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November 2012

Rethinking Final Year Projects and Dissertations: Creative Honours and Capstone Projects Summary Case Studies

Mick Healey and Laura [email protected]; www.mickhealey.co.uk

The following summary case studies were collected by a National Teaching Fellowship Scheme funded project based at the University of Gloucestershire. They are categorised under the following disciplinary groupings:

• Arts, Design, Media and Humanities • Business, Hospitality, Law, Sport and Tourism • Interdisciplinary • Education, Social and Environmental Sciences• Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics

Further information and links to fuller case studies, where available, are given in the source of each summary. Details about the project are available at: http://insight.glos.ac.uk/tli/activities/ntf/creativehops/Pages/default.aspx

For updates to the case studies, after October 2012, please check version at www.mickhealey.co.uk/resources

1. Arts, Design, Media and Humanities

1.1 Giving students alternative assessment options for undertaking a Product Design project at Nottingham Trent University, UK

The module consists of several possible routes. Assessment is based on a learning contract negotiated and agreed between the tutors and student. This contract stipulates the content of work, enabling students’ to complete one of the following options: Option 1: a 10,000 word dissertation and students produce a poster that summarises their work Option 2: a 5,000 word conference paper with a supporting presentation that is delivered to peers and

tutors Option 3: a conceptual project with a 5,000 word critical justification. As well as a written outcome

students are required to produce illustrations or simulations.

Prior to students undertaking their chosen assignment, there is a three week intensive period when students’ are required to complete their learning contract. The contract identifies what option the student will complete, what they hope to learn and how that learning will be demonstrated. The module involves students using a wide range of primary and secondary research skills. Throughout the year, the direct contact students have with tutors is mainly limited to group or sometimes individual tutorials, where the tutor acts as a ‘consultant’, advising on their proposals, work in progress, what knowledge or skills should be developed, how to tackle certain issues and who students’ should approach for further information. Occasionally there will be content common to all students and this will be delivered through lectures, for example, covering approaches to research. There are also opportunities for students’ to present their work in progress to a panel of tutors and peers, to obtain feedback.

Source http://insight.glos.ac.uk/tli/activities/ntf/creativehops/examples/Pages/Arts,MediaandHumanitiesExamples.aspx

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http://www.mickhealey.co.uk/resources

http://insight.glos.ac.uk/tli/activities/ntf/creativehops/Pages/default.aspx

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mailto:[email protected]

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1.2 History students contribute research findings to a Web site at Victoria University, Canada

‘Micro History and the Internet’ is a learner-centred and research-oriented course in which the main activity is primary archival research on various aspects of life in Victoria, British Columbia from 1843 to 1900. Students work in small groups to conduct the research and eventually to publish their findings on the website called “Victoria’s Victoria”.

Source http://web.uvic.ca/vv/about.html

1.3 Design Dissertation: From Practice to Theory and Back Again at the University of Greenwich, UK

In March 2007 the dissertation experience of students in Graphic and 3D Digital Design was reviewed. Due to students reporting a lack of engagement with a solely text-based piece of written research the emphasis of the dissertation changed. The dissertation has become a ‘practice with theory’ model of learning. This model of the ‘studio’ and the theory elements of a design course working closer together has been tested in many undergraduate art and design courses with great success. The emphasis of the dissertation is now on the quality of the research; so the experience becomes about how to gather information and then how to communicate that information in an appropriate manner. Using resources from a successful Teaching Innovation Fund application, a series of books were bought for the students to enable them to be fully engaged with current research strategies in art and design. This has proved to be highly successful on many fronts, including an improvement in their abilities to critically analyse a variety of texts and discourses. Graphic design students have taken to this very easily as this relates very strongly to their own practice. This has meant there is a strong visual element to each project, which helped construct and define their arguments. Now the ‘physical’ format of the final presentation is as flexible as possible and is relevant to the content of the written report. The main evidence for the success of this project comes from the students now showing their dissertation in their final exhibition and having a greater prominence in their portfolios and there is anecdotal evidence that employers have been surprised and impressed by the quality of the dissertation both in their form and content


1.4 Advanced Newsweek: Work-based Learning and Employability Skills for Student Journalists at the University of Gloucestershire, UK

This third year double module aims to consolidate journalism theory and practice into one intensive ‘Newsweek’ where students operate their own news organisation across the three media platforms of television, radio and online news. Using a purpose-built production office alongside television and radio studios, the students elect their newsroom roles and formulate working rotas to research and produce news bulletins, programmes and a news website for one 40-hour intensive week. The module aims to enhance relevant employability skills. Students run their own newsroom and utilise vocational skills that are less explicit in other modules such as strategic thinking and problem-solving, as well as understanding group and individual motivation factors. They are required to act (and dress) in a professional manner and to maintain a high level of respect while making often difficult and instant decisions to tight deadlines. Teaching and learning is blended with twelve weeks of tutor-led lectures, seminars and workshops, followed by a student-led ‘practise Newsweek’ before the assessed Newsweek begins. During the course of the assessed week, students carry out their own primary research to gather and produce daily news to an industry standard. They brand and present their programmes from inception to completion. At the end of

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each news programme they hold an editorial meeting where they reflect upon their experience and the finished ‘product’. This encourages individual and peer-to-peer reflection which is used to enhance the next news programme, and the student’s cycle of progression becomes noticeable after the first day of operating a ‘rolling newsroom’. The module integrates the development of research and vocational skills in an intensive real-world environment.

Sourcehttp://insight.glos.ac.uk/tli/activities/ntf/creativehops/examples/Pages/Arts,MediaandHumanitiesExamples.aspx

1.5 Community Sector Work Placements as Capstone Projects at Swinburne University of Technology, Australia

Students undertaking Media Projects in their final years are invited to develop projects (both individual and group projects) or take up a placement opportunity with a community based organisation. Those opting for a placement can choose from opportunities sourced by staff in the subject or they can approach an organisation independently to undertake a placement. The research activities of the student vary according to the aptitudes of the student and the placement undertaken. All students are required submit a Statement of Intention detailing what they are agreeing to do over the course of the semester. Because each project is individually designed, students must satisfy the requirements of their individual supervisor. This can range from a self-directed project such as a short film, website, creative writing piece, radio production, etc. They can also undertake a self- organised work placement for up to 3 weeks. In both cases, the student is required to keep a detailed journal of their activities and to submit any work generated throughout the project production or placement, and submit as part of their assessment. They must also write a 1,000 word reflective self assessment of their placement detailing what they learned and achieved as a result of the placement.


1.6 Developing Authentic Undergraduate Research in Art & Design at Nottingham Trent University, UK

The Critical Practices Modules occur throughout the students’ undergraduate degree in years 1, 2 and 3. The process of teaching in Years 1 and 2 develops this focus on research, and also on collaborative learning. The modules focus on critical and contextual thought and practice in the context of an undergraduate design programme. The teaching starts from the presupposition that the research process as an inquiry should have primacy, and that the modes of development and exposition should be “authentic” to the research context. Authentic in the context of a creative art & design programme is therefore understood to include creative art & design practice itself. Student research is as likely to be situated in the context of developing creativity in the context of a Primary School, or practically applying Bakhtin’s notion of carnival to flashmobs, as it might be focused on deconstructing Wagnerian Stenography, or analysing the visual language of Jacobean play texts.

The final year Major Research Project has been revalidated to replace a written dissertation with a three part structure:

A “research document” which can be in any form relevant to the research. This can include the traditionally written dissertation, but has also included video, animations, documented performances, artefacts and business plans. These are usually integrated within written texts.

An abstract of 750 – 1500 words which articulates the fundamental aspects of the research project (research question, methodology, findings, and conclusions). The abstract effectively makes the claim for the research project and cross references the evidence in the research document.

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A seminar presentation which frames the research for a live audience, where the student responds to questions which arise from the research.


1.7 An Extended Essay as an Alternative to a Dissertation in a Radio Production Degree Course at the University of Gloucestershire, UK

The extended essay is approached in a similar way to the dissertation. Students are required to research and investigate a topic of their choice. Themes and projects researched have included genre focused studies, analysing a particular radio station, to researching North Korean Radio. The extended essay is a 4,000 word individually research piece, and students are supported with individual tutorials. In their essays students are expected to demonstrate:

A sophisticated and extensive understanding of a subject related to the study of radio. An applied understanding of theoretical approaches appropriate to the subject and an ability to

illustrate, evaluate and interrogate theory with examples/case studies. An ability to develop a clear and effective structure that reveals close analysis, theoretical

synthesis, integrated and developed arguments, and convincing summative conclusions Extensive research of the topic Clear and effective written communication

The University requires the students to produce a bound copy, in line with the University’s dissertation guidelines. The reason why the extended essay was introduced was partly to support the inclusion of the module RAP312 Collaborative Practice, and it didn’t feel appropriate to the Radio Production degree to ask students to produce a 10,000 word dissertation in terms of the aim of the whole course The radio production degree requires students to consider theory and the extended essay is one component of this. Although RAP312 Collaborative Practice and the extended essay modules are not specifically linked, by completing a professional project and having an opportunity to research a topic individually students are provided with an opportunity to develop a wider skills base.


1.8 Producing Artefacts through Collaboration in Media Production at University of Gloucestershire, UK

Instead of undertaking a dissertation students in Media are required to develop a collaborative arts and media piece which they research and design themselves. Individual programmes adopt their own coded version of the module making minor amendments as appropriate. Some programmes also have an extended essay module. Students are able to work either with students from different discipline backgrounds or external clients. Students are required to identify and research the product, how it may be marketed, etc. It is a long, thin module (15 credits) which provides students with an opportunity to develop and enhance their professional practical skills. Students are supervised in individual tutorials throughout the project, but there are also three taught sessions, each one hour long, where students are brought together and the tutors co-teach in order to disseminate important interdisciplinary information. Students are assessed by a portfolio with supporting documentation (50%) and an essay supported by theory, reflecting on the collaborative process (50%). The main learning outcome is to get students to collaborate with others from different disciplines, but also to understand the value of that collaboration. When

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students understand the potential of the module, excellent innovative pieces of work can be created which demonstrates the students’ entrepreneurial and collaborative skills.

In addition to this creative project students are required to complete an extended essay, which provides them with an opportunity for academic research. Both projects provide students with an opportunity to engage with both practical and academic skills and knowledge.


1.9 Final Year Work Based Projects in the Humanities at Sheffield Hallam University, UK

This module offers humanities students a chance to gain experience from a work based/ work related setting across 2 semesters. Examples of the range of recent types of project include:

Writing a handbook for volunteers working with dementia sufferers in residential homes. Aim Higher Mentoring Associate work in secondary schools. Writing for the in house film magazine and managing external relationship with the Showroom Arts

Cinema Youth group leadership Student Union Volunteering committee chair and publicity responsibilities.

The project/placement is negotiated by the student within guidelines from the tutor or it can be a prearranged project with a contact established by the tutor. At level 6 students are expected to take on a leadership or management role. The students are supported through this process by taught sessions and tutorials in each semester. They work towards the submission of a folder which records their experience and reflection and its relationship to their degree, personal development, and employability skills.


1.10 Learning from Industry Professionals and a Student-led Conference on Contemporary Issues in Arts Management at the Liverpool University for the Performing Arts, UK

In this final year module, Contemporary Issues in Arts Management, students engage in inquiry through questioning industry professionals, researching their areas of interest and presenting their findings at a student conference. Ten speakers at the top of performing arts management talk for one session each about the future of the arts, music, theatre and entertainment. Each speaker chooses their own issue to talk about with students plus the format. Small groups of students host each session, contacting the speaker in advance, researching their area of interest and providing research packs to fellow students.

On the day of the talk students meet the speaker for lunch. This enables them to network with industry professionals, as well as to lead discussions and collate questions in order to chair Q&A sessions. Guest inputs are tweeted. Dissemination therefore happens live throughout the module.80% of the assessment is through a presentation at the end of the module. Emphasis is placed on coherence and strength of argument and supporting evidence over presentation criteria. These presentations also constitute an annual Contemporary Issues in Arts Management Conference. The 5-day gathering is based around 32 students delivering their own papers on the future of our industries. This unique event is attended by industry professionals and

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members of the public as well as our other two years of management students. Conference reaction is tweeted by the audience, generating wide dissemination (Some 850 tweets per month; the last 50 have reached 7,562 recipients).

The External Examiner commented (2008-09) that the “student conference... is excellent professional preparation as well as a sound testing of the students’ understanding of the industry.” Twenty percent of the marks are available for criteria decided on by students themselves e.g. their interaction with guest speakers’ subject matter and enhancements to the course.

Hot tip: “Don’t try to do it all at once – it has taken 9 years to build up this module”!

Sourcehttp://insight.glos.ac.uk/tli/activities/ntf/creativehops/examples/pages/Arts,MediaandHumanitiesExamples.aspx

1.11 Entertainment Technology Dissertation at Staffordshire University, UK

Students on undergraduate technology awards have to produce a piece of creative work, together with a research report. The nature of the discipline is that students are keen to carry out the creative element, but less keen to carry out the more academic research. By asking a student to carry out research work which is directly linked to the creation of an artefact, we ensure that they develop skills in enquiry, which have a practical outcome in supporting their artefact production.

Research Dissertation (30 credits) Runs over both semesters, and the final report includes all the usual elements of research, literature review, analysis, design, implementation, testing and critical evaluation.

Entertainment Portfolio (15 credits)This is an artefact that is produced by the student and these are quite diverse. These have included projects such as a short film, a feature film with music, analysis of sound, a game level, an animation, a cartoon, comparison of various editing techniques, simulation of different studio produced music.

Sourcehttp://insight.glos.ac.uk/tli/activities/ntf/creativehops/examples/pages/Arts,MediaandHumanitiesExamples.aspx

1.12 Letting the apple fall further from the tree: the creation of a guide to inform students of the diversity of possible forms an English Language dissertation can take in the University of Gloucestershire, UK

This case study discusses the initial findings from introducing a guide earlier this academic year to inform students about the diversity of possible forms an English Language dissertation can take. Further research will examine the impact of the dissertation guide on the kind of dissertation that students actually chose to do and the quality of the final product.

One of the defining characteristics of a dissertation is that it is an independent piece of work where the student has the freedom to choose their own research topic, methodology and, to some extent, format and writing style. Assignment briefs often describe the word limit, hand in date, learning outcomes and assessment criteria, but are careful not to specify further details about the topic or approach since these are up to the student. Ironically though, the lack of specificity can lead to a closing down of choice, since in

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their desire to produce ‘what is expected’ students often seek models from the standard textbooks of their course, the journals of their discipline, or previous dissertations, but not beyond. This project has produced a more detailed and specific assessment brief and process for dissertations. The brief outlines the essential characteristics of a dissertation and describes a wide range of possibilities for the shape and form that the dissertation can take. The process is designed to provide students with a strong support structure to give them confidence in the direction they are taking in their dissertation. Initial feedback suggests that students are delighted both to be offered a range of possibilities to consider for their dissertation and to have a clear structure to undertake their project in.


1.13 Exploring Contemporary Literature at Oxford Brookes University, UK

This final-year capstone course for English Studies at Oxford Brookes University is compulsory for students taking a degree solely in English and strongly recommended for those studying English and another discipline (Brookes operates a US style credit or modular course where many students specialise in two disciplines). The 'Contemporary Literature' module encourages students in their final year of study to reflect upon their accumulated reading experiences and to explore and implement their critical vocabularies by examining a number of contemporary writings. The course is intended to present students with a series of challenging texts that provoke consideration of the interrelationships of past, present and future. The module includes texts that self-consciously analyse the impact of the past on the present, but it will also foreground material that deliberately postulates the relationship between present and future. In so doing students will be required to address the hybridity of notions of the contemporary.

This capstone course brings all students together to analyse common issues in contemporary literature. Assessment requires students to take a critical and individual overview of their whole English programme: to consider what pathways they have followed during it and, crucially, where they are at the close of the degree and where they are taking both the subject and themselves (e.g. whether into work or into postgraduate study). Assessment for this module is 100% coursework comprising: a 15 minute in-seminar group presentation (30%); a 3000 word essay (40%) and a completed module logbook (30%). All assignments are assessed on the reading which the student has engaged with over the course of the module and on a synopticising overview of the students’ English Studies course. One of the principal aims of the assessment strategy is to get students to relate the material that is discussed in class back to other texts and cultural forms that they have encountered on their degree.

Sourceshttps://kmis.brookes.ac.uk/csms/wval_unit.query?code=U67083&format=SYLLABUS&pid=30713245523251314 http://insight.glos.ac.uk/tli/activities/ntf/creativehops/examples/Pages/Arts,MediaandHumanitiesExamples.aspx

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1.14 Music and the dissertation at Oxford Brookes University, UK

The module ‘Written Dissertation’ consists of a student-directed critical examination, through independent study and extended written work, of a music-based theme, topic or issue. Although the dissertation is a written piece it may include a CD, tape or video of musical which accompanies the written work. The project is selected by the student in consultation with (and subject to the approval of) Music staff, or, in the case of an interdisciplinary dissertation, in consultation with staff in both Music and the student's other subject.

Students have a non-assessed opportunity to present their dissertation to peers through the Dissertation Forum. This provides a chance to observe how their material appears when set alongside other student work. Attendance at, and engagement in, the forum is compulsory for the module. In the first semester of their final year students are required to present an overview of their research. This provides the student with an opportunity to orally present their ideas and respond to questions from staff and peers. It also provides the student cohort with an opportunity to ask questions about submission and presentation. The assessment is 100% coursework consisting of: a 20% Submission of chapter draft, annotated bibliography and chapter outline and an 80% written dissertation of 8,000-10,000 words.


1.15 Creative Exchange: Multidisciplinary Media Arts Practice in an Industry Context at James Cook University, Australia

Creative Exchange (CXC) is designed to capitalise on a common thread of interdisciplinary practice built into the New Media Arts degree programme which features five disciplines, Sound and Music Media, Illustration and Visual Media, Contemporary Theatre, Media Design and Photo Media. The degree teaches students the practical and theoretical concerns and specificities of each area through a core programme of subjects that focus on convergent production methodologies. Projects are devised by staff, students and the wider community and are observed at close quarters by a panel of industry and academic personnel. It is common that these projects demand a rapid expansion into technical areas that either build on existing skill-sets or draw from available expertise in the local creative industry sector.

Students undertaking CXC are encouraged to design their own projects, but can also work with staff, client and community groups to design projects. Each project team must include at least 3 disciplines - this might include student expertise from outside of the school and in the past has featured students and staff from Information Technology, Education, Anthropology and Business - and project teams must develop a professional “shop front” to represent their professional identity online and in the public space. Built into the programme is a heavily structured pre-production phase which takes its cues from production based methodologies commonly found in film, game and media design studios. These documents are developed early, often pre-semester, and evaluated by a panel of industry professionals who are representative of the major disciplines from the New Media Arts programme. Finally, all projects must have a public or industry relevant launch event. Students are encouraged to engage with local venues and event management professionals and spend a considerable amount of time developing logistical run sheets, Occupational Health and Safety plans, promotional material and media savvy PR collateral with the School’s Community Engagement and Events Officer and Facilities Management team.


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1.16 BA (Hons) popular music students – an alternative approach to assessment design of a research project module at the Colchester Institute, UK

For a many years the BA (Hons) Music Degree in the Colchester Institute, Centre for Music and Performing Arts has included a 15 credit Honours Career Option Research Project (HCO), of 4,000 words, that provides an academic focus to students’ 45 credit HCO ‘package’ in their final year (based on one of four pathways: performance, education, composition or arts business).

There was a strong body of evidence that supported a need to change to a new module design/concept:

Poor success rates (50% in 2010-11 together with no resit attempts when offered to students) Low levels of student engagement Student comments at Course Committee meetings Comments from the external examiner, who was supportive of change

During 2011-2012 an Alternative Assessment Working Group was set up to consider other possible methods involving innovation and alternatives in assessment within Higher Education as a whole at Colchester Institute. Popular Music, with its proposed Research Project, was identified as a suitable model for consideration by the department of Higher Education at the college and by its validating partner, the University of Essex. After more than a year of research, debate and revision the new module was approved and will run for the first time in October 2012.

This new module will provide a student centred approach to assessment through the submission of a negotiable research project and assessment instrument as opposed to a compulsory text-based document. The precise nature of the submission is flexible and will depend on the nature of the research, but it must be appropriate in approach and scale to a 15-credit module at Level 6. Assessment is through a 100% research portfolio; the option of a 4,000 word essay will remain but an action research project involving practical work, for example, could be evidenced through a DVD and accompanying report.


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2. Business, Hospitality, Law, Sport and Tourism

2.1 Engaging students in applied research through a community sports development consultancy project at University of Central Lancashire, UK

The final year Community Sports Development module acts as a capstone module for Sports Coaching students. It is taken in addition to the honours dissertation. Students work as a project team through a consultancy brief with a partner agency and recommend strategies that can be employed to support community development through community sport and coaching initiatives. There are normally 8-12 consultancy briefs divided up among the 40-50 students, with students creating their own consultancy teams. Examples include: a) A “health check” of football refereeing in Blackburn; b) Community Sport and Crime Reduction; and c) Community Sport (“Street Dance”).

Source http://resources.glos.ac.uk/ceal/resources/casestudiesactivelearning/undergraduate/index.cfm

2.2 Modelling the Research Experience: Tourism Students’ Virtual Conference at Universities of Lincoln and Wolverhampton, UK

In May every year, final-year Tourism students at the Universities of Lincoln and Wolverhampton participate together in a live virtual conference, as part of their final-level assessment. A conference is a useful vehicle for extending insight into the process and practice of knowledge creation and dissemination and for students to participate as, in effect, research disseminators. Information technology has made it possible: during the specified time frame of one week, students across two campuses can come together at times of their choosing to participate in a joint effort to disseminate research findings and engage in dialogue about their research.

Students submit a full conference paper, but it is only a summary discussion paper that appears on the conference website. Each student is also required to post a comment on another conference paper, in true conference dialogue tradition. For further information, visit www.tsvc.lincoln.ac.uk.

Feedback from students has been very positive and encouraging. Two qualified web designers built the site and have been on hand to deal with technical issues. Teaching staff have provided support for the conference throughout.

This year, in the same module, we explored the concept of tourism socialisation (not well-researched in the tourism literature). In seminars, as a non-assessed feature, we asked students to submit childhood holiday snaps and a story attached reflecting on the ways in which they thought early holiday experiences had influenced their own holiday choices. The work they produced was truly wonderful in quality and formed an exhibition as part of Mike Neary's (inspired) Festival of Teaching and Learning. We have, as a result, started a 'Holiday Memory Bank' project. As a natural part of this evolution, it seemed appropriate to ask students to turn themselves into consultants - should the socialisation project continue? How should the virtual conference develop? What content should be covered in the module?

Source www.cometravel.lincoln.ac.uk

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2. 3 Students Participate in a Research Project on Criminal Justice Linked to Staff Interests at Australian National University, Australia

Students at ANU have the opportunity to participate in a research project based on current research being conducted by members of the Faculty of Law, the Australian Institute of Criminology and Research School of Social Science. ‘Criminal Justice’ is an advanced law elective which critically examines the principal institutions, processes and legal rules relating to the administration of criminal justice. The Learning project is an assessable option that allows students to devise research projects which have both academic value and practical outcomes.

Source http://www.anu.edu.au/CEDAM/ilearn/research/crimjustice.html

2.4 International on-course Market Research Experience for Final Semester Bachelor of Agribusiness Students at The University of Queensland, Australia

This compulsory capstone course is based around international market research consultancy projects undertaken for fee-paying Australian agribusiness firms. Guided by an experienced academic mentor, groups of 4-5 students work on their client's project for the whole of their second semester (early August to early November). In late September each group travels overseas to do the in-market research and they are required to have the whole project finished and a full report back to the company, orally and in writing, by the end of the first week of November. In the last five years more than 300 students have completed research in 16 different countries including China, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, South Korea, Singapore, Dubai, and France; covering products as diverse as beef, lamb, pork, game meats, citrus, mangoes, avocados, processed fruit, bamboo products, macadamias, and farm machinery. Currently 35% of each group's assessment comes from their client, not the university, so when a client awards a mark it reflects their satisfaction with the quality of the work. For this part of each project, students develop their own assessment criteria and negotiate them with their client.

Source http://insight.glos.ac.uk/tli/activities/ntf/creativehops/examples/Pages/Business,Hospitality,SportandTourismExamples.aspx

2.5 Events Management Live Consultancy Project, University of Gloucestershire, UK The live consultancy project has adapted the Dissertation so that it continues to meet the requirements of the QAA subject benchmarks and Qualifications Framework whilst allowing for a more applied approach to their research. Students are required to contextualise their existing academic and operational knowledge within the framework of an applied event working with a ‘real industry’ context that will allow the students to develop the skills that employers within the event management field are looking for. Skills that are most specifically related to project management, such as planning and development skills, attention to detail, continuous evaluation and flexibility, are valued most highly by employers. Students gain excellent experience from the running of live events, and find that theory becomes more meaningful when applied and tested in real situations. They are encouraged to think about their own skills and their personal development as researchers and event managers throughout the process. The result of their involvement with the client is also intended to contribute to the engagement of the University with local businesses and residents. Collaborative ventures such as this project help prospective employers to see how capable undergraduate students are, and the range of skills they can bring into the sector.


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2.6 Coaching and Community Development at Southampton Solent University, UK

The third year unit Coaching and Community Development follows a second year unit titled Coaching and Development, which is a precursor to the third year unit. Students begin the third year with a formed idea and project plan as they have been required to engage with industry partners, employers, and businesses. The main function of the third year unit surrounds students in groups delivering their own coaching and development initiative in the local community. Students’ projects have to address a social issue and be sustainable. Involvement of industry has been an important factor in developing both the second and third year units. Industry involvement has increased, as it became apparent how significant the contribution is to the students from those within the profession. There is now a ‘Dragons Den' element where students have to present their work to a mixture of academic staff and industry professionals. This enables students to receive feedback from a variety of sources, strengthening the student experience. Students are assessed via a poster presentation in front of partners from the industry and they are required to submit an individual reflective portfolio. In the third year unit the second period of study takes a more directive approach. Whilst students are developing their coaching plan a number of optional and compulsory tutorial sessions are run to provide support to the student.


2.7 Implementing a Research Active Curriculum at the University of Sunderland, UK

The University of Sunderland in January 2010 revised its institutional teaching and quality assurance processes to deliver a curriculum that is ‘research active’. At level 3 all programmes will ensure that students experience a suitable synoptic activity which helps them bring together their understanding of their discipline and professional area and prepare them for their subsequent employment and civic engagement. Implementation of this broad framework is at Faculty level. The undergraduate curriculum will be designed to promote progressive development of graduate research attributes fostered through increasing student engagement in enquiry and understanding of research in a structured way through all levels.

In the Business School the undergraduate programmes are being redesigned to offer a common first year, comprising an 80-credit ‘super module’ in which students will work in multi-disciplinary teams to research and design a business start-up and a 20-credit ‘Contemporary debates in ….’ module, where experts from the various disciplines of business and management will lead debates on topical and controversial issues in their subject area to raise student awareness of the uncertainty, subjectivity and the dynamic nature of knowledge.

Source https://docushare.sunderland.ac.uk/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-5568/AQH-A10+Research+Active+Curriculum.pdfhttp://insight.glos.ac.uk/tli/activities/ntf/creativehops/examples/Pages/Business,Hospitality,SportandTourismExamples.aspx

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2.8 Researching Contemporary Management Issues: An alternative to the Final Year Project at the University of Winchester, UK

Students are required to critically evaluate approaches to research into a contemporary management issue, for example: case studies, ethnographic approaches, or action research, etc. Students are then required to select, research and critically assess a range of contemporary management issues in depth in their own research paper for presentation and submission. Examples of such issues might be drawn from a range of subject disciplines, such as marketing, strategic management, human resource management, and enterprise and innovation. Enquiry-based learning methods are used to explore the nature and implications of these issues and particular emphasis is placed upon how managers can contribute to the effective management of these issues in practice.


2.9 Virtual Law Placement: Experiencing Work Integrated Learning in Diverse Law Graduate Employment Workplaces Virtually at Queensland University of Technology, Australia

Virtual Law Placement provides law students with an opportunity for research and inquiry into a diverse range of working environments that are now available to law graduates, including international work placements. Students are assessed through their submission of an application for their preferred placement, their contribution to an online discussion forum, the project and an ePortfolio reflection. Students work as part of a team on a real world law workplace project, for example, an internet bases intellectual property dispute; or listing a public company; or engaging in research about access to justice of juvenile offenders in regional Thailand. Students apply legal knowledge and skills to complete a real world workplace project in a team, using online communication technologies to enable students to be virtually, rather than physically, present at the workplace and to engage with the other participants in the workplace, including the workplace supervisor of the virtual placement.


2.10 Broadening Final Year Projects through Use of Major and Minor Theses Requirements at the Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Japan

This project combines and develops students’ two areas of interest as they are required to research and submit work on two different areas of interest, thus broadening the knowledge and experience of the student. The project is currently applied to Masters Degrees but could be adapted for an undergraduate course. The major and minor thesis program is the capstone element of a two-year Masters degree program known as the Management of Technology at the Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. Students are required to submit two pieces of research, presented in two theses. The major theme research takes place within their specific area of interest, but students are also required to submit a minor piece of research in an area which is different to their major theme. The major theme thesis research is completed by learners in their final year, and comprises a supervised, substantive thesis on an original research topic from within those topics being explored in the learner’s laboratory (relating to their chosen field of study: Information Science, Material Science, or Knowledge Science). The thesis is for the most part the original work of the learner and their empirical inquiry into a research problem (in the classic manor). The learners’ workload here is about 6 months, with a final paper usually over 60 pages. The condition to finish minor-theme research depends on the relationship between the learner and a different chosen supervisor of a sub-theme. This research project should be developed based on research of a different lab,

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and usually, a different school from the ‘home’ lab and school of the learners’ chosen field. In this way the learner completes a research project in a very different subject than their major thesis; working with a supervisor with likely a very different perspective on research. Students are required to produce project reports, c.30 pages; and most ask learners to present these at major meetings of their lab and student's actual work is around 2 months.

This project is at postgraduate level, however the writing of a minor theme report with an interdisciplinary focus could work at undergraduate level given sufficient support and recognition in credits allocated to the project. Learners are required to work with academic advisors from outside of their department, and this could be continued at undergraduate level, either with undergraduates forming partnerships with academics or business organisations in an area related to the learners’ research.


2.11 Students Solving Real-life Projects in Computer Science and Software Engineering at Sheffield University, UK

A number of projects are used in degree courses in computer science and software engineering at Sheffield University to give students the experience of working in teams for real clients. Such projects complement the traditional dissertation and help develop additional employment related skills.

Second year undergraduate computer science and software engineering students take a one semester module called Software Hut. The students organise themselves in teams of 4-6 and each team spends one semester researching and investigating for one project. These projects are submitted by real clients and reflect various needs and problems from their businesses; 3-5 teams are allocated to each client and they compete for the best project which will be chosen by the client. Students receive training on software engineering methodologies, team related activities; support is provided by companies like IBM, Accenture, etc. The projects selected by clients are immediately utilised in their business context and sometimes they return back to us for expanded versions of these applications.

Another very successful module, Genesys, is open for 4th year undergraduate students and MSc advanced software engineering students. Genesys is organised like a small company with a well-defined structure and specific teams and responsibilities. There are student research teams involved in getting and managing projects, providing quality control services for the rest of the company, and design and programming teams implementing the projects that real clients contract with the company. This module is runs for two semesters. The Lecturers involved in running both Software Hut and Genesys act as supervisors and managers, observing teams’ behaviour, providing advice and sorting out outstanding situations.


2.12 Charity Fund Raising Final Year Project in Business and Management Studies for Enhancing Employability at the University of Bradford, UK

This is a new module designed with two broad outcomes in mind: 1) to give students the knowledge and expertise they needed to perform well in the graduate

selection process; and2) to add to their CV activities which would give them something to talk about at interview and which

would stretch them in the development of their skills.

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The former was delivered via classroom teaching whilst the latter was seen as the product of planning and delivering fund-raising initiatives for one of a small number of charities. Students variously undertook football matches, disco nights, cake stalls, fashion shows, etc and on a significant number of occasions, obtained corporate sponsor shop to cover certain expenses. The emphasis of the module is on the practical demonstration of skills and students are asked to present an analysis of what they had done and why in an “Apprentice Boardroom” at the end of the module. Assessment criteria included their presentation skills, their performance as a team and their performance on the task. Whilst teams who raised larger sums of money typically did better than those who did not, the amount of money raised was not part of the assessment. Assessment was through a formal presentation undertaken in front of three employers as well as tutors and team documentation (minutes of meetings, accounts, receipt from the charity involved, evidence of communication with the charity, risk assessment of health and safety for the activities proposed, feedback from the mentor and two-side reflective account) submitted one week before the presentation. The documentation gave an indication of potential questions which could be asked at the presentation.

Sourcehttp://insight.glos.ac.uk/tli/activities/ntf/creativehops/examples/Pages/Business,Hospitality,SportandTourismExamples.aspx

2.13 Management Practice in Real World Projects at Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong

To qualify students better for the real world, the backbone of this intensive course centres on “consultancy projects” where student groups are assigned to Hong Kong companies to help address unsolved management challenges. Using a supervision-based independent study mode, student groups meet with managers who have volunteered their own organization’s challenge for the purposes of the project. These meetings span over the 14 week term. On top of this, student groups meet the coordinating professor of the subject for five progress report meetings. These contacts are in consultation / seminar style centring round discussions on the latest research reports and where possible, guest speaker sessions, in helping address the consultancy report. The projects are designed to follow the mode of supervision-based independent study between the teacher and manager, teacher and student groups, and manager with student groups.


2.14 Final Year Work Placement, an Alternative to the Dissertation in Events Management, at the University of Winchester, UK

Students can opt for a work based placement over a dissertation in BA (Hons) Event Management programme. This involves being based at the placement for 2 full days per week during term time, totalling 30 days. Part of the time is spent developing industry skills and part of the time should be spent working on a small scale research project (for the company which will be submitted for marking). Students have a designated work based supervisor and an academic supervisor. Students are not paid. In the past students have taken up a range of placements with corporate event management departments, event management agencies, venues (hotels, academic venues, sporting venues) and a number have worked with charity organisations. Projects have varied enormously according to the nature of the organisation and any developing interests of the organisation. Past projects have included writing and implementing a sustainability policy for the company, introducing and evaluating new events, introducing and evaluating e-marketing methods and investigating impacts of exclusivity at venues.

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Sourcehttp://insight.glos.ac.uk/tli/activities/ntf/creativehops/examples/Pages/Business,Hospitality,SportandTourismExamples.aspx

2.15 Language students work in teams on international market research projects at Leeds Metropolitan University, UK

For almost 15 years all the final-year undergraduates on language degrees at Leeds Metropolitan University work in teams of four over a full year to undertake international market research projects on behalf of local businesses, following project briefs prepared for them by the managers in those businesses. The students practise the whole range of skills they have developed on their course (applied languages, team-working, time management, research, project management, data analysis, report-writing, presenting recommendations and so on) in a real-world environment based on genuine commercial needs and products. The students appreciate that they are not working on a case study but with actual products and professionals who teach them about expectations in a professional environment. Over the years, those products have included fashion jewellery, specialist woven fabrics, language services, bathroom equipment and even high-speed, crash-proof shutter doors. Students are particularly fascinated by the company or factory tours as, for many of them, it will be the first time they have ever seen behind the facade of a business. The employers also prize the experience as they get valuable research undertaken that can assist them with their strategic development of international markets.

Further information:Webb (2008; 2012)

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3. Interdisciplinary

3.1 Compulsory community-based learning capstone project at Portland State University, USA

During the final year each undergraduate student is required to participate in a Senior Capstone, the culmination of the University Studies program. The Senior Capstone is a community-based learning experience that

a) Provides an opportunity for students to apply the expertise they have learned in their major to real issues and problems in the community; and b) Enhances students’ ability to work in a team context necessitating collaboration with persons from different fields of specialisation.

Each student works with a team of students and faculty. Each Senior Capstone must result in some form of summation, closing project, or final product that puts closure to the students' experience.

Source: www.oirp.pdx.edu/portweb/published_pages/prototype/themes/cp/capstone

3.2 Unravelling complexity at Australian National University, Australia

The final year synoptic capstone course involves students from each of the seven colleges/faculties examining different disciplinary ways to “unravel complexity”. The course has a weekly two hour panel of different high profile researchers speaking to the class on how different disciplines deal with complexity. Each panel typically consists of a range of speakers taking different perspectives on an issue, e.g. global financial crises, the collapse of empires, contemporary 'failing' states, pandemics, engineering and network failures, and the moral and legal dimensions of these issues. Students in pairs then facilitate a tutorial discussion with about 16 of their classmates on this topic. Reflective and interdisciplinary thinking is encouraged through a learning portfolio.

Source: http://insight.glos.ac.uk/tli/activities/ntf/urproject/casestudies/Pages/default.aspx

3.3 Inter-disciplinary Inquiry-based Learning (IDIBL) Focused on Action Research in the Workplace at Bolton, UK

The IDIBL framework project at the University of Bolton has developed an undergraduate and postgraduate module framework for inquiry-based learning, which includes final year honour projects. The student is seen as an action-researcher who must identify an opportunity in their work-context for improvement. Learners support each other in an online community to combine study with work. The modules contained within the framework focus on process, and generic concepts and outcomes, rather than subject content. Through a process of negotiation between the individual learner and the course staff, a personalised inquiry is developed to include learning activities and assessment products that meet the module requirements and informed by the learners’ professional practice. The student then plans the action they will take, undertakes it in their own work context, evaluates the action, and revises the plan.

Source: http://resources.glos.ac.uk/ceal/resources/casestudiesactivelearning/undergraduate/index.cfm

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http://insight.glos.ac.uk/tli/activities/ntf/urproject/casestudies/Pages/default.aspx

http://www.oirp.pdx.edu/portweb/published_pages/prototype/themes/cp/capstone

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3.4 Academic Credit for Employability Skills at the University of Gloucestershire, UK

This project outlines work-based learning and volunteering, which has attracted academic credit under different courses and modules for over fifteen years.

Work/VolunteeringThis module, originally called Continuing Professional Development, was used for students working in the wider community, either in voluntary work or in paid part-time work, whilst at University. The module gave students the opportunity to reflect on the work they were undertaking and to research more deeply into their chosen area of employment or volunteering. The work students undertook ranged from creative writing students working with packs of wolves in Devon, to students volunteering with the St John Ambulance, running their own businesses making skate boards to those putting together productions as part of the University theatre group. After 2004 this module was superseded by a specific volunteering module entitled Volunteering and Employability.

MentoringThe mentoring project originally involved undergraduates from the University of Gloucestershire going in to schools and colleges within Gloucestershire to provide academic mentoring to students in years 10 and 11 in order to help them achieve better GCSE results. Undergraduates went in to school for approximately four hours a week to give one-to-one help and guidance. Undergraduates had the benefit of an academic tutor per campus to support them and help with any issues they had regarding their role or use of effective teaching materials during the mentoring session. There was also a school co-ordinator there to support them within each school.

AssessmentAssessment was in the form of either a reflective piece of writing, portfolio or journal accompanied by a presentation lasting approximately 10 minutes. In each case there was a strong element of primary research. Live interviews were often undertaken with colleagues within that industry/charity/school and some very original work was produced.

Source:http://insight.glos.ac.uk/tli/activities/ntf/creativehops/examples/Pages/CrossDisciplineExamples.aspx

3.5 Changing Institutional and Undergraduate Perspectives and Approaches to Education: the State of Sexual Assault Undergraduate Project at Ball State University, USA

Ball State University promotes immersive learning; an interdisciplinary concept which combines content, skills, societal need, and students’ interests into an intense, transformative learning experience. Each year, four Ball State University faculty members are chosen to lead teams of 15 students in interdisciplinary, immersive seminars. The students are chosen by application or audition. Working together with a community sponsor, each group of faculty and students creates a product to engage the community in public dialogue. To demonstrate how the Virginia B. Ball Centre for Creative Inquiry supports academics, students and community groups the State of Sexual Assault project is used as an illustrative example. Students working on the State of Assault project immersed themselves in a project which had a victim-centred perspective of the sexual assault casework process. The victims-centred perspective considered how sexual assault cases are handled by experts in forensics, nursing, law enforcement, DNA analysis, patient advocacy and legal prosecution. The Seminar then produced a short documentary, State of Assault, addressing current issues and evolving needs of rape case management, including DNA processing, laboratory technologies and assault kit evidence collection protocol. The project interacted directly with Madison County Sexual Assault Treatment Centre, Indianapolis-Marion County Forensic Services Agency, and other regional supporting agencies to address the evolving needs and rights of sexual assault victims.

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Field, laboratory, law enforcement and legal perspectives were provided by experts in each discipline, essentially following the order that medical and forensic casework takes during the collection and processing of evidence. The interdisciplinary seminar culminated in a marketable DVD documentary with interviews and hands on activities outlining the evolving needs and future trends in sexual assault case management. State of Assault was nominated for three Emmy Awards, and won one in 2009 in the editing/story category. It has been shown and presented in several local, regional, and national venues since completion

Source http://insight.glos.ac.uk/tli/activities/ntf/creativehops/examples/Pages/Cross-DisciplineExamples.aspx

3.6 Involving Students in Interdisciplinary Interactive Media Consultancy Projects at Miami University, Ohio, USA

Interactive Media Studies at Miami University is an interdisciplinary programme (including Computer Science, Engineering, MIS, English, Marketing, Graphic Design, Education, etc.) that brings together students and faculty to investigate how interactive media informs and transforms their disciplinary perspective. The programme has been running since 1996 and uses problem-based learning and team-oriented projects to help students to learn how to apply their theoretical knowledge to innovative digital solutions for a paying client. About 100 students a year take the programme. The students work in groups of up to 20. The students themselves decide how to divide up tasks; typically there are groups undertaking development, design and marketing. The programmes are team taught with the last two weeks spent on de-briefing and talking about what they’ve learnt. The students are typically in class four hours a week, but spend many more hours, for example visiting clients, undertaking research or doing user testing. They make a presentation to their client at the end of the project. Commercial companies are charged $20,000 per project paid on delivery; non-profit organisations and charities are typically charged c£5,000. They found the client did not take it as seriously when no charge was made. From the client’s perspective, they get out of the box thinking that they would never obtain from a consultant firm. The clients typically end up with something that far exceeds their expectations. The students find it surprising and challenging to manage the changes which commonly occur during the development stage of the project.

SourceInterview with Glenn Platt 14 November 2007; http://student.sba.muohio.edu/ims/

3.7 Working in an Interdisciplinary way with Communities in the UK, Kenya and Zambia to Design, Produce and Sell a Children’s Book at University of Central Lancashire, UK

The idea for the project is extremely simple. We had a lot of programmes across the university producing content and research in isolation of each other. All we have done is bring them all together to work on one project with a tangible, real output. In this case it was a book, ebook, film and exhibition but you could change this to suit your individual disciplines and institution. The Letters to Africa and Pipeline Projects are an innovative way of bringing students from different disciplines together in a practical, applied way to devise, produce and sell real products for children, usually books, photographs and ebooks, under the banner of UCLan Publishing. Students work with communities, including local schools, in Lancashire, Zambia and Kenya to gather content for the output. Sales from the products partly fund the following year's projects and partly go towards funding a secondary school education for children in the African community of Kimana in Kenya.

As the project is entirely integrated into all the participating programmes the students work on the project is assessed. The way in which this is done is up to the programme/ module tutor. Here are a couple of examples:

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- MA Publishing students coordinated the project and prepared the briefs for all students from various disciplines. They were doing this work as part of a practical module and were assessed through group project books and individual reflective statements. The emphasis was put on assessing the process rather than the actual output.

- Many MA Linguistic students adopted the project as part of their dissertation work. They researched the Maasai language (Maa) and contributed a piece about the Maa language to the book, interviewed local African people about the language and put together the very first Maa language glossary in print.

Although at Masters level the idea is transferable to undergraduate programmes.

Sourcehttp://insight.glos.ac.uk/tli/activities/ntf/creativehops/examples/Pages/Cross-DisciplineExamples.aspx

3.8 Staff Engaged in Action Research at the University College Yeovil, UK

Academic staff at the University College Yeovil are taking a Masters degree in Personal and Professional development (awarded by the University of Gloucestershire) as part of the Gloucestershire Framework. The initial cohort is taking their final module, titled ‘Action Research’, which is a work-based alternative to a traditional dissertation. Staff teaching the module at The University Centre Yeovil are effectively assuming the part of the employer within the context of the Gloucestershire Framework (i.e. the workplace is The University Centre Yeovil and the university is the University of Gloucestershire).

The module provides an active approach to research issues, offering a comprehensive programme of generic research training that culminates in an in-depth exploration of active research by thesis and practical application. The module provides a comprehensive introduction to the broad philosophies, methods and processes involved in undertaking action research, including group work and work based applications. The module aims to give students an in depth study in to the skills required to read, understand and undertake action research within their specified area of employment. This will include working with research supervisors both at university and within the workplace on a work- based learning project. The area of research will be chosen in consultation with their employer/supervisor and University tutor.

Source http://insight.glos.ac.uk/tli/activities/ntf/creativehops/examples/ExtendedCaseStudies/Pages/StaffengagedinActionResearchatTheUniversityCentreYeovil,UK.aspx http://insight.glos.ac.uk/tli/activities/ntf/creativehops/examples/Pages/Cross-DisciplineExamples.aspx

3.9 Independent Study Programme at the College of Wooster, USA

Independent Study (IS) is an integral part of the Wooster degree. Students are given opportunities to develop their skills, to support them in the completion of their IS, from their first year. Students are exposed to research opportunities in the second semester of their first year. They are also offered an opportunity to participate in Wooster's Summer Research Program; which can act as an apprenticeship.

The IS programme allows students to demonstrate skills and abilities that employers value. IS is a year-long project conducted by all senior students at Wooster. It is an individual study which is completed in consultation with a mentor. The project can take different forms; depending on the research area and student’s interests. IS can culminate in a major research paper, an art exhibit or a performance. Students are required to present their initial ideas in front of professors and peers. It is as a result of this process that

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mentors are chosen; ensuring that students are given appropriate support. Students meet with their mentor in weekly, hour-long, one-on-one meetings.

Students are required to conduct a literature review and plan and conduct research in an appropriate environment (i.e. lab, theatre, or studio). At the end of their project students are required to orally defend their research. There are also opportunities for celebration. There is the hand in deadline, IS Monday, which ends with an IS parade that provides students with a final focus. The Senior Research Symposium, a celebration of IS, allows students, staff, peers, parents and community members to celebrate the accomplishments of students in their senior year. It is a day where students’ classes are cancelled and they hold presentation, art exhibits, research posters, etc., to demonstrate their knowledge and achievements.

Sourcehttp://www.wooster.edu/Independent-Studyhttp://insight.glos.ac.uk/tli/activities/ntf/creativehops/examples/Pages/ExamplesofCreativeHonoursprojectsfromScience,Technology,EngineeringandMathematics.aspx

3.10 Dissertation Question Time: supporting the dissertation project through panel discussion at Brunel University, UK

Dissertation Question Time attempts to create an informal arena for discussion, while allowing the input of voices from a range of subjects and perspectives. The workshop consists of a panel of undergraduate students, academic staff and an academic skills advisor discussing questions from students on any aspect of the dissertation project. During the workshop the student attendees submit their question to any member of the panel. The aim is to prompt open discussion and students on the panel are particularly encouraged to lead the discussion. To encourage participation students are invited to submit questions beforehand and these are distributed to the audience. The main themes that arose from the students attending the sessions involved issues over the relationship with the supervisor, confusion over structure or format and time management.

The dissertation is seen by many as a highly individual project; meaning it can be difficult to provide advice that students deem specific enough for their learning needs. Consequently students can find it hard to relate the answers to their topic area. However students can find the discussion of general research approaches from the panel reassuring and interesting. Therefore the advice generated through the discussion is valuable in the way for which the session is intended: support that complements subject specific provision but makes no attempt to replace it.


3.11 Engaging students through empowering them to co-create the curriculum at Newcastle University, UK

Undergraduates studying multiple subjects face particular challenges to establishing a student identity and a sense of belonging. Combined Honours at Newcastle University had the lowest rate of student satisfaction in the University in 2008. It was for this reason, when I became degree director, that I addressed this issue, by taking a holistic approach to student engagement. Initially, I began this process by asking the students what their issues were and what they suggested the solutions were in solving these issues.

A key issue was the inability of many Combined Honours students to do a dissertation or a project combining their subjects, as the subjects they studied did not allow this. I set out to design an Independent

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http://www.wooster.edu/Independent-Study

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Studies module with student representatives, who made many innovative suggestions which were implemented in the course design.

Assessment on the Independent Studies module follows a path from formative to more summative; with a balance between assessing the output and the process, assessing the latter through a culminating reflective interview. We do encourage authenticity in topic and output, connected to the professional world beyond HE with wide scope and format choice. Peer assessment was introduced, which the students now appreciate after some initial reluctance. Support for students is delivered through workshops; with the students choosing the topics and supervision, but there are also peer groups where collaboration is encouraged.

I continue to work closely with the students to evaluate and improve the module design and operation. Subsequently three further modules have been co-created and designed, focused on developing ‘graduateness’. Student engagement is now much higher, all round.


3.12 Engaging students in researching research support and developing web resources at University of Newcastle, UK

Students identified good practice across a large faculty in undergraduate dissertation and research modules, and then shared the models of student support identified widely through a web resource that all students may draw on to assist them in such modules. All second year students were offered the opportunity to be part of the Research Project. Four students were selected and paid £200 for this. A member of staff supervised the project and interns but always ensured that the students were the ones who informed the shape of the project. The students worked in pairs to identify all the relevant modules, send out initial email contact and then arrange face-to-face interviews with those staff who were willing. This was a major task for most of them as they had never been involved in this type of more social research before. They also spoke with student representatives in each subject to gather more student views. An emergent component from the student intern input was their desire to create a set of quality standards for research module student support with both ‘essential’ elements and ‘good practice’ elements. This will be progressed through our quality mechanisms. As intended too, development of resources for a website to assist students in dealing with dissertation issues has identified a wide variety of engaging practices – from playing a funny flash game to ways of finding a research topic.


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4. Education, Social, Environmental and Health Sciences

4.1 Service-learning Program, Faculty of Education, Queensland University of Technology, Australia

The QUT Service-learning program has engaged fourth-year primary and secondary Bachelor of Education students in transformational learning experiences that cultivate their ability to question, deconstruct and then reconstruct knowledge to inform their role as teachers. Our program has been designed to better prepare teachers to support the diversity of children and adolescents in schools. The Service-learning program complements the teacher practicum by requiring pre-service teachers to complete 20 hours of non-paid service with partner organisations prior to engaging in their final practicum and their internship. Partner organisations include homework clubs for children who are refugees, drop-in centres for people who are homeless, rehabilitation centres for people who have an acquired brain injury, and aged care facilities. Reciprocal relationships are established with the organisations so that the service reinforces and strengthens academic learning and the academic learning reinforces and strengthens service in the organisations. The program of learning is transformational because it requires the students to participate in critical reflection such as classroom discussions, role plays, presentations, and scaffolded reflective writing about their experiences and learning while participating in the Service-learning program.

Source http://insight.glos.ac.uk/tli/activities/ntf/creativehops/examples/Pages/Education,SocialandEnvironmentalSciences.aspx

4.2 Giving Students First-hand Experience of Research-based Consultancy in Environmental Management at University of Queensland, Australia

Team-based problem-based learning in used in the final year capstone course for the Environmental Management, Rural Management Environmental Tourism and Tropical Forestry degrees at the University of Queensland’s Faculty of Natural Resources, Agriculture and Veterinary Science to give students experience of research-based consultancy. It is a year-long course, team taught by an interdisciplinary staff (in recent years, a social scientist and an ecologist for the internal students, a multi-skilled environmental manager taking the external students). The staff solicit suitable ‘problems’ and clients among their contacts, for instance from government agencies, non-governmental organisations, or land care groups, or the private sector. The staff may help the client mould the topic to achieve appropriate degrees of difficulty, and equity in workload and difficulty across the student groups. The students work like consultants to their client, coping if the client changes the brief during the year (as many do a couple of times). They work in groups of about six students. The clients come to campus at least three times, for an initial briefing to their students, and presentations at the ends of first and second semester. They liaise with the students all year, usually off campus at their offices, and by phone and email. The staff give a flexible program of lectures in first semester, to prepare the students with skills they need towards each forthcoming step of their tasks, and in group processes. At the end of the year their report is 'published' (printed and bound) for the clients. Peer and self-assessment are used to distribute group marks among the contributors.

Source: Correspondence with Helen Ross, 2006

4.3 Preparing and Defending a Consultancy Report in Environmental Geology at Kingston University, UK

Each student in a final year module is given an environmental geophysics problem and is asked to role play being a consultant recruited to address this problem for a client, either a local authority or a private land owner. They are required to design a solution, interpret field data and present their findings in a technical report and verbal format. Students are required to prepare and deliver a solo presentation to an open

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public meeting (20 minute session, including 5 minutes for fielding questions) describing their problem outline, methodology, data interpretation and recommendations. The audience includes Councillors (soon up for re-election) and members of the lay public (staff members and other students) who have a vested interest in the environmental issues. A disruptive group of 'eco-warriors' (usually noisy postgraduate students) also make an appearance! During their presentations, students must show appropriate local and environmental considerations and effective handling of heckling from concerned local residents and the 'eco-warrior' group.

SourceThomas, N (2003) Using independent, investigative learning in environmental geology http://www.gees.ac.uk/projtheme/linktr/Thomas.htm

4.4 Trainee Teachers Making Change Happen in their Professional World, University of Chichester, UK

The Creativity 3 project has a simple goal: to challenge student teachers to make change happen so they develop the skills and confidence to do the same in their first jobs. Creativity 3 is a 15-credit module that gives final year student primary teachers the chance to develop skills and confidence in creative problem-solving in their professional world. Students work in small self-selected teams of around 3-5 students. They address real world problems over realistic timescales and, by the end of their projects, provide genuine end products for external clients, typically schools or non governmental organisations (NGOs) such as museums or environmental education centres. In the first 2 years of the project we have had around 23 diverse projects running each year in different schools, locality clusters and NGOs Assembling an interesting range of projects has not been difficult. The only scheduled contact time for the module is an hour a week, where just one member of each group is required to be there, but the responsibility is on the participants to communicate the content with the rest of the group. All groups contribute to a newsletter to share ideas and show that the module itself is a creative, professional initiative. We assess the product for external users (85% weighting) whatever that end product might be. We also require a group reflection (15%) on the process of engaging in the project. For both items, the group work receives a mark from a tutor. However, individual students’ marks reflect their personal contribution to the work because students agree how the mark will be divided up among group members before the mark is known.

Sourcehttp://insight.glos.ac.uk/tli/activities/ntf/creativehops/examples/Pages/Education,SocialandEnvironmentalSciences.aspx

4.5 Students act as research consultants in joint degree in education, sport and leisure at Nottingham Trent University, UK

This case study works within the confines of the NTU’s dissertation guidelines, but creatively tries to encourage students to develop links with professional organisations which will support them in their future careers. Students are encouraged to use the dissertation experience to develop links with employers and develop practitioner contacts. The aim of this project is to undertake research within a professional organisation where the student will act as an external consultant and provide evaluative feedback to that organisation. For the purposes of this case study one student project is used to illustrate the nature of researching and writing a dissertation thesis in consultation with a professional organisation. The student conducted research with the charity ‘Street Games’, an organisation which makes sport accessible to young people. Before undertaking the dissertation research at level 3 the student undertook a six week placement with Street Games in level 2 and began researching the organisation throughout the summer period, prior to undertaking her level 3 studies. The students’ involvement and research with Street Games as an organisation has enabled her to develop key skills and professional relationships at the organisation and with the Local Authority. In addition to writing her research up in an 8,000 word dissertation the student

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produced an undergraduate research conference paper for the British Conference on Undergraduate Research and provided feedback, with recommendations, to Street Games. Sourcehttp://insight.glos.ac.uk/tli/activities/ntf/creativehops/examples/Pages / Education,SocialandEnvironmentalSciences.aspx

4.6 Empowering Communities through Asset Mapping and GIS, a Series of Senior Capstone Courses at Portland State University, USA

Senior Capstone courses at Portland State University are generally one-term, six-credit hour courses that all undergraduates must complete to graduate. The central feature of this particular series of Senior Capstones is a partnership with a community organization in need of community-based research and the engagement of teams of students in:

1. the vision and goals of the partner organization, 2. the purpose of the project and how it affects the larger community,3. the research itself (including background research, fieldwork, data entry and analysis, and

mapping), and 4. the dissemination of their findings in the form of a report or atlas, PowerPoint presentation,

and, most recently, Google Earth.

Students reflect, in writing and discussion, on both the process of their work and the impacts of both their engagement in the process and their findings on the community partner organization, the community it serves, the community at large, and themselves. At the outset of each project, the students work together to develop a mission statement and a timeline for the project. Students are randomly assigned to research teams to accomplish both the background research for the project and the fieldwork. Fieldwork in this context generally involves on-the-ground observation and documentation of particular attributes or activities that the partner organization might be interested in. For example, the Multnomah County Health Department was interested in documenting tobacco advertising in the public realm close to schools. In another example, the Early Childhood Head start program of Neighbourhood House in Portland wanted to explore the physical isolation of recent Somali refugees in light of important resources such as health facilities, grocery stores, access to parks, and social services. After the research phase of the project, two student project managers are either self-selected or selected by the overall team of students to act as the conduit between the partner organization and the students and to make sure that all of the project’s tasks are on track. In addition, students self-select into task oriented teams to accomplish the data entry, analysis, asset mapping. GIS mapping, Google Earth development, writing, editing, document design, and presentation.

Sourcehttp://insight.glos.ac.uk/tli/activities/ntf/creativehops/examples/Pages / Education,SocialandEnvironmentalSciences.aspx

4.7 GEOverse a National Journal for Undergraduate Research in Geography and the Curriculum Embedding it has Inspired at Oxford Brookes University, UK

GEOverse is a national undergraduate research journal for Geography which has been piloted in four institutions. The geography departments in Oxford Brookes University (the lead institution) Queen Mary, University of London, the University of Gloucestershire, and University of Reading comprise the editorial board of the journal. GEOverse publishes student-led original research based on theoretically considered and empirically-based investigations undertaken at undergraduate level. The aim is to motivate and reward students for producing innovative and best undergraduate research practice, and then give them support

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through the review process before disseminating their work through publication. Papers are reviewed by a panel of postgraduate students.

Students at Oxford Brookes undertake a compulsory second year module called Geography in the Field where they go on a field trip and work in groups and collect data. An optional third year honours module was created in which students could write up their research as a paper with supervisory support from a tutor. This resulted in many students becoming authors of research papers but in a supervised manner. This helps fill a gap in the research cycle for undergraduate students because they did not get the same kind of constructive, meaningful and useful feedback that an academic would get from going to conferences, putting papers in, and getting feedback from peer reviewers. In this module students get dialogic feed-forward on their work and they are provided with an opportunity to disseminate their research through organizing a set of undergraduate conferences as well as the opportunity to publish in GEOVerse.

The work has also impacted on the work of colleagues in other institutions and transformed their curricula. Colleagues at the University of Reading have replaced an examination with writing a journal article for GEOVerse. The University of Gloucestershire has developed a collaborative writing assignment in which students write a collaborative journal article. At Queen Mary, University of London they have an expedition to Iceland. Students are given the opportunity to produce a research paper on their return.


4.8 Research and Inquiry Based Practice Dissertation for Undergraduate Qualified Nurses at the University of Southampton, UK

Undergraduate nurses, choose an aspect of their own practice to explore in depth and complete either an Evidence Based Practice project (EBP) or Practice Inquiry (PI). This is written up in the form of a 10,000 word dissertation.

The EBP is essentially a literature review - i.e. a systematic search, selection and critique of 3-5 pieces of published evidence. This has been the traditional approach to undergraduate nursing dissertations over many years

A practice Inquiry (PI) involves generating original evidence/data in the form of a journal/diary about the student’s selected area of practice. Between 3-5 pieces /excerpts of their journal are analysed using either critical reflection (CR) or narrative analysis (NA). This has been a novel approach for us.

In both cases students discuss findings in relation to the wider literature and consider relevance and applicability to the clinical setting and own practice, bearing in mind issues e.g. change management, social and political context. Students devise an action plan for any changes they wish to make and how to disseminate their findings. They reflect critically on their learning and changes they may be able to make to future practice. Often the topic has been negotiated with managers and colleagues.Students undertake 2 formative and 1 summative assessments:

• A 10 minute presentation with peer and cohort/module leader feedback plus• A 1500 word project proposal with tutor feedback• A 10K word dissertation comprises the summative assessment

Each student attends 10 taught days and has 5-8 hours of 1-to-1 supervision. In teaching the module a challenge has been to ensure that both approaches are given equal status in the teaching and presentation of the options to the student. This is because the EBP has a long history and staff and students felt very comfortable with this format.

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Hot tip: Initially the PI option felt to be ‘added on’ rather than integrated throughout the taught days, but we have worked to avoid this.


4.9 Encouraging Students’ Critical Engagement with Community-based Publics and Issues at Birmingham City University, UK

The third year Extended Project provides students with an opportunity to undertake an applied project, or a library based, piece of research in an area that is of particular interest and relevance to them and that is informed by the tenets of Public Sociology. Students have to submit a project/research plan that counts for 5% of their final mark; they are asked to dedicate the equivalent of a day a week on this project during the rest of the two terms of the third year of the degree. Students are also asked to keep a reflexive learning log on the significance of their work. This learning log provides the basis for their project.

Concretely, this can mean the following (and this example is one that one of our third year students this year pursued). The student may decide that they would like to work with/support and understand the situation that asylum seekers in this country face. One of us might then contact activist organisations that we know of to see if they would be willing to take on a student one day a week to provide them with additional support/offer the student the chance to talk with and support asylum seekers. Or else the student could directly contact a group that they would like to work with after we talk with them about this group. If the group is deemed to be appropriate (that is, with regard to asylum seekers, a group that is on the side of asylum seekers), we then ask the student to arrange to meet with the organization and report back how their meeting went. We then discuss with the student how they might realize their work with this organization as a public sociology project. This year one of our students’ projects included a blog on asylum seekers that partly included information she obtained from the organization she worked with as well as from the academic literature. The student showed drafts of the blog to her supervisor before they were uploaded so that: the topic was clearly explained, and the discussion of the topic was informed by public sociology, the academic and literatures on asylum seekers. The blog then went live and was so successful that part of it was put on a local council website!

Source http://insight.glos.ac.uk/tli/activities/ntf/creativehops/examples/Pages/Education,SocialandEnvironmentalSciences.aspx

4.10 Geography Workplace Project at Staffordshire University, UK

Students who choose the Geography Workplace Project find a business/charity/institution with whom they wish to be placed. Students work for the institution and are asked to write a report on the work they have done. Typically a student will undertake some project work on behalf of the hosts and produce a report of mutual benefit. The projects are assessed as if they were dissertations, but less rigorous criteria is applied to scholastic style, references, and so on. The project write-up includes a personal reflection section whereby students reflect upon and evaluate the learning experience they have undergone through the project. Students generally reflect positively upon the project but do find it difficult to write up as it is not following the ‘normal’ pattern that most of their contemporaries are doing and discussing amongst themselves.Source http://insight.glos.ac.uk/tli/activities/ntf/creativehops/examples/Pages/Education,SocialandEnvironmentalSciences.aspx

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4.11 Bachelor Thesis in International Cooperation and Development for Pre-primary and Primary School Teachers, Switzerland

Prospective pre-primary and primary teachers conclude their program of studies by developing a research-oriented final work usually conducted in a local school. Students that take this option are put in contact with local NGOs active in developing countries in educational projects (primary schools, summer camps, etc.). Together with the NGO, each student (or pair of students) develops a small development project where they act as a professional international co-operator. These projects usually comprise two dimensions:

a) teaching children, and b) engaging in professional development of local staff.

The action plan includes preparation in Switzerland and at least a 6-week international internship that takes place over the summer break between the students' second and third year of study. Participating students are trained within a 30-hour course in international cooperation, intercultural communication and teaching. During the course they are also encouraged to identify one broad issue, which will be used to structure their final work. After the international internship, students work with one professor to develop a full report of their experience. They also skim and structure their data in order to develop a final work that documents their experience and activity within the broader framework of the NGO's international cooperation project, and that provides insights in their selected theme.


4.12 Final year students undertake team research projects on local environmental issues at the University of Gloucestershire, UK

Issues in Environmental Geography ran for about a decade at the University as a final year capstone module; and an earlier version ran at Coventry University for several years. Students worked in groups of 4-6 on local environmental issues. The module was concerned with analysing competing environmental philosophies, applying them to understanding a particular local or regional environmental issue and coming up with policy recommendations. The students developed their own projects, starting with a proposal. They were supported through two key lectures on environmental philosophies, a workshop on effective teamwork and individual group tutorials on their chosen topics. The semester long course was assessed through a group report (60%); oral presentation of project (30%) and an individual learning journal and reflective essay (together counting for 10%). The marks given for the group project were redistributed among group members using peer and self assessment of the quality and effectiveness of their contributions on a five point scale to five group processes (ideas and suggestions; leadership, group organisation and support, minute taking; data collection/ collation/ analysis; report writing, production and editing; and preparing/ giving verbal presentation). The average mark for the module was consistently c3-5 percentage points higher than for other modules reflecting the benefits of working in teams. The difference in marks was confirmed by the external examiners.


4.13 Helping students to engage more effectively with the research process in undertaking their undergraduate dissertations at Keele University, UK

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Undertaking an independent research project in the form of a dissertation can be the most challenging and rewarding part of an undergraduate student’s university experience. However, students often suffer from disjuncture expressed as lack of motivation, hesitancy and avoidance when faced with the daunting enormity of the task and the high demands placed on them as independent learners and problem solvers. Robson (2006) undertook a case study of her efforts as a supervisor, using action research, to help students to engage more effectively with the research process. The aim of the research was to make effective changes to improve students’ motivation, commitment and achievement with regard to completing a geography dissertation.

It is argued that listening to students and responding to their perceived needs is an effective way to improve supervision practices. Initial findings showed students to be lonely and insecure about their dissertations and the supervisor pressured by a considerable supervisory burden. Four cycles of action research were subsequently conducted with a group of eight dissertation students during one academic year. The research implemented and evaluated four interventions whereby the supervisor-researcher invited the students to

(i) evaluate their progress (ii) learn from examples of completed dissertations (iii) share and support each other (iv) engage in peer assessment.

Qualitative evidence demonstrates a shift from a status quo of individual supervisory meetings between poorly motivated students and a frustrated supervisor, to highly motivated students effectively empowered as independent self-learners and peer supporters. It is concluded that given the right circumstances students can be facilitated to ‘do it better themselves’.

Source: Robson (2006)

4.14 Student Poster Conference Linked to Dissertation: Psychology at St Mary’s, UK

Most UK institutions have a dissertation / senior thesis as a graduating requirement. The psychology department at St Mary’s University College have integrated a required poster session into the dissertation requirements. The research project – some 5,000 words – is handed in the April of their final year. This counts for 80% of the final mark on that course. As with many other UK institutions work on this project is meant to start on the second year. At St Mary’s there is a required poster session in May of their second year – where students present and discuss an initial outline of their work. This counts for 20% of the final grade on the project and is assessed on visual content and presentation and student answers to questions on their project. The poster session is run in the form of an academic conference, with all academic staff attending and first year and third year students. Involving first year students both increase the numbers of questions second year students have to answer, and perhaps most significantly orients first year students to how to carry out their research.

Source: Correspondence with Peary Brug; http://www.smu.ca/academic/science/psych/under_honours.html

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5. Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics

5.1 Collaborative and Student-driven Learning Approaches to Capstone units in ICT at Macquarie University, Australia

The Systems Engineering Project was designed to create alliances between top computing students, academics and industry to the benefit of each party. Student groups are engaged in a variety of research and development projects, including; investigating for themselves how the company works, what the problem really is, what are the range of solutions, how does this technology work and so on, and writing these up. To ensure that each team member gains the most from the experience, the roles within our teams are rotated; significantly everyone must have a turn at being the project leader. Decisions made regarding the various design and management choices must be justified and be based on the environment they are working within: thereby providing students with greater autonomy and ownership of the project.

Sourcehttp://insight.glos.ac.uk/tli/activities/ntf/creativehops/examples/Pages/ExamplesofCreativeHonoursprojectsfromScience,Technology,EngineeringandMathematics.aspx

5.2 Nurturing Biochemical Research Skills in Group Laboratory-based Capstone Unit at Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia

This final year unit provides students with an authentic learning experience which integrates a number of specialist biochemical procedures. Students work in teams of six to complete a 13-week laboratory-based project to attempt to purify an enzyme. There are no lectures or examinations in the unit. In addition to the major lab project, workshop sessions moderated by the Unit Coordinator foster critical analysis of scientific procedures and provide insights into particular aspects of successful group work. On completion of the unit, students should be able to apply problem-solving skills to project design and data interpretation. They will have developed abilities to work and contribute in a significant way to the organisation and function of a collaborative research team. They will have consolidated their information literacy skills in the areas of information access, retrieval and evaluation by designing efficient search strategies. Students improve oral and written communication skills through individual presentations, group submissions and as a contributor to on-line discussion forums. The unit is supported by comprehensive on-line resources plus personal tuition and support from the unit coordinator and other academic staff. The unit is very well received by students and the student’s performance in this unit is a key indicator of honours potential.

Source http://insight.glos.ac.uk/tli/activities/ntf/creativehops/examples/Pages/ExamplesofCreativeHonoursprojectsfromScience,Technology,EngineeringandMathematics.aspx

5.3 Chemistry ‘Concentrated Study’ Project at the University of St Andrews, Scotland

This is a core course done by all 3rd year chemistry students (within a 4 year BSc/5year MChem framework); current enrolment is 48. It is taught in the last four weeks of the Spring semester. Students have no other class and are able to spend their full time on this module. Students are divided into (mixed ability) groups of five - six each assigned to an academic supervisor who assigns a topic for investigation. This requires some literature research, experimental planning, experimental work, analysis of results and their presentation. The projects assigned vary but generally fall somewhat short of original research while maintaining substantial scope for student input to the direction of the work and how to best achieve the goal set. The module has run for the last five years and typically yields grades rather similar to conventional laboratory classes at this level. A consistent observation however is that this really brings out the best in

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some otherwise weaker students who seem to be inspired by the idea of contributing to the team effort in a way that is not achieved in a more conventional class.

Source http://ch-www.st-andrews.ac.uk/teaching/aims/Mod3441/a.pdf

5.4 Research into Practice: An Alternative Format for Final year Bioscience Honours Project, University of Plymouth UK

Research into Practice is a new module which includes a research proposal as an assessed element, instead of having the bulk of the marks weighted onto the writing of a project report/dissertation. The new format encourages more external employer engagement, if the student wants to explore this opportunity. This module is beneficial to students wishing to pursue careers such as teaching, and is beneficial to students who want a more directed approach. There is also a traditional format module offered to students. The new format involves a group of students signing up to a single project where the protocol for data collection is largely written by the project advisor. Data collection is then carried out by the group and results are pooled, before being analysed and written up on an individual basis. The new format is similar to an extended laboratory investigation and consequently, the project advisor is largely responsible for the planning and any risk or ethical assessments. Projects that have used this new format to date involve an investigation into the ergogenic effects of caffeine on exercise performance and also the effects of a particular growth medium on the culture of young plants. As students taking projects in the new module format have not designed their own research study, they have to carry out a separate research proposal assessment to meet this learning outcome. They need to identify a research question from a literature review they have carried out and then design an appropriate study around this issue. The proposal allows all the planning and design learning outcomes to be achieved, albeit after students have carried out the data collection and analysis elements. The research proposal is guided by a template and although the student does not have to carry out the proposed study, it does need to be realistic, affordable and capable of being completed by an undergraduate student.


5.5 The Mechanical Engineering Final Year Project at University of Adelaide, Australia

The final year project in the School of Mechanical Engineering aims to provide solutions to engineering problems related to industry or to scientific research, with emphasis on project management and effective communication. It is considered to be an important part of the engineering education process and projects sponsored by local industry are strongly encouraged. Industry sponsored projects enhance student skills through relevant real-world projects in research and development, and profits industry by collaboration in training expertise transfer, innovation, and development. Students work in teams ranging in size from one to a dozen. Although the projects require a minimum of 330 hours of student time, many students spend over 600 hours and some up to 1000. The scope of the projects is often ambitious, such as the design, build and launch of a supersonic combustion RAM jet, or a Formula SAE racing car. Students are encouraged to suggest projects themselves as these often lead to outstanding outcomes. The projects are facilitated by the extensive resources put in place by the School to support the students including the provision of a project budget and access to workshop staff time and manufacturing facilities. Each project has at least one academic supervisor, and in the case of industry sponsored projects, an industry-based supervisor.


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5.6 Linking Students with Industry through Co-operative Education for Enterprise Development (CEED) in four Australian Universities

The CEED projects are open to students in the disciplines of Engineering, Information Technology, Business, Science, Sustainable Management, and Food Technology or Food Studies, for either final year or Masters level students. Industry-based training is integrated with the student’s university degree. The project is integrated with study and students work on-site with their industry host, working around other lectures, tutorials and exams. The size of projects vary, but should be able to be completed in 13 weeks, with a student working 3-4 days per week over that period. Most projects completed by CEED students are ‘practical’ or R&D focused rather than highly research-focused, but nevertheless give the students the opportunity to develop applied research skill in a real world context. CEED has reviewed student performances over hundreds of projects and found that the students who participate are considered more employable at the time of graduation.


5.7 Communicating Maths at the University of Bath, UK

Communicating Maths is an optional module for third and fourth year students in the department of mathematics. The project aims to provide mathematics students, who are traditionally poor communicators, with the opportunity to demonstrate competency with these skills and to evaluate their ability, whilst increasing student interest in teaching careers and provide ambassadors of mathematics and the University of Bath within the wider community. The students involved undertake a wide range of activities designed to enhance and broaden the public understanding of mathematics, with a particular emphasis on working with local schools. All of the students on the course attend training and over the course of one semester undertake four tasks:

1. 'Bath Taps into Science’, a science fair based in Bath during National Science Week. Undergraduates work in teams of four, running a half day exhibition on a subject of their choice which they have researched.

2. Mathematics master class for school pupils aged around 13 led by the students.3. The third task is drawn from a number of different options. This can vary from students choosing to

deliver a lesson in a local primary or secondary school (working with a local teacher), to working with Maths Inspiration, Dr Maths, or with the Further Maths Network.

4. Research and produce a permanent piece of work on a mathematical topic of their choice. Various mediums have been used including posters, web-sites, a YouTube video, and newspaper articles


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5.8 Bioscience End of Year Project at Durham University, UK

Bioscience students at Durham University have a choice of three different types of final year project

(a) Laboratory-based projectThe laboratory-based project provides an opportunity to participate in the research being carried out by staff in the School. Many students are able to work in the research laboratories, alongside postgraduate and postdoctoral researchers, and all students have access to the full array of research facilities in the School. The project currently takes place over 5 weeks of full time research, and students are given a piece of work that can lead to concrete results in this period. Many undergraduate projects have generated data that has subsequently been incorporated into scientific papers, with the student as a named author. The project is assessed through a report, written in the form of a mini-thesis, and a short presentation. This module gives the student a taste of scientific research, and exemplifies the School's commitment to providing research-led education.

(b) Biology EnterpriseBiology Enterprise (BE) is project-orientated module, based on research in a commercial context, with self-selecting groups of 5 or 6 students working together. The learning context for BE follows the real-life scenario of the formation of a biotechnology spin-out company from an academic biosciences research group. Within this context BE aims to introduce students to: key processes of business start-up, specifically in the context of a spin-out of an innovation generated as a result of biological research; key factors and considerations that influence the decision making process of the commercialisation of biotechnological innovation; the necessary skills, knowledge and resources required to take biological innovation from concept through to credible commercial propositions; the purpose of a Business Plan and, using a self-generated idea, how to prepare and present a Plan for a research-led biotechnology spin-out. A core component of BE is an in-depth desk study of a biological topic to collate, review, critically appraise and present the scientific research evidence that underpins the self-generated idea for the biotechnological product or process. The content of this module provides an introduction to key business processes such as ideas generation; market research; protection of intellectual property; raising finance, in addition to developing individuals' team working, project planning, time management and transferrable skills

(c) Biology into SchoolsFor students who see their future in science education, or other communication-based activities such as journalism, the Science into Schools module may provide an attractive option. As for the other research project options, it is research-led, but in this case the research takes the form of a systematic inquiry into the teaching and learning process. Students are required to prepare materials for teaching science in secondary schools, and to interact with teachers and pupils. After an initial training period, students spend at least 4h per week for 10 weeks in a local school. They are expected to graduate from classroom observation, to assistance in teaching, to an opportunity to undertake whole class teaching. They will also devise a special Biological Sciences project for the school, which they implement and assess. The module is assessed through a journal of activities, reports, a presentation, and a report by the host teacher. This module is focussed towards developing communication skills, as well as team working and interpersonal skills. This module is only available to a limited number of students, determined by participating schools.

Sourcehttp://www.dur.ac.uk/biosciences/undergraduate/courses/content/level3/lab_project_enterprise_schools/http://insight.glos.ac.uk/tli/activities/ntf/creativehops/examples/Pages/ExamplesofCreativeHonoursprojectsfromScience,Technology,EngineeringandMathematics.aspx

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5.9 GIS Management in Industry at Curtin University, Australia

The GIS Management course is a cooperative unit with industries, working with 10 – 30 students per cohort. Guest lecturers from leading GIS consultant companies and governments share their experiences with students. I also have applied the Work Integrated Learning teaching theory to the assignment designs. As a result, all assignments are now work-integrated learning projects on behalf of organisations, such as Landgate or Mainroads, in which the students act as GIS consultants to help solve real-world problems. Through this unit the students gain practical work experiences and the organisations get help in addressing complex issues in a considered and well-research manner. Some students’ work has been published in peer-reviewed journals or conference papers. In addition, the close alliance between the University and external partners has produced a fruitful partnership which has fed into the research program, such as ArcLInkage projects.


5.10 Bridging the Gap between Textbooks and Scientific Research: Cell Biology at University of Utrecht, Netherlands

A third year course for cell biology majors focuses on writing and defending of a research proposal as an open ended authentic assignment; i.e. modelling much of the authentic research experience of cell biologists, but not the actual laboratory research: and includes student teams writing a PhD proposal. It builds on the more textbook-orientated knowledge and limited controlled laboratory experiences in years one and two.

The 15 week course, with some 24 students has these components: A general research topic is defined by staff, and students read selected research papers with a focus on

research methodology and research questions. Students are divided into four groups of six and out of class formulate a research question and

methodologies. They also visit relevant research laboratories, contact experts and discuss their proposals in class with their fellow students and staff.

Student teams present their final proposals to a jury of 4 staff (two cell biology specialists, one biologist, and one non-biology scientist). The broad composition of the jury requires that the proposal should be clearly formulated for both specialists in the field and for non-specialists.

Students then take an Extended Senior Research Thesis (usually in the summer semester and often extending into the summer vacation). Some students will work in the lab of jury members, as they were invited by them to do their research project with them.

Six years of course evaluations and also a survey of alumni has shown the initial difficulties students face in moving beyond textbook knowledge; the value of the various components; and the course’s success in helping them to think as scientists and better appreciate how research is conducted.


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5.11 Integrating Professional and Technical Competencies in a Final Year Capstone Design Course at the University of Queensland, Australia In this final year capstone design course the pedagogy was centred on the “student as engineering design consultant”, utilising authentic learning experiences obtained through collaboration with industry who contributed a variety of commercial design problems for student design teams to work on. In the course, students were allowed to form teams and choose from six industry-provided design problems that were outlined to the students in a one day presentation by key employees of the five companies involved in the course. The course had only six lectures over the entire 12 weeks of the course with learning activities aligned to support the design projects. The course aims were to achieve a balanced set of outcomes, integrating knowledge and skills from both technical and professional competencies. Emphasis was placed on making explicit the process of identity change from a student to a professional engineer.


5.12 Alternative Final Year projects in the Biosciences at the University of Leeds, UK

Final year students within the Biomedical Sciences group of programmes (Human Physiology, Medical Sciences, Neuroscience, Pharmacology) have the opportunity to undertake one of the seven types of research project. Each project is of 8 weeks duration, with students expected to commit 3.5 days per week to their project. Students are provided with a list of projects (with project descriptors) in March of the year preceding their final year and invited to choose, in rank order, 10 projects they would like to be considered for. Projects are then allocated based on student choice and ranking within the year group; with projects staring in the January of their Final Year. The assessments for all project types are similar. Students are required to write a 25-30 page dissertation and deliver an oral presentation. Students undertaking critical review projects also have to submit a 5 page grant proposal linked to their review. There is also a supervisor allocated “productivity” mark. i. Individual laboratory projects

Students undertake an individual programme of research in the laboratory of their project supervisor, often contributing to ongoing research within that laboratory.

ii. Group laboratory projectsStudents work collaboratively, a team of 3-4, to undertake a programme of research; based either in their supervisor’s laboratory or in the teaching laboratories.

iii. Computer simulation projectStudents investigate the function of biological systems using established computer models (e.g. human cardiac myocytes).

iv. Critical review projects (with linked grant proposal)Students undertake a hypothesis driven critical review of the literature in a specific area/topic within the biosciences.

v. Survey projectsStudents undertake a public health survey under the general theme of “Healthy Lifestyles”.

vi. Science and Society projectsStudents undertaking science and society projects create, deliver and evaluate an interactive, curriculum enhancing teaching in local primary (students aged 7-11 ) and secondary (students aged 13-18) schools.

vii. Educational development projectsStudents undertaking educational development projects develop and evaluate learning resources for use in undergraduate teaching. Working either individually or in small teams, students develop learning resources or new teaching methods (e.g. social media) to support ongoing teaching.

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5.13 Students undertake paid internships as agents of change or educational researchers in biosciences at the University of Leeds, UK

The Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds has recently begun to run two programmes of non-laboratory based internships for first and second year students. These provide good training for students who opt to take the educational development dissertation option. The first, badged as “Students as agents of change” is where students work in groups to develop a resource to enhance the curriculum; it can be something they have identified themselves as being needed within their programme or a project initiated by a member of staff. The second scheme is where the intern contributes (individually) to an educational research project. Examples of ongoing projects include podcasting of research seminars for student/staff use; improvements to educational environment; collation and evaluation of Open Educational Resources for teachers/students. Start-up funding for these internships was obtained from the University of Leeds Academic Development Fund and the Leeds for Life Foundation. These internships are extremely popular, with 63 applications for 18 internships in September 2011. A second tranche was made available in January 2012. Students undertaking Students as agents of change projects agree the number of hours required to complete their project with their supervisor and are paid in installments when they meet defined objectives/milestones. Educational research interns are paid, in two installments, for 75 hours work. For both schemes, academic support and advice is provided, as required, throughout the internship, a true collaborative partnership between the intern and supervisor to meet the agreed outcomes. Students are required to blog their initial aspirations, reflect on progress and the skills gained throughout the internship and provide an end of internship case study. The Faculty has incorporated the resources into its teaching and its public engagement activities and has committed to the continued funding of the scheme.


5.14 Facilitating Student Professional Readiness through Industry Sponsored Senior Capstone Projects at Western Carolina University, USA

The Kimmel School’s Department of Engineering and Technology at Western Carolina University (WCU) has implemented a 5 course engineering project based learning (PBL) core culminating in a senior capstone course sequence, focused on new product/process development. The department has partnered with The Centre for Rapid Product Realisation in delivering and administering the PBL and capstone courses. Both equipment and staff are being shared in a collaborative effort to meet the needs of both industry and students. The capstone projects vary across several areas including medical devices and testing equipment, manufacturing products and processes, military and tactical devices, solar collectors and control devices, and sports equipment redesign. The joint collaborative partnership has produced well over 100 industry related products/processes with several resulting in application for patent. The CATME Team-Maker is employed in the development of student teams and the assignment of projects. Faculty and industry mentors are assigned to each team at the beginning of the course sequence. As a first step, project management techniques, such as work breakdown structures, Gantt charting, scheduling and quantitative trade off studies, are presented to the students. The stage-gate process is employed as a means of monitoring the progress of student teams. As a second step, faculty mentors work closely with each team during the design, build, and test stage-gates. A variety of presentation methods are used by the students in disseminating their progress at each gate. Several methods are used in assessing and characterising student progress and performance including the CATME, instructor assessment, faculty mentor

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assessment, and industry-customer assessment. Overall, the collaborative partnership has been a positive experience for all collaborators and student learning has increased significantly. Several problems with our model have arisen, including: equitable evaluation of projects that vary in scale and complexity, managing unequal team member contribution, student time-management issues, and faculty loading.


5.15 Dissertation in Database Professional MSc by portfolio at Sheffield Hallam University, UK

After researching how some other disciplines have included built artefacts into the assessment of dissertations, we decided to allow students to submit either a traditional report, or a portfolio of artefacts for their Database Professional MSc. Although at Masters level the ideas are transferable to Bachelor level dissertations. In order to maintain visible fairness between the two approaches we identified marking criteria that could be used for both types of dissertation. In both cases they are:

Knowledge of the domain (25%) Justification of the approach (25%) Description of the research and discussion of the outcomes, (25%) Quality of the report and presentation of the argument (25%).

Students work one-to-one with a supervisor. They undertake some of the "usual" tasks, such as Literature Review and Methodology, but they also include other items such as design outputs, sample working programmes (if that was one of their target outcomes), screencasts with demonstrations, videos of users feeding back and anything else they think might be useful to paint the picture. Often they have a learning Blog at the same time, which is also included as an artefact so long as they provide some reflective commentary on it. The real art to what they deliver is the way that they piece together the artefacts. Typically this portfolio will be delivered as a website, allowing the inclusion of hyperlinks to media of different types.


5.16 Developing and professionally managing video-games at Utah Game Forge, at the University of Utah, USA

Faculty members in the entertainment, arts and engineering programme at the University of Utah have opened a company, Utah Game Forge, which aims to help students understand the commercialisation of video-games through a real work-based learning experience. The company is financed by the University although students are able to retain their Intellectual Property Rights for use in future projects. The company was established as there became an evident gap in students’ knowledge. Students were able to master the programming of video-games, but they were not taught the skills in running a business or managing risk. These factors all contribute to enhancing the students’ employability skills. In addition to this, in establishing the company the University aims to develop links with outside business and develop links for internship placements.

Source http://chronicle.com/blogs/wiredcampus/u-of-utah-to-help-students-publish-video-games/37181?

cid=pm&utm_source=pm&utm_medium=en

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http://chronicle.com/blogs/wiredcampus/u-of-utah-to-help-students-publish-video-games/37181?cid=pm&utm_source=pm&utm_medium=en

http://chronicle.com/blogs/wiredcampus/u-of-utah-to-help-students-publish-video-games/37181?cid=pm&utm_source=pm&utm_medium=en





November 2012

http://insight.glos.ac.uk/tli/activities/ntf/creativehops/examples/Pages/ ExamplesofCreativeHonoursprojectsfromScience,Technology,EngineeringandMathematics.aspx

5.17 Reorganisation of labs to develop research independence in Agricultural Science at University of Tasmania, Australia

The Department radically revised laboratory teaching to address problems students and staff encountered in a required final year research project. Students frequently had difficulties in understanding what was required and staff spent much time resolving such issues through individual supervision. Lower level (laboratory) courses were revised to integrate laboratory teaching with lecture based and statistical methods courses and assessment. Lab based activities were developed which required students to work in teams with increasing levels of independence. For example, the final ‘lab’ four week activity had a paper by the lecturer in preparation for publication, and a discussion of some future research options. Students were provided with all information prior to the lab and divided into subgroups. Then as a whole class they designed the experiment and discussed the relative advantages and disadvantages of the various approaches. The students then ran the labs with support shifting from help to guidance with the final labs being class (group) discussions around the (1) statistical analyses, then (2) the presentation and (3) the meaning of each of the experiments. Students individually wrote up a single experiment of their choice and were advised the final exam question would be:

You are working as a research scientist in a horticultural institute. You have been given a horticultural research issue to deal with. The specific issue is … Describe and explain an experiment you would set up to understand part of the issue.

Source: Correspondence with David McNeil, UTAS

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