Enhancing the first-year learning experience: a case study from Biomedical Sciences Stephen McClean and Paul Hagan School of Biomedical Sciences University of Ulster

 Chemistry ‘service teaching’ module  Provides foundational chemistry for further study in biochemistry, clinical biochemistry, molecular biology etc.  Taken by students in Biomedical Sciences, Pharmacology, Human Nutrition, Food and Nutrition, Dietetics & Biology  176 students in 2005/06; 123 in 2006/07; 140 in 2007/08; 138 in 2008/09 BMS105 Introductory Chemistry

 Historically - high failure rate  Student dissatisfaction with the module as evidenced through module evaluation  Negative Impact on Student Retention The Problem…

“For the little things that make the big things happen.”

 Enhancement of our support measures – know your audience!  Implementing a compulsory tutorial support programme based on cohort group  Supplementary tutorials in chemistry and mathematics  Introduction of online support material / assessment delivered by Perception software & QuizTest CGI script Providing Support

Building an Online Support Resource  Easy to remember address (PlanetChemistry.com)  Hosted on a University of Ulster web server  Single login for all students  Used to host module notes, links to other support material  Used as a method for enhancing communication  May be accessed via WebCT Vista

Using Effectively  Personalised “How’s it going?” s sent out to students early in semester  “Follow Up” distribution list kept for those with no prior chemistry experience or those failing class tests Stephen McClean (2008) Excel Yourself with Personalised s, Bioscience Education E-journal, in press

SMS Text Messaging  Opt-in system for students on module  Used to communicate reminders about class tests etc.  Useful if a rapid response is required  Can be expensive!

Online Self-Assessment  Self-assessment questions delivered using Perception Software  Banks of questions available to complement the lecture material

Online Assessment  4 x online class tests at 2-weekly intervals  1 x open-book assessment (organic chemistry)  Delivered using the Tesol QuizTest CGI Script ( Pitt, SJ and Gunn, A (2004) The value of computer based formative assessment in undergraduate biological science teaching Bioscience Education e-Journal 3

Maintaining Cohort Identity  Regular, Compulsory Tutorials  Practicals

Exam Preparation  Class Test in the Diamond during week 11 under exam conditionss  ‘Mock’ paper set over the Christmas vacation period  Pre-exam tutorials in January

I hope she has read the protocol before lab because I haven’t! I hope he has read the protocol before lab because I haven’t! Student Engagement in the Lab

 Students often come to lab poorly prepared for experiments – solution – pre-practical assessment  They sometimes do not see the relevance of practical sessions  Social interaction was recently highlighted by students as one of the better features of university laboratory classes Collis et al 2007 Report: The Student View of 1 st Year Laboratory Work in Biosciences. Centre for Bioscience. Collis et al 2008 Bioscience Education electronic Journal, volume 11.

YouTestTube.com  Reflective video sharing website for first-year chemistry practicals  Students cover the following things in their videos:

YouTestTube.com  What is this practical all about?  What skills have I developed?  How does this practical tie-in with the lectures?  How will this be important for other parts of my course?  What parts of the practical were difficult?

YouTestTube.com  What was most enjoyable about the practical?  What was least enjoyable about the practical?  If someone else was about to conduct this experiment again; what advice (about the practical) would I give them?

Evaluation Students’ performance in examinations has also improved. Exam failure rates as follows 2003/04 36% 2004/05 27% 2005/06 9% 2006/07 4% 2007/08 9% } All support measures in place

Acknowledgements  Olivier Riche (Computing Officer)