Bioscience Laboratory Workforce Skills: Next Steps

November 18, 2013

Bioscience Laboratory Core Skills Draft

Draft of Common Core based on:

2007 Biotechnology and Biomedical Skill Standards; Copyright 2007http://www.bio-link.org/home/shoreline-community-college/biotechnology-skill-standards

Bioscience Competency Model: U.S. Department of Laborwww.careeronestop.org/COMPETENCYMODEL/pyramid.aspx?BIOSCI=Y

DRAFT: Common Core Bioscience Laboratory Skill Standards

Draft Draft

Existing draft

• 10 Core topics• Common Work Tasks• Useful to stimulate discussion and get

feedback

From various guidelines:

• Skill standards answer two critical questions:– What do workers need to know and be able to do

to succeed in today’s workplace?– How do we know when students are performing

workplace skills well?

From “Skill Standards: A Primer”

• Graham Slee, the head of the voluntary National Training Board (NTB) of Australia,visited the United States in 1991 and gave several speeches and seminars on the topic of developing a skills standards system. Consistently, he said that the single most important lesson to be learned from that Board’s work is the importance of developing common language and the attendant common levels of recognized knowledge and skills.

• http://wdr.doleta.gov/opr/fulltext/95-voluntary.pdf

Washington State Skill StandardsFormat Example

• Critical Work Functions– Major responsibilities of the job

• Key Activities– Activities need to accomplish a critical work

function• Performance Criteria

– Concrete, visible ways that we will know the individual is doing the activity correctly

Performance Indicators

Skill Standards Resource PageBio-Link web site, search: “draft core”

• Lots of vocabulary and lots of ways to organize• Task, Activity, Skill, Competency, Element• Oh My

Let’s pretend

• We don’t know anything about the format of previous skill standards

• Let’s just…

Format?

• How can we improve these lists?– Make learning outcomes clear to students and

educators– Make it easier to develop curriculum– Make it easier to design authentic assessments

• Many alternative assessments ?– Make products, perform projects, portfolios, presentations– Use technology in creative ways

From T.W. Zane, SLCC

• In curriculum-based education you begin with the textbook.

• In competency education you begin with the job/task.

• But pulling this “stuff” (a very technical term) from your brain can give you a headache if you don’t approach it systematically.

• We use the protocol found on the next page.

Keys for Success

• Build bullet lists first (don’t start by crafting competency statements or test objectives)

• Keep the domains manageable – don’t overbuild!

• Focus on competency (doing rather than knowing)

Brainstorming ToolFrom T.W. Zane, SLCC

Example Competency (Task, Activity)

Change a Tire Safely

Know Why psi is importantNature of hazards involved in changing a tire

Know How(procedural knowledge

Know pattern for removing and replacing lug nuts;Know correct order of steps in process (loosen lug nuts before raising car)Know how to use the jack to raise the vehicle

Show How(small controlled tasks)

Chock the wheels, Raise the vehicle

Do(Messy real world)

Car on hill, in traffic ?

Be

Example Competency (Task, Activity)

Prepare Solutions

Know Different concentration expressions, Molarity, C1V1, etcUnderstand sources of error in measurement methodsWhat is pH and conductivity and how to measureTypes of balances, and devices to measure volumeEtc. Etc.

Know How(procedural knowledge

How to use an analytical balance to measure weightHow to choose appropriate glassware and volume measuring deviceHow to use a pH and conductivity meter How to mix reagents, solutions properly

Show How(small controlled tasks)

Calibrate a pH meter and measure pH of a solution.Choose appropriate volume measurement device

Do(Messy real world)

Prepare a solution with 4 different solutes of differing concentration expressions

Prepare Solutions

• The “Know” is pretty big and includes metrology, safety, quality control, documentation, etc.– Use significant figures correctly when recording measurement

values– Verify proper performance of instruments (balance, pH meter)– Make weight measurements with acceptable accuracy and

precision• Use proper balance, verify performance,

– Make volume measurements with acceptable accuracy and precision

– Make pH measurements with acceptable accuracy and precision

• Does performance criteria or performance indicators

So…Working groups

• Pick a Core Topic area• Next, pick a common work task that is laboratory

based.• Brainstorm an authentic assessment in a perfect

world– Don’t worry about how hard it is to implement or how

much it costs– As authentic as possible

• As time, permits, pick another common work task and design another assessment

Next steps?

• Format?• Identify and/or develop assessments• How to continue this work and develop

consensus? – Committees? Meetings?

• Industry Validation process

Curriculum development

• New program development – High level Look at skill standards to determine what courses are

needed to encompass the content in question.• New certificate development from existing program, examine

existing courses to determine alignment with common core– Madison College Example (14 credits)

• Safety series (Haz Mat and BioHazard)• Biotech Lab Skills for the Regulated Workplace• Laboratory Calculations (aka Lab math)• Chemistry• Cell Biology

• Useful for gap analysis

Texas Example

Texas Skill Standards Elements

• 3 “Work-Oriented” Elements:– Critical Work Functions - broad areas of

responsibility (10-12)– Key Activities – major tasks required to achieve

Critical Work Function (3-6)– Performance Criteria – standard or proficiency

level to which Key Activity must be performed• Plus 3 “Worker-Oriented” Elements

Example

2. Critical Work FunctionKey Activity• 2.1 Clean laboratory environment Performance Criteria• 2.1.1 SOPs are followed• 2.1.2 Personal protection equipment (PPE) such as gloves,

eye protection, aprons and respirators are worn as needed • 2.1.3 Appropriate agent(s) and amounts for cleaning are

used• 2.1.4 Cleaning is documented

• 3 “Worker-Oriented” ElementsOccupational Knowledge, Skills and Conditions – technical know-how plus tools, resources & equipment

• Knowledge of the cleaning agents, pest control and other pertinent information needed to clean and maintain the laboratory environment

• Knowledge of company EH&S, GXPs, and OSHA• Knowledge of documentation• Knowledge of basic chemistry • Company SOPs• Cleaning Agents• Gloves, goggles, apron, respirator• Safety SOPs, Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) and related documentation• Other PPE as needed• Company safety forms for activityPLUS

– Academic Knowledge and Skills – traditional subjects

– Employability Knowledge and Skills – SCANS-type competencies

Elements in Skill Standards

• 7th Element:

• Statement of Assessment – how to

evaluate skill competency of person, as

recommended by industry

• Examples: Lab practical, lab notebook