Queen’s University Belfast

Centre for Educational Development

Active and Interactive Teaching Strategies

Group Work – Project Assignment

Context
School
Centre for Excellence in Active and Interactive Learning: Biological Sciences
Email: Dr Karen King: / Dr Lisa Connolly:
Aim
Stimulate student engagement and participation
Develops autonomous learners
Encourage development of team-work, interdependence and negotiation skills
Deep learning through enquiry and discovery with peers
Activity
How to do it
(1) In Week 1deliver an introductory lecture and outline the focus and format of the module project task.This assignment will run throughout the module supported by weekly tutorial sessions and the report is submitted by the end of week 10.
(2) Arrange students in either pre or self-selected groups of five. Make a record of which students are working together.
(3) Circulate a list of topics from which each group should chose one for their assignment.
(4) Discuss why and how the groupsshould share the project workload amongst their members. Each group should distribute the various dimensions of their topic to different members.
(5) Discuss the key activities the groups must complete to ensure their projects are finished on time. Each group should agree a task timeline for their project.
(6) During weekly tutorials discuss:
a)How to work as a group.
b)How to structure the report (introduction, discussion, conclusion, critical evaluation and referencing).
c)Scientific topics:
  1. Food quality and food safety, justified public concerns?
  2. Increased use of antibacterials in cleaning agents and soaps. Is this good or bad for users?
  3. Consider the advantages and disadvantages of farmers’ markets in encouraging a healthy diet and reducing food miles.
  4. Evaluate the risk to human health from Mycobacterium bovis through consumption of raw milk cheeses.
  5. Does improved food quality and safety enhance consumer’s health?
  6. Has the food industry a duty to encourage healthy eating?
  7. Recent trends in Listeriosis – Implications for food safety of changing patterns observed in the UK.
(7) Each group should prepare a report on their topic of investigation and submit to the VLE, Queen’s Online, in Week 10. A group mark is given for the report upon submission of the report in week 8. A further mark is given during the final session in week 12 where the group presents their topic.
(8) Week 12 is a presentation session -each student group is given an envelope containing a report from one of the other groups.
(9) Each group must prepare a presentation outlining the main aims and findings of the report they have been given and, in addition, prepare 3 questions directed to the authors of the report.This is reciprocated in that the group who originally prepared the report ask 3 questions to the group who presented their report.
Technology used to support activity
Access to QOL
Final session of student presentations takes place in the Flexible Teaching Space (PFC307)

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