Maeve Scott, ITTD

1. Using a social media tool to
improve application of academic
theory to industry by science
students
Maeve Scott, Science Lecturer,
ITTDublin
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2. Introduction
Lecturer
Project supervision
Placement Organiser
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3. Science Placement Opportunities
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4. Placement objectives
The main objectives of the placement are that
the student;
– Achieves experience relevent to their studies and
– Relates theoretical modules to industry.
– Grasps the diversity of opportunities for a science
graduate.
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5. Problem identified
Experience is limited to one area and a lack of
appreciation of the diverse opportunities
open to science graduates
and how modules relate to these roles
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6. 2012 science placements
29 students obtained placements in the
pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, medical
device, clinical reseach, environmental testing
industries and research laboratories in Ireland
and in the EC
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7. How the student passes the
placement module (pre 2012)
1. A satisfactory performance in work
2. Completion of a written weekly log
3. Completion of a placement report
4. Short presentation by each
placement student to acedemic
staff and classmates
But it was clear students didn’t listen to each other during
presentations
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8. How the studuent passes the
placement module (2012)
1. A satisfactory performance in work
2. Completion of a written weekly log
3. Completion of a placement report
4.Posting to a class placement
blog
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9. Blog objectives
Encourage Improve
reflective Allow the placement
understanding of
practice by coordinator to
the pharmaceutical
maintain contact with
linking their industry and
students while on
placement to opportunities to
placement and alerted
theoretical science
to any problems,
undergraduates.
modules studied,
Provide information and
Improve contact within the motivate future students
class while on placement, when planning their
placement,
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10. Blog Website
• Creating a blog was a bit of challenge
• http://ittscienceplacement.wordpress.com/
Username; ITTSCIENCEPLACEMENT
Password; SIPPITTDUBLIN
• informal, guidelines provided, example posts
given, objectives explained and leading questions
asked by the blog moderator (me)
• Students were told the posts would not be
graded BUT PARTICIPATION WAS COMPULSORY
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11. Outcome of blog posts
Engagement Open, informative,
chatty, in generally lengthy (girls
definitely more at ease posting Pleasantly surprised
by unaccoustomed
and talked more!) engagement ,
enthusiasm, relevent
....students asked each other posts, connectivity
questions!!
Even more .... Students made
reference to the most relevent
modules and connected college
to work!!
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12. Example post
“Posting, reading and commenting on blogs gave
me the opportunity to update the progress of my
placement, learn about the works by other students
and gain knowledge on various topics such as
instrument/equipment used, QC tests and ongoing
research in Nano technology. This gave me an
insight to the wide available range of job
opportunities that I can apply for after graduation. I
found the validation role taken by another student
to be very interesting and would definitely like to
work as a team member of a process validation
team in future. “
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13. Example post
“From reading the blogs of other students I can
see how much they have learned working in
industry this semester and about the many
different job options available in industry after
graduation. Over the past few months I have
found many of the modules we studied in college
extremely helpful. In particular microbiology,
biochemistry, aseptic processing and protein
technology have been the most relevant to my
work here”
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14. Were blog objectives met?
Improve understanding Allow the placement
Encourage reflective
of the pharmaceutical coordinator to maintain
practice by linking their
industry and contact with students
placement to theoretical
opportunities to science while on placement and
modules studied,
undergraduates. alerted to any problems,
Yes, some Maybe, questions Partly
evidence seemed to indicate
yes
Provide information and
Improve contact within motivate future
the class while on students when planning
placement, their placement,
Students No evidence of
reported yes this yet
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15. Conclusion
• Pertinant questions posted by moderator is
critical
• Informal, ungraded deliverable is critical
• Blog was more sucessful than previous
deliverables getting students to connect
acedmic modules with industrial applications
• There is room for improvement in the blog
moderation and design in 2013
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16. The End
Thank you,
I am happy to answer questions,
hopefully none too technicial
about creating blogs
Maeve.Scott@ittdublin.ie
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