| Unit name | Group Project in Scientific Computing with Data Science |
|---|---|
| Unit code | CHEMM0025 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24) |
| Unit director | Dr. McCluskey |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
CHEMM0027 or CHEMM0028 |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School of Chemistry |
| Faculty | Faculty of Science |
Why is this unit important?
This unit will allow students to develop their knowledge of scientific computing, problem solving, group working, project management, marketing and communication through problem-based learning in a group project activity. Projects will be sourced from industrial and community partners and might be suitable for consideration as Professional and Community Engagement (PACE) opportunities under the framework created by Bristol Futures.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study
This unit follows the Intensive Introductory Scientific Computing with Data Science unit and will be carried out in advance of the Project in Scientific Computing with Data Science. It will allow students to consolidate the concepts learned in the intensive course by applying their coding skills to a real-world problem, and through close interaction with their peers. It will provide them with problem solving and presentation skills that will be valuable for carrying out the independent research project.
An overview of content:
Groups of around 6-8 students, drawn from a mixed background, will work on a scientific computing project to solve a problem specified either by an academic or an industrial partner. As a group, they will produce a piece of application software, with emphasis on scientific rigour, user interface and presentation of outputs, and will also generate a twenty-minute presentation describing the software. Individually, the students will produce an initial literature survey and scoping document to cover their part of the project, and a final report detailing their contributions to the whole project. The reports should be technical documents, of length of no more than 2000 words each. The emphasis of the unit is on collective work and study combined with problem-based learning, and the assessment criteria reflect this.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit:
The group project will provide students with an opportunity to develop their problem solving, communication and presentation skills that are essential in any modern workplace.
Learning Outcomes:
At the end of the unit a successful student will be able to:
Each group is expected to appoint an organiser, who takes overall responsibility for the coordination of the work, and who may have one or more deputies with specific responsibilities (e.g., the preparation of the presentation). The group will receive initial training in professional engagement with external stakeholders and project planning, and are assisted in their work by an academic, who proposes the software problem, and gives guidance in identifying resources and methods, producing well-written reports, user-friendly software and a clear presentation. The role of the supervisor is to facilitate the group’s work and provide scientific, technical and stylistic input; they are not involved in proof-reading or review of the assessed materials, or in assigning work within the group. The group define their own frequency and means of meeting, but are expected to meet weekly, collectively or via a representative, with their academic supervisor.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
Formative assessment will be through continuous peer feedback, and regular meetings with an academic supervisor.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
Written reports, presentation and software are assessed by the group academic supervisor and an assessor. You will also be required to provide evidence of their your individual contribution in the form of an e-portfolio, documenting the resources used and the development undertaken with a brief commentary.
When assessment does not go to plan:
This unit runs alongside your studies for the first two teaching blocks and we would normally work with you to mitigate the impact of any short term absences or other events which might have an impact on your assessments, either by extending submission deadlines for you and your group or by adjusting the nature of summative tasks where this is not feasible. A group presentation could, for example, be replaced by a recorded screencast, and the peer assessment could be replaced by reflective self-assessments.
If you are unable to complete successfully the assessment for the unit, either because of exceptional circumstances or through academic failure, supplementary or resit assessment will only be possible through engagement in the following academic year. If the appropriate standards are not reached after such reassessment, such that you cannot progress to the dissertation stage, then it may be possible for you to qualify for an unclassified exit award, depending on individual circumstances.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. CHEMM0025).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
