Bioscience Education

Faculty of Science and Engineering

Professor Graham Scott and Dr Lesley Morrell
Interim Dean/Director of Teaching and Learning

+44 (0)1482 460000

The Challenge

The Bioscience Education Research Group (BERG) team was brought together by a mutual desire to develop their personal teaching practice, enhance student satisfaction and achievement, and support the development of colleagues through the scholarship of teaching and learning.

The Approach

BERG members publish peer-reviewed journal articles on the teaching of biology in a range of contexts including assessment and feedback, student employability, learner autonomy, research-led teaching, and the development of scholars of learning and teaching.

Much of this work has been supported through competitive funding from the University of Hull, the HEA, SEDA and HEFCE. Our work is shared through conference presentations, seminars and workshops locally, nationally and internationally.

Impact

BERG members are often invited to give keynote speeches and plenaries at national and international meetings and conferences.

In addition to evaluating our own practice, we help colleagues to develop research-based evaluations of theirs and, in doing so, support both the enhancement of their practice and also their development in the scholarship of teaching and learning.

OUR AIMS

To have a positive impact upon the experience and achievement of students
To establish an inclusive community of disciplinary scholarship of teaching and learning, and pedagogical research rooted in Hull but engaging at a discipline level beyond the institution
To support the career development of colleagues through excellence in the practice and scholarship of teaching

Projects

View all projects

Developing the use of learning analytics across the STEM disciplines to increase student engagement and improve student outcomes
Assessing the equality of assessment patterns within STEM subjects
Getting more from getting out - maximising the employability-enhancing effect of fieldwork for a diverse student body
Harnessing enthusiasm for biodiversity to enhance learning
Developing teaching academics as scholars of teaching and learning - an interdisciplinary project

Members

Professor Graham Scott

Interim Dean (Faculty of Science and Engineering)

Group Co-Lead

g.scott@hull.ac.uk

+44 (0)1482 466424

Dr Lesley Morrell

Director of Teaching and Learning

Group Co-Lead

l.morrell@hull.ac.uk

+44 (0)1482 465874

Dr Dominic Henri

Director of Student Experience

Lecturer in Biology

Dr Stuart Nattrass

Researcher/Quantitative Data Analyst

S.Nattrass@hull.ac.uk

+44 (0)1482 466532

Outputs and publications

Douglas C, Yearsley J, Scott G W, Hubbard K E, 'The Student Thesis conference as a model for authentic and inclusive student research dissemination', Higher Education Pedagogies, 3(1), pp 319-341 (2018)

Henri D C, Morrell L J, Scott G W, 'Student perceptions of their autonomy at university', Higher Education, 75(3), pp 507-516 (2018)

Scott G W, 'Active engagement with assessment and feedback improves group-work outcomes', Higher Education Pedagogies, 2(1), pp 1-13 (2017)

Smith M A, Dunhill A, Scott G W, 'Fostering children’s relationship with nature: Exploring the potential of Forest School', Education 3-13, 43(6), pp 525-534 (2017)

Hubbard K E, Dunbar S, 'Perceptions of scientific research literature and strategies for reading papers depend on academic career stage', PLoS ONE, 12(12), e0189753 (2017)

Hubbard K E, Brown R, Deans S, Garcia M P, Pruna M, Mason M J, 'Undergraduate students as co-producers in the creation of first-year practical class resources', Higher Education Pedagogies, 2(1), pp 58-78 (2017)

Goulder RG & Scott GW (2016) 'Conflicting perceptions of the status of field biology and identification skills in UK education'. Journal of Biological Education. 50(3) 233-238.

Henri DC, Morrell LJ & Scott GW (2015) 'Ask a clearer question, get a better answer'. F1000Research.

Hubbard KE, Gretton S, Jones K, Tallents L (2015) 'Challenges and Opportunities for early-career Teaching focused academics in the biosciences'. F1000Research.

Morrell, LJ & Joyce DA. (2015) 'Interactive lectures: clickers or personal devices?' [version 1; referees: 2 approved] F1000Research 4: 64.

Morrell LJ. (2014) 'Use of feed-¬forward mechanisms in a novel research¬‐led module'. Bioscience Education 22: 70-81.

Research Students

Emma Peasland

Getting more from getting out: how can we maximise the employability enhancing effect of fieldwork for a diverse student body?

Graham Scott, Lesley Morrell and Dominic Henri

Inspired?

Our research impacts the world. Come and join us.

Be part of a vibrant research community at the University of Hull.

Find out more