Modules

Due to Covid-19 restrictions, learning and teaching activities on campus as described in the module descriptors are currently restricted. Learning and teaching will be enabled through a mixture of scheduled online activity where you will be able to engage with your tutor and classmates in real-time and unscheduled guided activity where you will be required to complete activities and tasks at a time which best suits you. Teaching will take place on campus, wherever possible, and where this is safe to happen.

Definitive information on module delivery during 2020/21 will be provided on Module Moodle Sites. For specific enquiries please contact the module leaders directly.

Module title:	Foundations in Science
SCQF level:	07:
SCQF credit value:	20.00
ECTS credit value:	10
Module code:	BMS07106
Module leader:	Stefan Erhardt
School	School of Applied Sciences
Subject area group:	Biomedical Science

Prerequisites

n/a

2020/1, Trimester 1, Face-to-Face, Edinburgh Napier University

Occurrence:	001
Primary mode of delivery:	Face-to-Face
Location of delivery:	SIGHTHILL
Partner:	Edinburgh Napier University
Member of staff responsible for delivering module:	Stefan Erhardt
Module Organiser:

Learning, Teaching and Assessment (LTA) Approach:

The learning and teaching methods cover the learning outcomes and support them in various ways. LO1-5 are covered in face-to-face lectures, workshops and laboratory sessions to enhance the student’s understanding with practical applications.
The lectures will contain a blended approach where students are expected to have read-up on the topic before and the concepts are discussed on examples. The workshops will deepen the student’s understanding by problem solving exercises which are partly group work and partly individual focused. In their self-study time students are expected to prepare for the laboratory sessions. In their individual study time students are also expected to perform computer based experiments where they will learn about equations and their graphical presentation as well as structure and properties of molecules.

Formative Assessment:

Online tests (digital examinations) will be posted on Moodle fortnightly and should be completed by the following week to allow effective progression to the next test, working towards the final, summative online test. These online tests ensure a continued learning and regular engagement of the students with the learning content. Students will receive immediate feedback after each online test.
Laboratory based problem solving exercises will be scheduled fortnightly. Students will learn to connect concepts and scientific principles by applying fundamental knowledge to real world problems. Laboratory based self- and peer assessment of practical skills teaches the students self-evaluation and makes them aware of topics and skills on which they may require improvement.
Direct feedback is provided during seminars and laboratory session on the student’s laboratory book notes.

Summative Assessment:

The laboratory book assessment addresses LO3 and also serves to assess whether the student has achieved a required level of GLP and identify improvements needed. The assessment will take place in weeks 7/8 and 11/12, respectively.
The online test (digital examination) will cover questions from both areas of mathematics and biological and environmental chemistry. It will also contain questions related to the laboratory and computer experiments to cover LOs 1,2,4 and 5.

Student Activity (Notional Equivalent Study Hours (NESH))
Mode of activity	Learning & Teaching Activity	NESH (Study Hours)
Face To Face	Lecture	30
Face To Face	Practical classes and workshops	41
Independent Learning	Guided independent study	129
	Total Study Hours	200
	Expected Total Study Hours for Module	200

Assessment
Type of Assessment	Weighting %	LOs covered	Week due	Length in Hours/Words
Laboratory report	50	3	12	HOURS= 0, WORDS= 4000
Digital Examination (not Centrally Timetabled)	50	1,2,4 & 5	14/15	HOURS= 2, WORDS= 0
Component 1 subtotal:	100
Component 2 subtotal:	0
Module subtotal:	100

Description of module content:

The biological and environmental chemistry part covers fundamental concepts of general, inorganic, organic and physical chemistry, e.g. atomic and molecular structure, thermodynamic and kinetics, classes of organic and biological molecules, structure-function relationship, carbon chemistry, natural compounds and environmental pollutants and their effect on plants and animals.
Problem solving seminars, practical laboratory skills and computational based experiments reinforce the conceptual understanding. The mathematics part covers numbers, logarithms and powers, algebra including arithmetic and aspects of symmetry, calculus with differentiation and integration and graphical representations of equations.

Learning Outcomes for module:

Upon completion of this module you will be able to
LO1: apply basic mathematical concepts to scientific problems.
LO2: understand equations, variables and their graphical representations
LO3: analyse and present experimental data in scientific form and format
LO4: understand the underlying chemical concepts of biological and environmental systems.
LO5: understand the structure and function of organic and biological molecules.

Indicative References and Reading List - URL:

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