Scientists at the University of Brighton in the UK are using TV-style contests as a new tool to teach students.
Teams of contestants are set tasks in a similar way that Sir Alan Sugar challenges participants in BBC’s The Apprentice.
Pharmaceutical and Chemical Sciences BSc(Hons) and Pharmacy MPharm students taking part in ‘The Analyst’ are filmed from the start of their tasks in the laboratory through to marketing-style presentations and finally the boardroom where they are judged and winners announced. The footage is posted on YouTube and on university websites.
The idea is the brainchild of Dr Bhavik Patel, lecturer at the University’s School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences. He said: ‘The main purpose is to teach and learn, and also to expose students to what they will be doing when they are employed.
‘The method is proving extremely effective. Students are putting theory into practical applications and then thinking of ways to market their results and finally making presentations – all in a competitive environment.
‘It seems to be going down well with the students – the feedback has been very positive.’
Dr Patel is planning a sponsored grand finale in which students will work on an analytical challenge over five days.
In one contest posted on YouTube, Dr Patel teamed up with Phenomenex, a global leader in research and the manufacture of advanced technologies for the separation sciences.
With tense background music, Dr Patel is seen setting the challenge in a robust style typical of Sir Alan Sugar, even telling the students at one point to ‘get on with it’.
Scenes show students working and being interviewed and these are interspersed with comments and criticism of performances, again reminiscent of The Apprentice. The teams then make their pitches to a panel before the winners are announced.
Dr Patel gives the reasons for the panel’s choice and students are asked for their comments.
‘This is an innovative teaching tool which is proving highly successful – we hope to use it in our two new chemistry courses which we are starting in 2012.’
He added: ‘This idea is working well and the students seem to like it. All are winners as far as learning is concerned – and no one gets fired.’
