Looking Back & Feeding Forward

1. Looking Back & Feeding Forward Building Laboratory Practical Skills Debbie Charter

2. Building Laboratory Practical Skills • Aim of Project: • Using video capture to help students improve their laboratory skills – in particular, within Microbiology • Rationale: • Microbiologists need to be proficient in many standard and specific laboratory skills • Although we have been testing student skills, it has often been based on the end result, rather than assessing the actual technique itself • Utilises video-capture, on-line viewing and self/peer review

3. Building Laboratory Practical Skills • Project: • Real time record, so that it is the actual technique that is being assessed, not just the final product. • Allows students and demonstrator to review and assess laboratory skills performance. • Review of literature has not identified any similar study using this approach to assess laboratory skills. • This project is supported by an ALTC Grant (Melissa Brown, Debbie Charter, Lisa Schmidt, David Bain).

4. Building Laboratory Practical Skills • Skills Testing:

5. Building Laboratory Practical Skills • The Process Involved: • Class demonstrations of each skill • Class size • Ability of all students to see • Ability of students to remember in subsequent weeks • Provide exemplars of techniques for students to watch • ‘Glossary’ comprising of self-made videos and those found online. This glossary can be shared in other topics.

6. Building Laboratory Practical Skills • The Process Involved: • Two work stations set up in class for students to perform their tasks using video-capture, which is then uploaded onto FLO. • Students can compare their video to exemplars, also available on FLO • Students can then reflect on and self assess their technique using marksheet guidelines. • Students can also learn through peer assessment of another student • Demonstrator can also assesses student technique as well as the final product.

7. Building Laboratory Practical Skills • Learning Outcomes: • Increases time-on-task • Exemplars of good technique • Class demonstrations • Video capture of students • Self Review • Compare video with exemplars • Watch video on FLO with marksheet • Peer Review • Provide feedback to another student

8. Building Laboratory Practical Skills • Phase 1: Collection of cohort baseline data in BIOL3761 (Foundations in Microbiology); Semester 1, 2013. • Determine timeline of students passing skills tests using the current system of assessing outcomes rather than skills themselves

9. Building Laboratory Practical Skills • Phase 2: Pilot study in BIOL3782 (Advanced Microbiology); Semester 2 2013. • Resolve technical issues prior to the main study • Voluntary student involvement • attempt skills at the video-capture stations set up in lab • Watch their videos and complete self-assessment • Participate in peer review using same marksheetguideline • Demonstrator assessment of performance • Complete a questionnaire via survey monkey and possible follow up interview

10. Building Laboratory Practical Skills • Phase 2: Pilot study in BIOL3782 (Advanced Microbiology); Semester 2 2013. • Staff involvement: • Provide exemplars • Extra assessment (video) • Provide feedback on perceived effectiveness of process • Other data that can be collected: • Did video capture necessary information? • Proportion of class that chose to participate and to what level • Validation of student questionnaire

11. Building Laboratory Practical Skills • Phase 3: Main study BIOL3761 (Foundations in Microbiology); Semester 1 2014. • All students will be required to participate • Collect the same cohort data as 2013 • Students can also choose to complete a questionnaire • Staff provide verbal feedback

12. Building Laboratory Practical Skills • Students will be able to see their own video • Students will see video of ‘peer-assessment’ partner • Students will not be able to download videos • Students can request a downloaded version (portfolio of expertise)