Unit information: Research in Science in 2014/15

Unit name	Research in Science
Unit code	EDUCM4004
Credit points	20
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52)
Unit director	Dr. Wishart
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
School/department	School of Education
Faculty	Faculty of Social Sciences and Law

Description including Unit Aims

This unit is targeted at all practising science teachers and other education professionals who wish to be involved with current research. The unit will involve working closely within an area of current research with an academic from the Science Faculty and will follow the apprenticeship model of teaching and learning. Students will be supported through the development of new research proposals and strategies through directed reading of current research relevant to their chosen area of study, tutorials and supervised work in the research laboratory. While students' understanding of and knowledge in a field will be developed on an individual basis, all students will benefit from organised feedback across the group of each other's results. It is anticipated that the research undertaken may lead to the development of teaching resources but this is not essential and it may be pure research in its own right. Some examples of research areas may include diamond synthesis and carbon dioxide monitoring but there are several hundred potential research areas in all areas of science.

Aims:

• To develop an understanding of the process of scientific research through an apprenticeship model

• To allow students to undertake current research.

• To provide experience in practical techniques.

• To facilitate access to primary literature within science and promote further updating.

• To provide students with a named point of access with the institution.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Within the context of the chosen topic area students will be able to:

• Apply knowledge of current research methods and their implementation.

• Demonstrate competence in a selected range of current practical techniques.

• Assimilate primary literature in their own work and future research.

• Generate teaching resources to be made available through the Science Learning Centre South West.

Teaching Information

The teaching strategy will employ three broad approaches, as appropriate, with the aims of contextualising as well as theorising issues of central importance, the development of student autonomy, and the individualisation of study and support. These are:

Face to Face Teaching Examples here include large and small group teaching methods, including presentations from staff and experienced professionals, debates, case study analyses, student presentations and practical workshops which will be largely laboratory based in this unit.

ELearning ELearning approaches will be used to facilitate individualised study and support within the broad parameters of the units and programme. These will include: on-line discussion (with individuals and groups, online supervision and peer mentoring, guidance and feedback. Critical use of Web resources will be encouraged.

Research Students will be introduced to key approaches to scientific enquiry and encouraged to undertake an element of laboratory based enquiry..

Assessment Information

One of two methods of assessment can be chosen;

1. A reflective diary and a report on the research undertaken.
2. A reflective diary and annotated production of a teaching resource.

In either case this should total 4,000 words or equivalent and include a literature review analysing relevant texts and articles and critical reflection on the research undertaken. There should be a bibliography.

Reading and References

This will depend on the area of research.

Key journals relevant to all areas are:

• Science

• Nature

• Research specific texts are:

• Valiela, I. (2001) Doing science: design, analysis, and communication of scientific research. Oxford: Oxford University Press

• Ruxton, G.D. and Colegrave, N. (2003) Elementary Experimental Design for the Life Sciences Oxford: Oxford University Press