Views across the higher education threshold: an initiative from

Biochemistry

Dr Jane SaffellDivision of Cell & Molecular BiologyDepartment of Life Sciences

Education Day April 2010

What on earth should we expect our students to know, and be able to do, when they come to us?

We can’t assume we know. It’s been a long time since we were in the sixth form! We are

increasingly out of touch.

How can we find out?

Conference for Imperial Biochemistry lecturers &

Biology, Chemistry & Maths teachers (both A-level and IB) from different types of school.

Aim: to foster discussion between lecturers and teachers

on our respective curricula and the school-university

transition, to inform our teaching and enhance student learning.

Funded by a ~3K Imperial College Teaching Development Grant awarded to Jane Saffell & John Tippins (DUGS):

“Biochemistry curriculum development: fostering dialogue between school & university teachers.”

[Collaborators Dr Mahendra Deonarain (Biochemistry Admissions Tutor), Dr Linda Giorgi (Life Sciences Examinations Officer), James Andrewes (Life Sciences Teaching Office Manager), Marcus Henegan (Admissions].

Invited

•47 schools – (Personal contact, Admissions contact, Outreach)

•47 Biochemistry academic staff

•Few others from Imperial – Lecturers from other disciplines, CED, Outreach

Aiming for 30-40 people in totalInformal

Small enough for meaningful discussion.

Focus: Biochemistry degree Biology, Chemistry, Maths A-level and IB

Biochemistry lecturers14

Sixth-form teachers14

Other science lecturers

(Biology, Chemistry, Aeronautics)

3

Life Sciences Teaching Support

(Admin, Admissions, ICT Learning support)

4

Other Imperial (CED, Outreach)

3

Biochemistry undergraduates

3

Note-taker (Institute of Education)

1

AttendedBreakdown of attendees (42)

Schools represented

Darford Boys’ Grammar School (speakers)

Edmonton County School

Greenford High School

Greenshaw High School, Surrey (speaker)

Maidstone Girls’ Grammar School (speaker)

Newstead Wood School for Girls

North London Collegiate School for Girls (speakers)

Richmond-upon-Thames College (speaker)

Seven Kings High School, Ilford

Slough Grammar School

Wimbledon College

Practicalities

Venue Large Common Room on 7th floor of Biochemistry building

CateringM & S lunch, lots of tea and coffee, end with drinks reception

Reimbursed teachers’ travel expenses

Packs – contained •Programme•Attendance list (with e-mail)•Sheet on “IB to UG Biochemistry transition” by 3rd year UG•Feedback sheet•Admissions info sheet on Biology, Biochemistry & Biotech degrees•Admissions flyers on “Life Sciences Taster Day” & “Diagnosis of an unknown disease” one-day course for school pupils.•Imperial College bag

Programme - Scaffold of talks as a stimulus to discussion:

Morning

Overview of Biochemistry degree first year curriculum (DUGS)

Transition from sixth-form to university (Teacher)

Overview of A-level and IB structure (2 teachers)

GCSE Science curriculum – impact of changes (teacher)

Afternoon

Biology A-level (teacher)

Biology IB (teacher)

Maths A-level (teacher)

Maths IB (teacher)

Chemistry A-level (teacher)

Chemistry IB (teacher)

Biochemistry admissions perspective (Admissions Tutor)

Guide for what teachers might like to include in their curriculum talks:

•Brief background and intro to your school

•Curriculum content of each module

•An indication of which are core and which optional

•How learning is assessed (e.g. typical exam question, coursework-exam weighting)

•How much practical work is done*

•How much biochemistry is included*

•Variation between exam boards

•Your perspective/opinion in the context of your school or experience

How did it go?!

Lots of very animated discussion – everyone highly engaged – ran out of time

Students’ perspective was very helpful

We all learned a great deal and found it very useful

Full and frank exchange of views

Strong sense of shared purpose – unity – sense of professional engagement between teachers & lecturers

“…we share a lot of the same ideas/concerns/ambitions for our students.”

DUGS perspective started the ball rolling (provoked animated discussion!)

•Spoon-feeding at school does not prepare students for self-reliance expected at university

•Students seem to be here to pass exams rather than to learn

•Students come expecting a fast-food diet, want to be continually assessed

•We want to understand what it is about school teaching that ill-equips students for university

Summary of themes

1. Government targets affect the way subjects are taught in schools

•Schools are assessed on exam passes, not how well-prepared students are for university (e.g. strategic on double vs

triple science options)•Independent school teachers put under intense pressure•Teachers feel they are not trusted

•Seems to be little dialogue between schools, universities and government on school curricula•How much influence do universities have on school science curriculum content???? (We don’t know).

2. Student expectation of teaching mismatched with university reality

•Independent learning expected at university

•Students are allowed to fail – no continual assessment safety net.

Continued/…

3. The new GCSE science curriculum is problematic

[***Important as we don’t require A-level Biology***]

•Core (first tier) too general and superficial (gene therapy, GMOs, stem cells, climate change, recycling, cloning, designer babies.)

•Designed to attract more into science, but ‘turns off’ interested pupils – students bored by repetition

•Too little time for the extension topics (third tier)•Human biology/physiology missing (no heart, kidney, liver, muscle/bone etc.

•Pupils not as well prepared for A-level or university bioscience.

•Teachers expecting it to change back in 2011!

Continued/…

4. Content of A-level & IB Biology is enormous*Overlaps with our first year (IB Biology)*Surface understanding only*Little time to teach wider skills/application*Practicals less challenging/useful?

5. Essay-writing*Assessments at A-level and IB give little incentive for

acquiring/practising essay-writing skills, essential for our degree assessment*IB extended essay helps.

6. Students compartmentalise learning – basic maths poor *Means are Maths, essays are English or History

*Basic Maths skills from KS3/4 cannot be applied e.g. dilutions.

7. Differences between IB/A-level & exam boards

•Even teachers were surprised at the differences for A-level, and interested to hear about IB.

8. Assessment

•A-level modular, module exams, retake culture

•IB still have terminal exams.

“…it was very useful to hear more from the schools perspective [on school-uni transition]. It does seem that the nub of the problem is the assessment, not the teaching really…”

Diploma ProgrammeIB Curriculum model

Theory of Knowledge

the artsgroup 4

language A1

extended essay

experimental sciences

group 6

group 2

second language

creativity, action, service

individuals and societies

mathematics

Standard & Higher Level• 3 subjects at Higher, 3 at Standard

• Higher Level is broadly similar in standard to A2

• Standard level is rated at 2/3 of A2 by UCAS

• Higher level required to be taught for 240 hours, Standard level for 150 hours

Dr John Marks Dartford Grammar School

Grade Levels

• 1 to 7 scale in each subject HL & SL• 24 points pass• 42 points possible in subjects + 3• 35 points - level usually required by UK universities for Medicine• Top 10 % worldwide achieved 37+• Level 7s are world class• No grade inflation

View of a Biochemistry UG who took IB

Jenny Wilson: “I am currently a third year biochemistry undergraduate, who came to

Imperial from Sevenoaks School having done the IB.  I studied Biology,

Chemistry and Economics higher level and English,

Russian and Maths Methods at Standard Level. ”

“With respect to how the Imperial Biochemistry course is structured, the IB provided a very solid foundation.”

Feedback from attendees

“Yes. It was useful to have an update on GCSE changes, and my prior knowledge of IB was microscopic. Good to have both ‘sides’ realise that they both want the same thing and despair of political interference.”

“Very much so. It was particularly useful to me to hear (a) what is being taught at GCSE and A-level and (b) what issues concern teachers about the transition to universities.”

“Excellent day – great to hear I concur with the views of other teachers. Opportunity to sing about the IB.”

“Yes. Useful to meet academics to see what they are looking for. Also to learn more about IB.”

Was the day worthwhile? What were the most and least valuable aspects for you?

“The day was very useful. It has been helpful to get a better idea of the school syllabus and the issues they face. Also a good networking opportunity.”

“Yes. Most valuable to make contact with Imperial College and hopefully develop more linked activities in future. Least valuable – maths (purely because I am a biology specialist).”

“Yes. Admissions. Skills needed, transition.”

Teacher Imperial – science/maths lecturer Imperial - otherStudent

Would you join a teachers-lecturers network if we set one up? What would you use it for?

“Yes. Keep updated with specification changes. -Opportunities for outreach activities. -In the other direction, useful to let teachers know what we’re doing so that they could help students in school prepare for, e.g. essays.”

“Yes. Access for teachers/students to more info/experience of what biochemistry is like at uni.”

“Yes. Sharing problems and resources. -Trying to influence government bodies.”

“Yes. To share ideas.”

“Yes. Keep in touch with curriculum development in uni•Develop AS/A2 lessons with ‘new’ topics/application.”

“Unfortunately, I’m not a very good networking person.”

Teacher Imperial – science/maths lecturer Imperial - otherStudent

If we were to hold another teachers-lecturers conference, what topics would you like to see discussed?

Teacher Imperial – science/maths lecturer Imperial - otherStudent

“Specific ways to make a smoother school-to-university transition – both in schools and at Imperial.”

“What would universities like in new GCSE/A-level specifications?•Bring school students to discuss what they would like to be taught (at school and university).”

“Specifications/content.•How do we get more pupils in science.”

“More detail on progression from A-level → degree content.”

“Ideas for using in the classroom – related to specification (case studies!)”

“Biology/BMS specific conference would be useful. •Input from DCSF (I love the way ‘education’ has been removed from the title of this department) might be useful. I can provide a stocks and rotten fruit.”

“Perhaps bring a government rep along?”

“Opportunities for smaller group discussions would be helpful”.

New connections/activities generated by the conference

•Contact with AQA regarding possible involvement in GCSE science curriculum revision (via teacher who attended) :

“The revision of GCSE Sciences is at a very early stage.  However AQA certainly intends to consult widely with teachers and lecturers to ensure that our revised specifications meet their needs. I anticipate that this will be in the Autumn, and I’ll get in touch then about how your contacts can feed into this process.” Anne Trant, AQA.

•Invitation to Chair science teachers/lecturers joint session at FEBS meeting, Sweden, 2010

•Request to help a school design ‘research skills for biology’ element of new Extended Project Qualification.

•Plans to start the University Ambassadors Scheme in Biochemistry and Biology degrees.

•Teacher came to shadow Imperial biochemistry researchers

•Follow up research “Views across the threshold: perspectives of school-university transition” – discussion with sixth-formers, Biochem UGs, teachers, lecturers. (JLS)

Where do we go from here?

Follow-up, subject specific teacher-lecturer meetings?College-wide? Or small, specific, department-based

Reconfigure first-year curriculum

Front-load with 6-8 weeks of skills training & learning to learn?How do we make space?

Reconsider Admissions requirements

Make A-level Biology a requirement?Compulsory on-line Maths competency test before registration?

Help teachers design modules to aid school-university transition

Identify key difficulties encountered by studentsWrite short document to distribute? Meet with teachers?

Use the network Talks in schools (including with teachers)Start shadowing exchange scheme?

How can universities become involved with school curriculum-setting/exam boards?