Annual report based on the feedback form responses / PCR (Original Form) /
Table of Contents
Page No.Summary of Findings / 2
Background and Objectives / 2
Survey Method / 2
Analysis / 3 - 11
Conclusion / 12
Appendix / 13 -14
Summary of Findings
From the feedback form, the responses indicated the following:
100% believed the lab to be well prepared and organised.
97% agreed that the presentation was informative and helpful.
98% thought the lab practical enhanced their understanding of PCR.
100% were in agreement that the demonstrators were knowledgeable and approachable.
97% agreed the instructions were clear.
99% believed they learned new skills.
90% felt they were able to interpret their results.
99% would recommend the PCR lab.
Background and Objectives
The BioLab was set up by the previous Biology lecturer and technician. It was run by the technician until he left the University. At this point Pam Tait (Chemistry technician) became responsible for the lab. Laura Gray (Biology technician) joined the department and has been working with Pam on the BioLab during 2016.
There were previously 3 labs offered to secondary school senior pupils, but due to the changes in Higher/Higher Human Biology/Advanced Higher courses, it was agreed we would focus on PCR. Pam worked on ways to reduce the lab from a full day to a half day. As such, all aspects of the lab needed to be changed, from the presentations to the practical experiment itself.
Survey Method
We devised an evaluation form for the pupils to fill in anonymously on the day of the lab. This would encourage honest answers to be given, and also ensure we got feedback promptly, allowing changes to be made as we progressed.
We used 8 statements based on the areas we felt were most important. All statements had a space for comments and there were additional sections for comments on “things I enjoyed” and “things that could be improved”.
The pupils filling in the form were either 5th or 6th year secondary school pupils sitting Higher/Human Higher/Advanced Higher Biology. Teachers and other school visitors were also encouraged to participate.
We had 196 respondents to this version of the evaluation form.
The schools that visited the BioLab came from various local authorities (North Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway, Edinburgh, Highland, Argyll and Bute, Inverclyde, West Dunbartonshire, South Ayrshireand Renfrewshire)
Analysis
Statement 1 - The lab was well prepared and organised
It is important that our lab is well laid out and that the pupils are able to find the equipment they need.
The majority of respondents were in agreement with 92% strongly agreeing and 8% agreeing.
Comments include:
“Everything was set out well so everything was easy to find”
“Everything was set up and labelled very clearly which made the experiment easier”
“Everything was ready and set out for us on arrival”
“Good for getting started quickly”
S1 - The lab was well prepared and organisedResponse / Percentage of Respondents
1 - Strongly Disagree / 0%
2 - Disagree / 0%
3 - Don't Know / 0%
4 - Agree / 8%
5 - Strongly Agree / 92%
Statement 2 - The presentation was informative and helpful
The presentation includes information on the lab, and also virtual demonstrations of the processes. We wanted to ensure it was a useful resource and aided the practical aspect of the lab.
The majority of respondents were in agreement with 49% strongly agreeing and 48% agreeing.
Comments include:
“PowerPoint was accurate and sleek”
“Interactive and helpful”
“It enhanced my previous knowledge”
“The virtual walkthrough of lab was useful”
“Clear and concise”
S2 - The presentation was informative and helpfulResponse / Percentage of Respondents
1 - Strongly Disagree / 0%
2 - Disagree / 1%
3 - Don't Know / 2%
4 - Agree / 48%
5 - Strongly Agree / 49%
Statement 3 - The lab practical enhanced my understanding of the subject
Our main aim is to provide a lab that helps the students understand PCR. We believe performing a practical experiment will enhance any theory previously learnt.
The majority of respondents were in agreement with 57% strongly agreeing and 41% agreeing.
Comments include:
“I understand the process a lot better now”
“Very good in-depth explanations”
“I learned new skills of PCR”
“I now see in practise what I have learned works”
“It has shown me the specifics that a textbook couldn’t”
“It helped me understand what really happened in the PCR process”
“There was a lot explained that furthered my knowledge”
“PCR is confusing and difficultbut coming here today helped develop my understanding of PCR”
S3 - The lab practical enhanced my understanding of the subjectResponse / Percentage of Respondents
1 - Strongly Disagree / 0%
2 - Disagree / 0%
3 - Don't Know / 2%
4 - Agree / 41%
5 - Strongly Agree / 57%
Statement 4 - The demonstrators were knowledgeable and approachable
We wanted to make sure the pupils felt comfortable in the lab, that they were able to ask for help when they needed it, and understood the instructions given.
The majority of respondents were in agreement with 80% strongly agreeing and 20% agreeing.
Comments include:
“Very knowledgeable and approachable”
“Very kind and helpful”
“Lovely people. Good at helping and explaining”
“Both ladies were really helpful and I was comfortable asking questions”
“Very patient and knowledgeable”
“They were easy to approach for queries, assurances, etc.”
“They were very easy to talk to and would explain things I wasn’t sure of”
S4 - The demonstrators were knowledgeable and approachableResponse / Percentage of Respondents
1 - Strongly Disagree / 0%
2 - Disagree / 0%
3 - Don't Know / 0%
4 - Agree / 20%
5 - Strongly Agree / 80%
Statement 5 - The instructions were clear
We used various methods of instruction – demonstrations, PowerPoints and lab manuals. They should all complement each other and make the process easier to comprehend.
The majority of respondents were in agreement with 62% strongly agreeing and 36% agreeing.
Comments include:
“The steps were made simple and easy to carry out”
“Good help if we had questions about doing something”
“The booklet was helpful”
“Very clear”
“The instructions were very easy to follow during the experiment”
“They were clear with demonstrations”
“The booklet helped as it was a step by step guide – helped reduce mistakes”
“The instructors went over everything and came round to make sure we were all alright”
S5 - The instructions were clearResponse / Percentage of Respondents
1 - Strongly Disagree / 0%
2 - Disagree / 2%
3 - Don't Know / 1%
4 - Agree / 36%
5 - Strongly Agree / 61%
Statement 6–I learned new skills
We hope to make the experience a valuable one for the pupils and provide them with various techniques/pieces of equipment they are unlikely to have used before.
The majority of respondents were in agreement with 70% strongly agreeing and 29% agreeing.
Comments include:
“This was not able to be done at school”
“Great vortex machine”
“I learned how to do pipetting”
“How to fill wells in agar”
“How to properly use lab equipment”
“We don’t use any of this equipment in school so it was nice to be able to”
S6 - I learned new skillsResponse / Percentage of Respondents
1 - Strongly Disagree / 0%
2 - Disagree / 0%
3 - Don't Know / 1%
4 - Agree / 29%
5 - Strongly Agree / 70%
Statement 7–I was able to interpret my results
The results are visible before the pupils leave. We spend a bit of time at the end of the lab looking at the gels and explaining what the pupils can see.
The majority of respondents were in agreement with 36% strongly agreeing and 54% agreeing.
Comments include:
“It was explained clearly”
“I was able to see bands within the gel”
“Could see bands but can’t interpret them until they’re clearer. Told how to though”
“My results were good – worked well. I had 2-3 bands”
“The earlier explanation helped me interpret my results”
“After a little help I could see my bands and understand why they were there”
“My experiment worked and gave me clear results”
“I could read the results easily”
S7 - I was able to interpret my resultsResponse / Percentage of Respondents
1 - Strongly Disagree / 0%
2 - Disagree / 2%
3 - Don't Know / 8%
4 - Agree / 54%
5 - Strongly Agree / 36%
Statement 8–I would recommend this lab
We felt a key signifier in the pupils’ enjoyment was whether they would recommend the lab or not.
The majority of respondents were in agreement with 76% strongly agreeing and 23% agreeing.
Comments include:
“I had a lot of fun and found it very interesting”
“Really enjoyed it”
“It was great fun!”
“Yes. Very lovely place. Fun Tasks. Nice Staff”
“It was a very enjoyable experience”
“It is very friendly and professional – great way to learn”
“It was a fantastic experience”
“It is very fun to do it yourself”
S8 - I would recommend this labResponse / Percentage of Respondents
1 - Strongly Disagree / 0%
2 - Disagree / 0%
3 - Don't Know / 1%
4 - Agree / 23%
5 - Strongly Agree / 76%
Additional Comments
Pupils were encouraged to provide comments on things they found useful and things that could be improved. We felt this would allow for an open and more general feedback.
Things I found useful:
“The experiment was easy to carry out as all the equipment was there”
“The experiment set up and ready to use. Clear instructions to follow. Kind and Knowledgeable staff present”
“The presentation and experiment were useful as they helped me understand PCR more”
“The coloured vials assisted in identifying each of the reagents”
“Having a ½ day a lot handier than a full day – allows travel there and back in 1 day”
“The presence of the demonstrators throughout the experiment. They were there when I needed to ask questions, and they answered those questions nicely (their explanations were easy to understand)”
“Getting to do it all on our own as I was expecting pairs or just to get a demonstration”
“I liked that we practised loading the gel and pipetting before doing them”
“Virtual lab as an overview”
“Having friendly instructors made it more enjoyable and fun”
“I enjoyed getting an insight into what lab work is like at University”
“I can now relate my knowledge of PCR to the experiment”
“The instruction booklet as well as verbal instruction”
“The PowerPoint at the start helped me understand more about the practical”
“Good hands-on approach. “Real life” applications”
“Learning how to make gel was fun”
“Learning the proper way to amplify DNA”
“The step-by-step process was easy to follow”
Things that could be improved:
“Food break”
“Show us how to use the centrifuge”
“Go through instructions more slowly”
“A little clearer instructions being told”
“Presentation”
“Parts of the time-scale was rushed”
“Better conclusion”
“Explanations why certain things are used in the process”
“The volume of the instructor’s voice could be louder”
“You cannot see what is being demonstrated”
Conclusion
The feedback allowed us to see the areas we were succeeding in, and those that needed attention.
Areas we were happy with:
1. The organisation of the lab
A lot of work was put into getting the lab prepared for each class. We tried to make it as easy as possible to find things using labelling and colour coding. We felt we got this exactly right.
2. Our own approachability and helpfulness
We received such good feedback on this. We wanted the pupils to feel comfortable, and not to be afraid to ask questions. We were really happy that we achieved this.
3. The skills being learned
The pupils mostly felt that they used new equipment, or performed new techniques. This is very important in our aim to provide a valuable and worthwhile experience.
We focussed on the following areas for improvement:
1. The PowerPoint presentation
The feedback suggested thePowerPoint presentation was a bit confusing. We were providing the pupils with all of the information for the lab at the beginning. We decided to split it into more manageable segments and intersperse these through the lab to give timely and relevant information. We incorporated aims and improved our results section, and from there created a conclusion.
2. The instructions
We were very aware of the difficulty we faced at being heard over the centrifuges. This was only an issue when we had a class of over 16 pupils, as the centrifuge holding 16+ tubes is very noisy. We also quickly realised some pupils couldn’t see the demonstrator clearly. We created documents to go along with some of the demonstrations which we put on the large screen, and split some of the other demonstrations into two groups with one demonstrator at each.
3. The electrophoresis part of the experiment
One of the main areas which slowed down the lab was running the gel electrophoresis. Each pupil had a single tank which had to be checked before being connected to a power pack. We reduced this time-consuming task by purchasing multi-gel tanks. (This change of kit meant we also had to change the instruction manuals).
4. The feedback form
We asked if pupils were able to interpret their results. However, they filled out their forms in the time while they were waiting for the gel to run, so had no results to check. We decided to change this statement to one about the pace of the lab, as we were making a conscious effort to keep everyone working together.
Appendix
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