This module provides learning opportunities that enable you to acquire the skills and qualities that will enhance your prospects, horizons and personal success, thus preparing the you for the expectations of the world of work. The foundations of being able to ability to carry out inquiry based learning and critical analysis will be developed. Your work ready and employability skill set will be enhanced helping give you the technological, digital and information literate underpinning expected of graduates today. Within the scientific framework we will help you begin to understand the importance of being enterprising and entrepreneurial and strengthen your ability to apply graduate attributes to a range of life experiences to facilitate life-long learning. .

Digital workshops, simulations and video will introduce and develop the core skills associated with HE study with an emphasis on developing you as a `Bioscientist' in the broadest sense. In particular you will review the skills and qualities you already possess with reference to how these skills relate to those attributes regarded as critical by employers.

The module will principally consider the genetic transfer mechanisms of prokaryotes and eukaryotes and the resulting patterns of diversity. Analysis of basic Mendelian inheritance patterns will be explored together with an appreciation of the impacts of gene transfer and how they impinge at the population level. You will also be introduced to basic epigenetic information transfer.

Core laboratory and analysis skills will be encountered including the fundamentals of statistics as applied within the Biosciences. These activities will include the nature of the scientific method, types of data, descriptive statistics and the fundamentals of inferential statistics. Basic practical and numerical based competencies will be assessed throughout the duration of the module.

Activities revolving around the fundamental properties that underpin life such as basic chemical structures, heat, energy and light will highlight the interdisciplinary nature of science. This, together with an understanding of emergent properties, will ensure you will be prepared to maximise your achievement within your developing field of study.

The module will have an evolutionary backbone with material delivered to help explore this central core concept of Bioscience, its mechanisms and how it can be applied in the various fields of Biological endeavour.

Tutorials will provide a means of academic and personal support where you will reflect upon your development, feedback and progression within your studies. These sessions will enable you to refine personal strategies to maximise your potential and will explicitly provide support for the development and preparation of the summative reflective portfolio.

There are Three aspects of assessment

50% Product orientated Portfolio of Practitioner Evidence. A series of both factual and practical based activities where a basic competence needs to be demonstrated. These are linked to the learning activities, many will be “signed off” within the workplace whilst more factual elements will accumulate electronically via ongoing Turnitin submissions. These submissions and “in situ” competence checks will help you monitor your experiential learning. They will also provide valuable on-going information for integration into the tutorial programme. (Learning outcome 1,2, 3, 5 and 6)

30% Process orientated Reflective PDP portfolio. (This element needs to be passed). It will include: An initial and final SWOT analysis. A feedback diary highlighting "ways forward" from self, peer and staff feedback. A reflective skills development statement/review highlighting areas for further personal development. (Learning outcomes 1)

20% Group designed narrated PowerPoint displaying the outcome of a team executed mini-data interpretation exercise. (Learning outcomes 2 & 4) [FINAL]

Additional Assessment Details
Formative feedback/assessment will occur via self and peer assessed feedback whilst working through the activities. In addition feedback on completion of product portfolio elements will provide formative input.

Reed, R., Weyers, J. and Jones, A. (2016) Practical Skills in Biology, 6th ed. Pearson

Campbell, N.A., Reece, J. B., Urry, L., Cain, M.L., Wasserman, S.A., Minorsky, P.V. and Jackson, R.B. (2014) Biology: A Global Approach 10th ed. Pearson

Both are available in electronic format via Library

Equipped lecture room and equipped laboratory (access to interactive technology in all teaching rooms)

1. Carry out inquiry based learning and critical analysis by demonstrating an awareness of personal responsibility for your own learning as a professional scientific practitioner.
Problem Solving
Reflection

2. Demonstrate competence in the basic experimental and laboratory skills and approaches appropriate to the subject(s) studied.
Application

3. Explain and apply a range of mathematical, data handling and statistical techniques that underpin practice within the Biosciences.
Analysis

4. Display the ability to safely work in a team to develop, execute and present the outcome of an ethically considered investigation appropriate to the level of study.
Communication

5. Recognise the interdisciplinary nature of science with particular reference to the underlying knowledge of physics and chemistry necessary to support understanding of biological, biochemical and biophysical processes.
Knowledge and Understanding

6. Demonstrate knowledge of the basic genetic principles relating to, and evolution of, life, together with the ability to describe and analyse patterns of inheritance and genetic interactions and explain the links to transmission of biological information and the resulting methods and principles underlying taxonomy and classification.
Knowledge and Understanding
Learning

"The module is delivered as a blend of DL and face-to-face.

Face to face contact will allow you to consolidate the material covered and demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of the material covered.
The module includes you engagemnet with Independent and Distance Learning Study, practice-based workshops/practical work, reading PowerPoint presentation, on-line tutor led activit, literature search/reading/ preparation for practicals and supplementing lecture material, writing practical reports and workshop material, assessment preparation."