REF:66-2102-5245306 - Group work during lockdown

Your comment: Module BR35120 I think it is very unfair for this module to expect us to do assessed group work worth 50% of the module during a lockdown. This assessment relies being able to go out and take video recordings of various animals which many people will not be able to do as a result of lockdown and being in an area with little country side. Being this is a final year module there is a lot of pressure to do well and given current circumstance I doubt many students will be able to produce their best work. Assessed group work is already a challenge in normal times but given the extra challenge of Covid it is making it extremely difficult indeed. It may be too late to do anything about this now but I just feel that there would be a much fairer assessment of our ability that didn’t require such a high dependancy on group work and having access to various animals.

Our response:

Group work is an important employability skill that is embedded in many IBERS modules. It is particularly important under the current COVID restrictions as opportunities for interacting with others are restricted so it promotes a feeling of community enables peer support and encouragement. Working with others remotely is going to be a very important requirement for at least the foreseeable future and developing these skills will enhance student CVs. The module coordinator has been clear with the group that online video footage can be used if they can’t make their own recordings and will reiterate this message.