Unit information: Core Skills 1 (Distance Learning) in 2012/13

Unit name	Core Skills 1 (Distance Learning)
Unit code	VETS30018
Credit points	20
Level of study	H/6
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12)
Unit director	Mr. Wotton
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	Biochemistry and Meat Quality and other 20 credit units (below) required for PgC (3 units), PgD (6 units) and MSc (6 units plus Core Skills 2 and Research Project). Animal Welfare, Poultry Processing, Meat Hygiene and Public Health, Meat Processing.
School/department	Bristol Veterinary School
Faculty	Faculty of Health Sciences

Description including Unit Aims

The unit develops fundamental transferable skills and ensures that students have the essential skills required to complete the rest of the meat science programme. The skills developed focus on computer and information literacy skills, and scientific writing and verbal communication skills. Wherever possible these are developed in a meat science context. The unit includes the use of the common Microsoft Office applications (word, excel and powerpoint), the UOB electronic resources (Blackboard, ejournals, ebooks and electronic databases) and information retrieval using electronic resources.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Students must be able to use:

1. electronic forms of communication
2. electronic databases to carry out literature searches using keywords and

Boolean operators

1. ejournals for locating and downloading original research papers and review

articles

1. Blackboard to access taught materials and submit assignments

electronically

1. a word processing package to create a document including the use of

bullet points, the formatting tools, the table command, insert pictures and spellcheck

1. powerpoint to create slides, insert pictures, use animated bullet points, and record narration
2. excel to record and manipulate data, create graphs, perform simple

calculations and use the data analysis tool

1. internet explorer to locate information
2. use the Harvard system to reference scholarly articles using a specified format

Students must also be able to

1. deliver a 15 minute oral presentation using powerpoint slides to an

audience consisting of peers and academic members of staff

1. write a fully referenced, structured essay
2. proof read and correct their own or other people’s work
3. recognise and avoid plagiarism

Teaching Information

A blended learning approach has been adopted, combining online delivery of course material with face to face contact, developed in accordance with the ‘principles for designing and providing distance learning at the University of Bristol’ (annex 3 in the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes).

The distance learning material is hosted on a web-based platform (Blackboard) that supports written, audio and video material. Students have password-protected access to Blackboard and other electronic resources at the University of Bristol via the internet. Students can work online or download the core materials to study in their own time thus providing a highly flexible learning environment for students who combine full-time work with part-time study. Coursework is submitted electronically via Blackboard which also hosts discussion groups. Course tutors are on hand via email and telephone to support students and deal with any queries. Interaction with staff and networking with other students is encouraged with the aim of developing a community of active learners.

All students also have access to University of Bristol online journals, the e-book collection and electronic search engines eg Web of Science.

Attendance is required for a day at the start of the unit for formative assessment of the student’s entry level skills, followed by another day for summative assessment and an oral presentation.

Assessment Information

The unit is assessed entirely by coursework. It includes various assessments to test computer and information literacy skills. Students must also make a 15 min oral presentation, and produce a fully referenced essay (~2500 words excluding tables, references and figures) submitted electronically through Blackboard and checked for plagiarism. Essays will be peer reviewed by students.

Marks will be allocated as follows: writing skills and peer review 40%, computer literacy 20%, information retrieval and referencing 20%, oral presentation 20%.

Reading and References

There is a strong reliance on original research papers from various journals (eg Meat Science) that can be accessed through the library or using the University’s electronic resources.