Student Perspectives of Beyond Science
Introduction
Katie and Ava came to the Beyond Science module for a variety of reasons. Katie found it helpful to speak to Tom directly about the module and hear his perspective on how the module was designed to help students gain skills in leadership and learn how to work independently. Ava shares that students in Chemistry could choose between Beyond Science or a module offered by the Warwick Business School, and she found Beyond Science the more intriguing alternative for its focus on group work.
Katie Allabush
Ava Chapman
Principles of Practice
Signposting Opportunities
An important part of Beyond Science is the signposting of different engagement opportunities students can become involved in as they embark on their journey at Warwick. Ava decided to sign up to be a part of the Undergraduate Research Support Scheme (URSS) after hearing about it from one of the invited guest speakers. She adds, “It was useful for me to see where I can take my degree and what I can do with it.”
Developing Leadership Capacities and Project Management Skills
While Katie and Ava acknowledge the challenges of group work, they both reflect that they took a leadership role on their team, learning “time and resource management,” and “how to delegate tasks based on people’s strengths.” Katie adds that many of the Chemistry modules are based on group work assessment, so Beyond Science helped set the foundations for effective teamwork moving forward. She shares, “I know what to expect and how to deal with things.” Ava says that she “definitely built confidence.”
Not only did the module allow Katie and Ava to foster their skills in teamwork, Katie says that it helped her to find opportunities where she can “present to the public as well” and become involved in leadership opportunities at the wider university level.
Finally, Katie explains how she developed interview techniques. As her team decided on the topic of microplastics’ effect on melting ice caps, one of Katie’s roles in her group was to reach out to experts in this area. Katie interviewed Dr Katie Reeves who specializes in researching surface particles on melting ice. Through this experience, Katie says that she learned how to “ask questions,” and “formulate responses” from the interview into a poster presentation.
Moving Forward
Both Katie and Ava volunteered at offer holder days and are planning on participating in more in the future, an experience that they were made aware of through taking module. Ava is excited to take the leadership skills that she developed into the URSS, as well as continue to practice public speaking.
Katie and Ava also appreciated how the module team sought student feedback at the end of the term. This feedback will be essential in continuing to finesse the module’s structure moving forward.
