School of Biomedical Sciences

Innovations and Academic Enterprise

Pedagogic Research

The School is actively engaged in introducing pedagogically sound enhancements to the student learning experience through innovations in teaching and learning. Some of the projects conducted within the School have attracted funding from the Higher Education Academy and the JISC TechDis scheme. Examples of pedagogic projects within the School of Biomedical Sciences are given below.

Piloting of an Online Module in Skills for Evidence-based Healthcare Practice.

Current initiatives within the healthcare sector are placing considerable emphasis on attaining clinical excellence, maintaining continued professional development (CPD) and developing an evidence-based approach to clinical practice. Further information about this project is available on this website:
- Piloting of an Online Module in Skills for Evidence-based Healthcare Practice

YouTestTube.com – Using User-Generated Videos to Engage Students

First-year undergraduate students are given the opportunity to make short reflective video logs of their experiences in chemistry practical classes. Each group must reflect on particular aspects of the practical when making the video, highlighting anything they found difficult and offering advice to someone who may be repeating the experiment at a later time. In so doing this promotes engagement with practical work during the session and thought towards how the material relates to lectures and other parts of the course. The videos are then uploaded to a video sharing website (YouTestTube.com) hosted on university servers and shared with everyone enrolled on the Introductory Chemistry module. Students may view and rate their colleagues’ videos as well as ‘making friends’ with other members of the group. This has provided a collaborative and inclusive peer-learning environment for bioscience students in a subject that is often perceived as difficult. For further information please see:
- Creating Reflective Videos during Practical Classes
- Labs, Camera, Action! UK Centre for Bioscience Bulletin Summer 2009 p9

MP3 Audio Feedback MP3 audio files have been used to provide feedback and feedforward to students. Approximately three minutes of verbal feedback are recorded and then exported as an MP3 file which is then emailed to the student. This can effectively provide formative feedback on a draft of an assignment submitted electronically by the student thus providing opportunity to make meaningful changes before final submission. More information available at:

- Stephen McClean (2008) Making Small Talk — Audio MP3 Files Made More Portable, Bioscience Education,12-L1

Projects Funded by the Centre for Higher Education Practice at Ulster Staff within the School have been successful in obtaining funding from the Centre for Higher Education Practice at Ulster for various pedagogic projects. These include:
- The development of pbLRC: to support and promote PBL at the University of Ulster. Lead applicant: Dr Aine McKillop
- Development of a Stem Cell Technology Animation: Lead applicant: Dr Catherine Hack
- â€˜Project 140’ An Evaluation of Text Messaging and Microblogging in Biomedical Sciences. Lead applicant: Dr Stephen McClean

Technology and Knowledge Transfer

There is a growing body of expertise within the School on Technology and Knowledge Transfer, which is led by Professor Tony McHale (Scientific Director for Gendel Ltd and EFMB Ltd) and Professor Tony Bjourson Director of Biomedical Sciences Research Institute and supported by the Faculty of Life and Health Sciences, Coordinator of Academic Enterprise, Mr Peter Mitchell.