments outline of protocol for the first

So what do we do? Introduction The principle of experiment design hypothesis, experimental set-up, data interpretation, re-evaluation of hypothesis The principle behind the specific experiments What we expect from them three related experiments outline of protocol for the first Assessment 30% for write-up 70% based on lab performance (thought, planning, execution, interpretation)

So what do we do? Introduction The principle of experiment design hypothesis, experimental set-up, data interpretation, re-evaluation of hypothesis The principle behind the specific experiments What we expect from them three related experiments outline of protocol for the first Assessment 30% for write-up 70% based on lab performance (thought, planning, execution, interpretation) What they can expect from us to ask as many questions as they wish (but to expect further questions in response)

This may have been a mistake………… The first day

This may have been a mistake………… The first day..and it IS fairly chaotic…

Creative Proficient Independent Observant Confident Enabled As the module progresses…..

Practicalities

Small numbers

Practicalities Small numbers Feasibility

Practicalities Small numbers Feasibility Demanding!

Practicalities Small numbers Feasibility Demanding! Rewards Students:

Practicalities Small numbers Feasibility Demanding! Rewards Students: Ownership

Practicalities Small numbers Feasibility Demanding! Rewards Students: Ownership Taste for bench work

Practicalities Small numbers Feasibility Demanding! Rewards Students: Ownership Taste for bench work Excitement of science (addiction!)

Practicalities Small numbers Feasibility Demanding! Rewards Students: Ownership Taste for bench work Excitement of science (addiction!) Awareness

Practicalities Small numbers Feasibility Demanding! Rewards Students: Ownership Taste for bench work Excitement of science (addiction!) Awareness Average students can perform very well

Feedback I thought all my University courses would be like this one Module taught me what science is really like… I enjoyed the module because I was treated like an equal

Acknowledgements Thanks to Bruno Orsi, Trinity College, Dublin