We describe an exercise, the production of a species action plan, which utilises components of both transmission mode and experiential learning. This exercise brings together students and a professional role model to promote a stronger engagement with aspects of local biodiversity management. We outline perceived benefits and outcomes of the…

Science education can be split into two categories: one to provide the basic concepts, knowledge and techniques that students need to follow careers as scientists and the other to provide scientific literacy that will enable students who do not necessarily desire careers in science to be able to understand the world around them. Clearly, courses…

Lectures tend to be a largely passive experience with respect to student learning and it has been shown that engaging students in their own learning can increase their understanding. Quizzes have been shown to be a mechanism that improves the student learning experience, and other key factors such as a competitive environment, enjoyment, and a…

In recent years academics have commonly bemoaned the lack of essay-writing ability exhibited by their students. Whether or not the halcyon era in which undergraduates routinely knew how to construct a persuasive essay ever truly existed, it is certainly the case that contemporary students can benefit from advice on preparation of a long-format…

The role of ethics in bioscience undergraduate degrees is now widely accepted, but how ethics should be taught, who should teach it and what the curriculum should include are matters for debate. This article discusses teaching strategies: specialist options, or embed ethics in other courses, or both; use of professional philosophers, or…

Research is so inextricably embedded within the teaching in the bioscience disciplines that many of us do not question that there is linkage between teaching and research--we simply know that it is true as part of our discipline culture. We, as bioscientists, have written this essay for the bioscience academic community. We start from the point of…