Module Information

Module Identifier
BR22410
Module Title
Advances in Invertebrate Zoology
Academic Year
2017/2018
Co-ordinator
Semester
Semester 1
Other Staff

Course Delivery

Delivery Type Delivery length / details
Lecture 22 x 1 Hour Lectures
Practical 2 x 4 Hour Practicals
 

Assessment

Assessment Type Assessment length / details Proportion
Semester Assessment Crab dissection report.  Completed in class.  10%
Semester Assessment Locust dissection report.  Completed in class.  10%
Semester Assessment Magazine article.  20%
Semester Exam 2 Hours   60%
Supplementary Assessment Students must take elements of assessment equivalent to those that led to failure of the module.  40%
Supplementary Exam 2 Hours   Students must take elements of assessment equivalent to those that led to failure of the module.  60%

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:

1. Display detailed knowledge of the structure and function of invertebrates in the groups covered

2. Discuss recent research in the fields of invertebrate zoology relevant to the groups studied.

3. Dissect representatives of two major invertebrate groups.

4. Prepare a magazine article suitable for the interested lay-person (in the style of New Scientist) on one of the topics covered.

Brief description

This module builds on the basic coverage of invertebrates in year 1. It focuses on a small number of topics in invertebrate zoology and examines each in depth. The topics are chosen to represent a number of important invertebrate taxa and a range of concepts. It includes developments at the forefront of our understanding of invertebrates. A considerable part of this module is student-centred and involves independent research into recent literature.

Content

The module will be comprised of five discrete topics in invertebrate zoology. The topics will be selected from a larger set; selection will depend in part on staff availability. Examples of the potential topics are shown in the list below, which is not intended to be comprehensive or definitive:

Cephalopod biology
Invertebrate symbioses
Insect flight
Invertebrate coloniality
Arthropod growth and development
Phylogeny and speciation in arachnids
Invertebrate toxins

Each topic consists of up to four formal lectures. There are two dissections in practical classes, drawn from the shore crab, locust or squid, each of which links with one of the lecture topics.

Module Skills

Skills Type Skills details
Application of Number
Communication Students will prepare material and present this orally. They will also prepare a magazine article in the style of New Scientist.
Improving own Learning and Performance
Information Technology Students will use IT in researching the information required to support the preparation of wiki material and the magazine article. They will also develop their IT skills in presentation both of the wiki material and the magazine article
Personal Development and Career planning
Problem solving
Research skills In working on the student-centred aspects of the module, students will be planning and carrying out research, evaluating information from different sources and producing appropriate outputs
Subject Specific Skills Invertebrate dissection
Team work

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 5