1
Course analysis (course evaluation) – Biomedicine Bachelor Programme
Course code 1BI048
Course title
Molecular Medicine – Cardiometabolic and Infectious Diseases
Credits 15 ECTS Semester
Autumn
Period
2019‐11‐04 – 2020‐01‐17
Course coordinator Mari Liljefors
Examiner Rachel Fisher Teacher in charge of component
Rachel Fisher (Cardiometabolic diseases) Christopher Sundling (Infectious diseases) Nicolas Pillon + David Plaza (Research application) Magdalena Paolino (Lab – Methods in Molecular Biology)
Other participating teachers
A range of teachers, both from within and outside the Department of Medicine (Solna), including both clinicians and researchers (from both KI and KS).
Number of registered students during the three week check
53
Number approved on the last course date
40
Response frequency course valuation survey
81.1%
Other methods for student influence (in addition to concluding course valuation)
The course had two course councils. One was held in the middle of the course with course representatives and the second was open to all students and was held at the end of the course, before the final examination.
Students were encouraged to give feedback either directly to the course leaders or to the class representatives for subsequent discussion with course leaders.
Feedback reporting of the course valuation results to the students
The summary of the course survey was made available on the course webpage (PingPong).
Issues that were brought up at the first course council with representatives were reviewed and discussed at the second course council (open to whole class).
Results of the survey from the previous course (HT18) were presented at the start of the present course (although the present course is a new course, running for the first time, and as such not all the content form the previous course was relevant). Strengths and weaknesses of the course were discussed and changes that had been made (content, structure etc) were presented and explained in the context of the results of the survey.
The importance of collecting feedback from students for developing and improving the course was explained.
Note that...
The analysis should (together with a summarising quantitative summary of the students’ course valuation) be communicated to the education committee at the department responsible for the course and for programme courses also the programme coordinating committee.
The analysis was communicated to the education committee on the following date: 9th July 2020 The analysis was communicated to the programme coordinating committee on the following date: 9th July 2020
2 1. Description of any conducted changes since the previous course occasion based on the
views of former students
This was the first time that the “Molecular Medicine – Cardiometabolic and Infectious Diseases” course was held (in the new curriculum for the Bachelor’s programme in Biomedicine). As such the changes that are described below summarise those that were introduced in to this new course (in comparison to the former “Molecular Medicine” course, (1BI029) and do not necessarily reflect changes that were made in response to the views of former students.
i) Inclusion of infectious diseases in the course. Being able to focus on just two disease groups (cardiometabolic and infectious diseases) was very positive, since the large range of diseases covered in the previous course (1BI029) was always viewed as problematic by both students and teachers. Infectious diseases were covered in the form of lectures, a lab, an assignment (oral examination in group format covering research-based aspects), workshops, and research applications.
ii) Development of practical/laboratory components of the course. The existing “Methods in Molecular Biology” lab was complemented by the introduction of a new malaria diagnosis lab.
Both labs focus on methodologies and the interpretation of data. An increased content of practical work in the course matches requests from previous students.
iii) Introduction of workshops. Three workshops were included, which covered the interaction of cardiometabolic and infectious diseases. For each topic, a review article and an original article were selected and preparatory questions placed on Canvas to be answered and submitted prior to the workshops and then discussed in a student-led fashion during the actual workshop (performed in half-class format). The possibility to discuss topics relevant for the course in a journal club format has been requested by students, promoting independent thinking and the possibility to resolve misunderstandings/confusion through discussion with fellow students and teachers.
2. Brief summary of the students’ valuations of the course
(Based on the students’ quantitative responses to the course valuation and key views from free text responses. Quantitative summary and any graphs are attached.)
The students generally appreciated the course and thought that they had achieved the course’s goals.
In particular, they felt that the course had promoted a scientific way of thinking and reasoning.
Students felt that they took responsibility for their learning during the course, and that they could turn to a teacher/supervisor for guidance when/if they had questions or problems with the course content.
Importantly, students reported that they received critical appraisal for their work. The research application, the two assignments and the labs were particularly appreciated components.
On the negative side, the students found it hard to see the common theme running through the course in terms of linking cardiometabolic and infectious diseases. While the workshops were appreciated, their timing was felt to be sub-optimal, and since they were not compulsory, many students did not attend them, even though they were judged to be worthwhile. Making the submission of answers to the workshop questions was generally thought to be a good development for the future.
3. The course coordinator’s reflections on the implementation and results of the course
Strengths of the course:
The “real life” experience the course provides for the students in their last course before their degree project:
- The research application encourages independent thinking in choosing a research question and designing an appropriate experimental design.
- The labs cover important methodologies and focus on the interpretation of research data, which is often rather complicated and different from results from a “cook book” lab.
- The assignments take complex research-based issues and provide a forum for discussion, which enables misunderstandings to be clarified.
3 - The course’s “core” teachers are engaged, dedicated and keen to promote pedagogical
development to raise the standard of the course.
- Good administrative support and Canvas expertise.
Weaknesses of the course:
Lack of a course textbook (this makes it difficult for the students to know exactly what they should learn for the exam).
Difficult to exemplify the connections between the cardiovascular/metabolic and infectious diseases.
Not many teachers are expert in this area and hence hard to lead discussions etc. The workshops were included in HT19 to highlight this area, and while they were appreciated by the student, there is also room for improvement in their design, organisation and timing.
3. Other views
In general, the course went well considering it was the first time that it ran. The introduction of
infectious diseases was positive, although as discussed in this analysis there is room for improvement in terms of integrating the two major disease groups contained in the course. The clinical aspect of the course is extremely important, but it is not always easy to get the level right for Biomedicine students.
It is hard to get the balance between expertise in the different topics covered in the course and continuity (ie many teachers vs few teachers). Digital examination is preferable as this facilitates the inclusion of more advanced questions that promote analysis and test deeper understanding, but although space in “Skrivsalen” was applied for, it was not obtained and hence old-fashioned paper examination had to be performed, which was sub-optimal.
4. Course coordinator’s conclusions and any suggestions for changes
(If changes are suggested, state who is responsible for implementing them and provide a schedule.)
The purpose of the course will be presented more clearly. The goal is to make clear that the main aim of the course is not to learn about the interplay between cardiometabolic and infectious diseases.
Rather these two disease areas are used as examples when training the students in skills and competences that are necessary for biomedical research, eg critical thinking/analysis, designing a research project, interpreting and presenting data, giving and receiving constructive feedback and acting upon this feedback. Different aspects of cardiometabolic and infectious diseases (including areas where these disease groups interact) will be used when working to develop these skills. Those responsible for this development are Rachel Fisher (Course Director), Christopher Sundling (Deputy Course Director) and Hanna Björck.
The workshops will be reorganised and renamed, being called journal clubs in future. Their timing will be revised to give students’ adequate time to prepare (in relation to other assignments in the course).
Some of the articles will be changed/improved. It will be compulsory to submit answers to the discussion questions in advance. The new format will be that of a standard journal club. Those responsible for this are Christopher Sundling (infectious diseases) and Hanna Björck (cardiometabolic diseases).
The research application will be developed and improved in a number of ways. i) Through the inclusion of a more structured consideration of the relevance of the topic from a global health
perspective; ii) through training students in advanced scientific reading; iii) through a more formalised contact with the mentors/discussion partners to facilitate and strengthen this interaction; and iv) through a more extensive introduction to the assignment as a whole. The teachers responsible for this part of the course are Nicolas Pillon and David Plaza.
These changes are in line with preparing the students for their Bachelor’s thesis, which follows directly after this course. The “Molecular Medicine – Cardiometabolic and Infectious Diseases” course should function as an opportunity for the students to review what they have learnt previously in the
programme and apply this in a range of scenarios.
4 Appendices:
Course survey HT19
