Group work based assessment in distance learning

Dr Clare Sansom, CDE Fellow 20 July 2015

Outline

• • • • • • The Open University MSc in Medicinal Chemistry The Role of Group Work –Guided group work –Independent (and examined) group work Technology Challenges, Solutions and Tips … Discussion

OU MSc in Medicinal Chemistry

Four Compulsory Modules • • • • S825 Research Skills in Science S807 Molecules in Medicine

S827 Concept to Clinic

SXM810 Project Module • • • • 30 credits 60 credits

30 credits

60 credits This order is recommended but not prescribed Project topic must be linked to S807 or S827

The Drug Discovery Process: 10-15 years, > $1Bn

S807 S827

A Multi-Disciplinary, Multi-Skill Industry • • • • • • • • Medicinal chemistry (the main focus of the MSc) Structural biology Bioinformatics and computational chemistry Synthetic organic chemistry Pharmacology Toxicology Clinical Medicine Regulatory Affairs • Teamwork is an essential skill for drug development professionals – hence we test it extensively in S827

Who are our students?

• • • • • • Many work in the pharmaceutical / biotech industry – Graduate trainees – Technicians Sales reps Senior nurses Aspiring medics People returning after career breaks A few ‘just for interest’ but less since fee rises – Retired GPs

S827 Concept to Clinic

• • An overview of the drug development pathway Focusing on a single therapeutic area – pain and inflammation • • • Teaches the skills required for selecting a drug target, identifying a lead compound and modifying it into a candidate drug • One multiple choice test (iCMA) and three extensive assessments (TMAs) Group work introduced in the third TMA ‘Examinable component’ (EMA) is all group work

Celecoxib

TMA03 Group Work: ‘Coxibs’

• • • • Students are allocated to groups of 4-7 students after the first TMA • Each group is assigned a leader and deputy leader based on students’ prior performance Groups work together to research and present the properties of a ‘coxib’ analgesic drug Each student has a designated scientific role 50% of the marks for the TMA are given for a group presentation – With each student presenting their own section

Role Allocations

• Students are advised that the following topics must be covered – Scientific rationale – Molecular modelling – Pharmacodynamics – Pharmacokinetics – Toxicology } Combined for group of 6 – Property predictions – Dropped for group of 5 – Solubility and bioavailability • Students can generally be allowed to choose

Technologies for Group Interaction

• Provided by the university: – An OU email account for each student – Discussion forums • A separate thread for each group – OU Live • A version of Blackboard Collaborate • Used by some groups: – Google Drive – Dropbox – ‘Ordinary email’

Audio / video

OU Live

Participant list Chat box Whiteboard

Molecular Modelling

•An important skill to learn – and a hard one •Only one or two students can be tested on it

S tructure of Naproxen docked in COX-1 calculated with www.dockingserver.com

S tructure of Celecoxib docked in COX-1 calculated with www.dockingserver.com

Solving ‘the molecular modelling problem’ • • • • Increase the proportion of modelling and computational chemistry in earlier TMAs – Students now answer a compulsory question on ‘docking’ a potential drug molecule into a protein receptor Decrease the weight given to group work in TMA03 – From 75% to 50% Remove the ‘least scientific’ roles from the role allocations Test all students’

understanding

of modelling in the EMA

Independent Group Work: The EMA

• Groups are asked to design their own molecule and present it to the examiners as if to senior managers in a drug company – They have free choice of the drug types covered in the course • Opioids • Steroids • Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs – Groups are

expected

change to stay the same, but roles may

Assessing the Group Work: The Presentation

• • • Once the drug has been designed each student produces 4 slides covering their role The group leader assembles the group’s slides into a complete presentation Groups select a time when they can all be ‘present’ in OU Live • • Each student gives the whole presentation and answers wide ranging questions … … Followed by a short assessed group discussion

“MANGO-5” (2014) A novel opioid antagonist

Three Drugs Designed in 2015

• Group A’s Etodoprofen: A non-steroidal anti inflammatory drug • Group B’s Bericoxib: Another non-steroidal anti inflammatory drug • Group C’s Nopriphine : A transdermal opioid

Assessing the Group Work: Reflection

• Four weeks after the presentation cutoff each student submits a ‘reflection document’ containing – An abstract of the whole presentation – Summaries of 5 references they used in their own research – A critical account of the presentation session – A ‘peer assessment’ of their colleagues’ contributions • Involving both scientific and personal qualities

Practical Challenges

• Students MUST meet in OU Live at the same time for the assessment – Across time zones and on slow connections • One of my 2015 group leaders moved to Australia between assessments • She was a conscientious student who had no objection to a very early exam • Another student in the same group tried and failed from a UK hotel room

Assessment Challenges

• • • Students are assessed on their scientific knowledge and skills but also on contribution to the group – Mark range is lower than for individual assessments – Can we completely prevent ‘free-loading’?

– Some (very good) students have resented weaker colleagues

“S/he is preventing me from getting my Distinction…”

Nervous students have felt intimidated: one even withdrew

Thanks for listening And over to you….